By Bohol Provincial Library
In Memoriam: Carlos Polestico Garcia, the Most Illustrious Son of Bohol, the Eighth President of the Philippines. November 4, 1896 – June 14, 1971.
#OnThisDay June 14, 1971, Carlos P. Garcia succumbed to heart failure at 5:57 p.m., at his Bohol Avenue residence in Quezon City.
Dr. Antonio Guytingco, personal physician of the President, was summoned. However, former President Garcia already died when the physician arrived. The nation mourned, Boholanos grieved for the great loss of their leader. He died in the highest service to the nation, presiding over the sovereign effort to rewrite a Filipino Constitution for the Filipino people. On his death, the Filipino nation lost a true statesman and leader, a Filipino whose greatest passion concerned, first and last, the well-being of the Filipino nation.
On June 18, 1971, CPG’s remains were taken by helicopter to Bohol. Necrological services, in his honor, were rendered in the City of Tagbilaran on June 19, 1971. The remains were brought back to Manila, where President Carlos P. Garcia was interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, his final resting place.
Carlos Polestico Garcia, writes historian Gregorio F. Zaide, “a brilliant poet-politician from Bohol. He was a worthy successor of President Ramon Magsaysay. Of amiable personality, with high intellect and sonorous eloquence, he was a lover of democracy, a good chess player, friendly in his dealings with the people, and never vindictive to his enemies.”
President CPG carried on the good policies of the late Magsaysay as he promised in his inaugural address, and implemented his own domestic and foreign policies. President CPG completed Magsaysay’s unexpired term, after which he ran for his own four-year term in the presidential election of November 12, 1957. President CPG improved the conditions of the barrios, which had been neglected by former Presidents. To uplift the barrio folks to a better life, he constructed airports, dams, electric power outputs, highways and modernized transportation and communications, barrio roads and bridges, barrio artesian, irrigation systems, etc.
CPG strengthened the democracy in the Philippines. He was fair-minded and never vindictive. He respected human rights, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, etc. and maintained free elections.
CPG revived the Filipino culture. He encouraged the world tours of the Bayanihan Folk Dance Troupes and other Filipino folk dance groups. He sponsored the annual Republic Cultural Heritage Awards for Filipino scientists, artists, musicians, fiction writers, and historians. He particularly sent Filipino historians abroad to attend international historical conference and conduct researches in foreign archives and libraries.
CPG adopted the “Filipino First” Policy to promote greater Filipino participation in business, and to put the Filipinos in control of the economy. After which, according to the economist Alejandro Lichauco’s book (1988) “Nationalist Economics,” during CPG’s time, the Philippines was the Tiger Economy in Asia. And by the end of his term, the Philippines was the only leading economy of Southeast Asia.
CPG created the Dr. Jose Rizal Centennial Commission to supervise the compilation of all writings of Dr. Rizal, the national hero, and the nationwide celebration of the centennial activities, including the holding of the International Congress on Rizal in Manila on December 4–8, 1961. He fostered international goodwill and friendship by state visits to Japan, the United States, South Vietnam, and Malaysia.
In the words of Senate President Gil J. Puyat: “All of these positions or distinctions were given to President Carlos P. Garcia by the people because the people felt he was a Filipino who, when given a task, consistently performed ably and with dedication. And even though he was given the opportunity to serve in various positions of distinction, one characteristic of the late President Garcia was that he never lost the common touch. He was his usual humble person, approachable and friend of all. I knew him since I was a student… he was just boarding in one of my father’s houses in Intramuros.”
#CarlosPolesticoGarcia
#CPG #PCPG #President
#MostIllustriousSonOfBohol
#Boholano #BolAnon
#Bohol #Philippines
References:
1. Gregorio F. Zaide, Sonia M. Zaide, History of the Republic of the Philippines, Metro Manila, 1983, 1987, p. 368
2. Gregorio C. Eronico, Sr., “Carlos P. Garcia Radiant Symbol of Filipinism His Life and Labors, 1896–1971” (1985), p. 250
3. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines
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