MANILA, Philippines ? Faced with calls for her resignation, President Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday appealed to Filipinos to cast aside political differences and relive the Christmas spirit of peace.

Speaking at the 2009 Galing Pook Awards, Ms Arroyo exhorted Filipinos to come together during Christmas, and "celebrate faith and family, and pray for the unfortunate.''

"We should be united to bring goodness, not pain, to our communities. We must put aside our differences, be they personal or political, and I say this at a critical time in our nation's history as we prepare for the elections next year,'' she said in her speech in Malacañang.

Ms Arroyo last Tuesday filed her certificate of candidacy for a congressional seat in Pampanga's second district, sparking outrage from several sectors, including bishops who called it an "addiction to power.''

Her predecessor and former ally, former President Fidel V. Ramos, led calls for her to resign and yield her "undue advantage'' over other candidates in the interest of fairness. She has rejected the calls.

Despite filing her CoC, Ms Arroyo reiterated that she would continue to focus on her job in Malacañang until she steps down in June 2010.

"As I've done in the past eight years, I continue to wake up every day until the last day of my term and work hard and aggressively to fight for ordinary Filipinos. Our people deserve no less,'' she said.

Quezon City Mayor Belmonte, a former Lakas Kampi CMD member who defected to the Liberal Party, attended the awarding rites, and said he agreed completely with Ms Arroyo's call.

"We should be constructive. I endorse her sentiment 100 percent. I hope that happens,'' he later told reporters.

Meanwhile, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde scoffed at allegations that Ms Arroyo was vying to become House speaker and later on, prime minister to avoid prosecution.

"These fears are unreasonable. They are creating their own ghosts, and in the end, are afraid of their own creation,'' he said in a briefing. "I'd like to make it clear that Charter change has nothing to do with the President's running for Congress.''

He also said that Vice President Noli de Castro was just as capable to succeed Ms Arroyo, but maintained that Ms Arroyo wasn't stepping down.

"Kabayan (De Castro) would not have been chosen as the running mate of the President if he is not qualified to become President in case the President is incapable. But the point is that the President is very much capable,'' he added.

He said Ms Arroyo "need not use her resources'' when she starts campaigning.

"It would have been unfair [to the other candidates] if she was the one who decided to run for the second district. She was compelled by her provincemates to run,'' he said.