New Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, dramatically sworn into power over the weekend, took charge at Manila's Malacanang presidential palace today, returning to a home she lived in as a teenager.
Arroyo, the daughter of late President Diosado Macapagal, said she was accepting the great honour of residing in Malacanang again with deep humility and highest hopes for the people.
She spoke after unfurling the national flag in front of the palace and then briskly strode over the red-carpeted walkway to the presidential office for a series of meetings.
Later today, she is scheduled to hold a news conference to announce her first few cabinet appointments.
Arroyo, 53, was sworn in on Saturday after the Supreme Court stripped her predecessor Joseph Estrada of office following announcements by the military, the police and most of the cabinet that they could not serve under him.
Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered for street protests after the breakdown earlier in the week of Estrada's Senate impeachment trial on charges of bribery and corruption.
Reuters