LUBAO, Pampanga -- Pampanga Vice Governor Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo, eldest son of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, today exchanged vows with Ms. Angela Montenegro in simple but solemn rites held this morning at the 430-year-old St. Augustine Church here.

The venue of the wedding is the same church where the late President Diosdado Macapagal, the bridegroom’s grandfather, was baptized on Oct. 12, 1910.

The President, elegant in her celadon Filipina dress, arrived at the church grounds at exactly 9:30 a.m. With her were the First Gentleman, Mikey, second son Dato, and daughter Evangeline "Luli" Macapagal-Arroyo.

Upon her arrival at the church, the President was warmly welcomed by her cabalens who were gathered at the church grounds since early morning.

The President shook hands with her cabalens and greeted them in Capampangan.

In an interview before the start of the wedding ceremonies, Mikey said that he was both excited and happy over his wedding to Angela. He said because of his excitement, he only slept for three hours the night before.

Mikey also stressed that earlier, his parents asked him to be a "good husband" to Angela. He said that he and Angela would fly to San Francisco, California, on June 28 for their honeymoon.

Former President Fidel Ramos, who was one of the principal sponsors in the wedding, arrived at exactly 9:00 a.m. He wore a barong Tagalog.

Former President Corazon C. Aquino, also one of the principal sponsors, who wore a simple peach attire, was escorted by her son, Tarlac Congressman Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

The bride’s father, Herman Montenegro, escorted her daughter Angela, in walking down the aisle. He then "gave away" her daughter to Mikey who waited for them at the altar.

The historic church was packed with some 600 invited guests. The wedding rites were officiated by Bishop Paciano Aniceto of the Archdiocese of Pampanga.

LUBAO, Pampanga – His Holiness Pope John Paul II today greeted the newly-wed presidential son and Pampanga Vice Governor Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo and Angela Montenegro and wished the couple an abundance of joy and peace in their married life.

The Pontiff’s message, which was sent through Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Antonio Franco, was read by officiating priest Pampanga Bishop Paciano Aniceto shortly before the prayer of the faithful portion of the concelebrated mass.

"On the happy occasion of their wedding, the Holy Father invokes an abundance of joy and peace upon Juan Macapagal-Arroyo and Angela Montenegro," the Pope’s message said.

The Pontiff also said he prays that, strengthened and sustained by the grace of the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Matrimony, the Christian union of Mikey and Angela "will always be marked by mutual love, respect and fidelity and by unfailing harmony and confidence in meeting the challenges of family life."

"As a pledge of God’s continuing assistance, His Holiness cordially imparts to them and to all present at the ceremony his apostolic blessing," the message added.

According to Bishop Aniceto, the Pope’s message was signed by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State of the Vatican, and by the Papal Nuncio.

The couple exchanged vows this morning at a simple wedding ceremony held at the historic St. Augustine Church here.

The historic church was the same church where the late President Diosdado Macapagal, the bridegroom’s grandfather, was baptized on October 12, 1910.

More than 600 prominent guests attended the Arroyo-Montenegro nuptial. Thousands more of the President’s cabalens gathered at the church grounds to witness the wedding rites touted to be the wedding of the year.

Malacaņang today urged public service and utility companies to try to at least defer any planned rate increase to relieve the people from additional financial burdens.

Acting Press Secretary and concurrent Presidential Management Staff Chief Silvestre Afable, Jr. said that at this time, it is best for all that the best means should be sought so as not to implement any rate increase for public utilities.

In his regular press briefing at Malacaņang, Afable said there were rumors that the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and other utilities wanted to raise their rates.

There are also possibilities that the South and North Luzon Expressways might increase their toll fees.

He said any increases in rates and fees would definitely hurt the pockets of people since consumers later would have to shoulder such increases.

"Well, as we have seen from the effect of the PPA (power purchase adjustment), talaga namang nahihirapan ang mga tao (the consumers really suffered)," he stressed.

LUBAO, Pampanga – Unknown to many, Lubao is a giant and historical town in its own right. It is one of the oldest towns in Pampanga, if not in the entire Central Luzon, having been founded by the Malayans. It was already an established settlement with local government headed by Rajah Macabulos when the first Spaniards led by Martin de Goiti set foot on its soil and "founded" it in September 1571.

Composed today of a total of 15,731.11 hectares and 44 barangays – the biggest of any town in the country – with a population of about 130,000, Lubao got its name from the Spaniards who baptized it "Lo Bajo" and eventually corrupted to Lubao.

The Augustian friars led by the Reverend Juan Callegos built the town’s first church, the Saint Augustine Church, the venue of the Arroyo-Montenegro wedding this morning, in 1572.

Records also showed that the first printing press in the country was established in the Saint Augustine Church in 1602.

Lubao became the capital of the Philippine Revolutionary government under General Emilio Aguinaldo in 1898. The Saint Augustine Church became the temporary and emergency seat of the Aguinaldo government when it fled from the Americans in 1898. In fact, one of the leading citizens of Lubao, Don Leandro Ibarra, occupied a prominent position in the revolutionary government, that of Secretary of Interior.

During the Second World War, a big warehouse and bodega in the town served as arsenal of the American Army, thus making it one of the main targets of the Japanese bombing missions.

The infamous Death March passed through Lubao. During those trying times, the people of Lubao exerted efforts to help the marchers by giving them food or medicines at the very risk of their own lives. In fact, many marchers escaped through the support and encouragement of the Lubao people although many more perished due to sickness and hunger.

During the Japanese occupation, underground movements or guerrilla units of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) and the Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon (Hukbalahap) were organized in Lubao and had endless encounters with the Japanese soldiers.

Despite producing in 1961 its first Philippine President, Diosdado Pangan Macapagal, Lubao has not grown by leaps and bounds as expected during his time.

President Macapagal, mainly due to his personal virtues of honesty, commitment, integrity, deep love and fear of God, did not concentrate and pour in projects to his hometown as his successor, Ferdinand Marcos, did for his home province of Ilocos Norte.

But Macapagal could be credited for initiating the North Luzon Expressway and the Epifanio de los Santos Ave. (EDSA) which cut short travel time to Pampanga, triggering faster development of the province much later.

Macapagal’s issuance of the Agrarian Reform Law in 1963 also brought improved peace and order not only to Pampanga, then the hotbed of the Hukbalahap, or Huk, movement and communist insurgency, but to the entire Central Luzon region.

The post-Diosdado Macapagal era brought Lubao back to sleep.

With the ascent of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2001 to the Presidency and the eventual election of her eldest son, Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo, as vice governor of Pampanga, Lubao suddenly awakened from its deep sleep.

With a President in the Malacaņang Palace and a Vice Governor, now acting Governor, at the Provincial Capitol in San Fernando City, the people of Lubao have high hopes for a faster and better development of their town in the coming years. Already, some projects have been poured into the town by the Arroyo administration. Pampanga’s Governor, Manuel "Lito" Lapid is currently in the United States.

LUBAO, Pampanga -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today witnessed the union in marriage of her son, Pampanga Vice Governor Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo to lovely Ma. Angela Montenegro in simple rites at the 491-year old St. Augustine Parish Church here.

Accompanied by First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, the President led her family, relatives and friends to the simple yet very much elegant morning wedding.

White flowers, which included roses, chrysanthemums and hydrangeas, highlighted the aisle of the newly refurbished St. Augustine Church as bright lights flooded the church’s interior and altar.

Made of brick, sand and stones mixed with egg albumen, the St. Augustine Church in Barangay San Nicolas is said to be the oldest church in Pampanga, and the second oldest church in the Philippines.

Unknown to many, the President’s father, President Diosdado Macapagal was baptized in the parish church. The young Macapagal, who was born on September 28, 1910 through midwife Escolastica Romero, was brought to the church by his parents Urbano and Romana.

Fr. Francisco de la Banda conducted Diosdado’s baptism on Oct. 12, 1910 when he was only about a month old.

Principal sponsors in the Arroyo-Montenegro nuptial included former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos and Corazon Aquino, Sen. Loren Legarda-Leviste, Don Emilio Yap, Gina de Venecia, Norma Chan and Salvacion Villarasa, Diosdado Macapagal Jr., Mario Cruel and Enrique Aboitiz Jr.

As in keeping with the Filipino motif, the Ninangs were in peach Filipiniana ensembles while the Ninongs were in pina barongs.

The march, led by Mikey’s brother Diosdado "Dato" Arroyo, was undertaken to the tune of Con Te Partiro, Pachelbel Canon in D and songs like the Promise.

Other songs during the ceremony included Tanging Yaman, Lead Me Lord, Theme from the Ice Castle, Panunumpa, Anima Christi, The Prayer, Take and Receive and Sa ‘Yo Lamang.

Clad in a celadon green terno, the President walked down the aisle unaccompanied as Atty. Arroyo walked in tandem with the bride’s mother, Charito Montenegro, while the father of the bride escorted Ma. Angela.

A beautiful sight to behold, Ma. Angela was clad in a gown made of pina with a detachable embroidered and beaded panuelo worn with an old heirloom tiara.

Mikey was in a Barong Tagalog circa 19^th century with tiny embroidery evoking the peace dove floating on geometric callado designs on the edges.

Other members of the entourage included Emily Montenegro Yupangco, matron of honor; Rose Montenegro and Evangeline Lourdes "Luli" Arroyo, maid of honor. The secondary sponsors were Alex Macapagal and Joanne Downs (candle), Gregorio Montenegro and Marinela Montenegro (veil), Raphael Mondragon and Katrina Datoc (cord).

After the Church ceremony, the newlyweds and entourage and guests moved on to the church courtyard for the celebration and reception, which appeared like a barrio fiesta.

Caterers Plaza and Cabalen prepared food for the churchyard reception. The food consisted of an all-Filipino fare like lechon, halo-halo, crispy crablets, pancit luglog, tibok-tibok and a variety of seafoods.

The main celebrant of the wedding was Archbishop Paciano Aniceto of San Fernando, Papanga. Co-celebrants were Msgr. Patricio Lim, Fr. Rodolfo De Guzman, Fr. Dennise Antonio Paez and Fr. Manuel Roux.

During the wedding liturgy, the couple got a pleasant surprise – no less than a blessing from Pope John Paul II, sent through Papal Nuncio Antonio Franco, which was read by Bishop Aniceto.

In his homily, the bishop lectured on the sanctity of the sacrament of marriage while the liturgy touched on the oneness of husband and wife.

After the wedding, Mickey and Angela posed with their families and entourage in a brief photo shoot.

The couple later greeted Lubao townsfolk, who didn’t have the chance to see the church rites. Subsequently, the two proceeded to the churchyard reception.

Aside from family, relatives and friends of the bride and groom, Pampanga officials, most of whom are colleagues of Mikey in government, likewise attended the ceremony.

Mikey’s colleagues in show business to include Paquito Diaz, Tony Ferrer, Rez Cortez, Al Tantay, Roi Vinzons and movie scribe Aster Amoyo, who was among the liturgical readers, also attended the occasion.