Fidel Ramos, a military general himself,

made peace with the rebel panels. One of

the contributions was his, being instrumental
in the signing of the final peace agreement
between the government and the Moro
National Liberation Front (MNLF) led by Nur
Misuari in 1996. He also ordered the
resumption of peace negotiations with the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) led by
Salamat Hashim and the Communist Party of
the Philippines-National Democratic Front,
which operates the New People's Army, led
by Jose Maria Sison. Ramos created the
National Unification Commission and
appointed Haydee Yorac as its chairman. He
granted the commission's request for
amnesty to rebel military officers of the
Reform the Armed forces Movement (RAM),
led by Col. Gregorio (Gringo) Honasan, who
led the 1989 coup d' etat that threatened to
oust the Aquino administration. Ramos
issued licenses to independent power
producers (IPP) to construct power plants
within 24 months. The power crisis was
resolved in 1994.
During his administration, Ramos began
implementing economic reforms intended to
open up the once-closed national economy,
encourage private enterprise, invite more
foreign and domestic investment, and reduce
corruption. Ramos was also known as the
most-traveled Philippine President in recent
history with numerous foreign trips abroad,
generating about US$ 20 billion worth of
foreign investments to the Philippines.
Joseph Estrada was the President for the
"masa" (the poor and undereducated
masses). People were looking for a
leadership they could relate to. Estradas
financial backers designed a campaign
strategy that reflected Estradas pro-poor
image that he had built up throughout his
movie career. Central in the campaign was
Estradas campaign slogan "Erap para sa
Mahirap" (Erap for the poor) that succeeded
in inspiring the masses with the hope that

Estrada would be the president of and for the

masses. Estrada's running mate, Edgardo
Angara, was defeated by Gloria MacapagalArroyo. During the campaign, Estrada's
political rivals tried but failed to discredit him
while publicizing his womanizing, drinking
and gambling. Estrada was inaugurated on
June 30, 1998 in the historical town of
Malolos in Bulacan province. Estradas tenure
as president was short-lived, however, as a
corruption scandal erupted in October 2000
when a fellow politician claimed that Estrada
had accepted millions of dollars worth of
bribes. In November the Philippine Senate
began an impeachment trial, but it was
abandoned after some senators blocked the
admission of evidence. On Jan. 20, 2001,
Estrada was ousted amid mass protests, and
his vice president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
ascended to the presidency
Gloria Arroyo, a practicing economist, has
made the economy the focus of her
presidency. Economic growth in terms of
gross domestic product has averaged 5.0%
during the Arroyo presidency from 2001 up
to the first quarter of 2008. This is higher
than previous recent presidents when
compared to the 3.8% average of Aquino,
the 3.7% average of Ramos, and the 2.8%
average of Joseph Estrada. The Philippine
economy grew at its fastest pace in three
decades in 2007, with real GDP growth
exceeding 7%. Inflation during the Arroyo
presidency has been the lowest since 1986,
averaging 2.5%.

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE:
ISSUES/CONTROVERSIES Oakwood Mutiny
Hello, Garci Controversy The Northrail
Project Anomaly Fertilizer Fund Scam
Proclamation 1017: State of Emergency
The Manila Peninsula Rebellion The NBNZTE Deal Controversy Quedancor Swine
Scam Expensive Dinners Controversy

Estrada Pardoned Maguindanao Massacre:

2007 Martial Law Impeachment Complaints

3. 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 10 MAY

2004 Although the Philippine Constitution
bars a president from reelection, it allows for
the election of a person who has succeeded

as president and has served for not more

than four years. In December 2002, Arroyo
made the surprise announcement that she
would not seek a new term in the Philippine
general election, 2004. Ten months later,
however, she reversed her position and
declared her intention to seek a direct
mandate from the people, saying "there is a
higher cause to change society... in a way
that nourishes our future".