Arroyo reunited today with mom’s kin

BINALONAN, Pangasinan — President Arroyo is coming here today for the first-ever grand reunion of her relatives from the side of her late mother, former First Lady Evangelina Guico Macaraeg Macapagal.

About 3,000 of her relatives from the Guico, Macaraeg and Macapagal clans are expected to attend the get-together, being held in time for the town’s fiesta.

Mayor Ramon Guico Jr., the President’s third cousin, said it has been Mrs. Arroyo’s wish to meet her maternal relatives from different towns in Pangasinan.

The President’s mother used to live in Barangay Sto. Niño here. When she was young, Mrs. Arroyo would come over here only to visit some close relatives.

"She kept on telling me about the reunion but I was busy in the past months as I go around the country, being the president of the League of Municipalities," Guico said.

He said he assigned a coordinator in each town to trace the President’s relatives, either by consanguinity or affinity.

Guico said the President earlier had met her paternal relatives in Malacañang.

Those invited to today’s reunion at the old Guico residence in Barangay Poblacion, have to wear identification cards, and only those in the master list could attend the strictly RSVP affair.

Since it is the town’s fiesta, there will be lots of food to be served, but Guico said the President gave her share of the expenses.

Asked whether the reunion is part of the political agenda of the President, despite announcing that she would not run in the 2004 presidential race, Guico said, "There’s no politics involved here."

Local leaders, including mayors, are not allowed to attend the reunion. But Guico nonetheless invited them in front of the town hall should they want to see the President. – Eva Visperas