on of the Judicial and Bar
Council

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng
Demokratikong Pilipino, LDP), Edgardo ANGARA; People Power-National
Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng EDSA-NUCD or Lakas-NUCD), Jose
DE VENECIA, secretary general; Liberal Party (LP), Alfredo LIM,
standard bearer; Laban Ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LMMP or Fight of
the Patriotic Filipino Masses), Joseph ESTRADA, standard bearer;
National People's Coalition (NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO; People's Reform
Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO; New Society Movement (Kilusan
Bagong Lipunan, KBL), Imelda MARCOS; Nacionalista Party (NP), Salvador
H. LAUREL, president; Filipino Democratic Party (Partido Demokratikong
Philipinas or PDP), Jose COJUANGCO, is part of the ruling coalition
with the LDP
note: political parties are highly fluid and personalistic; the major
parties as of May 1998 are-Lakas-NUCD, LMMP, and LP

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Raul Chaves RABE
chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles,
New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
consulate(s): San Jose (Saipan)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000
mailing address: FPO 96515
telephone: [63] (2) 523-1001
FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red
with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the
center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each
containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle
is a small yellow five-pointed star

@Philippines:Economy

Economy-overview: In 1997 the Philippine economy, primarily a mixture
of agriculture and light industry, continued its fifth year of
positive economic growth, led by expansion of exports and investment.
The government expects growth to slow to about 3% in 1998 due to
spillover effects of the financial crisis in East Asia. The gov