Groups crying for her ouster would just get their voices hoarse, because from where I sat at the Malacañang music room yesterday, it looked to me like GMA is determined to finish her term no matter what.  In the many years that I have known her, she has always been one of those tough, very stubborn and determined persons, and many have attributed this to the character of her mother.

Since she became president over this past year, she has learned to be a little more controlled with her temper.  But more than that, she has turned that tenacious and strong character into her own advantage.  She’s much stronger than most people perceive her to be, and she’s definitely determined not to be an easy prey for those ready to grab power from her.  The way she was talking, it looked like she is going to be around for the next four and a half years.

When she placed the country under a state of emergency, she took the situation one notch higher.  The left, the right and the media labeled it “martial law masquerading as Proclamation 1017.”  And even now that she has lifted it, GMA however stands pat on her reason: There was a clear and present threat against the Republic.

A devout Catholic, she firmly believes that it was Divine Providence that placed her in the presidency, and so she is determined to lead the country in the manner she believes would be best for the majority, especially the poor.  Her formula: To stop the bickering and the politicking, and instead focus on strengthening the economy.  I tried to probe into the thoughts of GMA regarding the present situation, and where she intends to take this country when I sat down with her for about an hour at the Malacañang music room.  Here are the excerpts of that interview:

On the legitimacy of her mandate: The legitimacy issue is something that is being used by those who want to bring down the government, and yet they don’t have a clear plan for the people.  I was elected because I had a plan for the people.  All objective observers concede that I won the elections.  Now finally this Cebu elections are coming out with the recount which, everybody realizes by now, belies the claims that I cheated my way to the presidency.

On groups that continue to call for her ouster: They’re increasingly shrill, but they’re also increasingly being marginalized.  That’s why people don’t answer their calls for People Power.  People are tired of politics.  They want to get on with their lives, with better lives.  They want genuine social and economic reforms.

On the Communist threat: It’s about time that we take the bull by the horns and go for the jugular, which is the communist threat.  They are the ones driving this unrest.  All the other countries, except one, Nepal, have already overcome their communist threat.  In Europe the communists abandoned the armed struggle and have joined the parliamentary struggle.  Here, they join the parliamentary struggle in order to advance their armed struggle.

On her meeting with the CBCP: I think there were two very important statements said during that meeting.  One is that they are not against mining per se, but against irresponsible mining, and how we could avoid a Lafayette situation again.  And the other one is, they don’t want to topple the government.  Those statements were really very gratifying.

Regarding PP 1017 and fears that there is a creeping Martial Law: Oh, far from it.  I took swift and decisive action because there was a clear and present danger to our country, and the security and safety of our people.  When the clear and present danger was removed, I acted just as swiftly.  Did you see any travel ban, did they see any curfew?  But while we are lifting the state of emergency, we are alert to the evil designs of those who seek to destroy our democratic way of life and overthrow a duly-constituted government.

The raid on the Daily Tribune: I am a believer in democracy, which includes the freedom of the press.  But I also believe that we have to defend democracy, even if we have to make tough decisions.  Whatever I did during that period, I acted in the interest of our democratic freedoms.  Surely if they had succeeded, we wouldn’t even be talking about that newspaper alone.  Other newspapers would probably have closed down by now, and all other media outlets.  So I believe that I acted in the interest even of freedom of the press.

Regarding smuggling and the drug menace: We are making great gains against smuggling.  As far as illegal drugs is concerned, we are revitalizing the Dangerous Drugs Board.  The US State Department report said that the left is being funded by drug money.  This gives us all the more incentive to go hard against the drug trade.

About the effect of a strong peso on exporters: A strong peso indicates a strengthening economy.  As far as the trade-offs are concerned, a bulk of the exports are import dependent so they also pay a lower price for the imported components.  One of the reasons why they have been suffering from some un-competitiveness in the past years is the lack of infrastructure, but now that we have been able to do these economic and fiscal reforms we can now invest on infrastructure that exporters need to be more competitive.

Regarding FVR: I believe that he cares for the country and I count on his support.

On what really keeps her strong: It’s my faith in God; my faith in Divine Providence that has been a very important part of my faith and optimism.  I am very focused.  My father said, “do what is right, do your best, and God will do the rest.”  As I said last year, the world celebrated EDSA 1, tolerated EDSA 2, but will not forgive an EDSA 3 because that will just consign us to the dustbin.  I could not allow an EDSA 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 to happen.

On businessmen who continue to call for her resignation: I don’t want to waste my energy to dwell into their motivation, but I’d rather use my efforts on the many and significant businessmen who have expressed support not only verbally but investing a lot during my administration, from the biggest taipan of all races, to the smallest micro entrepreneurs.  You have some of these noisy, shrill businessmen, and you look at each one of them, you’ll be able to find a motivation, but I don’t want to dwell into that.  We should not celebrate them at the expense of all these other businessmen who have been very supportive in word and very importantly, in actual investments.

On hopes for reconciliation: I am always open to reconciliation.  It’s just that I can’t spend all my time chasing the bully around the schoolyard.  I’d be very grateful if there’s an opportunity, but I have to focus on what is to be done and that is improving the lives of the people.  I would like to thank the people for not being carried away by all of these shrill propagandists and destabilizers, and for continuing to verbally denounce and renounce the courtship of the communists.  The people want to get on with their lives, they want their lives to improve, and they want a government that is focused on improving their lives.  I want to assure them that this is a government that is focused on improving their lives.  That is what we are committed to, and that is what we are dedicating our energies to.

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