(2 of 2)
This revolution has become known in the Philippines as People Power Two, a reference to the original people's movement that ousted Marcos. This time, however, cell-phone text messages were the preferred organizing medium as protesters used cybertech to figure out where to be and when. People Power One brought hope and a brief glimpse of prosperity to the country. For this one to do the same, Macapagal-Arroyo will need to move quickly to develop a plan for economic and legal revitalization. The new 53-year-old President has a Ph.D. in economics (she was a schoolmate of Bill Clinton's at Georgetown) and has worked hard to attract new investors. She was already a popular political figure, regularly outpolling Estrada in approval ratings even during his best moments in power. And like George W. Bush, who was sworn in just hours after her, she is the child of a former President: Diosdado Macapagal, who ruled the country from 1962 to 1965. In the past year, however, the Philippine elite has cooled a bit to her, worried that her popularity will not make her immune to the same issues of corruption and mismanagement that dogged Estrada. After all, Estrada, an actor, was once the most popular man in the country.
This transition wasn't totally unexpected. For the past year, Macapagal-Arroyo has been quietly gathering a team of people and a collection of ideas for what to do if she took over the country. The new President said she accepted her job with "a sense of trepidation and a sense of awe." For her country's sake, one hopes she also has a sense of urgency.
--Reported by Nelly Sindayen/Manila