Aquino takes power pledging to end poverty in Philippines

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Excel Group Managing Director MA Kalam inaugurating a showroom of Zeil's Shop Limited at city's Rampura area Tuesday. The group Director Faizul Hasan, Zeil's Shop Chairman Zahir Uddin Tareq, Managing Director Jasim Md Al-Amin were, among others, also pres

MANILA, June 30 (AFP): Benigno Aquino took over as president of the Philippines Wednesday with a vow to lift his nation out of poverty and wipe out crippling corruption that he said thrived under his predecessor.
In his inauguration speech to a mass of supporters wearing his family's signature yellow, the 50-year-old bachelor promised to honour the trust of the millions of Filipinos who delivered him a landslide election victory.
"Today marks the end of a regime indifferent to the appeals of the people," Aquino said in one of many stinging criticisms of Gloria Arroyo, whose nearly 10 years in power were marred by allegations of vote rigging and massive graft.
Aquino said ending poverty -- nearly a third of the nation's 90 million people live in slums -- by eradicating corruption would serve as the foundation of his administration's six-year term.