Biography

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Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010. As of 2022, she is currently serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers, where she served previously from 2016 to 2017.

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was born in 1947 in San Juan Manila. She spent her primary and secondary education at the Assumption Convent graduating as high school valedictorian. From 1964 to 1966 she consistently occupied a spot on the Dean’s list at Georgetown University where she took up AB Economics and continued to pursue the same course at Assumption College, graduating as Magna Cum Laude in 1968. She then took up her MA in Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University in 1978 and her Ph.D in Economics at UP School of Economics in 1985.

Senator Macapagal Arroyo began her professional career as an assistant professor at Ateneo de Manila University from 1977 to 1987 and professor at UP School of Economics in those same years. She chaired the Economic Department of Assumption College from 1984 to 1987 before assuming the post of Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry from 1989-1992.

Macapagal Arroyo was elected Senator in 1992 and was re-elected in 1995. Together with other Senators, Senator Macapagal Arroyo was instrumental in the passage of the following bills into laws; loans for women and micro-enterprises; the Bank Entry Liberalization Law; the Thrift Bank Act; the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law; the Crop Insurance Law; and the Magna Carta for Scientists, Engineers, Researchers and Science and Technology Personnel in government.

On May 11, 1998, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ran for the position of the Vice President and she won overwhelmingly over the other vice presidential candidates, then appointed as secretary of Social Welfare and Department. She was sworn in as President of the Republic in January 2001 as a result of the EDSA II Revolution which was triggered by the impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada. Arroyo was then elected to a full six-year presidential term in 2004. 
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She is one of the only two Filipinos to hold at least three of the four highest offices in the country: vice president (1998-01), president (2001-10), and house speaker (2018-19).