“GLORIA is coming, Gloria is coming, “Carmen Campbell had announced to all and sundry a month before that former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was coming to Cebu with husband Mike Arroyo on a private visit.
Carmen mobilized Amigos de España en Cebu for a luncheon meeting on Nov. 18 at Salon Barcelona of the Casino Español de Cebu with Gloria as guests of honor and speaker.
Early this year a guest of Amigos had been Luli Arroyo who promised that as soon as her mother would be able to move about she would come to Cebu. Luli was a guest speaker at a meeting of Amigos. She spoke in Spanish.
The main aim of the Amigos group is to promote the Spanish language as a medium of conversation. It is a given that former President Gloria’s parents, President Diosdado Macapagal and First Lady Eva Macaraeg Macapagal spoke in Spanish at home. So do Gloria and Mike Arroyo with their children.
Carmen Campbell was beside herself with Gloria’s visit. To supplement the buffet spread laid out on this occasion she brought her own home cooked “Favada” and an ice cream cake she herself had prepared.
There were many photos taken, most of all from Kingsley Medalla’s camera, and some fo these illustrate this page today, with our grateful acknowledgment.
Next gathering of Amigos de España en Cebu will be on Thursday, Dec. 15, for lunch once more at Salon Barcelona of Casino Español de Cebu. It will be a Christmas party with “intercambio de regalos,” literally exchanging gifts.
