Central bank chief stable after heart bypass surgery

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. had undergone surgery last week to clear a blocked artery in his heart, but should be well enough to return to work early next month, St. Luke’s Medical Center said in a statement Thursday. "Mr. Tetangco had a successful coronary artery bypass graft last week. He will be discharged from the hospital this Monday and should be back to work early next month," a statement quoted Dr. Joven R. Cuanang, senior vice-president for medical affairs and chief medical officer of St. Luke’s, as saying. "He is now up and about and enjoying his meals, although he has been cautioned to stay away from too much salt." No heart attack In a telephone interview yesterday, Mr. Cuanang clarified that the central bank chief did not suffer a heart attack, but declined to give details. "He never had a heart attack...That’s all we can release at this time," Mr. Cuanang said. Deputy Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, who heads the supervision and examination sector, currently serves as officer-in-charge of the BSP, according to the central bank’s corporate affairs department. Mr. Tetangco was appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to seven-year term in July 2005. -- DGKC, BusinessWorld