Born: 1947 (Manila, Philippines)
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, born Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo on April 5, 1947, is a Filipino academic and politician. She is widely known by her initials PGMA and GMA. Arroyo served as the 14th president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, making her the longest-serving president since Ferdinand Marcos. Currently, she is serving as a Deputy Speaker in the congress since 2022.
Before ascending to the presidency, Arroyo held several distinguished positions. She served as the 10th vice president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001 under President Joseph Estrada, becoming the first female vice president in the country’s history, despite being on the opposing ticket. Prior to that, she was a senator from 1992 to 1998.
Arroyo’s journey in public service began when she entered government in 1987. Invited by President Corazon Aquino, she became the assistant secretary and undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry. During this time, Arroyo forged a lasting friendship with her classmate at Georgetown University in the United States, who would later become the President of the United States, Bill Clinton.
As an academic, Arroyo taught economics at Ateneo de Manila University, where she had an influential impact on her students. One of her students was President Benigno Aquino III, who would go on to succeed her as the country’s president.
In 2001, Arroyo resigned from her cabinet position as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and joined the growing opposition against President Joseph Estrada, who was facing impeachment on charges of corruption. Estrada was eventually forced out of office by the Second EDSA Revolution, and on January 20, 2001, Arroyo was sworn in as the president of the Philippines by Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.
Arroyo’s presidency faced significant challenges, including the Oakwood mutiny in 2003. The mutiny occurred due to perceived signs of a declaration of martial law under her leadership. Despite these challenges, she was elected to a full six-year term in the controversial 2004 presidential election and was sworn in on June 30, 2004.
Following the end of her presidency, Arroyo made history as the second Philippine president to pursue a lower office after their presidency, following José P. Laurel. She was elected as the representative of Pampanga’s 2nd district in 2010 and later became the speaker of the House of Representatives from 2018 until her retirement in 2019. Remarkably, she came out of retirement and was again elected as the representative of the same district in 2022.
Arroyo’s remarkable political career and her ability to hold high offices in the Philippines have made her one of only two Filipinos to have held at least three of the four highest offices in the country: vice president, president, and house speaker. Her achievements serve as an inspiration to women aspiring to make their mark in politics.
Awards:
– Omit this section if there are none.