Former Philippine president Fidel Ramos said on Sunday he is confident President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will survive the current crisis.

Speaking to reporters before boarding a plane for Bangkok, Ramos also denied allegations that he was playing a "kingmaker" role by trying to help Arroyo out.

"That's a role shadowy characters like to play and I am not like that," Ramos said.

He said he was confident that Arroyo is still president when he comes home on July 15.

Ramos, who flew to Bangkok for a conference, said on Friday that the country needed a fundamental political reform by transforming its presidential system to parliamentary system.

He suggested that Arroyo play the role of "caretaker" until May 2006, when an election is held for a single chamber parliament to replace the present two-chamber US-style congress.

Source: Xinhua