By Tonette Orejas (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100426-266451/Candidate-Gloria-hits-campaign-trail
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—In her first sortie in Pampanga since the campaign period for local positions started on March 26, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sang Florante’s “Handog” on Saturday.
Pampanga gubernatorial candidate Lilia Pineda, a friend of the President’s, joined her in singing the familiar Filipino tune about gratitude at a gymnasium in Lubao, hometown of Ms Arroyo’s late father, former President Diosdado Macapagal.
Lakas-Kampi-CMD campaign coordinators said the rally’s host, Rosve Henson, put Ms Arroyo on the spot during the program by asking her to sing.
The President granted the request of her “cabalen” (province mates) for a song. She embraced Pineda as they sang before some 3,000 people.
Ms Arroyo, however, was unfamiliar with the lyrics of Handog. Her voice was drowned out by Pineda’s in most parts of the song, but it was clearer in the refrain:
Refrain
“Tatanda at lilipas din ako / Ngunit mayro’ng awiting / Iiwanan sa inyong alaala / Dahil minsan, tayo’y nagkasama (I will get old and my time will pass / But there’s a song / That I will leave you / Because we were once together).”
Handog, a hit in the 1980s, is a singer-composer’s gift to his fans as he accepts the fact of aging or retirement—a matter that the President is not bound to do shortly because she aspires to be a legislator again.
Before the rally at the gymnasium, the President led a motorcade that went around the rural villages of Porac, Floridablanca and Lubao towns to press flesh and woo votes.
In a light blue blouse and a pair of pants, Ms Arroyo was relaxed. She smiled and waved to people gathered along the route. Some of them flashed cardboard bearing her initials, chanting these as she passed by. Others held her campaign posters.
Accompanying her was Pineda, a former board member and Lubao mayor who is facing reelectionist Gov. Eddie Panlilio.
Party-list nominee
In another showboat, Ms Arroyo’s son, outgoing Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, also worked the crowd.
Mikey dropped his plan to seek a third and final term to give way to his mother who, before filing her candidacy on Dec. 1 last year, said public service was in her DNA.
Mikey is seeking to return to the House of Representatives as the first nominee of Ang Galing Pinoy, a party-list group representing security guards.
Doing motorcades is not new to Ms Arroyo. She has been doing these since she ran for senator, vice president and president, said her sister, former Pampanga Vice Gov. Cielo Macapagal-Salgado.
Not known to sing
The President, though, is not known to sing in front of a huge audience, according to Salgado.
At the Pineda Sports Complex in Lubao where she sang Handog, security for Ms Arroyo got tighter.
Members of the Presidential Security Group stopped reporters from entering the gym. The Office of the Press Secretary did not advise Pampanga-based reporters about the campaign activity.
Ms Arroyo talked little, telling the crowd she was eager to do “pamanuyu” (service).
Mikey’s 41st birthday
After the rally, the President proceeded to the St. Augustine Parish grounds for a dinner held to celebrate Mikey’s 41st birthday.
In her earlier visits to the district, Ms Arroyo said she would be “firmly in control of our national government until the last day I am in office as President.”
She vowed to be “pursigido” (determined) in her campaign to become the district’s next representative.
Her term as President ends on June 30 after nine years in office.
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100426-266451/Candidate-Gloria-hits-campaign-trail
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—In her first sortie in Pampanga since the campaign period for local positions started on March 26, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sang Florante’s “Handog” on Saturday.
Pampanga gubernatorial candidate Lilia Pineda, a friend of the President’s, joined her in singing the familiar Filipino tune about gratitude at a gymnasium in Lubao, hometown of Ms Arroyo’s late father, former President Diosdado Macapagal.
Lakas-Kampi-CMD campaign coordinators said the rally’s host, Rosve Henson, put Ms Arroyo on the spot during the program by asking her to sing.
The President granted the request of her “cabalen” (province mates) for a song. She embraced Pineda as they sang before some 3,000 people.
Ms Arroyo, however, was unfamiliar with the lyrics of Handog. Her voice was drowned out by Pineda’s in most parts of the song, but it was clearer in the refrain:
Refrain
“Tatanda at lilipas din ako / Ngunit mayro’ng awiting / Iiwanan sa inyong alaala / Dahil minsan, tayo’y nagkasama (I will get old and my time will pass / But there’s a song / That I will leave you / Because we were once together).”
Handog, a hit in the 1980s, is a singer-composer’s gift to his fans as he accepts the fact of aging or retirement—a matter that the President is not bound to do shortly because she aspires to be a legislator again.
Before the rally at the gymnasium, the President led a motorcade that went around the rural villages of Porac, Floridablanca and Lubao towns to press flesh and woo votes.
In a light blue blouse and a pair of pants, Ms Arroyo was relaxed. She smiled and waved to people gathered along the route. Some of them flashed cardboard bearing her initials, chanting these as she passed by. Others held her campaign posters.
Accompanying her was Pineda, a former board member and Lubao mayor who is facing reelectionist Gov. Eddie Panlilio.
Party-list nominee
In another showboat, Ms Arroyo’s son, outgoing Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, also worked the crowd.
Mikey dropped his plan to seek a third and final term to give way to his mother who, before filing her candidacy on Dec. 1 last year, said public service was in her DNA.
Mikey is seeking to return to the House of Representatives as the first nominee of Ang Galing Pinoy, a party-list group representing security guards.
Doing motorcades is not new to Ms Arroyo. She has been doing these since she ran for senator, vice president and president, said her sister, former Pampanga Vice Gov. Cielo Macapagal-Salgado.
Not known to sing
The President, though, is not known to sing in front of a huge audience, according to Salgado.
At the Pineda Sports Complex in Lubao where she sang Handog, security for Ms Arroyo got tighter.
Members of the Presidential Security Group stopped reporters from entering the gym. The Office of the Press Secretary did not advise Pampanga-based reporters about the campaign activity.
Ms Arroyo talked little, telling the crowd she was eager to do “pamanuyu” (service).
Mikey’s 41st birthday
After the rally, the President proceeded to the St. Augustine Parish grounds for a dinner held to celebrate Mikey’s 41st birthday.
In her earlier visits to the district, Ms Arroyo said she would be “firmly in control of our national government until the last day I am in office as President.”
She vowed to be “pursigido” (determined) in her campaign to become the district’s next representative.
Her term as President ends on June 30 after nine years in office.
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