CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – (UPDATE 3) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo became officially a candidate for representative of Pampanga’s second district in the 2010 elections at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The President, who came from a Mass organized by her supporters in her late father’s hometown of Lubao, personally filed her certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections office in this capital city.

Arroyo was mobbed by supporters as she arrived at the Comelec office. She was accompanied by her husband, lawyer Jose Miguel Arroyo, and mayors and other officials of Pampanga.

In Lubao, the mood was festive as Arroyo’s supporters hosted a Mass and a short program before she filed her CoC on Tuesday morning.

The event was like a campaign rally for Arroyo and a farewell party for her son, incumbent Representative Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, who gave way and urged his mother to represent the district in the House of Representatives.

The eldest of Arroyo’s sons is serving his second term.

San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, a known adviser of the President, did not attend and officiate the Mass at the St. Augustine Church held prior to Ms Arroyo’s filing of her CoC. The bishop said he had prior engagements.

The priest who celebrated the Mass likened Ms Arroyo’s candidacy to the action of Jesus Christ, whom he said “went down to serve.”

The second district is composed of the towns of Lubao, Guagua, Floridablanca, Porac, Sta. Rita, and Sasmuan.

Ms Arroyo will face Feliciano Serrano, an electronics engineer, who filed his CoC on Monday.