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Power and Gloria
The Philippines' president survives her first year—barely
[01/28/2002] |
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He's Out; She's In
Abandoned by his allies, President Estrada cedes power to his VP
[01/29/2001] |
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Interview with Arroyo: Extended Transcript — page 7
TIME: What's the worst part of your job besides the distractions?
Arroyo: The worst part of the job, because of the way that politics has evolved in our country today, is that black propaganda and destabilization have become political tools. And that's not healthy; that weakens a nation. That's why I keep talking about strengthening the nation.
TIME: Do you ever wake up and wish you were doing something else?
Arroyo: Well, I have this philosophy, that God created me, and therefore I must do the things I should do. and never mind about wishing, because we're not Almighty. We don't have genies, we have to deal with what we have, rather than what we would like to have, but can't help.
TIME: What has been a disappointment for you in terms of something you wanted to do?
Arroyo: Well the pace of reforms. As I said earlier, the progress, the direction is there; the pace is something that I'm impatient with. But that's because our nation is not yet so strong. If we want our country to achieve reforms at the pace that we want to achieve them, we must strengthen our institutions. That's the way to speed up the pace. But strengthening the institutions will be, again, a marathon, not a sprint.
TIME: So, a year from now, when you move out the palace again, what are you going to miss most?
Arroyo: I'm not into this thing about missing this and missing that. What God wants me to do at a given moment in time is what I joyfully accept.
TIME: And you always have this feeling about the right thing to do?
Arroyo: That's my philosophy. It guides my everyday life.
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