Arroyo urges Filipino expats to support national a

KUALA LUMPUR — First Gentleman Juan Miguel Arroyo met members of the Philippine community here Sunday and urged them to root for the Filipino campaigners in the 21st Southeast Asian Games.

"Alam ko na ang mga puso ninyo ay nasa ating bayan pa rin kaya ipakita natin ang ating suporta sa ating bansa sa pag-cheer sa mga atleta na naglalaro sa Southeast Asian Games," Arroyo said during the meeting held at the Philippine Embassy in downtown KL.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Carlos Tuason and former track star Lydia de Vega-Mercado, now a councilor of Meycauayan, Bulacan, accompanied the First Gentleman in the affair hosted by Ambassador Jose Brillantes.

In appealing for their support to the Filipino athletes, Arroyo said: "Kapag nakakakita ang mga atleta natin ng mga kababayan na nanonood sa kanila, lalong lumalakas ang kanilang loob. Kaya nais ko na lahat kayo ay sumuporta sa kanilang mga event."

Before his meeting with the Filipino community, Arroyo said his entourage visited the women’s gymnastics squad, which took the team bronze, at the National Sports Complex then later rooted for Filipina cager against Vietnam at the MABA gym.

Arroyo called the Filiipino expatriates as "overseas investors for your huge contribution to the dollars of our country. Because of your remittances, we have been able to keep our economy growing while the rest of our neighbors seems to be slowing down."