Philippines to keep political stability this year

The Philippine presidential palace said on Tuesday the Philippines will keep political stability in the year 2007 although "political pot" will heat up as elections of Congress and local governments are coming in May this year.

The Press Secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the country has been "through a number of political storms" and "weathered crisis after crisis through a strong leadership and the support of the people".

"The political pot will definitely continue to heat up but this will not pose a threat to the country's political stability, which is firmly founded on a vibrant democracy and a strong market economy," he said in a statement posted on the website of the Malacanang presidential palace.

He said economic and political reforms have already started and cannot be stopped "by any political and media grandstanding that the people have already discounted and learned to ignore".

"This administration is focused on the task of completing our economic and political platforms and translating them into benefits that would be fully enjoyed by the people in terms of more jobs, services and law and order," he said.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has been implementing fiscal reforms through new taxes to improve the country's fiscal situation, while some political allies of Arroyo also pushed for a constitutional reform in the past year.

Source: Xinhua