Citing Economic Failures, Aquino Gives Herself an 85

Philippine President Corazon Aquino today gave herself a grade of 85 out of a possible 100 for her first 100 days in office because she has restored freedom and guaranteed civil rights but has failed to generate any economic miracles.

Aquino discussed her first rocky months after deposed President Ferdinand E. Marcos fled to the United States in a series of network interviews. She said she is proud of her efforts and added, “I don’t normally give marks to myself but I guess I give myself an 85.”

“First of all, I restored freedom in this country,” Aquino said in Manila. “We have guaranteed the Bill of Rights and although I did abolish Parliament, we are now starting with a new constitution.

“The Constitutional Commission convened two days ago and hopefully in 90 days, we will have a new constitution, which will be presented to the Filipino people for their approval or their rejection.”

Asked why she did not give herself 100, Aquino said, “Since I have not produced the economic miracles that people were hoping for . . . so, maybe I cannot give myself 100 because of that.”

Earlier today, Gen. Fidel Ramos, the armed forces chief, said the military’s ability to contain a communist-led insurgency may deteriorate seriously unless the new government can stabilize the political and economic situation. Aquino detailed efforts to keep control of the situation.

“As I have always told the Filipino people, as much as we would like to bring about these reforms instantly, it is not an easy matter because first of all Mr. Marcos left us a huge debt, $26 billion,” she said.

The new president rejected comments by Marcos that he should be allowed to return to his country to “live a peasant life.” She accused Marcos of paying his supporters to demonstrate and cause violence to destabilize the government.

“I have said I do not want the Marcoses to return,” she said.

Earlier today, Gen. Fidel Ramos, the armed forces chief, said the military’s ability to contain a communist-led insurgency may deteriorate seriously unless the new government can stabilize the political and economic situation. Aquino detailed efforts to keep control of the situation.

“As I have always told the Filipino people, as much as we would like to bring about these reforms instantly, it is not an easy matter because first of all Mr. Marcos left us a huge debt, $26 billion,” she said.

“We have to pay almost 50% of our export earnings in the servicing of that debt alone, in the payment of interest alone. So it is a gigantic problem and we have emphasized this to the Filipino people.

“We are convinced in so far as we were able to affect a peaceful and bloodless revolution in February because of ‘people power,’ I am now asking this same ‘people power’ to help us in this second revolution--the economic revolution.