President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said last night the Lakas-Christian and Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) must brace itself to face three fundamental challenges that loom ahead for the party: the economy, charter change and poverty.

"We have three fronts of struggle. First the economy - we must sustain our gains. Second, Charter change – we must achieve this by the middle of this year. Third is poverty - we must bring relief to the people battered by high oil prices and unemployment," the President said in her address before the party’s national directorate meeting in Malacaņang last night.

The President, Lakas national chairman, said plans for each front have already been laid, but stressed that only through "teamwork and discipline" can these fronts be achieved."

"We have a plan for each front, and each must be pursued with teamwork and discipline," she said.

She pointed out that the administration’s strategic aim is permanent and economic stability to ensure that the Philippines attains first world status in 20 years. "We must strengthen our ranks to enforce and sustain full democratic leadership until 2010 and for the next generation."

Vowing to fight all attempts to destabilize the government, the Chief Executive stressed that her administration intends to "preserve our coalitions-on-the-pedestal-of-principles-and-ideals, and never on the shaky floors of expediency."

As the ruling party, Lakas-CMD enjoys superior political strength and its "opponents must either toe the line of the national interest for which we stand, and fiscalize responsibility with statesmanship or be relegated to the wayside of irrelevance or ignominy," she said.

The President pointed out that the "stakes for the party and the nation are high, the demands upon each and every one of us, formidable."

The bruising political battles of the past years have strengthened the party’s resolve and capability to meet challenges, "we don’t need additional training to win over our political foes, in every round," she said.

The President called on the leaders of Lakas to undertake more aggressive advocacies to ensure the success of the party’s programs and policies. Threats against the government must be nipped in the bud before they can inflict harm on the country and the people, she added.

She said the ruling party must lead the campaign for people’s support for the proposed constitutional change.

"I shall be at the helm of both the economy and pump priming program for social equity while Congress and the local governments shall push the pincer attack on Charter change, gathering force behind the mandate of the people," the President said.

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The President also took time to watch a brief documentary prepared by NBN 4 on the exploits of the Filipino athletes during the SEA Games which the country hosted Nov. 27 to Dec. 5 last year.

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