Arroyo skips Aquino meeting with lady legislators

Twenty-seven of the 65 women members of the House of Representatives met with President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday, but former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was not one of them. Arroyo’s spokesperson and chief of staff, Ma. Elena Bautista, did not reply to a text message asking her why the former state leader did not attend the meeting. Also absent was Zambales Rep. Ma Milagros Magsaysay, a member of the minority bloc at the House. She said she did not attend out of delicadeza “It was a courtesy call to PNoy (Aquino’s nickname). It’s not in good taste that I attend a function in Malacañang when I am very critical to his administration. I don’t want to be a guest and be critical of the host in his own house," she said in a text message to GMA News Online. “There are other neutral grounds where we could meet if the intention is to meet regarding issues of governance," she added. At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said there was no politics involved in the meeting, noting that some members of the opposition were present. “Maliban lang po kay dating Pangulong GMA (Arroyo’s initials), mga kaalyado nya, ay andun din po tulad ni Cong. (Amelita) Villarosa at ibang kongresista na alyado Cong. Arroyo. In fact, nagsalita si Cong Villarosa, nagsabi sya ng kanyang mga concerns sa kanyang distrito at sa irrigation," he said. (Arroyo allies like Congresswoman Amelita Villarosa was there. In fact, Cong. Villarosa even spoke about irrigation and her concerns in her district.) He said some allies of President Aquino were also not present, like Akbayan Rep. Kaka Bag-ao and Batanes Rep. Hemedina Abad, wife of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and mother of Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad. Lacierda said Mrs. Arroyo is welcome to attend the meeting. “She’s welcome as part of the women legislators to join the dialogue with the President," he said. He said Mrs. Arroyo’s presence in the meeting could have enriched the discussions. “Certainly if there are concerns that she has and, as a former President, there are certain ideas that she might have and she can raise it during the women legislators’ (meeting). Nothing will stop her from talking," he said. He, however, understood the former President’s absence in the meeting. “There was an invitation for all the women legislators to attend the meeting and they themselves chose not to attend and I think unless there’s a change of attitude, we would expect that the former President would rather prefer not to attend and we will understand her position," Lacierda said. Despite Mrs Arroyo’s absence, Lacierda said the meeting was a “fruitful exchange." “It was a good exchange between the female legislators and the President," he said. “The legislators were able to raise their concerns for their districts and the President responded to their concerns or promised to look into their concerns." He said the supposed to be one-hour meeting was extended because “the President would like to know more of the concerns of the legislators." “The President said that this won’t be the first and the last time that they’re going to have a meeting so we look forward to meeting the female legislators," he said. He said the issue on the pork barrel was not discussed during the meeting. The members of the Association of Lady Legislators present during the meeting were Reps Gina De Venecia, (ALL president, 4th Dist, Pangasinan), Linabelle Villarica (4th Dist., Bulacan), Mercedes Alvarez (6th Dist., Negros Occidental), Bai Sandra Serma (1st Dist., Maguindanao), Imelda Calixto-Rubiano (Lone Dist., Pasay City), Bernadette Herrera-Dy (Bagong Henerasyon Party-List); Ma. Amelita Villarosa (Lone Dist., Occidental Mindoro), Herminia Roman (1st Dist., Bataan), Daryl Grace Abayon (Aangat Tayo Party-List), Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th Dist., Pangasinan), Emmeline Aglipay (Democratic Independent Workers’ Association Party-List), Thelma Almario (2nd Dist., Davao Oriental); Ma. Victoria Sy-Alvarado (2nd Dist., Bulacan), Rachel Arenas (3rd Dist., Pangasinan), Catalina Bagasina (Association of Laborers and Employment Party-List), Eleonor Bulut-Begtang (Lone Dist., Apayao), Anna York Bondoc (4th Dist., Pampanga), Jane Castro (2nd Dist., Capiz); Julieta Cortuna (A Teacher Party-List), Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David (4th Dist., Manila), Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo (1st Dist., Lanao del Norte), Abigail Faye Ferriol (Kalinga Party-List), Ana Cristina Go (2nd Dist., Isabela), Cinchona Cruz-Gonzales (CIBAC Party-List), Catalina Leonen-Pizzaro (ABS Party-List) and Lani Mercado-Revilla (2nd Dist., Cavite). - KBK, GMA News