President Arroyo and her family will break their family tradition of spending New Year’s Eve in Baguio City. Instead, they will welcome 2010 in Malacañang.

First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo personally confirmed that they will have their New Year’s revelry at the decades-old Palace.

There are only six months left for the First Family to stay in the Palace as Mrs. Arroyo ends her term on June 30, 2010. She will pursue her congressional bid in next year’s elections to represent the second district of Pampanga.

For the second time, Arroyo did not deliver her speech at the commemoration of the 113th anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal in Salcedo, Vigan City in Ilocos Sur. She just led the nationwide flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies.

In the past, since she assumed office in 2001, Mrs. Arroyo delivered her speeches, except for this year and in 2003.

Mrs. Arroyo’s critics, particularly Bayan Muna secretary-general Renato Reyes, earlier warned her not to tell lies on Rizal Day, saying she is “the last person who should invoke Rizal, given her lust for power and her lying and cheating ways.”

Reyes was referring to the President’s Rizal Day speech in 2002 when she said she will not run again for any elective posts. But she later announced that she will run for Congress in her hometown.

After the Rizal Day ceremonies in Ilocos Sur, the President inaugurated the P625-million President Quirino Bridge, which seeks to ensure the safe travel of commuters to and from Northern Luzon. Apart from the President Quirino Bridge, Mrs. Arroyo also inaugurated the Amburayan Bridge in Sudipen, La Union.