Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Birth Name: Maria Gloria Macapagal y Macaraeg

Place of Birth: Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines

Date of Birth: April 5, 1947

Ethnicity: Filipino [Kapampangan, Tagalog, Ilocano, Pangasinan]

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipina politician. She was the 14th President of the Philippines, and the 4th President of the Fifth Republic, both from January 20, 2001 to June 30, 2010. She has also been the 10th Vice President of the Philippines, from June 30, 1998 to January 20, 2001, Senator of the Philippines, from June 30, 1992 to June 30, 1998, and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, from July 23, 2018 to June 30, 2019, among other duties.

Her father, Diosdado Macapagal, was the 9th President of the Philippines. Her mother, Evangelina “Eva” dela Cruz Macaraeg, was a physician, from Lingayen, Pangasinan. She is married to politician Jose Miguel Tuason “Mike” Arroyo, with whom she has three children.

Gloria’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her fifth great-grandfather, Sotero Macapagal. The surname Macapagal came from her direct ancestor, Juan Macapagal, who was the great-grandson of Lakandula, the last Lakan (king or paramount ruler) of the pre-colonial Kingdom of Tondo, before the arrival of Spaniards in the 1570s.

Gloria’s paternal grandfather was Urbano Macapagal y Romero (or Urbano Romero Macapagal in Filipino, the son of Demetrio Macapagal y Galang, or Demetrio Galang Macapagal in Filipino, and of Escolástica Romero y de la Cruz, or Escolástica de la Cruz Romero in Filipino). Urbano was born in Lubao, Pampanga, Central Luzon. Demetrio was the son of Quirino Macapagal y Paguio, or Quirino Paguio Macapagal, and of Valentina Galang y García, or Valentina García Galang. Escolástica was Tagalog, from Cavite, Cavite (now Cavite City), and was the daughter of Clemente Romero and María de la Cruz.

Gloria’s paternal grandmother was Romana Pangan y Montemayor (or Romana Montemayor Pangan in Filipino, the daughter of Atanacio Pangan y Miguel, or Atanacio Miguel Pangan in Filipino, and of Lorenza Montemayor y Suing, or Lorenza Suing Montemayor in Filipino). Romana was born in Floridablanca, Pampanga, Central Luzon. Atanacio was the son of Pascual Pangan y Morales, or Pascual Morales Pangan in Filipino, and of Genoveva Miguel y Lingad, or Genoveva Lingad Miguel in Filipino. Lorenza was the daughter of Juan Montemayor and Camila Suing. The surname Suing is of possibly Chinese origin. However, it is not clear if Camila was of Chinese origin.

Gloria’s maternal grandfather was Juan Macaraeg y Guico (or Juan Guico Macaraeg in Filipino, the son of Patricio Macaraeg y Dres, or Patricio Dres Macaraeg in Filipino, and of Filomena Guico y Lachica, or Filomena Lachica Guico in Filipino). Juan was Ilocano, and was born in Binalonan, Pangasinan, Ilocos Region. Patricio was the son of Mariano Macaraeg and Balbina Dres. Filomena was the daughter of Feliciano Guico and Perfecta Lachica. The surname Guico is of possible Chinese origin. However, it is unclear if Feliciano had Chinese ancestry.

Gloria’s maternal grandmother was named Irenea dela Cruz. Irenea was Pangasinan, and was born in Pangasinan, Ilocos Region.

Sources: Genealogy of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – http://www.geni.com

Beating the Odds: The Life, the Times, and the Politics of Diosdado P. Macapagal, 2005

Men of the Philppines, 1931