MANILA: Leaders of the US, China and Japan welcomed
Philippine President-elect Benigno Aquino III's rise to power, pledging help
Thursday as he faces daunting challenges including rebellions, massive poverty
and a crippling budget deficit.
The Philippine Congress proclaimed Aquino as the Southeast
Asian nation's 15th president Tuesday, formalizing the landslide victory of the
son of deeply revered democracy icons. Shortly after the euphoric ceremony,
Aquino said his legal team had begun an inventory of the problems he will
inherit.
President Barack Obama congratulated Aquino during a
telephone conversation, praising the country's first automated elections on May
10 as a "positive testament to the strength and vitality of
democracy" in the former US commonwealth.
Both "looked forward to bringing our cooperation to a
new level and to meeting at a mutually convenient time," the White House
said.
To introduce some "humor" into his conversation
with Obama, Aquino said he brought up both their smoking problems, for which
the new Philippine leader has been criticized by both supporters and critics.
"Mr. President, I understand we have the same issue
with smoking," Aquino said he told Obama. "He said, 'Well I quit that
already. I have quit. It's your sole problem. At the time that you decide to
quit, I'll send the advice."' Obama said last year that he couldn't quite
break his 30-year smoking habit at times, and his doctor said in February that
his smoking was still a struggle.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Filipinos expect
Aquino "to carry forward the democratic traditions that his parents did so
much to champion." Chinese President Hu Jintao said his country intends to
deepen bilateral ties. "Under new historical circumstances, I would like
to work with you to carry forward our traditional friendship, expand our
mutually beneficial cooperation," he said.
New Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan pledged his country
will "do its utmost to cooperate ... in efforts toward further stability
and progress."
Australian Ambassador Rod Smith also met Aquino Thursday.
Aquino, a 50-year-old bachelor from one of the country's
wealthiest landowning clans, will take his oath of office on June 30. He will
replace Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who won a congressional seat in last month's
elections after a nine-year presidency wracked by failed coup attempts and
opposition impeachment bids for alleged election fraud, corruption and human
rights abuses.
Aquino's late parents — opposition Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr.
and ex-President Corazon Aquino — are revered for their
opposition to the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was ousted by a 1986
"people power" revolt.
Aquino, regarded by many as a political lightweight for an
unimpressive stint in Congress, will inherit a nation grappling with poverty
and debilitated by decades-long Marxist and Muslim insurgencies, military
unrest, corruption, violent crime and political strife.
"We can't say it's total joy," Aquino told
reporters of his victory. "I'm happy but anxious because of the huge
problems the country has to confront." Political analyst Ronald Holmes
said it was important for Aquino to make Filipinos realize the depth of the
country's problems and the limit of government resources at his disposal, to
tame high public expectations.
"It's a job for a superman," Holmes said.
Aquino and his late mother had led the political opposition
in calling for Arroyo's resignation, and that enmity will be reflected in the
first hour of his presidency.
He said Tuesday he will not take his oath before the Supreme
Court chief justice, whose appointment by Arroyo in the dying days of her term
has been called unconstitutional by the opposition. Aquino also plans to
replace the current military chief of staff, who is closely identified with
Arroyo.
Arroyo, nevertheless, congratulated Aquino in a phone call
late Tuesday.
Aquino has expressed alarm at the ballooning national budget
deficit, which he said could surpass $8.7 billion (400 billion pesos) this
year.
