MANILA - PHILIPPINE President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, facing mounting calls for her resignation, vowed on Thursday to complete her term in office and not get derailed by a brewing kickbacks scandal.

She said in an interview that she was proud of bringing record growth to one of Asia's slowest-moving economies, and that allegations against her were 'political noise'.

The opposition, sections of the powerful Catholic Church and an influential business group have backed street protests on Friday to demand Mrs Arroyo's resignation over revelations in a Senate inquiry into kickbacks that her husband may be involved.

'I will finish my term, not because my opponents will allow me,' the 60-year-old mother of three said in an interview at the Malacanang presidential palace.

'I will finish my term for the simple reason that the average Filipino wants political stability, wants economic progress and they are getting that economic progress.'

The Philippines recorded 7.3 per cent economic growth in 2007, the highest in three decades.

Mrs Arroyo said the economy should grow between 6.3-7 per cent this year despite an anticipated slowdown due to a possible recession in the United States, its biggest trading partner.

Despite the death threat and the political row, Arroyo looked relaxed in the interview.

She later sang with Richard Carpenter, the surviving member of the brother-sister singing duo, in a Valentine's Day concert at the palace.

'I may be a good economist but I am not an astute politician,' she said. 'The reason why the economy has reached the level that it has reached today is because I am focused on the economy and therefore I don't dwell on politics.'

Analysts say Mrs Arroyo is no slouch at politics either - her position appears safe despite the revelations in the Senate and the Philippines' recent history of twice ousting unpopular presidents through street protests, Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada in 2001.

Although polls show her popularity at record lows, she is solidly supported by the military and her allies dominate the House of Representatives.

Analysts also say many opposition figures are preparing to contest the 2010 presidential election themselves and have no stomach for a protracted ouster battle now.

Kickbacks row
Asked if she denied reports that her husband was involved in the kickbacks row, Mrs Arroyo referred to a letter written by her daughter Luli to the Philippine Star newspaper that no one in her family had benefited from government contracts.

'I think my daughter knows our family very well,' Mrs Arroyo said, adding she did not want to say more on the subject since the deal was being investigated by the Ombudsman.

Mrs Arroyo, who took power in 2001 after the Estrada's ouster, is not eligible to contest elections after her term ends, although critics have accused her of trying to amend the constitution to stay in office.

She said in the interview that she was a proponent of constitutional reform, but added: 'While it's not for me at this point of my presidency to be the one to initiate it and it's not for me to determine how it's to be done, I will always be supportive.'

Asked who could take over from her, Mrs Arroyo said she did not want to speculate.

Asked what she would do after 2010, she said: 'My motto is do what is right, do your best and let God take care of the rest.' -- REUTERS