GMA goes to St. Luke for check-up

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo squeezed into her tight schedule yesterday what officials said was a long overdue regular check-up at the St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) in Quezon City.

Presidential Security Group (PSG) chief Brig. Gen. Romeo Prestoza and Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, in separate statements, said Mrs. Arroyo visited SLMC around 1:30 p.m. and stayed until about 2:15 p.m.

Prestoza said the President was not complaining of any ailment despite her heavy workload. She was only interviewed by her doctors and no tests were done on her.

“The President just conferred with her doctors since she was scheduled to have her check-up some weeks back and her doctors required that she meet them regularly,” Prestoza told The STAR in a telephone interview.

Bunye said the delay in the check-up was due to Mrs. Arroyo’s frequent out-of-town trips.

Presidential Management Staff head Secretary Cerge Remonde, in a text message to The STAR, said “it was a regular medical check-up that all of us undergo.”

“The health of a very hardworking President who takes care of all the problems of the country also deserves to be taken care of. The result was apparently okay as she resumed her backbreaking schedule,” Remonde said.

Prior to going to the hospital, Mrs. Arroyo met with members of the Executive Board of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development in Malacañang at 10 a.m.

Then she inaugurated the 11,000th Botika ng Barangay and the Department of Agriculture’s Barangay Bagsakan at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City at 11 a.m.

In 2006, Mrs. Arroyo was confined a couple of times at the same hospital for various ailments, including abdominal pains and flu.