Biography

As President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has faced the problem of guerrilla activity by separatist Islamic fundamentalists in the south of the country. The separatists, who have kidnapped and murdered foreign tourists and others, have been linked to al-Qaeda by the US government. President George W. Bush received her on an official state visit and they issued a joint statement on the deployment of American troops in the Philippines. Arroyo ended the ceasefire with the rebels and Bush promised military support. Bush also declared the Philippines a "major non-Nato ally." [May 2003]

She was sworn in as the president of the Philippines on 20 January 2001, when her predecessor, Joseph Estrada, a former movie actor, was forced from office by mass street protests, accused of cronyism and taking bribes from illegal gambling syndicates. Arroyo is the daughter of Diosdado Macapagal, the ninth president of the Philippines, who was popular, and she is also very popular. Previously she had been a teacher and served as Assistant Secretary, then as Under-Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry in the government of President Corazon Aquino. During her post of Executive Director of the garments and textile export board, the Filipino textile industry grew to become the country's top foreign-currency earner. She was also twice elected as Senator in the 1990s.

Macapagal took a degree in commerce at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where the future US president Bill Clinton was one of her classmates.

According to surveys done between 2004 and 2006, Ms Arroyo may be the most unpopular President in the history of the Philippines. Her spokepersons Michael Defensor and Ignacio Bunye, described as "lackeys" in certain circles, refuse to believe the surveys and always proclaim a contrary opinion.

Daughter of Diosdado P. Macapagal, 6th President of the Philippines (1962-1965).