Cesar Virata facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Cesar Virata KGCR
Virata in 2019
4th Prime Minister of the Philippines
In office July 28, 1981 – February 25, 1986
President	Ferdinand Marcos
Deputy	Jose Roño
Preceded by	Ferdinand Marcos
Succeeded by	Salvador Laurel
Deputy Prime Minister of the Philippines
In office June 12, 1978 – July 28, 1981
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Jose Roño
3rd Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority and Minister of Economic Planning
In office 1983–1984
President	Ferdinand Marcos
Preceded by	Placido Mapa Jr.
Succeeded by	Vicente Valdepeñas Jr.
Secretary/Minister of Finance
In office February 9, 1970 – March 3, 1986
President	Ferdinand Marcos
Preceded by	Eduardo Romualdez
Succeeded by	Jaime Ongpin
Member of the Regular Batasang Pambansa
In office June 30, 1984 – March 25, 1986
Constituency	Cavite
Member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa
In office June 12, 1978 – June 5, 1984
Constituency	Region IV-A
Personal details
Born	Cesar Enrique Aguinaldo Virata (1930-12-12) December 12, 1930 (age 94) Kawit, Cavite, Philippine Islands
Political party	Independent (1986–present) KBL (1978–1986)
Spouse	Phylita Joy Gamboa
Children	3
Alma mater	University of the Philippines Diliman University of Pennsylvania (MBA)
Awards	Grand Cordon, Order of the Rising Sun

Cesar Enrique Aguinaldo Virata (born December 12, 1930) is a Filipino statesman and businessman. He served as the fourth Prime Minister of the Philippines from 1981 to 1986. He is also the corporate vice chairman of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation. The business school at the University of the Philippines Diliman is named after him, called the Cesar Virata School of Business.

Education and Learning

Cesar Virata studied at the University of the Philippines. He earned his bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering there. Later, he went to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton, he learned about American industries like steel and cars. He also took courses in money and banking. He realized that some things he learned in the U.S. did not quite fit the situation in the Philippines. In 1948, Virata joined the Pan Xenia Fraternity.

Government Service

Cesar Virata held important roles in the Philippine government for many years.

Finance Minister Role

He served as the Finance Minister from 1970 to 1986. A Finance Minister is in charge of a country's money matters. This includes managing the government's budget and taxes. He worked under President Ferdinand Marcos.

Prime Minister of the Philippines

Cesar Virata as Prime Minister in 1984

Virata became the Prime Minister of the Philippines in 1981. He held this position until 1986. During this time, he was also the Finance Minister. The Prime Minister is a top leader in the government.

He also led the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). NEDA is the main group that plans the country's economy. Virata was the third person to lead NEDA.

After the 1986 People Power Revolution

Cesar Virata and his wife Phylita "Joy" Gamboa Virata in 2013

After the 1986 People Power Revolution, Cesar Virata was replaced as Prime Minister. Salvador Laurel took over the role on February 25, 1986. However, the position of Prime Minister was removed a month later. The 1987 Constitution officially ended this role. It combined the jobs of head of state and head of government into the President's office again.

Teaching Career

Before working in government, Virata was a teacher. He taught at the business school of the University of the Philippines Diliman. He even served as the dean, which is like the head, of the College of Business Administration.

On April 12, 2013, the university decided to name the business school after him. It became the Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business. Some groups disagreed with this decision. However, after discussions, the university decided to keep the name.

Family and Personal Life

Cesar Virata is married to Phylita Joy Gamboa. She is a well-known stage actress. They have three children: Steven Cesar, Gillian Joyce, and Michael Dean. Steven is a businessman, Gillian is an educator, and Michael is a doctor.

Cesar Virata is the grandnephew of Emilio Aguinaldo. Emilio Aguinaldo was the first president of the Philippines. Virata also enjoys playing tennis. His uncle, Leonides Sarao Virata, also served in the government. He was the Secretary of Trade and Industry. Cesar Virata is a member of the Philippine Independent Church.

Books About His Life

Several books have been written about Cesar Virata's life. They talk about his impact on the economy of the Philippines. One important book is "Cesar Virata: Life and Times Through Four Decades of Philippine Economic History" by Gerardo Sicat. Another book, "Philippine Politics and the Marcos Technocrats," also features him.

Honors and Awards

• Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2016)
• Most Distinguished Brother, Pan Xenia International Professional Foreign Trade Fraternity

See also

• Prime Minister of the Philippines
• National Economic and Development Authority