Riding on the heels of her infamous $20,000 Le Cirque meal comes another shocker. The Washington Post’s Reliable Source page reports on the 5th of August 2009 that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and an entourage of about 65 people (including security and food tasters) racked up a tab of $15,000 at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in Washington D.C. hours after meeting with President Obama on July 30.
Says the newsbit, “The Reliable Source has learned that the group took over one of the restaurant’s private rooms and dined on lobster, steak and fine wines; at the conclusion of the meal, an unidentified woman opened a handbag stuffed with cash, counted out bills and paid the $15,000 (PhP 750,000) tab–which included a generous tip. The Philippine Embassy did not return calls for comment Tuesday.”
The Filet Mignon at Bobby Van's Steakhouse, $39
COMMENTS FROM THE CRITICS:
by IamPinoy
August 13, 2009 at 7:04 pm
FYI:
There are a lot of affordable places in New York. They should have just chosen to eat at Serendipity 3 or any other restaurants that not as expensive as Le Cirque. It’s not a question of where they ate it’s actually an issue of how much they spent on 1 meal with her whole entourage. She is a VIP since she is a President but $20000 really?? If they could have just minimized the cost and spent a modest amount of money on champagne and caviar this would be a none issue.
Since you are talking about incentives, the president is a public servant and like any other worker/employee her incentive is her salary and any other allowances she gets from her position. PLUS the fact that she CHOSE to run as a President and therefore accepts all the crap that comes with it.
From your statement above you are implying that you are ok with corruption probably because you like many other Filipinos choose to make light of the issue that the money they are spending are meant for the improvement of our country. You are ok with the $20k meal but not with the Hermes bag BUT it’s still the same; corruption is still corruption whatever form it takes like the lesser evil is still evil.
That’s exactly the mentality we need to erase so that we can spare at least spare the next generation this apathy we have for our country
by keikei
August 13, 2009 at 11:41 pm
ang kapal talaga. to the bone marrow.
by licha
August 14, 2009 at 7:39 am
At the very least they should have gone to a Filipino Restaurant to promote Philippine food which could filter down to farmers producing the ingredients used. Ok not all ingredients could be procured from the Philippines but promote Philippine cuisine at least, para masabing working visit, but then of course with the legendary insensitivity of GMA and her cohorts no body would have thought of eating in a Filipino restaurant in the New York. Le Cirque para my taste of heaven daw, dapat nga seguro because the chance for real heaven is zero when their own time comes.
by XOXO
August 14, 2009 at 9:13 am
wow! GMA should join the pool of writer in food and dine magazine or food blogger instead.. she practically knows the whereabouts of the best and most expensive food in the world.. way to go GMA! You will have a bright future there rather than managing a country again.. and advice your hubby to stop eating steaks.. red meat is not good for the heart..
MY OWN OPINION:
All I can is, Gloria has a thick face!
IN FACT: Poll based on the New York’s Post (as of 15th of August 2009)
Was it wrong for GMA and her entourage to have dined at Le Cirque for $20,000?
Yes, regardless of who paid, it was in bad taste for the president of a poor country.
(65.5%, 148 votes)
Yes, the fact that a congressman paid makes it look like a political favor.
(14.6%, 33 votes)
No, she’s a head of state, where should she have eaten–Burger King?
(10.2%, 23 votes)
No, she didn’t use the taxpayers’ money. She can eat
