Arroyo: I’m not running in 2004

In a move than stunned the nation, President Arroyo declared yesterday she will not seek the presidency in 2004 in the hope that it will stop intense politicking and unify the country.

"I have decided not to run for president during the elections of 2004," the President said in Baguio City during brief rites marking the 106th death anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

The President’s announcement was met with surprised silence, especially by northern Luzon politicians who had pledged in a meeting on Sunday night to support her presidential bid with a "Solid North" vote.

At the end of her 20-minute speech, a visibly emotional Mrs. Arroyo stepped down from the makeshift platform at the Rizal Monument, which was strewn with rose petals for the occasion, and tightly embraced her lawyer-husband First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and their daughter Evangeline Lourdes.

After the President left, her audience lingered to discuss the announcement, with her allies praising her "statesmanship" and opposition politicians expressing skepticism.

In an interview with dzMM radio, the President later said she made the decision, which she described as a "sacrifice," for the national good.

"If I don’t make this sacrifice, what will happen to our country?" she said.

Asked whether there were any circumstances that might persuade her to change her mind, she said: "Nothing... I have been thinking about it for about a year."

"It is also God who put these ideas in my heart," said the President, adding she had "prayed long and hard" about the decision since Valentine’s Day and had asked for unspecified "signs" that would help her make a decision.

She said she purposely did not consult with her political allies and that only three people "closest to her heart" — her husband, a brother and one of her children — knew of her decision to give up her presidential bid.

She appealed for understanding from her political allies and said she would soon meet with them to answer their questions about her decision.

"The reason why I did not consult (my political allies was) because I knew many would try to dissuade me, so I just consulted with the three people whom I know would not try to dissuade me," she said.

"My first message to (my allies is that) we should strive to be united to work harder so that we can create more jobs for our people so that the next president would not inherit a nation that is divided, which I inherited," the President said.

"The only thing I ask (of the opposition is that) I hope we can be united and let politics wait. Perhaps they fear the advantage of the incumbent. If the incumbent is not running, then we can now postpone (politicking) to drive away this disunity and mudslinging," Mrs. Arroyo added.

In her Rizal Day speech, the 55-year-old President said she reached the decision after seeing a "convergence of national stresses" that has led to a "sense of gloom" and "feeling of too much negativism and conflict in our society."

"If I were to run, it will require a major political effort on my part. But since I’m among the principal figures in the divisive national events for the last two or three years, my political efforts can only result in never-ending divisiveness," the President, dressed in a red Cordillera pantsuit, said.

If she is "relieved of the burden of politics," however, the President said she would be able to devote the remaining 18 months of her term to the fulfillment of three priorities.

"First, strengthening (the) economy; to create more jobs and to encourage business activities that are unhampered by corruption and red tape in government.

"Second, healing the deep divisions within our society.

"Third, working for clean and honest elections in 2004.

"If we achieve these, my successor as president will be in a good position to lead the Philippines through the next decisive steps for the strong and modern society. United, we can see this dream come true within our lifetime," Mrs. Arroyo said.

She appealed to the Filipino people to emulate the example of Rizal and "think of country and not just self."

"In the coming weeks, we will be launching a series of powerful, positive actions that will improve the life of our people," she said, reiterating that "major announcements will be made in January."

In the interview with dzMM, she said she had made up her mind 10 months ago, and that only key members of her family knew about it.

"I made the decision around February this year," she said.

"After one year in office, I reviewed what I had accomplished. Even then, I realized that we have failed to achieve national unity. There was so much poison in the air," she said.

"I thought if this would be the atmosphere under which I would rule, how could I chart the country toward a brighter future," she added.

In her speech, Mrs. Arroyo said she was worried "the government in place after 2004 may merely end up inheriting a country as deeply divided as ever. Consequently, we may end up stalling national growth for a few years more as a result of lost momentum."

She said the political, economic and social "national stresses" have prevented the fulfillment of her dream of a "strong republic."

"In recent years, our fundamental weaknesses have been revealed in ways that are worrisome to broad sectors of our citizenry," she said.

"In the economy, ever since the Asian crisis (of) 1997, our public revenues have been steadily declining in relation to the size of our economy. This has led to persistent budget deficit.

"In society, we have become a nation deeply divided, symbolized by the polarity between EDSA II and the May 1 siege barely three months after EDSA II.

"And in governance, there is now too much politics hampering good, productive governance," she said.

"The convergence of the national stresses such as these has led to the sense of gloom that many of our citizens now talk of. There is a feeling of too much negativism and conflict in our society," the President added. – With Artemio Dumlao, Aurora Alambra