Reunion, reconciliation mark GMA’s Dagupan visit

DAGUPAN CITY — President Arroyo spent a post Christmas celebration here with her family and their close friends and also to reconcile with the city mayor here who joined the call for her resignation several months ago.

Mrs. Arroyo and her family had a festive and sumptuous lunch at Matutina’s Restaurant in Bonuan Tondaligan yesterday before heading to Baguio City.

It was supposed to be a strictly family affair as the First Family had a reunion with Don Pedro Balingit, 96, whom Mrs. Arroyo considers as her "foster father." Balingit was a bosom buddy of the President’s father, the late former President Diosdado Macapagal.

Local media practitioners were politely asked not to ask for any interview with the President and were barred from taking photos or videos but were allowed to stay as onlookers.

The Arroyos partook of their favorite dishes like sinigang na malaga, buttered alimango, steamed sugpo, pork barbeque and inihaw na bangus.

The spirit of Christmas through reconciliation was evident when the President asked Albert Balingit, son of the elder Balingit who is also a Land Bank of the Philippines director, to call Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim to join them for lunch.

Lim was the first Pangasinan official to publicly ask for the President’s resignation last July.

The mayor told the media after the meeting that he was aware that the President and her family were coming to Dagupan through the information provided by Superintendent Edgar Basba, the city police chief.

Lim said he asked Basbas if his presence is needed since it was a purely private visit and no politician was invited.

But when the First Family was dining, Lim received a call from Balingit informing him that Mrs. Arroyo wants to see him.

He described his meeting with the President as "cordial". He said Mrs. Arroyo asked him about the planned bangus processing plant.

The President had given P10 million for this project prior to the elections but Lim said the money was deposited at their depository bank because "the amount is minuscule".

Lim was hoping that the P50 million promised by the President for the project will be released the soonest time possible. He said he suspects that someone is blocking the project for political reasons.