THE PHILIPPINES | Imelda in Defence of Gloria’s $20,000 Dinner + Imelda Kicks Off her 2010 Congressional Campaign

I’m in a Filipino frame of mind this week, what with the upcoming elections and all (Imelda — can you believe it, 80+ years of age — is running again, this time for Congress?).

Then I came across the photo above of outgoing “Dente” (“Presidente”) Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former President-in-all-but-name, Imelda Marcos.

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At first I didn’t think that that was Gloria in the picture. Or that she’d have her photograph taken with Meldy. But sure enough, there they are, together, commiserating. It’s a great, one-of-a-kind photo.

If I could write a caption for this photo, it would be, “It’s okay, Gloria. $20,000 isn’t really too much to spend at a nice New York restaurant. The food was masarap, wasn’t it?”

The photo comes via a fellow WordPresser, Philippines Fun Wall, who thinks that blowing through $20,000 (that’s close to  ₱1 million) at Le Cirque in NYC is, well, not over the top.

Take a look at the post and its comments. What do you think?

Someone supersmart made the above. If it was you, please let me know!

For a different point of view, check out “Is Gloria the New Imelda? Filipinos in New York Respond to ‘Simple’ Meals” by another WordPresser, Macky Ramirez.

And, what do you think the chances of Imelda winning in 2010 are?

below: IMELDA KICKS OFF HER ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN DORTE, THE HOME PROVINCE OF HER LATE DICTAHUSBAND, FERDINAND EMMANUEL EDRALIN MARCOS, ON FRIDAY 26 MARCH 2010. THE SPOTLIGHT BECKONS. IT’S COMEBACK TIME.

DW DeutscheWelle, “Shoe queen Imelda Marcos kicks off election campaign.” 26 March 2010

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> click to play:

Colour-coordinated Imelda and Imee. Photo: REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos makes cameo in busy campaign season

A photo from Feb. 16, 1986, shows the late Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos, center, receiving a kiss from his wife, Imelda, following his victory in the Feb. 7, 1986, presidential elections, at Malacanang presidential palace in Manila. (AFP / Getty Images)

Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos kisses the glass coffin of her husband, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who remains unburied since his death in 1989, in the town of Batac, north of Manila, on March 26, 2010. (Romeo Ranoco – Reuters)

in related election news:

update: