GMA, Mikey cast votes together in Lubao

LUBAO, Pampanga , Philippines  – It took President Arroyo only four minutes to vote here, where she is also running for a congressional seat, in the country’s first nationwide automated polls.

Mrs. Arroyo, wearing a black shawl over an aqua-colored sleeveless blouse and gray pants, first attended Mass at the San Agustin Church at 6 a.m.

After the Mass, she walked to her house and stayed there for a few minutes before going to the Lubao Central Elementary School escorted by members of the Presidential Security Group. Along the way, she chatted with residents who greeted her.

The President was listed as voter number 64 in precinct 0001A in Barangay San Nicolas. The voting precinct opened a few minutes after 7 a.m. but voters were not able to immediately cast their ballot as the members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) were still preparing their materials and were trying to clear the small classroom of excess photojournalists and TV crews.

Mrs. Arroyo was first to enter the classroom and took the corner-most seat that prevented media from taking a peek at her ballot or at least getting a good shot of her.

She was followed by her son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, who was wearing a neon green T-shirt. 

At one point, the President asked for her mobile phone from her aide, as she had apparently stored her list of choices in it.

Her ballot could not be seen as she covered it with a white folder and shaded up the ovals while holding it up vertically.

After four minutes, the President stood up and fed the ballot into the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machine.

When her ballot was accepted by the machine, she did a little jump of delight and had her finger marked with indelible ink.

Mrs. Arroyo declined to be interviewed and told reporters that she would be issuing a statement later.

Some foreigners wearing IDs labeled “international observer” were seen taking videos of the scene.

The President is expected to win by a wide margin in the congressional race for the second district of Pampanga. Her opponents are Adonis Simpao, Filipinas Rosario Sampang, and Feliciano Sampang. – With Ric Sapnu