MikeLigalig.com

Arroyo party gave away P6M in tips during six-day US stay
08/20/2009 | 01:20 AM


President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her entourage gave away about P6 million in gratuities during the chief executive’s working visit to the United States from July 29 to August 5.

Based on an official breakdown of expenses provided to GMA News by Susanna Vargas, Malacañang’s deputy executive secretary for administration and finance, Mrs. Arroyo’s party spent $66,000 in Washington D.C. and $59,000 in New York for various service tips.

GMA News said the Arroyo party gave money to bellboys, porters, drivers, convoy escorts, and housekeeping personnel in the US for the services they rendered to the President and her party.

Mrs. Arroyo came under fire after media reported on her supposed lavish meals with husband Jose Miguel Arroyo and government officials in at least four restaurants in Washington D.C. and New York City.


The Washington Post reported that President Arroyo and her entourage dined on lobster, steak, and fine wines for $15,000 at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse on 15tn Street in Washington D.C. The dinner took place on July 30 hours after Mrs. Arroyo met with US President Barack Obama.

Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, an Arroyo ally, later claimed that he paid for the Bobby Van’s dinner, including the $1,500-tip for the celebration of the 41st wedding anniversary of the President and her husband.

The second dinner was at Le Cirque last August 2, according to US tabloid New York Post. Arroyo’s group reportedly spent $20,000 for the meal that included "very expensive wine" at the upscale French restaurant in Manhattan, New York City.

Malacañang later admitted that Mrs. Arroyo’s group dined at Le Cirque, but denied that the Office of the President spent for the meal.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said it was Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who picked up the tab for the Le Cirque dinner. But Romualdez evaded media queries about the issue.

The third meal was at the posh Bouley Restaurant in Broadway, New York also on August 2. This was confirmed by Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas who said it was part of the celebration of the First Couple’s wedding anniversary.

The fourth was at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse on Park Avenue in Manhattan, according to Mindoro Rep. Amelita Villarosa.

Malacañang has defended the President over critics’ claim that the expensive meals showed Mrs. Arroyo's insensitivity toward the plight of many Filipinos suffering from the effects of the global financial crisis.

According to Remonde, when President Arroyo is abroad for official visits, her expenses are exempted from the government’s austerity measures. He says Mrs. Arroyo’s "aggressive" foreign engagements has brought huge investments to the country. - ARCS, GMANews.TV

mga hambugero pa tip tip pa!

Quote from: benelynne on August 20, 2009, 02:09:02 PM
According to Remonde, when President Arroyo is abroad for official visits, her expenses are exempted from the government’s austerity measures. He says Mrs. Arroyo’s "aggressive" foreign engagements has brought huge investments to the country. - ARCS, GMANews.TV

I can't imagine how some people can mouth damned lies, half-truths and nonsense so calmly in one sitting.

Sige nalang bay Buwad kay Filipino man tong waiter nga nakadawat sa tip.   Unya SOP man pud nga mohatag ug tip sa ane nga mga restaurant didto.   

Quote from: buwadsanga on August 20, 2009, 02:16:57 PM
mga hambugero pa tip tip pa!

Naggasto si Madame Arroyo ug P 1 million pesos, pero billions man daw ang nadala niya pagbalik in for of assistance to our govt.

utot mo gloria!

natural ra jud na molaban si remonde. mao na iyang trabaho. ug nibulhot lang na siya ug kalit when arroyo came into power in 2001. si remonde ra jud ang reporter sa radio niadto nga gikan sa probinsiya nga nakalit lang kahimo ug press secretary. he rose from being a reporter to KBP chairman for 6 terms to press undersecretary incharge of broadcast then head of Government Mass Media group then as director general of Presidential Management Staff the press secretary.

billions of pledges ra man pud na. dili man jud na as in kwarta. pwede pa mo backout ang mga nagpledge so dili na kaayo angay ipanghambog nila.

Insensitively, she squandered the taxpayers money
  from the poor working people who  penny pinch with
  their hard earned money to buy food  to feed
  their starving children.
Maayo unta ug  gikan to sa iyang personal money,
  asa naman intawon ang kasingkasing ani nila uy, nibalhin
  sa ilang batikun?

Quote from: bol-anon nga cebuano on August 21, 2009, 12:22:09 AM
billions of pledges ra man pud na. dili man jud na as in kwarta. pwede pa mo backout ang mga nagpledge so dili na kaayo angay ipanghambog nila.

Sakto! Ang pledge way kaseguroan samtang ang fancy food and drinks nga gihabhab, well, nakaprovide nag nutrients nga maka-stimulate og growth hormones--growth of replacement cells, I mean.

It's counting-the-chickens-before-the-eggs-hatch economics. Mao gyud ni nga galisod ang Pilipinas kay nag-una ang celebration kaysa actual nga trabaho. And is she fooling herself that those tips will actually gain us goodwill in the eyes of the serious American investors? Kung didto pa unta nila gigastos pag-abiabi sa mga business organizations and actual investors to hear out actual feedbacks of doing business in the Philippines, murag naa pay economic sense.

