A Mother First: Angela Montenegro-Arroyo
Motherhood suits Angela Montenegro Arroyo and her two daughters, Mikaela Gloria "Mika" and "Monique," are bright and happy little girls.
The close rapport between mother and daughters was very visible as they prepared for the photo shoot (at the Guesthouse, the building across the Palace which is their home). Mika was touching up her lips with her mommy’s lipstick and a look at Monique prompted Angela to ask the nanny to bottle-feed the baby.
"I’m very happy with motherhood," says Angela, a stay-home mom. "It’s something I’ve always wanted to do." 
A typical week day is spent in the Montenegro residence in Forbes Park, Makati City, where her daughters are "in a play-group" of cousins and friends.
Her style of mothering is very open and caring. "I want to be someone my daughters can talk to. I want to be their friend also. But if they do something they shouldn’t be doing, I call their attention and I reason with them."
While on the topic of mothering, she compares between her own mother, whom she describes as "kenkoy (animated)" and her mother-in-law, President Arroyo.
The President "is a very sweet lady and she is the kind of mother-in-law who does not interfere in her children’s marriages," Angela says. "That’s what’s so magaling about her."
Family time for the First Family is on Sundays, "during Sunday brunch."
"She never discusses politics during our family time," Angela says of the President, adding that "though she is very sweet, you know she is a strong woman and she does not need to raise her voice to get her message across."
Angela’s eldest daughter, Mika, "calls (the President) Mamam and (First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo) Papa. (Pampanga Rep.) Mikey (Arroyo) and I are Mom and Dad."
Mika, being the eldest grandchild of the Arroyos, is quite naturally the apple of her grandparents’ eyes. "She sleeps with them on some days of the week," Angela says, smiling brightly at her daughter. "I mean right in between them, and hinehele pa yan (she is put to sleep) by her Mamam."
Going from a career as an executive in her father’s business to being stay-at-home wife and mother was a paradigm shift Angela made "without too much difficulty."
"Whereas before, all you needed to think about was yourself, your time, your life, motherhood makes you think of other people, of your children and your family and it feels good to be part of this. I definitely like it."
Life at Malacañang, however, is definitely not regular. "We have to be back by 11 p.m. and we stay home after that," Angela says. "No more parties, no staying out late" because security concerns must be addressed, especially those of the First Family.
Despite this, Angela stresses that the Arroyo family is a simple one.
"For us, when I go out with my kids, I ask the security to stay in the background," Angela says. "I don’t want attention called to us because we’re just mother and daughters going out."
When she, Mikey and their little girls go for their annual three-week vacation in San Francisco, however, "that’s the time we are normal, when Mikey cooks and catches up on quality time with Mica and Monique while I drive," Angela adds.
In Manila, Angela is a member, though not too active a member, of the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc., "but when they need me, I’m there. Same as when Mikey needs me in Pampanga, I’m there."
