State of Emergency Continues

There's an interesting dichotomy in yesterday's Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The lead story on the front page carries charges made by Sen. Joker Arroyo that there's more to come:

She's only just begun.

While critics slam her proclamation of a state of national emergency, President Macapagal-Arroyo is planning to issue yet another order to rout her perceived political enemies, Sen. Joker Arroyo said yesterday.

"In what form? We don't know but in this country, there is never a secret," Arroyo said. "What we should worry about is the third one. I don't know if it's creeping martial law but there's something coming."

Meanwhile, the lead story hed in the business section reads Peso surges to 51.65 to $1; stocks up 1.6%. The subhed says Investors see early lifting of state of emergency.

"The market is expecting an end to all the political turmoil," a currency trader said, noting Finance Secretary Gary Teves' pronouncement that the state of emergency could be lifted by Friday.

Hmm. Meanwhile, the state of emergency doesn't seem to be having much affect on most people's daily lives. Life goes on, with what feels to me like a sense of resignation that this is just what happens in the Philippines: an unpopular leader is forced out of office, his successor is immediately popular but then begins to emulate his predecessor's actions and begins to fall out of favor, eventually becoming very unpopular, at which time he is forced out of office, starting the cycle over again.