Carlos P. Garcia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 8thPresident of the Philippines | |
| In office March 18, 1957 – December 30, 1961 | |
| Vice President | None(March 18 – December 30, 1957) Diosdado Macapagal(1957–1961) |
| Preceded by | Ramon Magsaysay |
| Succeeded by | Diosdado Macapagal |
| 1st President of the1971 Philippine Constitutional Convention | |
| In office June 1, 1971 – June 14, 1971 | |
| President | Ferdinand Marcos |
| Succeeded by | Diosdado Macapagal |
| 4thVice President of the Philippines | |
| In office December 30, 1953 – March 18, 1957 | |
| President | Ramon Magsaysay |
| Preceded by | Fernando Lopez |
| Succeeded by | Diosdado Macapagal |
| Secretary of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office December 30, 1953 – August 22, 1957 | |
| President | Ramon Magsaysay (1953–1957) Himself (1957) |
| Preceded by | Joaquín Miguel Elizalde |
| Succeeded by | Felixberto Serrano |
| Senator of the Philippines | |
| In office May 25, 1945 – December 30, 1953 | |
| 10thGovernor of Bohol | |
| In office December 30, 1933 – December 30, 1941 | |
| Preceded by | Celestino B. Gallares |
| Succeeded by | Agapito Y. Hontanosas Sr. |
| Member of theHouse of Representatives fromBohol's3rd district | |
| In office June 2, 1925 – June 2, 1931 | |
| Preceded by | Teodoro Abueva |
| Succeeded by | Filomeno Orbeta Caseñas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carlos Garcia y Polestico (1896-11-04)November 4, 1896 Talibon,Bohol,Captaincy General of the Philippines,Spanish East Indies |
| Died | June 14, 1971(1971-06-14) (aged 74) Quezon City, Philippines |
| Resting place | Libingan ng mga Bayani,Taguig,Metro Manila, Philippines |
| Political party | Nacionalista |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Linda Garcia-Campos |
| Alma mater | Silliman University[1] Philippine Law School (National University) (LL.B) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Signature |  |
Carlos Polestico GarciaKR (Tagalog:[ˈkaːɾ.lospoˌlɛːs.tɪˈxogɐɾˈsiː.ɐ]; November 4, 1896 – June 14, 1971), often referred to by his initialsCPG, was a Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political economist, guerrilla and Commonwealth military leader who was the eighthPresident of the Philippines from 1957 to 1961. He previously served as the fourthVice President of the Philippines from 1953 to 1957.
A lawyer by profession, Garcia entered politics when he became the representative ofBohol’s 3rd district in theHouse of Representatives. He then served as asenator from 1945 to 1953.
He was theNacionalista's nominee for vice president as the running mate ofRamon Magsaysay in thepresidential election of 1953, which they won. After the death of Magsaysay in1957, he succeeded to the presidency, winning a full term in his own right in thepresidential election that same year. He was subsequently defeated by his vice presidentDiosdado Macapagal in the1961 presidential election.
Garcia was born inTalibon, Bohol,Philippines on November 4, 1896, to Policronio Garcia and Ambrosia Polestico, who were both natives ofBangued,Abra.
Garcia grew up with politics, with his father serving as a municipal mayor for four terms. He acquired his primary education in his native town Talibon, then took his secondary education inCebu Provincial High School, now Abellana National School, both at the top of his class. Initially, he pursued his college education atSilliman University inDumaguete,Negros Oriental, and later studied at thePhilippine Law School, then the College of Law ofNational University, where he earned his law degree in 1923 and later, where he was awarded the honorary degree Doctor of Humanities,Honoris Causa from theNational University in 1961. He also received an honorary doctorate degree from Tokyo University in Japan.[2] He was among the top ten law students in the 1923 bar examination.[1][3]
Rather than practicing law right away, he worked as a teacher for two years at Bohol Provincial High School. He became famous for his poetry in Bohol, where he earned the nickname "Prince ofVisayan Poets" and the "Bard from Bohol."
Garcia entered politics in 1925, scoring an impressive victory to becomerepresentative of thethird district ofBohol. He was elected for another term in 1928 and served until 1931. He was elected governor of Bohol in 1933, but served only until 1941 when he successfully ran forSenate, but he was unable to serve due to theJapanese occupation of the Philippines duringWorld War II. He assumed the office when Congress re-convened in 1945 after Allied liberation and the end of the war. When he resumed duties as senator after the war, he was chosen Senate majority floor leader.[4] The press consistently voted him as one of the most outstanding senators. Simultaneously, he occupied a position in the Nacionalista Party.
Garcia was the running mate ofRamon Magsaysay in the1953 presidential election in which both men won. He was appointedsecretary of foreign affairs by President Magsaysay, and for four years served concurrently asvice-president.
