Lubao commemorates 116th birth anniversary of former President Diosdado Macapagal

The local government of Lubao celebrated the 116th birth anniversary of former President Diosdado Macapagal at the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Museo at Aklatan ni Diosdado Macapagal in Lubao, Pampanga on 28 September 2026.

Mayor Esmie Pineda led the celebration that kicked off with a holy mass and program that was attended by family members, government officials, and partner agencies.

Diosdado’s eldest daughter Cielo Dela Rosa Macapagal-Salgado and former President and Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo graced the commemoration along with officials from the NHCP, Department of Education (DepEd), and other local government units.

Fondly called “Apung Dadong” and the “Poor Boy from Lubao,” Diosdado was the ninth President of the Philippines, serving from 1961 to 1965, with his life story representing a remarkable journey of social mobility from a humble background in Pampanga to the nation's highest office.

Before ascending to the presidency, Macapagal excelled as a lawyer, government economist, and diplomat. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1949 and later served as the sixth Vice President of the Philippines (1957–1961) under President Carlos P. Garcia, whom he subsequently defeated in the 1961 elections.

Macapagal’s reform efforts as a president were frequently blocked by a Congress controlled by the rival Nacionalista Party.

In 1965, he lost his re-election bid to Ferdinand Marcos. In his post-presidency, Macapagal chaired the 1971 Constitutional Convention that drafted the 1973 Constitution, though he later publicly questioned the legitimacy of its ratification under martial law.

His political legacy continued through his daughter, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who served as the country's 14th president from 2001 to 2010.