GMA's foster dad in Dagupan dies

DAGUPAN CITY – Ninety-nine-year-old Pedro Balingit, foster father of President Arroyo here, asked his house helpers to sing Christmas carols near his sickbed before he slept Saturday night.

Hours later, he passed away, as he suffered a cardiac arrest at around 12:30 a.m. yesterday in his residence in Bonuan Binloc.

Albert Balingit, son of the old man, told The STAR that his father had been bedridden for quite some time.

Last July 16, they had a grand birthday celebration for their father and made it his 100th birthday as per tradition to round off celebrations to the nearest zero if they end in the digit 9.

It was well attended by the Balingits’ close friends with a presentation about the life of the old man, including pictures of his moments with the President during her visits here.

Balingit was former President Diosdado Macapagal’s (Mrs. Arroyo’s dad) bosom buddy and high school classmate in Pampanga. They were together during political campaigns and Balingit was privileged to be always with Macapagal during his presidency, especially during close family gatherings.

When President Macapagal died, Balingit became Mrs. Arroyo’s foster father. He was with Mrs. Arroyo’s political battles from senator to vice president up to the presidency.

During the Christmas holidays and Holy Week, the President, together with First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo and their children, would drop by this city to greet Balingit.

Whenever Mrs. Arroyo had to attend events in Pangasinan, she tried to squeeze in a few minutes of her tight schedule to see him.

Albert Balingit, a board director of the Land Bank of the Philippines, said they have informed the President, who is in Qatar, about his father’s death.

He said the President would pay her last respects to her foster dad on Tuesday or Wednesday when his remains will be interred after the 9 a.m. Mass.

The elder Balingit’s remains lie in state at the Eternal Gardens Chapel in Poblacion Oeste here.

Albert said their family would miss the old man’s happy disposition, sharp memory and good management of their pharmacy business.

Balingit, fondly called Don Pedro, owned the city’s oldest pharmacy, Farmacia Balingit. He was president for five years of the Filipino Drug Owners Association of the Philippines.

Balingit is survived by his five children and 11 grandchildren.