There’s a highway in Metro Manila named after him. In Bohol, we have the Municipality of Carlos P. Garcia, the CPG Sports Complex, the CPG Park, and CPG Avenue, Tagbilaran’s main thorough fare, to name a few. The late Philippine President is the Boholano yet to be beaten; no one comes close to his accomplishments as a statesman, a poet, a lawyer, debater and orator.
How far do you know Bohol’s Most Illustrious Son? We listed 30 facts about the late president below:
1.Carlos P. Garcia (CPG) is the eighth President of the Philippines.
2.CPG’s first term was from March 18, 1957 to December 30, 1957, succeeding the late Pres. Magsaysay while his second term was from December 30, 1957 to December 30, 1961; this time he was elected to the post.
3.Born on Nov. 4, 1896, his birthplace is Sitio Luy-a, Barangay San Agustin, Talibon, Bohol.
4.His parents were Policronio Garcia and Ambrosia Polestico.
5.CPG’s wife, the former Leonila “Inday Lelang” Dimataga is a pharmacist from Opon, Cebu.
6.She opened a drugstore in the early ‘30s on a rented house along Tagbilaran’s main street, now CPG Avenue, but formerly called Libertad.
7.As a dashing young lawyer, CPG used to pass by Inday Lelang’s drugstore on his way to the provincial capitol building.
8.Chess is CPG’s favorite pastime and he used to play chess at a store in front of Inday Lelang’s drugstore.
9.CPG married Inday Lelang on May 24, 1933 in Opon, Cebu, and they had a daughter.
10.CPG had his pre-law course at Silliman Institute in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental and as a student, excelled in school debates and oratory as well as writing essays and poetry.
11.The Boholano President earned the moniker “Prince of Visayan Poets” and the “Bard from Bohol”
12.His most famous poem is entitled “Ang Dalagang Pilipinhon”
13.CPG finished his law studies as valedictorian and placed 7th among the topnotchers of the bar in 1923.
14.He entered politics for the first time at the age of 29, was elected Bohol’s 3rd District Representative in 1925 but lost in the 1931 gubernatorial election to Gov. Celestino Gallares, who was three times mayor of Tagbilaran.
15.When CPG became Philippine President, he appointed Gallares’ son, Atty. Edilberto Gallares, as Malacanang Assistant and later, Executive Secretary.
16.CPG served three terms as representative from 1925-1931 and Bohol Governor from 1934 to 1941.
17.CPG is the last provincial governor under the American Regime.
18.He served the Senate for three terms from 1941 to 1953, interrupted by World War II.
19.During the war, CPG refused to surrender and fought with the guerillas; the Japanese announced a prize of P50,000.00 on his head.
20.CPG was a delegate to the World Conference at San Francisco to draft the charter of the United Nations Organization in May 1945.
21.From 1946 to 1951, Garcia served as minority floor leader of the Senate.
22.CPG was Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 1953-1957.
23.Then Vice President Garcia was in Sydney attending an international conference of foreign ministers on March 17, 1957 when Pres. Magsaysay had an accident.
24.“Santa Maria” was the name of the presidential yacht that dropped anchor at the Tagbilaran wharf bringing the newly-elected President CPG to Bohol in November, 1957.
25.Former Bohol Gov. Juan Pajo became CPG’s executive secretary.
26.The Garcia administration was characterized by its Austerity Program; CPG is best known for his “Filipino First” policy.
27.The tradition of issuing Memorandum Circulars and Memorandum Orders began during the term of President Garcia.
28.CPG issued a total of 218 executive orders, 422 presidential proclamations, 153 administrative orders, 84 memorandum orders and 74 memorandum circulars.
READ: Bohol towns and the tales behind the names (1st of a series)
29.When CPG was president, the Philippine population in 1957 was 22.68 million and the Peso-Dollar Exchange Rate in 1957 was at $1 = P2.
30.On June 14, 1971, CPG died from a fatal heart attack. The exact time of his death was 5:57 p.m. He was 74 years, 7 months and 10 days old.