President Arroyo is so far in the pink of health and is ably running the government from a hospital where she placed herself on quarantine, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President checked into Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa City for a medical checkup following her arrival from a long trip to influenza-infected
countries.

The President, who came home last Monday from her 13-day visits in Arroyo yesterday (Tuesday). She is okay. No question about her health condition,” he said in a news conference in the Palace.

Ermita assured that government operations are not paralyzed even though the President is under self-quarantine. He said the President has brought with her loads of paperwork, some for study and others for signature, during her hospital visit.

“It is office and official activities as usual. Her visit at the Asian hospital was an extra precaution after a 12-day trip, while she is negative, at least the doctors can look over her. The official function is not interrupted.

She is able to act on documents. She is always in touch with people she needs to get in touch with, including myself,” Ermita said.

Ermita said the President has a habit to bring her work anywhere she goes, even when she is undergoing a checkup at a hospital. "In other words, don’t expect that the President is there to watch television," he added.

Although it was not mandatory, he said the President also found it prudent to follow the advice of the Department of Health for travelers to undergo self-quarantine and social distancing over a period of time to ensure they are not carriers of the virus.

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who accompanied the President in her latest foreign travel, was also likely to undergo self-quarantine as a precautionary measure against the influenza virus, according to Ermita.

Last Tuesday, the President cancelled her official engagements, including a weekly cabinet meeting, to begin a four-day quarantine.