Gemma Teresa Guerrero Cruz-Araneta (Tagalog pronunciation:[ˈkɾusɐɾɐˈnɛtɐ]; born September 30, 1943) is a Filipino politician, writer, director and beauty queen who served as the secretary of tourism under the administrationofJoseph Estrada from 1998 to 2001. Previously, Araneta was crowned Miss International 1964, becoming the first Filipino, as well as the first Asian to win the title. She received an『Outstanding Manileña』and a "Golden Heart" Presidential decoration from the former Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal.
Araneta's paternal great-grandmother was Doña Maria Mercado, the sister of the Philippines' national hero, José Rizal.[1][2]
Her mother is writer and journalist Carmen Guerrero Nakpil, her maternal uncle is writer and diplomat León María Guerrero III, and her great-great-grandfather is revolutionary leader, distinguished botanist and pharmacist León María Guerrero y Leogardo.
Araneta earned the right to represent the country at Miss International 1964 contest by winning the Miss Philippines 1964 pageant, sponsored by the City of Manila. She donated the US$10,000 prize money to the Manila Boys Town and Girls Home, a home for indigent and out of school youth in Marikina. This led the Congress to pass a resolution to exempt her from paying taxes.[3]
In a 2021 podcast, Araneta commented that her victory at the Miss International pageant may had been a political ploy to deflect scrutiny away from the United States amidst the then-ongoing Vietnam War. Prior to the pageant, she thought that "Maybe this is the time for an Asian, you know, to win".[4]
In 2003, she was elected director/trustee and president of the Heritage Conservation Society of the Philippines and was re-elected in February 2006.[6]
On May 16, 2005, Araneta started hosting a daily radio programme, Krus Na Daan (Filipino for "Crossroads") on DZRJ 810 and a weekly television show, Only Gemma!onRajah Broadcasting Network.[7]
