When we reminisce about our school days, there’s one person we will never forget – our teacher! More so if your professor back then is now the President of the Philippines.
How was GMA as a professor? Some of her students share with us their memories of the President as teacher.
Anthony R.A. Abad, administrator, National Food Authority and chairman of the board, Food Terminal, Inc.: GMA was definitely a strict and demanding professor whom many of my classmates found intimidating. I did at first, but then I began to find her "free market" orientation and her advocacy for economic reforms impressive and inspiring. I particularly enjoyed her anecdotes and stories about the Marcos government. I was fortunate to be in a thesis course with her as adviser (1985-86) since it gave me a chance to work and interact closely with her. Even back then, she had exacting standards. She actually tossed aside my proposed thesis topic since she already had one in mind for me (Trade Barriers in the International Air Transport Industry) and then she guided me throughout the course. She gave me a grade that I felt was fair and something I could live with...an A! At that time, I had no idea she would enter politics, and become President of the Republic of the Philippines!
Energy Secretary Vince Perez: GMA was my student adviser (1979-80). One thing I remember about her – she was incredibly prompt! I did not have any inkling she would be president one day.
Simon Paterno, president and CEO, Development Bank of the Philippines: Mrs. Arroyo was never actually my teacher, but I was president of the Ateneo Economics Association at the time (1970-80). The students considered Mrs. Arroyo a no-nonsense teacher, very demanding, and the weaker students avoided her. She was not the professor of choice for the lazy and unruly. Did I think she would be president? Not at that time, since it was martial law and she was not part of the political scene. With her later successes in the polls first as senator and then as vice president, it became hard to ignore such a possibility.
Bulacan Governor Josie Dela Cruz: She was my professor in Ateneo before she joined DTI. Eccentric, that’s how I remember her. She was always in denim pants and she sat on the desk. The taray was already there but she wasn’t scary. She was unorthodox, but of course she’s really bright. That’s already a non-issue.
Ramon R. Villarama, former Bulacan vice governor, current executive vice president, Philippine Jaycee Senate: GMA was my teacher in Eco 101 and Eco 102 in Ateneo. She was so young – about 26 – and she was always smiling. In the morning, she would teach in Assumption and in the afternoon, she’d be in Ateneo. She was always on time for our class. She was a fun teacher. She would be giving a lecture and suddenly she would remember something and make comments like, "Mon Villarama, I was in Assumption this morning and the girls were asking about you."
She was such a good teacher, I signed up for another course with her in the next semester. She also has a very good memory. When she was vice president, my brother Congressman Willy Villarama invited her to the inauguration of a Bulacan gym named after my dad. She remembered that I was exempted from finals when I was her student. When we ran together for the Senate, I still called her "Ma’am." That’s because she was my professor.
Tariff Commissioner Ferdinand D. Tolentino: Dr. Arroyo (that’s how we addressed her then) was my student adviser when I was writing my thesis in economics at the Ateneo de Manila University. This was in 1986. Dr. Arroyo was a demanding professor. She didn’t want her students to submit mediocre papers so she sat down with each of us to discuss and criticize our papers, paragraph by paragraph, footnote by footnote. She didn’t spoon-feed her students. That wasn’t her style. She wanted us to look for the sources ourselves and even pointed us to the right direction. She made us repeat parts of our papers which were not very scholarly. Long after we’ve forgotten the issues, graphs, the supply and demand curves which we thoroughly discussed with Dr. Arroyo, we continue to carry out her expectations from us – never to be satisfied with just being mediocre. When we first heard that she was appointed by then President Aquino to her government, we knew she’d do a good job.
Lutgarda C. Baquiran-Peralta, president, Food Terminal, Inc.: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was my college professor in Eco 101 in Ateneo. Then as now, she was always punctual. While many of us in that class were not economics majors, we nevertheless studied hard and we were always prepared for her unannounced graded recitations. Most of the time, she would let a student talk for almost the entire period. We had her twice a week, so an entire period would last for one-and-a-half hours. A student would be considered lucky if he shared the class period with another but that still meant talking for 45 minutes. Her proficiency and discipline helped a psychology major like me to fully grasp basic economic principles. At that time, I had no idea she would become President, but I knew that with her commanding presence, she would make a good Cabinet secretary, not just an economics professor.
Arthur C. Yap, president and CEO, Philippine Trading Corp.: I was a student of GMA in Ateneo de Manila University in 1985-86. She was a tough teacher and her students knew that. She came to class always prepared. She did not come across as a "terror" or a teacher with a reputation of making learning traumatic and difficult. At the same time, she was not beyond failing students in class. I don’t think a lot of students were aware that she is the daughter of a former President because she dressed and acted simply. Which is why it never crossed my mind that she would be president one day. She was simply focused on teaching. She also kept a low profile. People ask me if she had a temper in class. I remember she would throw this "icy look" your way which was enough to keep you quiet. No outbursts necessary.
Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, 3rd District of Albay: It’s my turn to grade her an "A" as the country’s chief executive. But I think she’s "stingier" with projects than with grades.