PANGLAO, Bohol – Seen but not heard much.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did not directly address the media during her first visit to Bohol this year. A helicopter carrying the President landed at the grounds of the St. Augustine church in Barangay Poblacion at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. She immediately proceeded to the Bohol Beach Club (BBC) where she met with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. Clark arrived at the Tagbilaran airport at 2:55 pm and motored to the BBC in Barangay Bolod, Panglao where she stayed overnight.

School children welcomed Ms. Clark waving flags of the Philippines and New Zealand on most of the 15-km trip to the BBC. President Arroyo fetched Prime Minister Clark from the BBC's presidential suite and escorted her for the photo-ops on the powdery white shoreline. Ms. Clark, wearing a burgundy overcoat and black pants, towered over President Arroyo who was dressed in an off-white barong blouse and pants as they waved to reporters waiting for them along the beach. They gamely posed for photographers as soon as they were seated on rattan chairs underneath one of eight cogon-roofed umbrella huts just 50 meters from the water.

It was one of only three photo opportunities allowed by the Presidential Security Group aside from one during the start of bilateral talks at the BBC's Tarsier Function Room and during ceremonial toast at the state dinner later in the evening. Just after two waiters wearing Hawaiian shirts served suman (rice pudding) and mango juice, protocol and security escorts waived reporters away to allow the two women heads of state to talk privately. Resort sources said Ms. Clark who was booked ahead, slept at the presidential suite while Ms. Arroyo was billeted at one of BBC's eight executive suites.

Ms. Clark's party was composed of only 10 people while the President Arroyo was accompanied by Vice President Noli de Castro and Cabinet Secretaries Alberto Romulo, Peter Favila, Ace Durano, Angelo Reyes and Norberto Gonzales.

Only Romulo and Favila faced reporters during a 30-minute briefing prior to the state dinner which was attended by about 30 people including Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera, Representatives Edgar Chatto, Roberto Cajes and Eladio Jala and Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Lim. A source said the dinner lasted until 10:00 pm . President Arroyo left BBC at 8 am Wednesday before flying out of the Tagbilaran airport aboard a Lear jet about 30 minutes later.