Marcos prime minister Virata receives award from Japan

Paterno R. Esmaquel II

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Marcos prime minister Virata receives award from Japan
Japan hails Cesar Virata for 'promoting friendly relations and developing economic cooperation between Japan and the Philippines'

MANILA, Philippines – Japan on Friday, November 25, announced that it has conferred an award on Cesar Virata, prime minister of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

In a statement, the Japanese embassy in the Philippines said Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa conferred on Virata the Imperial Decoration of the Grand Cordon of the Rising Sun.

The conferment ceremony took place on Thursday, November 24.

“This was awarded in recognition of Honorable Virata’s contribution to promoting friendly relations and developing economic cooperation between Japan and the Philippines,” the Japanese embassy said. 

The Japanese government decided on the award on November 3.

Like Virata, Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun on November 8. The decoration bestowed on Drilon by Japanese Emperor Akihito himself. 

Virata had also served Marcos as finance minister.

In April 2014, another honor for Virata became controversial. Back then, the University of the Philippines renamed its business school as the Cesar E. A. Virata School of Business as Virata was its former dean.

UP students protested against the move to rename the school after Virata. 

The award for Virata comes as the Marcoses stage a comeback through what critics call a revision of history.  

On November 18, Marcos was buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) in a ceremony that left protesters surprised and unprepared.

The hero’s burial for Marcos is the subject of nationwide protests on Friday. – Rappler.com

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Paterno R. Esmaquel II

Paterno R. Esmaquel II, news editor of Rappler, specializes in covering religion and foreign affairs. He finished MA Journalism in Ateneo and MSc Asian Studies (Religions in Plural Societies) at RSIS, Singapore. For story ideas or feedback, email pat.esmaquel@rappler.com