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Did you know that Heart Evangelista comes from the prominent Del Gallego clan of Bicol?

By Jansen Ramos
Published March 18, 2026 5:13 PM PHT

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cecilia payawal ongpauco and heart evangelista


Heart Evangelista's maternal great-great-grandfather, Don Juan Del Gallego, was a Spanish traveler who established a lumber mill in Sitio Pinagdapian, a barangay in Camarines Sur's town named after him.

While many people associate Heart Evangelista's family's early wealth with the Ongpauco side, known for the Barrio Fiesta business, few highlight her maternal lineage.

In the latest episode of her reality series Heart World aired last Saturday, March 14, Heart's mother, Cecilia Payawal Ongpauco, shared they trace their roots to the Del Gallego clan of Bicol.

Cecilia's grandfather, Don Juan Del Gallego, was a Spanish traveler and tradesman who established the first lumber mill in Sitio Pinagdapian, a barangay in Camarines Sur's town bearing his name.

She said, "My grandfather was a pure Spaniard who was born in Asturias, northern tip of Spain, but he settled in the Philippines. He fell in love with a Filipina young lady and he had 16 children.

"He developed the town and they named it after him. There's actually a town in Bicol that's called Del Gallego which is the surname of my grandfather."

Cecilia also revealed that they have French descendants on her grandfather's side. With ancestral ties to France, it's no surprise that Heart found herself falling in love with Paris.

Meanwhile, Cecilia recently traveled to Paris for the first time with her daughter for a meaningful and healing journey.

While it was her first time in the City of Lights, Heart's mom said it was a truly special moment in her life as they got to bond together.

Cecilia said, "I love Italy and Spain. I love Madrid, it's my favorite place so I never really thought of going to Paris. And besides whenever Heart would go, it's always for work so it was never a relaxed scenario, but that's why I enjoyed it actually."

Catch Heart World every Saturday at 9:30 p.m. on GMA.

Episodes, highlights, and other exclusive content of Heart World are available on GMANetwork.com and on GMA Play, the official video streaming app of GMA Network.

Global Pinoys can also catch the reality series via GMA Pinoy TV.

MEANWHILE, CHECK OUT HEART AND C.P.O.'S STYLISH MOMENTS AT PARIS FASHION WEEK.