In a bold step, President Ramos ended more than 40 years of controls on the transfer of foreign currency.

President Ramos, under election pressure, fired his uncaring embassy officials and sent home Singapore's ambassador.

This is the body presided over by President Ramos which met weekly on legislative priorities and other national concerns.

President Ramos said the two firms would yet be made 'to account for their actions'.

President Ramos had also boosted foreign trade and investments that increased capital flow into the country.

President Ramos is not a member of the traditional elite that has consistently ruled the Philippines.

"I hope we will all exchange telephone numbers and fax machine numbers," President Ramos said.

Crime has become one of President Ramos's most urgent problems.

The farmers were successful in using a hunger strike to get President Ramos to return the land to them on this occasion.

But President Ramos left no doubt where he stood on the court's decision.