First Gentleman Jose Miguel ‘Mike’ Arroyo (left) waves to mediamen moments after he was discharged from the St. Luke’s Hospital at the Global City in Taguig Wednesday morning. (Photo by KJ ROSALES)

First Gentlemen Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, hospitalized nearly two weeks ago due to a tear in a major artery connected to his heart, finally stepped out of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City Wednesday morning. But doctors said he would have to be back there soon.

Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes, chief attending physician of the First Gentleman, said she expects to see Mr. Arroyo at St. Luke’s in Global City, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig at least three times a week.

“Don’t be surprised if you see him again tomorrow (Thursday) for his physical rehabilitation,” Cervantes told members of the media who gathered at the hospital for Mr. Arroyo’s send off.

At 11:55 a.m. Wednesday, Mr. Arroyo, wearing a rubber waist support, left St. Luke’s together with his wife President Arroyo. Mr. Arroyo smiled and waved to onlookers before boarding a black Mercedes Benz, which then whisked away the First Couple.

Security was tight at the medical center all morning, as members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) awaited Mr. Arroyo’s discharge. A slew of sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and motorcycles from the PSG and Makati police served as convoy for the Benz.

The First Gentleman was admitted to the hospital in the morning of March 25. He was diagnosed to have a suffered a “re-dissection (new tear) in thoracic aorta.”

Cervantes said that the First Gentleman has been advised to undergo physical rehabilitation every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (T-Th-S) at St. Luke’s to address the pain in his lower back which had been connected to the tear.

“Dapat regular ang rehabilitation niya whether nasa St. Luke’s or Malacañang siya (He should have regular rehabilitation whether he’s in St. Luke’s or at home in Malacañang),” Cervantes stressed.