Mercedes Arrastia-Tuason

Maria Mercedes Arrastia y Reinares vda. de Tuason also known as Mercedes Tuason (born September 27, 1930) in Lubao, Pampanga, is a Philippine diplomat and former ambassador to the Holy See. An alumnus of Saint Scholastica's Catholic college in Manila, Tuason has served in the field of nutritional sciences and was appointed plenipotentiary to the Holy See in 2009. In the Philippines, Tuason is particularly known as an advocate of the Holy Rosary devotion and her roles in many charitable organizations, namely the Red Cross foundation. In May 2003 Pope John Paul II awarded Tuason the Magistral dame of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. On May 23, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI awarded Tuason the Grand Cross of Merit for the title Order of Pius IX due to her charitable works and diplomatic service to the Catholic Church, a coveted title that was not granted to ladies until November 1993. Currently, the Order of Pius IX is the third to the highest ranking order granted by the Pope through chivalry, the highest being the Supreme Order of Christ. Tuason is also known for her anti-abortion activism and cooperation with the Archdiocese of Manila in challenging the legalization of abortion through the Reproductive Health Bill. Tuason has fluency in writing and speaking in Tagalog, English, Spanish and Italian language and has partial fluency in the Hokkien dialect. Personal life Prior to being appointed ambassador to the Holy See, Tuason attended Saint Scholastica's Catholic college where she obtained a bachelor's degree in nutritional sciences, where she had also received the Pax Award. Mercedes had 7 children with Jose Ramon Del Rosario Tuason, a prominent businessman. Together they had Jose, Ramon, Iñaki, Rossana, Karen, Paolo and Jingy. In 1970, Tuason was widowed when her husband Jose Tuason died in a plane crash. This left her with the responsibility of raising 7 children.