Garcia acted as chairman of the eight-nation Southeast Asian Security Conference held in Manila in September 1954, which led to the development of theSoutheast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).[5]
| Presidential styles of Carlos P. Garcia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Excellency |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Alternative style | Mr. President |
| Population | |
|---|---|
| 1957 | 22.68 million |
| Gross Domestic Product (1985 constant prices) | |
| 1957 |  Ph₱ 189,457 million ($94.7 billion) |
| 1961 | Ph₱ 224,430 million ($85.0 billion) |
| Growth rate, 1957-61 | 4.6% |
| Per capita income (1985 constant prices) | |
| 1957 | Ph₱ 8,353 |
| 1961 |  Ph₱ 7,927 |
| Total exports | |
| 1957 | Ph₱ 35,980 million |
| 1961 | Ph₱ 39,845 million |
| Exchange rates | |
| 1 US US$ =Ph₱ 2.64 1Ph₱ = US US$ 0.38 | |
| Sources:Philippine Presidency Project Malaya, Jonathan; Eduardo Malaya.So Help Us God... The Inaugurals of the Presidents of the Philippines. Anvil Publishing, Inc. | |
At the time of President Magsaysay's sudden death due to anairplane crash on March 17, 1957, Garcia was heading the Philippine delegation to theSEATO conference then being held atCanberra,Australia.[6] Having been immediately notified of the tragedy, Vice President Garcia enplaned back forManila. Upon his arrival, he directly reported toMalacañang Palace to assume the duties of president. Chief JusticeRicardo Paras of theSupreme Court administered theoath of office, which took place at 5:56 PMPHT on March 18, 1957. President Garcia's first actions were to declare a period of national mourning and to preside over the burial ceremonies for Magsaysay.[6][7]
President Garcia won a full term aspresident with a landslide win in thenational elections of November 12, 1957. Garcia, the Nacionalista candidate, garnered around 2.07 million votes or 41% of the total votes counted, defeating his closest rival,Jose Y. Yulo of the Liberal Party. His running mate,House SpeakerJose B. Laurel Jr., lost toPampanga1st district RepresentativeDiosdado Macapagal. This was the first time in Philippine electoral history where a president was elected by a plurality rather than a majority, and in which the winning presidential and vice-presidential candidates came from different parties. Garcia took his oath of office on December 30, 1957, at theIndependence Grandstand inManila, commencing his second consecutive and only full term.[8] The oath of office was administered byChief Justice of the Supreme Court of the PhilippinesRicardo Paras. Juan Pajo, the then-governor ofBohol, held theBible which Garcia took oath on, breaking the tradition wherein it is held by presidential spouses.[9]
After much discussion, both official and public, theCongress of the Philippines, finally, approved a bill outlawing thePhilippine Communist Party. Despite the pressure exerted against the congressional measure, Garcia signed the aforementioned bill into law as Republic Act No. 1700 or theAnti-Subversion Act on June 19, 1957.[6][10]
The act was superseded by Presidential Decree No. 885, entitled "Outlawing Subversive Organization, Penalizing Membership Therein and For Other Purposes", and was later amended by Presidential Decree No. 1736 and later superseded by Presidential Decree No. 1835, entitled, "Codifying The Various Laws on Anti-Subversion and Increasing the Penalties for Membership in Subversive Organization." This, in turn, was amended by Presidential Decree No. 1975. On May 5, 1987, Executive Order No. 167 repealed Presidential Decrees No. 1835 and No. 1975 as being unduly restrictive of the constitutional right to form associations.[11]
On September 22, 1992, Republic Act No. 1700, as amended, was repealed by Republic Act No. 7636 during the administration ofFidel V. Ramos,[12] which legalized theCommunist Party of the Philippines, other underground movements[13] andsubversion, thoughsedition remained a crime.[14]
The Garcia administration's pro-nationalist stance on the country's economy was disliked by foreign countries especially by the United States. To counter Garcia's economic controls, as early as 1957, theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) pressured the Philippines that if the country did not lift their controls, then the Philippines shall not receive any loans from the IMF. According to central bank governorMiguel Cuaderno Sr., the United States rejected the Philippines' request for a stabilization loan of 25 million USD. The passage of theFilipino First Policy further worsened the relations of the U.S. with the Philippines.[15]
Garcia exercised theFilipino First Policy, for which he was known. This policy heavily favored Filipino businessmen over foreign investors. He was also responsible for changes in retail trade which greatly affected the Chinese businessmen in the country. In a speech during a joint session of Congress on September 18, 1946, Garcia said the following:
We are called upon to decide on this momentous debate whether or not this land of ours will remain the cradle and grave, the womb and tomb of our race – the only place where we can build our homes, our temples, and our altars and where we erect the castles of our racial hopes, dreams and traditions and where we establish the warehouse of our happiness and prosperity, of our joys and sorrows.[16]
Despite deteriorating relations with the U.S. as a result of this policy, the Philippines utilized it to induce industrialization and put Filipinos in control of industry and economy. The Philippines' manufacturing sector grew to 29 percent per year from 1949 to 1960. The manufacturing sector was considered the fastest growing sector accounting for 8.1 percent of the Philippine economy in 1949 to 17.7 percent by 1960. During his term, a wider push for machinery was introduced, especially by nationalist entrepreneurs and the industrial working class.[15]
