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This column covers "developing stories" meaning that you can expect additional stories on the same subject in the near future. The material that follows was written using much of the same language as your Bangkok Post writers use in their stories. July 5, 2005 INTERNATIONAL Going or staying? The Philippine president is in trouble, but don’t expect her to be gone soon

Is Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on her way out? From news reports you might think so. There are demonstrations calling for her resignation almost everyday and things do appear to be falling apart around her. Last week was particularly tough. Her husband, facing unproven charges of taking bribes from illegal gambling syndicates, was forced to move abroad in an attempt to take some of the heat off his wife. One of her trusted aides, agriculture minister Arthur Yap resigned and the Supreme Court froze a key tax she had instituted to control the government’s surging deficit. On top of that, the Philippine peso has dropped to near record-low levels against the US dollar, making oil imports even more expensive. Ms Arroyo’s biggest problem at the moment, however, is her own doing. Last week she admitted that she had had discussions with a senior election official as the votes were being tallied. Unknown to her, those conversations were being secretly (and illegally) recorded. To many people, they sounded very much like an attempt to influence the result. In a speech to the nation last week, Ms Arroyo gave a more innocent explanation, but she also apologised to the nation for a “lapse in judgment”. However, that has done nothing to silence her critics and the protests continue. Last Friday, 5,000 Filipinos took to the streets of Manila to demand Mrs Arroyo’s resignation. None of this means that you can expect Ms Arroyo to be gone anytime soon, however. The protests are nowhere near as large or as angry as those that forced her predecessor, Joseph Estrada, from office. At that time, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos joined the demonstrations. Keep in mind also that Ms Arroyo’s party controls both houses of Congress and there is no obvious opposition figure ready to replace her. She also enjoys the support of the Catholic Church and the military. Finally, while Ms Arroyo certainly did have a lapse in judgment, it is not clear if she did anything illegal under Philippine law. Still, this is not the kind of situation that any leader wants to be in, particularly one who has five more years of her presidential term remaining. The big question now is whether her current troubles will weaken her so severely that she will be unable to fulfil her ambitious agenda for fighting corruption and strengthening her country’s weak economy. resignation the process of formally giving up or quitting a job tough difficult bribes money or presents illegally given to someone so they will do something for you, usually something dishonest syndicates groups of people who join together to share the costs of doing a particular business instituted put into effect surging rising rapidly deficit a situation when the total amount of money spent is greater than the amount of money received tallied recorded; counted innocent harmless, i.e., not dishonest lapse a temporary failure predecessor a person who held a position before you figure person still despite that; however agenda a plan of things to do

LOCAL Suriyas in the spotlight The current cabinet has two ministers named Suriya and both are in trouble Suriya Juengrungruangkit If I were a betting person, I would not my risk money on the likelihood that either of the two Suriyas in the cabinet will keep their current positions in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle. Both look to be in deep trouble and at least one of them could be out of the cabinet altogether. That would most likely be Deputy Commerce Minister Suriya Lapvisutisin, a first-time cabinet member with relatively little standing in the Thai Rak Thai party. His problem stems from serious fraud complaints filed last week against his younger brother and sister, two top executives of the Picnic Corp which is controlled by his family. The Suriya much of the Thai public would like to see removed from the cabinet is likely to escape with a change of job. Suriya Lapvisutisin He, of course, is Transport Minister Suriya Junrungengkit who suffered through a damning censure debate last week. In it, the opposition raised questions about his role in the CTX scandal that he was unable to answer clearly. Still, as political analysts point out, the transport minister is also the secretary-general of Thai Rak Thai. So, while he will likely lose his current portfolio, he is unlikely to be removed from the cabinet altogether. You can expect to see intense speculation in the media over his future and the future of many other ministers as Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra tries to correct a growing perception that his government is soft on corruption. cabinet the small group of the most important people in government (the prime minister and his ministers, etc.) reshuffle a change in the people and/or their positions in a group fraud the crime of obtaining money by deceiving people censure severe criticism or disapproval portfolio a particular job or responsibility of someone in government speculation forming an opinion without having the complete facts perception a belief or opinion held by many people •This lesson was prepared by Acharn Terry Fredrickson, BA Stanford, MA (TESL) University of Minnesota, Manager/Editor of the Learning Post at the Bangkok Post and general editor of this programme. Read our other What's news columns here. Back to our home page |© The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 2005 | Last modified: July 4, 2005