THE MODERN PHILIPPINES

INDEPENDENCE

The Philippines received full independence on July 4, 1946. The first president of the republic was Manuel Roxas. His successors were: Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal (father of the current president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), Ferdinand Marcos (ousted by the uprising of People Power in 1986 after plundering the economy for 21 years), Corazon Aquino (whose husband Ninoy Aquino--a presidential contender competing against Marcos--was murdered there on the Tarmac of what is now called the Ninoy Aquino International Airport), Fidel Ramos (chief of the military during the Marcos and Aquino administrations), and Joseph Estrada, the 'Robin Hood' actor who won the election in 1998 on his promise to help the poor, but was ousted on corruptions charges in 2001. The boisterous overthrow of President Estrada made world headlines! HALF A MILLION FILIPINOS poured into the streets, backed by the church and the military! People Power II was the second time in 15 years that a corrupt Philippine president was thrown from office.

THE PHILIPPINES TODAY

The Republic of the Philippines is a constitutional democracy with a bicameral legislature consisting of a 250-member House of Representatives and a 24-member Senate. The president, who is also the head of state, can be elected to only one six-year term. The current population of the Philippines is 75 million. There are 60 ethnic and indigenous minorities. Eighty dialects are spoken. The two national languages are Pilipino (Tagalog) and English. The Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia. Most Filipinos (85 per cent) are Catholic. The remainder are Muslims and indigenous people. Only 2,000 of the 7,107 islands are inhabited. Lack of drinkable water on the smaller islands is a major problem.

THE NEW LADY PRESIDENT - and her sentiments for Fuga

The new Philippine president is Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The former vice president was ushered into the presidency in February 2001 after the ousting of Joseph Estrada. And there is a small ray of hope for Fuga: President Arroyo's "unfulfilled dream" is to visit Fuga. Her father Diosdado Macapagal has interest in an ambitious real estate development on Fuga: "Influential Filipinos are backing the project. Former president Diosdado Macapagal leads a group that owns 5% of Fuga Internationale subsidiary Fuga Development Corp., which will build up the islands" (cover story: Asiaweek, Feb/2/96). Read about Arroyo's sentiments for the poor Fugans in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.