Unlike his predecessor, Ramon Magsaysay, Garcia adopted a pro-Asia stance. He supported the establishment of theAssociation of Southeast Asia (ASA) along withMalaya andThailand. To expand membership of the association, original members, including the Philippines under Garcia, deliberately deleted provisions from the 1961 Bangkok Declaration that containedCold War content.[17]: 95
During his administration, he acted on the Bohlen–Serrano Agreement, which shortened the lease of the American military bases from 99 years to 25 years and made it renewable after every five years.[18] This favored non-U.S. aligned Asian countries includingChina. Aside from that, Garcia also forged close relations with Asian U.S. allies likeTaiwan,South Korea, andJapan. However, these moves by the Philippines did not sit well with the U.S.[17]: 96
In the face of the trying conditions in the country, Garcia initiated what has been called "The Austerity Program". His administration was characterized by its austerity program and its insistence on a comprehensive nationalist policy. On March 3, 1960, he affirmed the need for complete economic freedom and added that the government no longer would tolerate the dominance of foreign interests (especially American) in the national economy. He promised to shake off "the yoke of alien domination in business, trade, commerce and industry". Garcia was also credited with his role in reviving Filipino cultural arts.[5] The main points of the Austerity Program were:[6]
The program was hailed[6] by the people at large and confidence was expressed that the measures proposed would help solve the standing problems of the Republic.[6]
The Garcia administration had ambitious plans to develop the hydroelectric potential of the Philippines. The first in Mindanao which aimed to boost theMaria Cristina Falls from 100,000 to 750,000 kilowatts for an industrial complex in Iligan. The second, on theAngat River in Central Luzon, is near Manila which will provide 230,000 kilowatts to support a new industrial complex, costing 20 million USD. The third project on theAgno River in Northern Luzon which aimed to electrify rural areas, while smaller hydroelectric projects in the Visayan Islands will be funded locally.[19]
We have the natural hydro-electric resources which can be harnessed as a number of them already are, to supply cheap industrial power. The power-harnessing program will be kept up with increasing momentum to realize our desire for rural electrification.
— Carlos P. Garcia,Inaugural Address (December 30, 1957)[20]
President Garcia, with the strong advocacy of Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Juan G. Rodriguez, invited theFord Foundation and theRockefeller Foundation "to establish a rice research institute" inLos Baños, Laguna. This led to the establishment of theInternational Rice Research Institute in 1960.[21]
In addition to his laws and programs, the Garcia administration also put emphasis on reviving the Filipino culture. In doing so, the Republic Cultural Award was created. To this day, the award is being given to Filipino artists, scientists, historians, and writers.[22]
The Garcia administration faced opposition from the U.S. and Magsaysay supporters. The United States campaigned against Garcia accusing his administration of rampant corruption.[15] Magsaysay supporters, on the other hand, wanted to restore the "spirit of Magsaysay’s honest and energetic administration". Magsaysay supporters were divided into two parties: the Progressive Party and the Liberal Party.[23]
At the end of his second term, he ran for re–election in thepresidential elections of November 14, 1961, but was defeated by Vice PresidentDiosdado Macapagal, who belonged to the rivalLiberal Party.
After his failed re-election bid, Garcia retired toTagbilaran to resume life as a private citizen.
On June 1, 1971, Garcia was elected delegate of the1971 Constitutional Convention, where delegates elected him as president of the convention. However, on June 14, 1971, Garcia died from a heart attack on 5:57 p.m. at his Manila residence along Bohol Avenue (now Sergeant Esguerra Avenue), Quezon City.[24]
Garcia was the firstlayman tolie in state inManila Cathedral—a privilege once reserved for theArchbishops of Manila—and the first president to be buried at theLibingan ng mga Bayani.[25]
On May 24, 1933, he marriedLeonila Dimataga.[26] The couple had a daughter, Linda Garcia-Campos.
Philippines
Knight of theOrder of the Knights of Rizal.
Malaya:_-_DMN.svg)
Honorary Recipient of theOrder of the Crown of the Realm (D.M.N.(K)) - (1959)[27]
Spain:_-_Sash_of_Grand_Collar.svg)
Collar of theOrder of Civil Merit (October 1, 1957)[28]
South Vietnam:
Exceptional Class of theOrder of Kim Khanh - (March 19, 1956)[29]
| House of Representatives of the Philippines | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Teodoro Abueva | Member of thePhilippine House of Representatives fromBohol's3rd district 1925–1931 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Vice President of the Philippines 1953–1957 | Vacant Title next held by Diosdado Macapagal |
| Preceded by | Secretary of Foreign Affairs 1953–1957 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the Philippines 1957–1961 | Succeeded by |
| New office | President of the 1971 Philippine Constitutional Convention 1971 | |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Nacionalista Party nominee for President of the Philippines 1957,1961 | Succeeded by |
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