MANILA, Philippines--First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo announced on Sunday that he has been declared by his doctors fit and healthy enough to go home.

"I'm okay. Doctors have cleared me and I can go home already,'' a smiling Arroyo told reporters at the lobby of St. Luke's Medical Center, as he left the hospital, where he had been confined for a day.

Wearing a blue polo shirt and accompanied by his sons, Pampanga Rep. Mikey and Camarines Sur Rep. Dato Arroyo, Mr. Arroyo was discharged from the hospital at around 12:40 p.m. Sunday.

The First Gentleman said he suffered "excruciating abdominal pain'' aboard the plane that would have brought President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her party and him to to Peru for the Asia Pacific Economic Conference meeting on Friday night.

His pain prompted an emergency landing of the presidential plane in Osaka, Japan. "I'm glad that the episode is over. I did not have a heart attack, thank God,'' he added. (Ms Arroyo proceeded to Peru last Saturday after being assured that the First Gentleman was in stable condition and in good hands.)

Mr. Arroyo said on Sunday that he was continuing medication and would be back at the St. Luke’s hospital on Friday with President Macapagal-Arroyo for their annual executive check-up.

He informed reporters that he had talked with the President over the phone and told her he was all right.

"Yes, she called in, and (I told her) I’m okay na. I’m okay already,'' he said.

The First Gentleman was rushed to St. Luke’s Saturday afternoon from Japan where he was flown by a private plane owned by San Miguel Corp.

He was diagnosed later to be suffering from infectious diarrhea. He was with President Macapagal-Arroyo and her delegation on their way to the Peruvian capital, Lima, for the 16th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.