PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has made an advance Valentine treat for national and local media in her home province Pampanga.
Proud about Kapampangan's exotic cuisine, Arroyo dined at Everybody's Cafe in San Fernando together with several members of the Malacanang Press Corps (MPC) and local media based in Pampanga.
Some of the exotic foods Arroyo shared to the media were camaro, fried frog, and buro. Also included in the menu were fried catfish, pork sisig, kare-kare, and ensaladang pako.
One member of the local media said this was the first time that President Arroyo invited them for a Valentine lunch. Another one added in jest, "she seemed nicer to the press this time.”
This was also the first time Arroyo treated national press for Valentine's day, a member of the MPC said.
Arroyo transferred from one table to another to meet and dine with the press.
Before the lunch ended, she distributed about 100 boxes of cake.
Previous engagements
Before going to Pampanga, Arroyo inaugurated the newly-constructed Bulacan Polytechnic University in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.
She was greeted by several local officials and students of there.
In her speech, she made an update about the billion peso MRT-7 project that will traverse San Jose del Monte.
Arroyo said the project was already awarded to its proponents and was submitted to her but there were some changes made in the design and project's plan. About 20 percent will be added to the total project cost.
“The Neda (National Economic Development Authority) should decide immediately so that we can asses if this project should be pushed or see how we can push through with it,” she further stated.
The President then proceeded to lunch and to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark right after.
She inspected the ongoing construction of a portion in the airport which will cater to larger number of passengers.
The trip of Arroyo ended with a visit to Hanjin Shipyard in Subic. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)