The Man Named Cesar Miraflor

by: Pitong Rod-A-Rim, Jr.


In the web posting submitted by Rodel Ramos and Edgar Millan, they relate and describe our town, Sta Cruz to mangoes, historic church, Spanish-era houses, white pristine beaches, Center of Commerce for Pangasinan and Zambales products, and the birthplace of Congressman Cesar Miraflor.

Cesar Miraflor, who is he? This would probably be the question in our minds, that is -- if it would still bother us to know him, especially to most of us who belong to the text generation. But to our town’s elderly people (this was the time when photography was equated to Almo Studio) -- Cesar Miraflor, and I believe to this date, is the most accomplished and outstanding cababali who brought our humble town, Sta. Cruz, to national prominence and consciousness.

Cesar was born in Sta Cruz, Zambales to Don Perpetuo Miraflor and Dolores Garcia. Don Perpetuo was the Mayor of Sta. Cruz at the time of his death in 1909. Cesar’s paternal grandfather was Don Brigido Miraflor, the Gobernadocillo then Capitan Municipal of Sta. Cruz during the Spanish regime. Now I know where Don Brigido Miraflor Elementary School at Lucapon got its name.

He was married to Rosario Garcia of Iba, and they had 14 children. Their family house (one of the grandest during its time) used to stand along Tongson Street fronting the house of David Ebalo and bounded at the back by the house of Nelson Feria.

In an article of the Recorder Magazine in December 1952, Cesar was described as a person possessing a high degree of intelligence. After graduating as valedictorian from the Sta. Cruz Elementary School, he entered high school and college at UP. He likewise completed his law degree at UP, and in 1931 bar examinations, he ranked 5th among the successful candidates.

According to Tatay, Cesar was considered an icon and influential figure at the Manila City Hall during his time. He served as Secretary to the Mayor of Manila under four (4) Mayors from 1937 to 1947. Cesar holds the distinction of being the very first Vice Mayor of Manila and held such position from 1947 to 1951. He was then known as the Manila Boy from Zambales.

In 1951, Ramon Magsaysay, then the Congressman of the lone district of Zambales was appointed by President Elpidio Quirino as Defense Secretary. A special election was held to fill up the vacancy created by such appointment of Magsaysay. Cesar resigned as Vice Mayor of Manila, and ran for Congress to represent the lone district of Zambales. He won over his opponent by an overwhelming majority.

Cesar served only from 1951 to 1953 as a Congressman, but during said short period of time, he brought so much pride to all Zambalenos, specially to his cababali at Sta. Cruz. In its December 1952 issue, the Recorder Magazine wrote and I quote:

Within the brief span of his career as a lawmaker, Congressman Miraflor has demonstrated parliamentary versatility and his unsullied integrity and implacable conviction have won for him the highest esteem and admiration of his colleagues. xxx It is not surprising then that Philippine Free Press and the Congressional Press Club had unhesitatingly picked him out as an honourable mention in the roll of “10 most useful congressmen” for the year 1952.

In 1953 election, Cesar ran for Governor of Zambales against Manuel Barretto who had the backing and endorsement of then President Magsaysay. A day before the election, Magsaysay rode with Barreto in a top down car from Olongapo to Sta. Cruz. Barreto won by landslide the next day.

From 1962 to 1971, he served as a Commissioner of the Commission on Elections (“COMELEC”). His 9-year stint with COMELEC can be best described by M.N. Querol in his article in The Manila Times dated 21 June 1971, which I quoted below:

Cesar Miraflor, I see from the gazettes, has just retired from COMELEC.

This makes me very sad. He’s a rarity in Philippine public life – the right man in the right job.

First, he can recite the Election Code forward and backward.

Second, in keeping with COMELEC’s independence under the Constitution, he has a surplus of guts.

Finally, he’s in love with his work.

You seldom find this kind of mix in a public servant.

I never had the opportunity to meet up-close and personal Congressman Miraflor. The closest encounter I had with him was when I was in Grade 5 during the Commencement Exercise at the former North Central Elementary School at Tampos Mayanan. That year was March 1981. He was the Guest Speaker, and he spoke about why the people should say YES to the 1981 National Referendum regarding the proposed amendments to the 1973 Marcos Constitution. The YES vote in the said referendum won resoundingly which gave more power to the then President Marcos. The speech was quite memorable for me as it took Cesar Miraflor almost two (2) hours to finish his discurso. I think I had a power nap all throughout his talk that I forgot some of the steps of the folkdance which we performed during the said commencement exercise.

(Most of the facts above were taken from the book, Looking Back, which was written by Cesar Miraflor in 1981.)