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Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Arroyo goes to Cebu for spiritual retreat
* Gloria makes 1st out-of-town trip after May 10 polls
PRESIDENT Arroyo left Malacañang, not to be mingle and be visible in public, but for a retreat in monastery in Cebu City.
Arroyo left Sunday night and would be back in Manila by Tuesday night. The President was accompanied by Cerge Remonde, Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karansan sa Kinabukasan (K4) media bureau chief, Presidential Security Group commander Col. Delfin Bangit and Arroyo's female security escorts.
The President first met with Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Vidal Monday morning to discuss her call for unity and reconciliation then proceeded to the Carmelite Sisters' Monastery in Cebu City for a retreat.
Remonde said the retreat was followed by an informal meeting between Arroyo and local business and political leaders at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.
He said the President would return to Manila after the inspection of an irrigation project in Carcar, about 50 kilometers from Cebu City Tuesday.
Asked why Arroyo chose Cebu as her first official out-of-town sortie after the May 10 elections, Remonde replied "because she loves Cebu and Cebu loves her."
"At saka (And also) it's more of a spiritual thing kasi (because) as we all know, Cebu is the cradle of Christianity," he said.
It was the first time Arroyo went out of the Palace for an out-of-town function after the elections. The President's first official out of the Palace activity was last May 24 when she attended the proclamation of the 11 winning senators at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
The President since the election stayed close in Malacañang focusing on courtesy and farewell calls of ambassadors, holding thanksgiving luncheons for the media and her supporters like the transport sector, the Bicol governors and Liberal Party (LP) members.
Her other activities in the last two weeks also included private affairs like a visit to the grave of her mother Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on her death anniversary and attendance in a town fiesta in Arroyo's home province, Pampanga.
Remonde denied that Arroyo was in Cebu to prepare for her oath-taking following recommendations from administration supporters for the President's oath-taking to be held either in Cebu or Iloilo.
He said Arroyo does not want to talk about the oath-taking as the joint Congress, which started its canvassing Monday in Quezon City, has yet to proclaim the winners in the presidential and vice presidential race.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said one of the reasons Cebu is special to Arroyo is because "Cebu gave her the highest support during the last election." In the K4's quick count results covering 173 of the 177 certificates of canvass (CoCs), Arroyo got 965,630 votes and was leading her closest rival by 842,531 votes.
Bunye said Arroyo had decided about the trip Saturday as she really wanted to "some time for private reflection."
He added that since "the President has met with the Carmelite sisters on previous occasions, she thought it's just a good place to spend her reflection and her retreat."
He however denied that "governance activity" in Cebu would kick off Arroyo's other public engagements.
Bunye said the Arroyo prefers to maintain a "low profile" so as not to be accused of being too presumptuous.
"The President believes that maintaining a low profile is consistent with her call for unity and reconciliation rather than getting embroiled in this current political development," he said
"The President would like the Congressional proceedings to proceed without any further, she doesn't want to make any further comments, of course the President in the past said that she's confident that the leaders of both houses of Congress will discharge their duties with a sense of historic responsibility," he added.
But he assures that the normal run of governance and decision-making at the Palace continues and remains uninterrupted.
Bunye said the President continues to be in touch with Cabinet members and closely monitors events and other "vital policies and urgent actions of public interest". JMR
(June 1, 2004 issue)
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