PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ended her self-imposed quarantine at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa Thursday afternoon.

Arroyo checked in at the hospital Tuesday night, almost a day after she arrived from her 13-day travel in Japan, the United States, Colombia, Brazil, and Hong Kong, subjecting herself to self-quarantine following the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic.

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The President, according to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, “underwent certain check-ups while on quarantine and all the results were okay.”
 
He said the President checked out at 2 p.m. Thursday and proceeded to Malacañang immediately.
 
Arroyo, despite observing quarantine and social distancing for more than a day, continued to work even while in the hospital as she brought with her about three bagfuls of documents and other paper works, and her laptop.
 
Remonde said the President was also in continuous communication with the Cabinet and other officials while in the hospital.
 
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, for his part, said the self-quarantine was also good for the President as she was able to take some much needed rest after her foreign travels.
 
Ermita, representing Arroyo during the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) awarding ceremony at Malacañang, explained to the awardees and organizers that the President opted to voluntarily seek confinement at the hospital and go on self-quarantine amid the A (H1N1) scare.
 
He extended the President’s best wishes and led the giving of awards to Roger Flores (Philippine Military Academy), Miguel Antonio Garcia (University of San Carlos, Cebu City), Aidel Paul Belamide (UP Los Baños), Ann Crusit (University of Bohol), Paul John Gesta (University of Cebu), Adrian Clarc Mundin (Ateneo de Manila University), Stacy Danika Alcantara (Silliman University), Stephen Alexeus Baltazar (University of San Carlos), Nicole Marie Villarojo (De La Salle University), and Carlos Gerogalin Jr. (West Negros University).
 
Assisting Ermita were Commission on Higher Education (Ched) Chairman Emmanuel Angeles, RFM Foundation chairman Jose Ma. Concepcion, Jose “JoeCon” Concepcion Jr., and National Book Store president Alfredo Ramos.
 
The TOSP, organized by the RFM Foundation in cooperation with Ched and National Book Store, is an annual nationwide search that started in 1961. It honors outstanding Filipino students who have excelled not only in their studies but also in fulfilling their social responsibilities. (JMR/Sunnex)