Pampanga 2nd district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Contributed photo)

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga--The Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas' campaign sortie here in Gloria Macapagal-Aroyo country had all the bells and whistles of an election event in the Philippines--a well-rehearsed crowd, eager beaver candidates, and endless photo opportunities.

But the sortie on Wednesday, April 23 was missing a key personality--Arroyo herself, the current congresswoman of the 2nd district and former president.

Her absence raised eyebrows, given her stature as one of the elder leaders of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD)--a vital cog in the multi-parrty coalition of President Marcos.

To this, Arroyo's office offered a simple explanation: She's out of the country.

“Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is still in Singapore,” the terse statement read. 

Last March 31, in a rather revealing Facebook post, Arroyo asked Filipinos to "Please pray for my family" amid the health problems that some other loved ones have been facing.

"I have been spending much time with my constituents in Pampanga because I will be leaving soon for Singapore for Mike's surgery," she wrote, referring to her husband. "He will have to undergo a big surgery, combining a bypass and an aortoplasty, on April 7 to avert another emergency."

Her son, former Pampanga congressman Mikey Arroyo, also recently underwent surgery in connection with his stage one thyroid cancer.

Pinedas endorse Alyansa bets

Wednesday's Alyansa sortie was held at the jam-packed Bren Guiao  Convention Center here.

Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda and Vice Governor Lilia Pineda hosted the administration slate in their turf, which is among the most vote-rich provinces in Luzon.

HAVE YOU READ THIS?

https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/31/arroyo-opens-up-about-personal-problems-in-facebook-post

Before the program was concluded, the Pinedas had endorsed all of the members of the ticket for the May 12 mid-term polls.

Comprising Alyansa are former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III; former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benhur Abalos; former Senators Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao; Senators Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino; Makati City Mayor Abby Binay; House Deputy Speaker Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar; and House Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo. 

Of the 11 Senate hopefuls, only Lacson did not attend the sortie.