Cesar Virata
| Cesar A. Virata | |
|---|---|
 Virata as Secretary of Finance in 1983 | |
| 4th Prime Minister of the Philippines | |
|
In office June 30, 1981 – February 25, 1986 | |
| President | Ferdinand Marcos |
| Deputy | José Roño |
| Preceded by | Ferdinand Marcos |
| Succeeded by | Salvador Laurel |
| 3rd Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority Concurrently Prime Minister of the Philippines | |
|
In office 1983–1984 | |
| Preceded by | Placido Mapa, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Vicente Valdepeñas, Jr. |
| Minister of Finance | |
|
In office February 9, 1970 – March 3, 1986 | |
| Preceded by | Eduardo Romualdez |
| Succeeded by | Jaime Ongpin |
| Mambabatas Pambansa (Assemblyman) from Cavite | |
|
In office June 30, 1984 – March 25, 1986 Served with: Helena Z. Benitez Renato P. Dragon | |
| Mambabatas Pambansa (Assemblyman) from Region IV | |
|
In office June 12, 1978 – June 5, 1984 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 12, 1930 Kawit, Cavite, Philippine Islands |
| Political party | Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (1978–1986) |
| Religion | Iglesia Filipina Independiente |
Cesar Emilio Aguinaldo Virata (born 12 December 1930) is a Filipino politician and businessman who was the fourth Prime Minister of the Philippines from 1981 to 1986. He is the eponym of the Cesar Virata School of Business, the business school of the University of the Philippines Diliman.
Career
One of the Philippines' business leaders and leading technocrats, he served as Finance Minister from 1970 to 1986 under President Ferdinand Marcos. It was during this time that the Philippines became economically strong through healthy trade and budgetary surpluses. However, other studies show budgetary deficits during the same period (PIDS, Budget Deficits, 2004, 4(1)), particularly during the later years of the Marcos regime. These deficits were precipitated by the oil crises' and the mass protests against the Marcos regime (supported by the international financial community) following the assassination of opposition leader Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.
Government service
Virata served as Prime Minister of the Philippines[1] from 1981 to 1986 under the Interim Batasang Pambansa and the Regular Batasang Pambansa, concurrently with his position as Finance Minister.
He also headed the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the country's highest economic planning body, while also serving as the Prime Minister. Virata was the third to occupy the position and was succeeded by economist Vicente Valdepeñas, Jr..
Post-EDSA
He was replaced as Prime Minister in the aftermath of the 1986 People Power Revolution by Salvador Laurel. Laurel succeeded Virata as Prime Minister on 25 February 1986, through the appointment of Corazon Aquino, but the position was abolished a month later by Proclamation No. 3 (the 'Freedom Constitution'). The office was confirmed as superseded by the 1987 Constitution, which restored the double office of head of state and head of government to the President.
Academe
Prior to assuming leadership positions in the government service during the Marcos regime, Virata used to teach at the business school of the University of the Philippines Diliman. He served as dean of the College of Business Administration, which was named after him on April 12, 2013 by the University of the Philippines Board of Regents (BOR) as the Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business. Several interest groups, including U.P. Kilos Na, have protested this renaming of the business school, and the BOR decided to restudy its decision during its board meeting held last July 29, 2013.
Family
Virata is married to Phylita Joy Gamboa, a popular stage actress, and has three children: Steven Cesar, a businessman; Gillian Joyce, an international policy analyst; and Michael Dean, a doctor specialising in infectious diseases. The grandnephew of the first President, Emilio Aguinaldo, Virata holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Virata is also an accomplished tennis player. His uncle, Leonides Sarao Virata, also served during under Marcos as Secretary of Trade and Industry and chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines.
Honors
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2016)[2]- Most Distinguished Brother, Pan Xenia International Professional Foreign Trade Fraternity
See also
- Prime Minister of the Philippines
- National Economic and Development Authority (Prime Minister was also the head of the NEDA)
- Gerardo P. Sicat, 2014. Cesar Virata Life and Times Through Four Decades of Philippine Economic History, Diliman, Quezon City: The University of Philippines Press, ISBN 978-971-542-742-5.
| Political offices | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ferdinand Marcos |
Prime Minister of the Philippines 1981–1986 |
Succeeded by Salvador Laurel | |
| Preceded by Eduardo Romualdez |
Secretary of Finance 1970–1986 |
Succeeded by Jaime Ongpin | |
| House of Representatives of the Philippines | |||
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Cavite 1984–1986 |
Constituency abolished | |
References
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