LUBAO, Pampanga – At least 20 mayors in President Arroyo’s home province have urged her to continue her “unparalleled service” to the country and to run for the congressional post in the province’s second district.

The Pampanga Mayors’ League (PML) has signed a manifesto asking the president to run for the position currently held by her son, Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo.

“President Arroyo has demon-strated exemplary work ethics and genuine public affection to her constituency,” the mayors said in a resolution unanimously approved by all the 20 members.

The mayors said the President’s expertise in leadership and economics would bring further development to the province’s second district and the whole Central Luzon if she would continue her public service.

“Even her critics had been silenced by her consistency and focus to achieve goals for progress and development," the mayors said.

The mayors further said that Mrs. Arroyo knows the needs of her district by heart.

Because of President Arroyo’s influence not only with business investors in the country but also in the international scene, the PML said that once elected, Mrs. Arroyo could easily attract investments for the countryside.

Mayor Ricardo Rivera of Guagua town said that all the mayors in Pampanga’s second district would fully support the President if she would run.

“The expertise of Mrs. Arroyo as a leader and an economist would surely bring not only the second district of Pampanga but the entire Central Luzon to greater heights if she would offer herself to serve as an elected representative,” the mayor said.

The district covers the towns of Guagua, Sta. Rita, Porac, Floridablanca and Lubao, Mrs. Arroyo’s hometown.

“Madam President (Arroyo)’s experiences as head of the state for almost 10 years puts her in better position to bring development in Pampanga,” Rivera said.

As this developed, Arroyo’s elder half-sister, former Pampanga Vice Governor Cielo Macapagal Salgado, has turned down the invitation of Gov. Eddie Panlilio to run as representative
in the second district.

Salgado, however, did not mention if her older brother Arthur Macapagal would run instead.

Arthur and Cielo are the children of the late President Diosdado Macapagal from wife Purita dela Rosa while President Arroyo and Diosdado Macapagal Jr. are the children of the former President with Evangelina Macaraeg.

Earlier, Salgado said that she already lost her appetite for politics and instead would like to focus her energy in serving the people in some other ways.

Salgado, a cancer survivor, admitted that she was not in good terms with the President.

Meanwhile, a group led by Panlilio said that they would continue to search for a “better alternative” to field against President Arroyo should the latter decide to run for the post.

University of the Philippines Prof. Randy David earlier said that he would run against Mrs. Arroyo in the second district.