Assumption ‘old girls’ up in arms vs pro-GMA advert

March 13, 2008

The old girls of Assump-tion Convent are reportedly up in arms against a pro-Arroyo group of Assumption alumnae, led by Cynthia Carreon, an Arroyo official, for including their names in a full-page pro-Arroyo advertisement published yesterday without their per-mission and even knowledge.

The Assumption College pro-Gloria Arroyo faction is allegedly composed of Menchu Arroyo Geronimo, Medy Singh, Marietta Cuyegkeng, Angie Barrera and Vivian Yuchengco. A Baby Araneta was also said to have been soliciting signatures.

The Tribune yesterday received numerous calls from several Assumption alumnae who are either not for President Arroyo or lukewarm toward her, denouncing the manifesto of support for Mrs. Arroyo that “borrowed their name and their honor,” stressing that it was such a “dirty trick” which ‘Mother Espy’ (referring to Mother Esperanza, the dean of the College) would never have approved of this being done by Assumption girls, nor would she have tolerated it one second.”

Another called in to state that not only were their names printed without their permission, but also that the pro-Arroyo group even cheated—by including names of Assumption Convent alumnae who were abroad, dead and get this—some recognizable names were graduates of St. Scholastica’s College and MaryKnoll College but included anyway.

The list of Assumption alumnae belonging to the batch of Mrs. Arroyo lists only 13 from Class ’64, which includes San Lorenzo and Herran. Of the 13, four have already denied that they had signed that manifesto, which they never even saw.

It was also pointed out that of around 80 to 90 Herran-San Lorenzo batchmates of Mrs. Arroyo, only 13 signed, which already tells a lot about how the Assumption girls think of their classmate, another said.

Included were the names of one Jessie O. del Villar who is Jessie Olmos who died about 15 years ago, went one text message from an Assumptionista.

Also included in the listing of the alumnae in the pro-Gloria ad is one Cristina Carrion Bichara, a sister of Cynthia Carreon, reportedly Mrs. Arroyo’s fitness guru. The message stated that Cristina was not for a single minute in Assumption, as she is a Scholastica graduate.

Another Assumption alumna, looking over the list, saw some familiar names but whom she knew were residing abroad. She called them overseas, and they too, said they were not even informed of the manifesto and were upset that their names were listed.

A slew of pro-Arroyo advertisements has been appearing in major newspapers, with the amount spent estimated at P5 million in less than a month’s time.

Meanwhile, a desperate President Arroyo attempted to counter the anti-Gloria student and youth forces by staging yet another unity walk, this time with students.

As a “counter-punch” to the warm youth support being showered on ZTE broadband whistleblower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, pro-Arroyo students yesterday displayed a show of support for her by having their own unity walk in Malacañang.

The Palace was virtually turned into a playground when the more than a thousand high school and college students from various public and private schools including training centers of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) chanted the President’s name while others were taking pictures and roamed all corners of the Palace.

A merienda treat, filled with pasta, barbecue and hotdogs, was served to the pro-Arroyo students but Tesda Chief, Augusto Syjuco said these students were not a “hakot” (bussed-in) group nor were they forcibly asked by their respective schools to visit the Palace.

“These students and their schools voluntarily came here as a sign of support for the President,” Syjuco said.

After a brief unity walk, the students posed with Mrs. Arroyo for pictures.

The chief executive also bonded with the students by taking her merienda with them and taking time to talk to some student groups.

The students were special guests at the Budget message event on Education presided over by Mrs. Arroyo at the Ceremonial Hall in Malacañang.

In her brief speech, Mrs. Arroyo thanked the students for their support and promised to pursue a better education for them.

Syjuco, for his part, urged the students especially those joining the Lozada- led protest actions to to just concentrate on their studies.

The Tesda chief said that although the students are free to exercise their freedom of expression, they must be discerning about the actions and motives of Lozada.

Before the unity walk of the students, the Cabinet as well as local officials affiliated with the administration has also doing their own unity walk in Malacañang as a show of support for Mrs. Arroyo amid the ZTE-National Broadband Network deal.

With NCO and Sherwin C. Olaes

Source: http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20080314hed6.html

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