Pedro Elizalde, Cebu City Mayor

There is no street named after him, yet he plays an important role in Cebu City's history. Pedro, was the 3rd to the last appointed Cebu City Mayor before the Cebu City Charter was amended by Republic Act 1233 making the Mayor and Vice Mayor elective.

Pedro Bernal Elizalde was born on January 17, 1890 in San Jose, Antique. He was the youngest Provincial Treasurer appointed at that time at the age of 21. He was assigned to different provinces such as Antique, Albay, Palawan, Negros and Cebu.

He was appointed by President Elpidio Quirino as Cebu City Mayor from August 18, 1951 to July 23, 1952. It was Serging V. Osmeña, the Governor of Cebu that recommended him to the post. Pedro was the Provincial Treasurer at that time.

Pedro was exonerated by President Elpidio Quirino on December 29, 1953 on graft charges relating to his being the Provincial Treasurer of Cebu. The allegation was that he committed graft when there was an overdraft on the payment of road and bridges reaching P432,786,786 on November 10, 1953. The other allegation is misuse of public funds and electioneering in payment of public works laborers and lastly the misuse of the proceeds of the sale of the provincial lot to Tirso Uytengsu.

The exoneration was based on the recommendation of the Secretary of Finance, Aurelio Montirola Sr., the order exonerating Elizalde was released by Executive Secretary Marciano Roque.

Pedro, married to Rosario Abiera Salazar and had the following children: Ma. Emelia, Pedro Jr., Augusto, Ma. Rosario and Augusto (who became a lawyer on January 18, 1954). His son Augusto married Petrona Velasco, their son Eugene who was appointed as Cebu City Administrator and presently sits as Chairman/Mayors Representative of the Cebu City Peace and Order Council.

Pedro on September 12, 1951 issued an order terminating six temporary policemen of the city's police force based on the recommendation of the Chief of the City Police for unsatisfactory record. The Vice Mayor, Arsenio Villanueva, was the Acting Mayor at that time when he issued an appointment dated August 15, 1951 to the six policemen. The issue was that the appointment was actually signed on September and antedated it on August 15. The controversy reached Malacañang, this resulted in an investigation and the issuance of Administrative Order No. 182 dated June 9, 1952 dismissing from the service Vice Mayor Arsenio Villanueva and Assistant Chief Pedro S. Najarro.

It was on the afternoon of April 18, 1952, when Elizalde was Mayor that Cebu City was hit by a big fire that left 10,000 victims and P8 million damage. The following morning, President Quirino ordered the mobilization of PNRC and the Social Welfare Commission to send assistance to the victims.

On December 12, 1951, President Quirino declared the Provinces of Leyte and Cebu and many others, as calamity stricken areas, devastated by Typhoon Amy. The President ordered Health Secretary Juan Salcedo who was in Camiguin (Mt. Hibok Hibok volcano also erupted) to proceed to Cebu. On December 13, Quirino granted the request of Mayor Elizalde for assistance. The national government then released P10,000 worth of materials to be used as makeshift shelters to be used by the victims of Typhoon Amy.

An Antequiño by birth, Mayor Pedro Bernal Elizalde died on January 2, 1981 after serving the Cebuano people.