Ex-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo launches memoir, ‘Deus Ex Machina’

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's memoir, "Deus Ex Machina" was launched Wednesday, which gave a sketch of her life from her young years to her stint as president.

The virtual launch became a reunion of sorts of her Cabinet members, friends and allies, who included former Vice President Noli de Castro, former Spokesperson Ignacio Bunye and former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

Arroyo said her book was titled "Deus Ex Machina," a term she used in place of "Divine Providence," which helped her in her career.

"Divine Providence has played such an important role in my career, and I refer to it in several instances in the memoir, interchangeably with the more secular term deus ex machina. It was my brother Boboy who suggested using it in the title," she explained.

"Becoming president is not a matter of money, of strategy or will.  It is a matter of Divine Providence," she said.

According to Arroyo, her book is composed of seven parts, namely: Birth to Marriage, Marriage to Edsa One; First nine years in public service; Going for presidency; Presidency and Post-presidency

Meanwhile, Arroyo touted her role in "ending economic booms and busts" in the country.

"Under my watch, we took the painful and necessary fiscal reforms that we needed to recover. Implemented in 2005, they were popularly referred to as e-VAT," she said during her launch.

"So under the watch of my two presidential successors, we have begun to catch up with the Asian tigers," she added.

In his Foreword, Bunye said, "Compared to both her predecessors and her successors, Arroyo is the least popular.  But she delivered where it counted most," citing her work to grow the economy and reduce poverty incidence.—LDF, GMA News