On January 16, 1888, Senator Mariano Jesus Cuenco was born in Cebu. He passed the bar in 1913 after finishing law at Escuela de Derecho (now Manila Law College). He then served as representative of Cebu's 5th District from 1912 to 1928, succeeding General Troadio Galicano.
Cuenco was eventually elected Cebu governor in 1931, serving until 1934 when he became a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. President Manuel Quezon would in 1936 appoint Cuenco as Secretary of Public Works, succeeding Quezon himself who was then in an acting capacity. It was said Cuenco was supposed to be appointed as Cebu City mayor, but the move was allegedly opposed by Vice President Sergio Osmeña, Sr. By 1941, Cuenco was among those elected to the Senate, but the Second World War interrupted their tenure.
In 1946, he became one of the proponents of holding presidential elections prior to the granting of independence, going over to the side of Manuel Roxas and the newly formed "Liberal wing" of the Nacionalista Party. He was reelected to the Senate during the same year.
On February 21, 1949, a resolution was filed by Senators Lorenzo Tañada and Prospero Sanidad to investigate the incumbent Senate President Jose Avelino. When Avelino's tactics to prevent Tañada from delivering his privilege speech led to an adjournment, 12 remaining senators in the plenary decided to proceed with the session and declare the Senate presidency vacant. In the process, Cuenco was elected as per another resolution by Senator Sanidad. The following day, President Elpidio Quirino recognized Cuenco as "Acting Senate President." Avelino, meanwhile, worked to file his petition in the Supreme Court, arguing that the twelve who supported Cuenco would not be sufficient to represent a quorum. Six justices voted to deny the petition as against four.
Although losing for reelection in 1951, he was able to win another term two years later, once more as a Nacionalista. He would remain in the Senate until his death in February 1965.
Prior to his political career, Cuenco had already been known as a prolific writer and journalist. As publisher of the Spanish language publication "El Precursor," he also launched a Cebuano translation called "Ang Mag-uuna." It ran from 1907 until the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941. Cuenco then founded "The Republic" by 1947. He was decorated with the Order of Isabella the Catholic. Learn more:
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