Estrada starts New Year with ‘President’s time’

President Estrada started off the New Year by staying home with the First Lady, their children and grandchildren, and his 96-year-old mother.

Yesterday was "President’s Time," the term used by the Malacañang Appointments Office to describe a day when the Chief Executive has no official engagements or scheduled activities outside the Palace.

Mr. Estrada will report for work at Malacañang this morning, Ambassador Ernesto Maceda, presidential spokesman for the impeachment trial, told The STAR yesterday.

Maceda said the Chief Executive spent New Year’s Eve with First Lady Luisa Ejercito Estrada, their children and grandchildren, and his mother, Doña Mary, at their residence on No. 1 Polk st. in Greenhills, San Juan.

Maceda said many fung shui geomancers have advised Mr. Estrada to keep off Malacañang until tomorrow because they believe the "bad luck and evil spirits" that hounded the Chief Executive last year are still roaming the presidential residence.

However, Mr. Estrada, who is a believer in fung shui, has not heeded the warnings as he will be back at Malacañang this morning to tackle the affairs of state.

In a message broadcast to the nation on New Year’s Day, Mr. Estrada reaffirmed his belief in Divine Providence to help him face the challenges of the New Year.

"And so as the Jubilee year ends and the New Year begins, let us ask our Lord to once again grant us spiritual guidance and moral fortitude so we muster enough courage and strength to endure whatever challenges lie ahead of us," the President said. "Most of all let us ask Him to help us unite as a people and work together for His greater glory and for our nation’s growth."

Mr. Estrada expressed confidence that the nation will be able to hurdle the economic and political crisis the country went through last year.

"I deeply regret the adverse impact that the current political controversy has caused our nation," he said. "It has slowed down our economic growth despite strong economic fundamentals that we have worked so hard to develop," he said.

Mr. Estrada said he and his Cabinet secretaries have laid out the administration’s economic recovery program that would place the ecomnomy back on the path of growth after being sidetracked by the impeachment trial.

"I have approved vital new programs to enliven our economy," he said. "But if we are to attract foreign investments, we must certainly not project ourselves as a divided nation to the outside world."

The Chief Executive vowed to implement "sweeping reforms" in government this year after he is acquitted by the Senate impeachment tribunal.

"We still face a lot of challenges," he said. "But we Filipinos are known to be tough and firm in the face of difficulties. Our nation have encountered a lot of dififculties but we were able hurdle them all. That’s why I am firm in my belief that we will be able to overcome the problems facing us now."

Mr. Estrada said his two-and-a-half year administration has accomplished much in restoring peace and order and bringing economic stability to the country. – Marichu Villanueva