Foreign envoys pledge to help GMA

Her predecessor is still laying claim to power, but President Arroyo’s administration received formal recognition from the diplomatic community yesterday.

In a reception or vin d’honneur at Malacañang, more than a hundred foreign diplomats led by the dean of the diplomatic corps, Papal Nuncio Antonio Franco, praised the non-violent "people power II" that ousted President Joseph Estrada over corruption allegations.

The diplomats pledged to help Arroyo fight poverty and improve government morals.

They stressed the need to quickly heal deep political divisions and rebuild an economy battered by a de-vastating three-month political crisis.

"We are once again touched by and proud of the Filipino people for their exemplary non-violent approach to reorganize their political system and leadership," Franco told the diplomatic gathering.

Mrs. Arroyo said the "immediate support of friends and allies is critical."

She said her administration would harness diplomacy to help the ailing economy recover. She added the recent massive street protests showed the vibrancy of Phi-lippine democracy.

"For the second time in 15 years, democracy in the Philippines was lifted up to the light of global scrutiny and was found remarkably, singularly swift yet decisive, vigorous yet prudent, bloodless yet uncompromising," Mrs. Arroyo said.

The new leader commended former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Corazon Aquino, who were in the audience, for their contribution in promoting democracy and economic development. She pointedly omitted Estrada.

Mrs. Arroyo, 53, was swept to power last Saturday after three days of massive anti-Estrada protests and the stunning resignation of top officials.

Corruption allegations against Estrada led to an unprecedented impeachment trial. When the Senate proceedings stalled last week, hundreds of thousands joined the demonstrations, centered at a monument to an army-backed popular revolt that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

Mrs. Arroyo, the country’s 14th president, on Monday moved into the offices of Malacañang Palace, the sprawling compound where she lived when her father was president from 1961 to 1965.

In her meeting with diplomats, Mrs. Arroyo announced the appointment of seven special ambassadors, including Ramos, to boost the Philippines’ international ties and trade.

She said foreign policy decisions would increasingly be made in conjunction with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a trading bloc in which Manila was a founding member.

Although Mrs. Arroyo has strongly appealed for reconciliation, there were signs that deep political divisions would linger.

Prosecutors announced Monday they have begun investigating Estrada on economic plunder charges.

One charge technically carries a possible death penalty, but it is considered extremely unlikely that Estrada, who still has sympathy from many Filipinos, would face lethal injection.

Arroyo stayed out of the legal frays, getting to work on a number of daunting tasks: an administration in disarray, a ballooning budget deficit, slowing exports, two raging separatist insurgencies and a garbage crisis. — Marichu Villanueva