I don't believe they give 6 million tips knowing nga kitang Filipino Kuripot/ tihik ,ug moingon siguro nga pila ra ka libo motuo ko. Gibulsa ni nila ang tip kay ngano naa ba silay ma show nga receipt? Don't tell me mangayo pa ka ug resibo sa imo gi tip pan. Nindot ni nga alibi para nila kay lusot kaayo.

Wad ang imong high blood bantayi na immagine na nako ron perting sukua. Samot na jud ka masuko adtong nagrally nga mga batan on sa malacanang nga gipanglaparo,giguyod ug gisuntok sa mga guard ni Ate Glo.

They treated the waitresses and the bellboys so generously in faraway shores, but kicked and bludgeoned young students back home who are crying out only for a little relief on tuition fees.

Quote from: Raquelproud boholana on August 21, 2009, 11:07:43 AM

Wad ang imong high blood bantayi na immagine na nako ron perting sukua. Samot na jud ka masuko adtong nagrally nga mga batan on sa malacanang nga gipanglaparo,giguyod ug gisuntok sa mga guard ni Ate Glo.

Though I am sympathetic for GMA, Her Excellency should have practiced prudence in spending.

Easty to spend, easy to the debtor's house.

Spend wisely, Madam President..

pabilib gud aron ingnon galanti ug daghang kwarta. kana pang halos tanang dagkong official sa nasud, gikan sa mga cabinet members, top military and police brass, congressmen and senators have properties in the US.

Quote from: bol-anon nga cebuano on August 22, 2009, 12:41:53 AM
pabilib gud aron ingnon galanti ug daghang kwarta. kana pang halos tanang dagkong official sa nasud, gikan sa mga cabinet members, top military and police brass, congressmen and senators have properties in the US.

Wa man tingali untay problema kon kining ilang US properties were inherited, or acquired before they became officials or notwithstanding their being officials, or were acquired using their own money, or using returns from legitimate business that have prospered without any undue influence from their clout and connections as government officials. But sadly, ambot kon naa ba kahay mo-qualify under these criteria.

kasagaran moingon nga acquired before they become public officials or family inheritance. pero how about kadtong naa na sa gobyerno daan since in their early 20's like kanang mga police ug military officials. or kadtong mga government employees that started in the bottom then rose from rank to rank? dili ba questionable ang ilang assets knowing how small the salary they get from their respective posts?

Quote from fdaray: "Naggasto si Madame Arroyo ug P 1 million pesos, pero billions man daw ang nadala niya pagbalik in for of assistance to our govt."

ang billions nga iang giingon commitment lang - as in pasalig. way siguro kung tinud-on ba sa anagsuslti. in other words, istorya pa sa ilawm sa dagat.

Quote from: bolingitboy on September 02, 2009, 03:48:35 PM
Quote from fdaray: "Naggasto si Madame Arroyo ug P 1 million pesos, pero billions man daw ang nadala niya pagbalik in for of assistance to our govt."

ang billions nga iang giingon commitment lang - as in pasalig. way siguro kung tinud-on ba sa anagsuslti. in other words, istorya pa sa ilawm sa dagat.

Mao jud. Mora pud ug fairy tale nga duwende ang bida.

na SAD!?

billions nga pasalig ug estorya ra diay? hmmp
Lisod naman gani sad ang economy diri sa U.S.
outsourcing of manufaturing jobs, millions of
people find themselves with pink slips, 2 wars ongoing,
bailing out a failure, and now the current issue
universal healthcare, I hope dili ni madayon
etc., then  ang gov't diri nipasalig ug billions dinha?

Pareha ra ning estoryaha nga bisan nabuslot
  na ang bulsa, sigi gihapon pahambog nga
  kusog pa ang tinubdan.

mauwow jud sya tip ug $100 so mao lang ghapon P5000 reklamohan na sab..

Quote from: Candijaynon on September 02, 2009, 08:02:45 PM
Mao jud. Mora pud ug fairy tale nga duwende ang bida.

Mao ra tingali ni ang fairy tale nga ang ending, "They lived miserably ever after."

What do you expect ani na pamunoan ni POTUT.. diha sa pinas, nothing is new from the very start na nakalingkod na sa malacaniang.. pahimus-lan jud na niya kay hapit na moabot ang gaba ana niya? utro pud na remonde mao taw gi gama na sya press secretary tulog sa iyang pagka certified na pakabakakun.. haahhayy usbon tani ato pang goberno mga sanu sa 2010 election ipang basora na natu ni mga tao ni PANDAK

Quote from: hubag bohol on September 05, 2009, 10:42:38 AM
Mao ra tingali ni ang fairy tale nga ang ending, "They lived miserably ever after."

Hahaha....mao jud!

kung ang presidente naanad na sa kontrobersya kabahin sa iyang pagwaldas sa salapi sa katawhan, unya kahibawo siya nga wa kini igong ngipon nga sarang makaputol sa higot sa iyang pangagamhanan, magpadayon gihapon kining iyang gawi sama niini.

unsaon man lagi, pati man atong mga magbabalaod naduhig man pod sa samang buling, mao nga dili sila makapalagpot kung kana lang ang ilang nakit-an sa presidente.