Imelda Calixto was born on August 16, 1960 in Pasay City as the youngest of the five children of Eduardo Calixto and Leonora Gallardo Calixto. She was educated at the Malate Catholic School at primary and secondary level and obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral Science at the University of Santo Tomas in 1982. She took up Fashion Designing at the International School of Fashion in Greenhills, San Juan and the Office Procedure Course at the Cora Doloroso Career Centre. After graduation, she got involved in her father's business that was involved in marine engineering, pier construction, marine pipe-laying and marine salvaging. She was involved as well as in her own family business which was manufacturing clothes, multi-level marketing and jewelry.
