Arroyo a proud laundrywoman

Arroyo a proud laundrywoman

MANILA (Reuters): Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, taunted by protesters for her working class roots, says she comes from a long line of laundrywomen and is proud of it.

Arroyo declared a state of rebellion on Tuesday after thousands of supporters of jailed former leader Joseph Estrada tried to storm the Malacanang presidential palace.

As they gathered outside the palace, many in the crowd taunted Arroyo with the chant in the local Tagalog language: "Gloria, Gloria labandera", sung roughly to the tune of the U.S. battle hymn "Glory, Glory Hallelujah".

Labandera is Tagalog for laundrywoman, one of the lowliest occupations for a Filipino.

"I'm proud of the fact that my grandmother was in fact a laundrywoman," said Arroyo, whose father was former president Diosdado Macapagal.