NEW YORK – There’s no fancy dinner at Le Cirque this time, just simple pleasures on the streets of this city that never sleeps.
President Aquino enjoyed a $2 hotdog and a bottle of Coke at the corner of 6th Avenue and West 45th street near his hotel yesterday. He treated those who accompanied him to a sandwich and a drink each. Their total bill: $54.
Le Cirque is an expensive French restaurant in Manhattan where former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies paid $20,000 for one dinner. Mrs. Arroyo was criticized for the extravagance.
President Aquino said the hotdog and Coke was his lunch, not much different from the soup and sandwich he usually has when working.
His staff disclosed the President also managed to walk around Manhattan without his coat and tie to buy music CDs and books in the establishments near his hotel.
The President said his security detail coordinated with the US Secret Service so he could move around a bit casually during the little free time he was given. He said one of those escorting him now from the US Secret Service was also a security detail when his mother, former President Corazon Aquino, visited this country.
Mr. Aquino joked that the difference between hotdogs in the Philippines and the US was that the American version did not have food coloring. Passersby looked curiously at the commotion in front of the hotdog stand since the President was followed by members of the media.
“I should be out of here in a little while. But it’s actually one of the things you look forward to when you come to New York. Part of the things that we did when we’re here, especially during the martial law years, we used to do this all the time. But now you can only do (this) by asking favors from the security detail to allow it,” the President said.
The President said he wanted his hotdog with onions but settled for catsup because he did not like the sauce that went with the onions.
He said the last time he had this hotdog was 11 years ago, the last time he traveled.
If he gets the chance, he said he would like to try the pizza in Boston, where his family lived in exile from 1980 to 1983.
Phone left in Manila
Meantime, lawmakers and spectators burst into laughter after Presidential Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang candidly told the House of Representatives appropriations committee that President Aquino left his phone in Manila.
This was during the budget hearing of the Office of the President before the committee yesterday.
Carandang and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. were defending their offices’ budget proposals for 2011. Carandang came late.
When he arrived, he was asked by House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman if the President has responded to his text messages. This was in reference to media reports that Carandang has been communicating via text message with the President, who is on official travel.
Carandang responded: “I have been texting the President, but I was informed by the staff he left his phone in Manila. I don’t think he got it. I started to text his close-in staff.”
An embarrassed Lagman then promptly stopped his questioning of Carandang amid laughter in the hall.
Appropriations committee chair Jun Abaya thanked Carandang for his “good answer.”