Tuesday, March 25, 2008 Arroyo ends Baguio visit by gift-giving
A YEAR after First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo was rushed to one of the hospitals here for abdominal pains, which later turned out to be symptoms of a life-threatening heart disease, the First Family ended their Holy Week stay here with a gift-giving activity.
Before Monday's distribution of grocery items, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her grandchildren were in Abra, La Trinidad and the Baguio public market to check the production of highland vegetables as well as to check the supply of NFA (National Food Authority) rice.
Coordinated by the City Social Welfare Office and the barangays, families, which benefited from the project reached about a thousand.
As early as 8 a.m. Monday, selected families lined-up at the skating rink for the distribution of grocery items.
The President arrived at 11 a.m., after hearing mass at the Baguio Cathedral.
The First Family traditionally spends their Christmas and Lenten breaks here. The First Family was in Baguio since Tuesday to attend the Philippine Military Academy graduation.
Meanwhile, in her Easter message, the President maintained her main thrust will still be the alleviation of the plight of the poor.
She and the First Gentleman are embroiled in a controversy, after the son of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. accused Mr. Arroyo of involvement in the alleged overpriced national broadband network (NBN) deal.
President Arroyo has already cancelled the NBN contract. (RO)
