Ramos predicts victory in polls<\/p>\n
MANILA (Reuter): President Fidel Ramos predicted yesterday
\noverwhelming victory for his candidates in elections to the
\nPhilippine Senate next week, saying the recent hanging in
\nSingapore of a Filipina would not affect the outcome.<\/p>\n
Ramos told reporters his Lakas-Laban coalition party should
\nscoop 10 of the 12 seats at stake in the 24-member Senate and
\nsaid the chances of his party picking up another seat going into
\nthe last days of the campaign looked promising.<\/p>\n
\"That is good enough for me,\" Ramos said when asked how he
\nfelt about a survey that forecast his party would get 10 of the
\n12 senatorial slots in the May 8 polls.<\/p>\n
Ramos added that fallout from the hanging in Singapore of a
\nPhilippine maid would not influence the polls.<\/p>\n
The execution of Flor Contemplacion, who was convicted of
\nmurder, sparked an emotional outburst against the Manila
\ngovernment for failing to save her from the gallows.<\/p>\n
\"We were able to deal with these issues quite effectively,\"
\nRamos said. \"We were on top in managing the crisis. We were not
\nderailed, we were not obscured.\"<\/p>\n
Filipinos will vote on Monday for 12 of the 24 Senate seats,
\nall 200 members of the House of Representatives and thousands of
\nlocal positions.<\/p>\n
Ramos said the election is a referendum on his administration
\nand its success in securing political stability, which has
\nfueled a strong economic rebound.<\/p>\n
Ramos is halfway through the single six-year term the
\nconstitution allows.<\/p>\n
Economists have said both the results of the election and the
\nmanner and atmosphere in which it is conducted will be watched
\nclosely by foreign investors.<\/p>\n
The country's gross national product (GNP) expanded by more
\nthan five percent in calendar 1994 compared to growth of a little
\nover two percent in 1993 and a flat growth rate during 1990-1992.<\/p>\n
\"I have not backed down from my case that these coming
\nelections should be considered a referendum on the Ramos
\nadministration,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ramos said a victory in the elections is vital for the
\ngovernment to secure an overhaul of the income-tax structure and
\napprove revisions to corporate tax.<\/p>\n
While the lower house of Congress is controlled by followers
\nof Ramos, the Senate has often balked at some of his proposals.
\nSecuring control of the Senate is necessary for the Philippine
\nleader to gain passage of his economic measures.<\/p>\n
Ramos said what was at stake in the elections was the
\npreservation of the momentum generated for Philippine economic
\ngrowth and implementation of his social reform agenda.<\/p>\n
\"Both of these very important programs are already well past
\nthe take-off stage,\" he said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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