Philippine President won't seek re-election. (News in Brief: Philippines).

Baguio, Philippines -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, an economist by profession who has been in office since January 2001, when President Estrada was deposed, has announced that she will not seek re-election when her term of office comes up in 18 months. Mrs. Arroyo, who claims that "it is God who puts ideas in my heart," has not been able to stop the downward economic plunge and political turmoil which have plagued her presidency. She wants to devote her remaining time in office to improving the country's economy.

The Catholic Church, a powerful voice in this mainly Catholic country and a strong backer of Mrs. Arroyo in winning the presidency, is said to have been among those who pressured her not to re-run, although no reasons have been given. (See article on Arroyo's election in C.I., Feb. 01, pp. 26-27.)

The Philippines has a new Catholic television channel--Cebu City--which is now in operation to offer Christian values and an alternative to the low-quality commercial programs.

Cebu Catholic Television Network (CCTN) is a joint initiative of the Cebu Archdiocese and Radio Veritas, the broadcasting station of the Manila-based Federation of Episcopal Conferences of Asia. The new channel's studios, installed in the John XXIII Minor Seminary, were blessed on December 12, 2002, by Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu.

With the television network, the Church will have an instrument to diffuse "the powerful message of love, forgiveness, peace, and justice," the Cardinal said in statements over Vatican Radio. It also will promote cultural values such as "decency, respect, and religiosity," he explained.

Seventy percent of CCTN's programs are produced by the U.S.-based Eternal World Television Network (EWTN). Many programs will be dubbed in Cebuano, the dialect spoken in Mindanao and in the south of the Philippines. The channel will rely on advertising for support (Zenit, Dec. 24/02).