GMA birthday fare: Lugaw, tokwa’t baboy

MANILA, Philippines - Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo celebrated her 66th birthday yesterday with a “simple” breakfast of “lugaw (congee)” and “tokwa’t baboy (fried tofu and pork).

The former president received some 50 guests at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, where she is under hospital arrest on plunder charges. Her lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, said there were fewer guests yesterday compared with last year.

He told The STAR that almost all Arroyo’s guests brought food, “so were stuffed.” The food included pansit, kare-kare, pastillas and balut.

“She was very, very happy despite her ailment,” he said, referring to the degenerative disease affecting her spine.

One of her guests, Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo, said Arroyo was happy during her celebration but still appeared thin.

“It was a simple celebration. We just had a simple breakfast of suman, lugaw and tokwa’t baboy. I also brought nilagang mais (boiled corn),” Pelayo said.

Most of Arroyo’s colleagues in the opposition bloc in the House of Representatives did not attend the party as they were busy campaigning or were abroad.