LUBAO, Pampanga – First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo had been at her side on the front right-hand pew in the San Agustin church here for a Mass commemorating her 54th birthday on April 5 after the ouster of Pres. Estrada that installed her as president in 2001. Then again, she also marked her 58th birthday here in 2005 after she won her full presidential term the previous year.
Yesterday, an unusually reserved Pres. Arroyo celebrated her 63rd birthday in the same pew in a birthday Mass in the same church at 8 a.m., but without her husband. It was her last birthday Mass as president of the Philippines.
The place occupied by First Gentleman was instead occupied by her eldest son Rep. Mikey Arroyo, with her granddaughter and Mikey’s daughter Micaela every now and then squeezing herself between them during the Mass.
Mikey, in an interview, declined to comment on the health of his father who has remained at the St. Luke’s Hospital since March 24 arising from a condition related to his heart surgery in 2007. He said doctors at the hospital would issue medical bulletins on his father’s condition.
The Mass here was the President’s first appointment since she opted to hold office at St. Luke’s to be with her husband. She was supposed to attend a Mass in the same church on the first campaign day for local candidates last March 26, but she begged off to be in the hospital.
San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto led 14 other priests in the Mass which started with some 500 people, including cabinet members and local government officials, repeatedly singing “Happy Birthday” for 15 minutes as the President shook hands of well wishers from the church entrance up to her front pew. Mikey’s wife Angela, their daughters Micaela and Monique, presidential daughter Evangelina Lourdes or “Luli”, brother Arturo Macapagal and his wife Lou, and gubernatorial candidate Lilia Pineda also shared the presidential pew.
Vice Pres. Noli de Castro was at the front of the left-hand pew, also shared by Mrs. Pineda’s son Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda.
Media folk covering the event from one side of the altar observed that the President seemed “forlorn” without the First Gentleman. Her ash-colored pantsuit was noted by observers to complement her mood.
Except for posters of the President who is running for Congress in Pampanga’s second district in the May elections and those of Mrs. Pineda either pasted on walls and posts or hanging from trees outside the church, as well as a few people wearing shirts endorsing some local candidates, yesterday’s Mass was devoid of any political color.
In his homily, Archbishop Aniceto cited the significance of Jesus Christ’s resurrection as a “passing over”, as he urged his audience “not to be afraid, no matter how huge your problem is.”
After the Mass, Fr. Jun Mercado invited the President to approach the archbishop who prayed for her, face-to-face, for about 30 seconds. Unlike in her past birthday Masses here, the President did not deliver any remarks after the Mass yesterday.
The President instead proceeded to the open church patio where buffet was available for guests, although Mrs. Arroyo herself went into the convent building where only a few people were allowed.
Most of local folk who were at the Mass, however, went home immediately and did not partake of the buffet.
When Mrs. Arroyo became president after Estrada was ousted by People Power in 2001, she said she would like to be remembered in history as a “good president”. She reiterated this wish after the won a full presidential term in the 2004 polls.
Asked whether history is likely to mark his mother as “a good president” as she had wished, Mikey replied: “Many have said, even those in the opposition like Sen. Enrile, that when the dust has settled and the smoke has cleared, she will be judged fairly and history will be kind to her and appreciate her because they will realize how hard she worked as president.”
Mikey also cited the President’s accomplishments in infrastructure and “sound economic reforms that have resulted in strengthening our economic backbone.”
Yesterday, an unusually reserved Pres. Arroyo celebrated her 63rd birthday in the same pew in a birthday Mass in the same church at 8 a.m., but without her husband. It was her last birthday Mass as president of the Philippines.
The place occupied by First Gentleman was instead occupied by her eldest son Rep. Mikey Arroyo, with her granddaughter and Mikey’s daughter Micaela every now and then squeezing herself between them during the Mass.
Mikey, in an interview, declined to comment on the health of his father who has remained at the St. Luke’s Hospital since March 24 arising from a condition related to his heart surgery in 2007. He said doctors at the hospital would issue medical bulletins on his father’s condition.
The Mass here was the President’s first appointment since she opted to hold office at St. Luke’s to be with her husband. She was supposed to attend a Mass in the same church on the first campaign day for local candidates last March 26, but she begged off to be in the hospital.
San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto led 14 other priests in the Mass which started with some 500 people, including cabinet members and local government officials, repeatedly singing “Happy Birthday” for 15 minutes as the President shook hands of well wishers from the church entrance up to her front pew. Mikey’s wife Angela, their daughters Micaela and Monique, presidential daughter Evangelina Lourdes or “Luli”, brother Arturo Macapagal and his wife Lou, and gubernatorial candidate Lilia Pineda also shared the presidential pew.
Vice Pres. Noli de Castro was at the front of the left-hand pew, also shared by Mrs. Pineda’s son Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda.
Media folk covering the event from one side of the altar observed that the President seemed “forlorn” without the First Gentleman. Her ash-colored pantsuit was noted by observers to complement her mood.
Except for posters of the President who is running for Congress in Pampanga’s second district in the May elections and those of Mrs. Pineda either pasted on walls and posts or hanging from trees outside the church, as well as a few people wearing shirts endorsing some local candidates, yesterday’s Mass was devoid of any political color.
In his homily, Archbishop Aniceto cited the significance of Jesus Christ’s resurrection as a “passing over”, as he urged his audience “not to be afraid, no matter how huge your problem is.”
After the Mass, Fr. Jun Mercado invited the President to approach the archbishop who prayed for her, face-to-face, for about 30 seconds. Unlike in her past birthday Masses here, the President did not deliver any remarks after the Mass yesterday.
The President instead proceeded to the open church patio where buffet was available for guests, although Mrs. Arroyo herself went into the convent building where only a few people were allowed.
Most of local folk who were at the Mass, however, went home immediately and did not partake of the buffet.
When Mrs. Arroyo became president after Estrada was ousted by People Power in 2001, she said she would like to be remembered in history as a “good president”. She reiterated this wish after the won a full presidential term in the 2004 polls.
Asked whether history is likely to mark his mother as “a good president” as she had wished, Mikey replied: “Many have said, even those in the opposition like Sen. Enrile, that when the dust has settled and the smoke has cleared, she will be judged fairly and history will be kind to her and appreciate her because they will realize how hard she worked as president.”
Mikey also cited the President’s accomplishments in infrastructure and “sound economic reforms that have resulted in strengthening our economic backbone.”
