Pilita Corrales

Birth Name: Pilar Garrido Corrales

Place of Birth: Sampaloc, Manila, Commonwealth of the Philippines

Date of Birth: August 22, 1937

Ethnicity: Spanish [including Andalusian, Castilian, and Extremaduran], small amount of Filipino

👉 For more insights, check out this resource.

Pilita Corrales is a Filipino pop singer, songwriter, actress, comedian, and television presenter. Her father, José Corrales y Zaragoza (or José Zaragoza Corrales in Filipino), a businessperson, was Filipino, and was born in Ermita, Manila. Her mother, María Garrido Manzano, was a Spanish emigrant, from Granada. Pilita is married to Carlos López, a Paraguayan-Australian businessperson. She was previously married to Gonzalo Benitez Blanco, until his death. Pilita has a daughter, actress Jackielou Blanco, with Gonzalo; a son with her former partner, actor Eddie Gutierrez; and an adoptive son.

Pilita’s patrilineal line can be traced back to her sixth great-grandfather, Miguel de Corrales.

👉 Discover more in this in-depth guide.

Pilita’s paternal grandfather was Federico Corrales Gallo (the son of José Candelario Corrales y Vélez de Escalante, or José Candelario Vélez de Escalante Corrales in Filipino, and of Mercedes Laureana del Gallo y Martínez). Federico was born in Quiapo, Manila. José was a judge. He was the son of José Doroteo Corrales y Blanco (or José Doroteo Blanco Corrales in Filipino), whose own father, Alonso Corrales, was Spanish, from Fuentesaúco, Zamora; and of María de los Dolores Vélez de Escalante y Berronda (or María de los Dolores Berronda Vélez de Escalante in Filipino). Pilita’s great-grandmother Mercedes was the daughter of a Spanish military officer, Ambrosio del Gallo, of Villanueva de la Serena, Badajoz, and of Mercedes Martínez, who was from Montevideo, Uruguay.

Pilita’s paternal grandmother was Emilia Carmen Zaragoza y Moreno (the daughter of José Zaragoza y Aranquizna and Bernardina Moreno). Emilia was born in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. José was an editor of La Ilustración Filipina, and was the son of Rafael Zaragoza y Escalante and Gregoria Aranquizna y Papa.

Pilita’s maternal grandparents were surnamed Garrido and Manzano.

Source: Genealogy of Pilita Corrales (focusing on her father’s side) –