Where, oh where has President Aquino gone?

By: Kristine Angeli Sabillo - 10 years ago

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday denied that President Benigno Aquino III was deliberately hiding from the public amid the many pressing issues faced by the country.

“He’s not missing in action,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told media in response to a columnist’s observation that Aquino was last seen in public on Independence Day (June 12).

He pointed out that the Malacañang Press Corps regularly receives the daily schedule of the President.

President Benigno Aquino III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

“Ang nagkataon po lamang ay wala ho siyang mga events na dinadaluhan. But he is in the office,” Lacierda said.

(It just so happens he has not attended any event outside Malacañang. But he is in the office.)

“You all know the schedule of the President, he meets with various Cabinet officials; he meets various personalities, focusing on the daily business of governance,” the spokesperson told Palace reporters.

“So let me assure you that the President, while he may not be seen publicly, the President is engaged and occupied in the daily business of governance,” he added.

So where has the President been after he celebrated the 116th Philippine Independence Day on June 12? Below was his schedule earlier sent to Palace reporters and later published at the Official Gazette website:

June 13: Attended the wake of Urbiztondo Mayor Ernesto Balolong Jr. who was assassinated on June 7. (Read: Aquino visits slain mayor’s wake, checks crime scene)

June 16: Whole day meetings with Cabinet members and agencies

10am – Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel (CPLC) Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Secretary of Finance Cesar Purisima; 1pm – Executive Secretary, Cabinet Secretary, CPLC, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Finance (DOF) and the Governance Commission for GOCCs; 2pm – DOF, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC)

June 17: Whole day meetings with Cabinet members and agencies

10am – Executive Secretary, CPLC, DOTC, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Justice; 1:30pm – Executive Secretary and Department of Energy; 2:30pm – Department of Social Welfare and Development and Executive Secretary

June 18: Whole day meetings with Cabinet members and agencies

10am – Commission on Human Rights and National Historical Commission of the Philippines ; 11am – Executive Secretary and Department of Budget and Management; 1:30pm – Executive Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and CPLC

June 19: Attended the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board meeting

June 20: Whole day meetings with Cabinet members and agencies

10am – Presidential Management Staff and Cabinet Secretaries; 1pm – Executive Secretary, National Security Advisor and Department of Foreign Affairs, 3pm – Executive Secretary and CPLC

June 23: Whole day meetings with Cabinet members and agencies

10am – Cabinet Secretary and residential Management Staff; 1pm Office of the Executive Secretary, CPLC, etc.; 3pm – DBM, DOF, Executive Secretary, etc.)