Every one knows that President Erap is superstitious. While he was in Kuala Lumpur for the APEC meeting, he is asked by Filipino reporters if he’s going back to the Philippines on Saturday. He looks at the calendar but misreads the date. "Hindi, ayoko. Friday the 13th pala sa Sabado".

A joke, delivered by Mr. Estrada at a dinner for the Malaysia-Philippine Business Council on Wednesday:

US Vice President Al Gore approaches Mr. Estrada during the summit to confide that he has a problem.

''I brought 50 security people with me and I don't know which of them is an assassin,'' Gore says.

Overhearing Gore's dilemma, Chinese President Jiang Zemin joins the conversation.

''I have the same problem,'' Jiang says. ''I have 60 security people with me and I don't know which of them is a spy.''

Mr. Estrada is unimpressed. ''I think my problem is more serious,'' he says. ''I have 100 economists with me and I don't know which of them is right.''