Asia's power women:Indonesia's Megawati and the Philippines' Arroyo

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's father was the ninth president of the Philippines

By CNN's Jakarta Bureau Chief Maria A. Ressa

(CNN) -- Less than twelve uncertain hours after her controversial predecessor declared a state of emergency, Indonesia's Megawati Sukarnoputri faced the nation's top lawmakers and swore an oath of office making her Indonesia's fourth president in the past three years.

A little more than six months earlier on January 20, the Philippines' Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was sworn in as her country's 14th President in front of a massive crowd of supporters who helped oust then President Joseph Estrada.

Both women leaders were not elected to office but are finishing the terms of their predecessors - men who faced charges of corruption. Both were accused by their predecessors of taking power using unconstitutional methods, charges they have both denied.

Megawati Sukarnoputri's father was Sukarno, Indonesia's first president

They are also the daughters of former presidents. Megawati's father, Sukarno, was Indonesia's founding father and charismatic first president; Arroyo's father, Diosdado Macagapal, was the Philippines' popular ninth president.

An early meeting

In fact, the two women met as teenagers while their fathers were in power.

Both are members of their country's political elite, and to a degree, have used their father's names to build their political power bases. But both say that alone is not enough to win their people's support.

"I am very proud of my father," Megawati told CNN in an earlier interview. "The name Sukarno has a place in the heart of the Indonesian people. However, if I am not a person of integrity, people will not support me."

Because of the way they came to power, however, the military's support was more important than the people's support.

When then-President Abdurrahman Wahid declared a state of emergency one hour after midnight on July 23, it was left to the Indonesian military and police to decide which branch of government had the constitutional mandate.

The legislature had just begun impeachment proceedings against Wahid on Saturday and demanded he give an accountability speech on Monday. If rejected by lawmakers, Wahid would lose his mandate as the country's president.

Wahid refused to submit to the Assembly's demand, calling it unconstitutional.

Crisis followed crisis

When he declared a state of emergency, he threw Indonesia into a constitutional crisis which was resolved by the country's security forces early Monday when they allowed the Assembly to convene, vote Wahid out of office and swear-in his vice president as the country's new leader.

Something very similar happened in the Philippines in January. An impeachment process against Estrada lost its credibility; prosecutors walked out sparking massive street protests dubbed 'People Power 2.'

For several days, there was a standoff while pressure on Estrada mounted. Finally, the military moved and threw its support behind his vice president.

"They showed themselves to be utterly constitutional," Arroyo told CNN one day after taking office, "They did not stage a coup. They simply withdrew support from the incumbent president and threw their support behind me."

Another similarity - both women are popular figures in their countries.

Megawati is Indonesia's most popular politician; her party won the most number of votes in Indonesia's first democratic election in decades. Arroyo won the most number of votes any politician has ever received when she ran and won for vice-president.

Several decades after their fathers were in power, both women would meet again - Megawati's first international visit will be to the Philippines on August 22.