Interview with Arroyo: Extended Transcript — page 5

TIME: What do you mean by the overhaul of the police?
Arroyo: We will await the result of the commission. Maybe the structure has too many layers: the head, then the deputy for this, and the director for this. Under the head you have at least four executive layers. And then you have the regional heads. And the regions are a mirror of all the layers at the top. And of course we have to flush out the corrupt officials and policemen in the Philippine National Police.

TIME: What is it about you that you feel has been your most useful attribute as chief executive?
Arroyo: That I'm very focused.

TIME: And you've always been?
Arroyo: Yes. I don't allow marginal things to occupy my time and my energy.

TIME: Do you think that's the pre-eminent requisite for a chief executive?
Arroyo: At this point in time, yes. If you're going to try to attend to everything yourself, then you'll wear yourself out and you will achieve very little. But I focused on the economy, I focused on security. And here we are; our growth rates are good, our interest rate, inflation rate and deficit are good and we have peace within grasp after decades of fighting.

TIME: Do you find this job difficult?
Arroyo: Of course. The Presidency is a very difficult job. There are many challenges. But God having put me here, I'm undeterred in moving our nation forward.

TIME: Is there anything you'd rather be doing than what you are doing right now?
Arroyo: I'm a very religious person and I always believe if I surrender myself to the will of God, where I am is where He wants me to be. And I also would not want to waste any emotion on wishful thinking.

TIME: It's not wishful thinking. I mean, we all sometimes see someone on TV, or we're reading about something, and we think, "that would be interesting."
Arroyo: I've always felt that what I will do is what God wants me to do. And at this point in time, Edsa 2 [the popular protest which ousted ex-President Joseph Estrada] was a miracle and here I am because of it. So this is what God wants me to do, and therefore this is what I want to do in spite all the challenges. It is my job to face those challenges and to steer our country through those challenges, to stay on course.

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