Carlos P. Garcia (November 4, 1986-June 14, 1971) was the eight President of the Philippines. He was a Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political economist, organized guerrilla and Commonwealth military leader.
Garcia was born in Talibon, Bohol on November 4, 1896, to Policronio Garcia and Ambrosia Polestico, who were both natives of Bangued, 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 in Cebu Provincial High School, both on top of his class. He pursued his college education at Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, and later studied at the Philippine Law School, the College of Law of National University, where he earned his law degree in 1923 and later, he received his Honorary degree, Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa from National University in 1961. He was among the top ten in the bar examination. Rather than practice 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 of Visayan Poets" and the "Bard from Bohol". On May 24, 1933, he married Leonila Dimataga, and they had a daughter, Linda Garcia-Campos.
He entered politics in 1925, scoring an impressive victory to become Representative of the Third District of Bohol. 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 for Senate, but he was unable to serve due to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during the World 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 to be the Senate majority floor leader. The press consistently voted him as one of the most outstanding senators. Simultaneously, he occupied a position in the Nacionalista Party.
He was the running mate of Ramon Magsaysay in the 1953 presidential election in which they both won. He was appointed as Secretary of Foreign Affairs by President Magsaysay, and for four years he served concurrently as Vice-President. At the time of President Magsaysay's sudden death on March 17, 1957, Garcia was heading the Philippine delegation to the SEATO conference then being held at Canberra, Australia. Having been immediately notified of the tragedy, he enplaned back for Manila. Upon his arrival he directly repaired to Malacañang Palace to assume the duties of President. Chief Justice Ricardo Paras, of the Supreme Court, was at hand to administer the oath of office. President Garcia's first actions dealt with the declaration of a period of mourning for the whole nation and the burial ceremonies for the late Chief-Executive Magsaysay.
President Garcia exercised the Filipino First Policy, for which he was known. This policy heavily favored Filipino businessmen over foreign investor. He was also responsible for changes in retail trade which greatly affected the Chinese businessmen in the country. In the face of the trying conditions of the country, President 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. At the end of his second term, he ran for re–election in the Presidential elections in November 1961, but was defeated by his Vice-President Diosdado Macapagal, who belonged to the opposing Liberal Party (the President and the Vice-President are elected separately in the country).
After his failed re-election bid, Garcia retired to Tagbilaran to resume as a private citizen. On June 1, 1971, Garcia was elected delegate of the 1971 Constitutional Convention. The convention delegates elected him as the President of the Convention. However, just days after his election, on June 14, 1971, Garcia died from a fatal heart attack on 5:57 p.m. at his residence in Bohol Avenue (now Sgt. Esguerra Avenue), Quezon City. He was succeeded as president of the Convention by his former Vice-President, Diosdado Macapagal.
Garcia became the first layman to lie in state in Manila Cathedral -- a privilege until then limited to a deceased Archbishop of Manila -- and the first President to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
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