Arroyo sets up 'temporary office' at St Luke's Medical Center

While keeping watch over her bedridden husband, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has set up a temporary office of sorts at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City. Presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo on Saturday said that Mrs. Arroyo had been meeting with and giving instructions to Cabinet officials while staying with First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. “Alam ko may ilang tinawag doon, pero ang mismong pinagpulungan nila wala tayong direktang kaalaman (She has summoned some Cabinet officials although I have no direct knowledge of her instructions to them)," Saludo said on government-run dzRB radio. He said Mrs. Arroyo also calls up officials when she needs to get updates from them or issue instructions to them. So far, Mrs. Arroyo has summoned to come over to her “temporary office" Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr. and Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza. Mrs. Arroyo has been keeping watch over Atty. Arroyo since he was rushed to the St. Luke’s Medical Center last Thursday. A medical bulletin as of Friday indicated the First Gentleman’s condition had improved, but he will still need bedside rehab. “While his overall condition is remarkably improved, we still have to closely monitor him as he could still encounter some possible complications of this re-dissection of the thoracic aorta," the bulletin said. Meanwhile, Saludo said there is no indication yet whether there will be a Cabinet meeting this coming Tuesday. “Ilang taong nagdaan minsan di nagtawag ng Cabinet meeting sa Holy Week (There had been some instances she did not call a Cabinet meeting during the Holy Week)," he said. — LBG, GMANews.TV