Gloria Arroyo looks healthy, says sister

Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Officials close to Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have claimed that her hair had gone silver, and that she had turned gaunt and had “shrunk in size.”

But her half-sister, Cielo Macapagal-Salgado, said Arroyo looked healthy on Wednesday when they had lunch and prayed together at the latter’s residence in La Vista, Quezon City.

“She looks OK, except for the brace. She can eat, walk and talk,” Salgado, a former vice governor of Pampanga province, said.

The steel brace serves to support Arroyo’s neck and head. She has been wearing it since her discharge from St. Luke’s Medical Center where she underwent a series of spinal surgeries.

Salgado claims to have survived two forms of cancer through intense prayer. Arroyo is a Marian devotee.

Once estranged

Until recently, the sisters had been estranged because of politics and alleged sibling rivalry.

Arthur Macapagal, Salgado’s younger brother, had offered to serve as liaison between the half sisters, and eventually succeeded in connecting them.

“We prayed together,” Salgado said. “I was happy to be with her even for two hours. We talked mostly about health and family.”

Salgado said she had no information as to when Arroyo would leave for medical treatment abroad.

“I pray she will be able to find the doctors who will be God’s instrument for her healing when she goes abroad,” Salgado said.

A local official who visited the former President last week claimed that Arroyo could no longer have her hair dyed because her doctors had advised her against moving her head and neck.

The official said he tried to hide his tears when he saw Arroyo’s condition.

But Salgado said her sister’s hair was jet black during her visit.

Originally posted at 11:38 pm | Thursday, October 27, 2011