i TV Pinoy

Source: Willard Cheng abs-cbnnews.com

-- There is a clamor for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to run for a seat in the House of Representatives in 2010, a Malacañang spokesperson said Thursday.

"Yes, especially in Lubao," deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo told reporters when asked if there is clamor for Mrs. Arroyo to run for congresswoman in Pampanga province.

Lubao is the President's hometown. Her eldest son, Juan Miguel 'Mikey' Arroyo, is representative of the second district of Pampanga.

Fajardo, however, clarified that she has not seen anyone from Pampanga approach Mrs. Arroyo and say "Madame President, gusto ka naming tumakbo."

The spokeswoman said the President has not talked about her plan after her term ends in June 30, 2010.

Speculation about Mrs. Arroyo's supposed plan to seek a seat in Congress has been fueled by her frequent visits to Pampanga and her hometown.

Mrs. Arroyo's critics suspect she is making herself visible in her hometown because of her plan to run for congresswoman. They said the move could be tied to her alleged plan to help ensure that the next administration will still be friendly to her.

To make it difficult for PGMA

Randy David, a University of the Philippines professor and staunch critic of Mrs. Arroyo, had said that he will try to block Mrs. Arroyo's supposed plan to run for congresswoman in Pampanga.

"Ipinapangako ko lamang na hindi magiging madali kay Pangulong Arroyo. Hindi niya makukuha ang segunda distrito on a silver platter (I promise that it will not be easy for President Arroyo. She will not get the second district [of Pampanga] on a silver platter)," David told in a recent interview over radio dzMM.

The professor admitted that it would not be easy for him to block Mrs. Arroyo's rumored plan to run for a seat in Congress, and that it seemed "a quixotic quest... probably foolish," but he promised that he will do everything "to make that difficult for her."