Arroyo to campaign as Pampanga bet only on weekends

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will only be engaged in her campaign during weekends, ensuring that she doesn’t become an absentee president. This was the assurance given by Press Secretary Crispulo Icban during a Monday briefing, referring to the President’s bid to become Pampanga’s second district representative. First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and other members of the First Family are expected to help her campaign as the President focuses on her job, Icban added. Although the President has been going to Pampanga regularly — especially during the second district during weekends — these are merely “visits" and are not part of the campaign. The campaign for local positions will begin on March 26. “You have seen how she works," Icban said. “Wherever she is, she is running the country, because of the cyber corridor. (She can run the country even from Pampanga), even from Mindanao." Icban’s sentiments were reiterated by the President herself during the 113th Founding Anniversary of Philippine Army in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig. Despite the start of the campaign, Arroyo said she will work to ensure a smooth transition between her government and the next administration. In the meantime, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo said that he would be personally campaigning for his wife in Pampanga as she “concentrate[s] on governance." “Marami naman, andun naman sina [Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel] Mikey (Arroyo). Andun iyung mga ka-alyado niya. Lahat naman andun," he added, during an ambush interview after the courtesy call of Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao. (A lot of people will be there to help, including [Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel] Mikey [Arroyo]. Her allies will be there.) The First Gentleman also expressed intentions of spending more time taking care of their grandchildren, Mikaela Gloria and Marie Angelique, and Eva Viktoria and Diosdado Miguel, after his wife steps down from the presidency. A congresswoman’s duties are expected to be easier than her work as a president, he added. Mr. Arroyo, a lawyer, also dismissed as speculation that the President intends to become a House Speaker when she becomes a congresswoman. “That’s up to the congressmen whether they’ll elect her as speaker or not, but it’s up to them….That is a thought, that is the speculation that she will go the speakership, but you cannot stop them from speculating," he added. Mssrs. Arroyo and Icban maintained that the President will step down from the presidency on June 30. “It’s just a few months. All they have to do is wait," the President’s husband said. Icban said he was unaware if the First Family has already started to pack their things to leave Malacañang. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV