This, as "foreign banks opted to retain their earnings in their local branches given the continued positive economic prospects," the BSP said.

Rather than spend time on poll trends, Malacanang is keeping its hands full ensuring clean and peaceful elections next month and elevating the issues that are more important to the lives of Filipinos.

Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye said these issues include investments, jobs, stable prices, increasing socioeconomic dividends, law and order, and fighting corruption.

"Perceptions can be manipulated but reality cannot be," he pointed out, referring to the economic gains achieved under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Bunye’s pronouncements came on the heels of Pulse Asia’s latest survey on Filipinos’ senatorial preferences for the May 14 polls where out of the 37 official senatorial candidates, eight so-called probable winners belong to the opposition and five from the administration’s Team Unity.

Bunye said the people can judge for themselves whether they want to sustain optimism and hope "or revert to the mess of the past."

"The reality is that we have traversed 22 months of continued growth, increased foreign investments by more than half since last year, driven the peso to a six-year high against the dollar, kept the lid on inflation, dented poverty and created hundreds of thousands of new jobs," he explained.

Bunye stressed that not even the best magicians of the opposition can make these gains disappear in thin air.

News of the successful cardiovascular operation of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo gladdened President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and members of the First Family, according to Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye.

In a statement, Bunye however said that despite the favorable outcome of the 10-hour aneurysmectomy to repair a dissecting aortic aneurysm, the President and her family will "continue to pray and hope for the best as the First Gentleman traverses the most critical hours of recovery."

Aside from the aneurysmectomy, Atty. Arroyo also underwent triple bypass surgery to clear smaller blood vessels that were found to be obstructed.

Bunye said the President expressed her heartfelt thanks to "all those who conveyed sympathy and solidarity" especially to the medical team led by main attending physician Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes and Dr. Rommel Cariņo, reputedly the best cardiovascular surgeon in the country.

"Once more, their gratitude goes to all those who conveyed sympathy and solidarity," he said.

"The First Family is also grateful to the excellent medical team at the forefront of this crisis, and will continue to rely on the team to best explain vital medical developments to the public," he added.

Bunye assured the public that despite the life-threatening operation conducted on the First Gentleman, the Chief Executive is still on top of the task of governing and looking after the welfare of the people.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said today he was tipping his hat off to the opposition members who have offered prayers for the speedy recovery of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo after his major heart surgery.

"I tip my hat off to them," Ermita said when asked during his press conference in Malacaņang this afternoon about the opposition’s reported declaration of a ceasefire in their tirades against the Arroyo administration, including the First Gentleman.

"I cannot help that, deep inside, I feel very, very happy and satisfied na umiiral pa rin ang ating pagka-Pilipino, ang ating kultura. Napakagandang ugali ng Pilipino na sa kabila ng hidwaan sa pulitika ay maririnig mo na iyong hindi mo kasama sa pulitika, na sabi nga natin ay oposisyon, ay ipinagdarasal pa rin nila si First Gentleman," Ermita said, adding that in politics "there are no permanent enemies and no permanent allies."

"Ngunit ang napakahalaga ay maipakita na tayo ay nakikipag-kapwa tao at, uulitin ko, iyan ang napakagandang kaugalian o kultura, practice, tradition nating mga Pilipino na pagdating ng oras na ang pinag-uusapan ay kalusugan at kahirapan ay, somehow, we have the capacity to rally to somebody who needs help, especially in what the President and the First Family are going through," he said.

Malacaņang assured today that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is in full control of all major government functions despite being emotionally affected by the health status of First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo, who underwent aortic aneurysm operation on Monday night.

"Being a strong leader, the President is in full control of the situation," Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said when asked during his weekly briefing in Malacanang on how the President handled the situation.

"There is nothing to worry or to be alarmed about the President’s duties and responsibilities because what happened now is that, the leader of the land, is experiencing emotional disturbance but is still doing her job at the same time," Ermita explained.

Under different conditions, he said, Malacanang is really prepared to act and support the President because it has "standard operating procedures" such as security and other contingency measures.

"There are SOP’s that we follow under different conditions, and you can be very sure that all the actors in this particular subject matter are prepared for contingencies," Ermita said.

When asked if the President would pursue her China trip, Ermita said Malacanang is considering the full recovery of the First Gentleman before deciding on her scheduled trip to China on April 20-25.