PHP runs as its own user in its own environment. Stuff you cram into your environment has no effect on that, as it should be.
Just a note for the sticklers out there: PHP does not run as its own user. It runs as whatever user runs the php script. So, if the script is being run by a web server, it runs as whomever the web server runs as. If you execute the script from a shell (cli), it runs as whatever user you are logged in as...
erik jones <erik@xxxxxxxxxx> sofware developer 615-296-0838 emma(r)