And while some critics were quick to advise Mrs. Arroyo to "do a Thaksin" and step down from power, the embattled President went about her birthday engagements unbowed, highlighting the government’s fiscal capability to improve social services, especially health and education as well as provide jobs to the people.
Mrs. Arroyo brushed aside the quit calls on her birthday, saying one of her wishes was for the public to stop her political opponents from trying to bring her down.
"Let us continue to be together, not only to curb terrorism, but the destabilizers of government and society," she told a crowd in Quezon City.
"Help me stop those who want to remove me from office," the President said yesterday, amid the continued calls from her critics.
The President said this in Quezon City where she led the distribution of Philippine Health Insurance cards to 6,000 residents of Metro Manila.
She also thanked the people for supporting her administration, particularly local government officials who have backed her call to amend the Constitution.
The President began her day with a visit to the Hospicio de San Jose near Malacañang and gifted some 150 orphans and special children with assorted toys and school supplies.
She even joined the children in feasting on cotton candy and wished them good health. The President added her long-term wish was for them to get quality education and decent jobs in the future.
Wherever she went, the President was greeted with choruses of "Happy Birthday" — first at the orphanage, then at the Saint Augustine Church in her father’s hometown of Lubao, where she heard Mass with members of the First Family.
She was accompanied by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, daughter Lourdes Evangeline or "Luli," and son Dato. They were met by Gov. Mark Lapid, provincial board member Lilia Pineda, Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda and other local officials.
The President then proceeded to two hospitals in the same town and in San Fernando and to the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City, where she led the distribution of 6,000 Philippine Health Insurance cards to local residents as well as those from Caloocan City.
The orphaned children gave the President a pink-colored cake while Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and other local government officials presented her with another one at the stadium.
Belmonte also presented the President with a manifesto of his constituents’ support for her and her administration.
"Many people have been asking me about my birthday wish. What I want for my birthday this year is to be able to give jobs, education and health services to more of our fellowmen," she said.
Mrs. Arroyo said she was happy to hear about the country’s tourism growth as this would mean more jobs for Filipinos.
In Pampanga and Quezon City, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III accompanied the President as she expressed her desire to give PhilHealth cards to more poor Filipinos.
She said aside from the medical insurance, the government allotted P700 million for the Philippine International Trading Corp. to make half-priced medicines available to the public.
The President also said she was allotting an additional P30 million for the natural family planning program of the government in support of the Catholic Church’s policy towards population control.
She thanked the members of the legislature for passing much-needed fiscal measures to be able to give the government additional revenues to spend for social services and infrastructure projects.
Marvina Liban, head of the Malacañang Personnel Office and co-chairwoman of the Office of the President Cultural Affairs Committee, said 477 employees — mostly female — received the free haircut session at the Social Hall in the Mabini Building inside the Palace complex.
Out of the 477 employees given free haircuts, 96 came from other government agencies with satellite offices at Malacañang, like the Department of Budget and Management and the Office of the Press Secretary.
The free haircuts were sponsored by the Salon Owners and Hairdressers Association, Inc., Liban said.
She said 50 hairdressers from Piandre, David’s Salon, Regine’s Makati, Jesi Mendez and Salon de Manila gave haircuts straight from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with only a noon lunch break. The owners of the salons were also present for the session.
Liban said the service was fast and efficient despite the huge number of clients. She said up to 308 employees had registered for free haircuts the day before, but the number rose due to "walk-ins" yesterday.
She said this was the third time the activity, organized by presidential daughter Evangeline, was undertaken to celebrate Mrs. Arroyo’s birthday. The first was held at the Ceremonial Hall at the Palace.
Liban said they were expecting the President to visit the event but only Luli arrived due to her mother’s busy schedule.
"But that’s okay, Luli came and they had their free haircuts," she said.
Since she was helping organize the event herself, Liban was not able to get a free haircut. — Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero, Ric Sapnu