Arroyo, de Castro plan grand start to campaign

President Gloria Arroyo scheduled a four-hour prayer vigil, from 3:30 to 7:30 am at the Manila Cathedral, prior to her registration as the presidential candidate of the ruling Lakas Party at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office at 10 in the morning tomorrow.

"For every major event in her life, she has always faced it with prayers,'' said Conrado Limcaoco, the presidential adviser on media and religious affairs.

Arroyo's vice presidential candidate, Senator Noli de Castro, will join her in the prayer vigil. It will be the first time that the two would be seen together in public since he accepted her invitation to be her running mate.

Several cabinet members, local government officials, congressmen and senators would be joining Arroyo. The scheduled liturgical vigil would be followed by a 7:30 am Mass to be officiated by Monsignor Cervo, the parish priest of the Manila Cathedral.

After the vigil and the morning mass, Arroyo and her team for the May 2004 elections will walk to nearby Plaza Roma for a "short programme.''

Congressman Juan Miguel Zubiri and presidential campaign spokes-person, Mike Defensor will lead the so-called Spice Boys in the House of Representatives in presenting Arroyo's campaign symbols.

Many likened the event to a grand production. Fast-rising star Sarah Geronimo will sing the national anthem during the programme. Other singers will sing Gloria Gaynor's song, "I will survive," which has been identified as Arroyo's song during the campaign period.

Arroyo's youth arm has been buying the rights to use the popular song "Ocho-Ocho'' for her campaign jingle.

There will also be a presentation of Arroyo's chosen hand signal for the campaign, a two thumbs up sign, made by extending both hands forward with the two thumbs thrust upward. It is similar to former president Fidel Ramos's thumbs up sign in his campaign in 1992.

Sources said Arroyo is discarding her well-known GMA initials GMA in favour of a new title, "President Gloria'' in her campaign.

Being the incumbent president, she will be using the colours of the Philippine flag: red, white, blue and yellow, for the campaign period.

Earlier, she expressed a preference for powder blue (instead of dark blue).

After the 20-minute programme at Plaza Roma, Arroyo and her team will lead an arms-linked march to the Comelec office to file their certificates of candidacy. Arroyo will give a luncheon press conference at Tamayo's restaurant near the Manila Cathedral.

As of yesterday, her team has confirmed seven senatorial candidates and is hoping to garner more candidates.

Arroyo and de Castro believe their real opponents are Fernando Poe Jr. and vice presidential aspirant Senator Loren Legarda.

But administration officials downplayed Poe's perceived popularity, saying that Arroyo is the more superior choice since she represents dignity, performance and experience.