World Notes

Had the armed forces remained loyal to Ferdinand Marcos in the wake of massive election cheating in 1986, Corazon Aquino would not have become President. Had rebel factions of the army succeeded in the coup attempts that followed, Aquino would not still be in office today. In almost every case, the man who made the difference was General Fidel Ramos, Marcos' mutinous vice chief of staff and Aquino's faithful Secretary of Defense. Last week Ramos, 63, declared his intention to go after the top job himself -- constitutionally. In a move that surprised many of the other 10 contenders, Ramos announced his candidacy for the 1992 presidential election at a rally of his newly organized United People Power Movement. He followed up his speech with a replay of the exuberant frog jumps with which he had greeted first reports of Marcos' flight from the Philippines.

Ramos told 500 cheering delegates that "politics must serve not the faction or the party but the nation." Aquino, who has said she will not seek another six-year term, has not indicated whom she will support for the ruling-party nomination next month, but Ramos faces an uphill battle.