Guadalupe Ozarraga Mansueto, the lady engineer-legislator of Cebu

Cebu City once had a lone engineer and lady in the Cebu City Council from 1976 to 1980. Her name was Guadalupe Ozarraga Mansueto. She was born in September 5, 1926. Her parents were Emilio Haganos Ozarraga, a supervising teacher in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental and Rosario Quezon Sarmiento, also an elementary school teacher.

Councilor Mansueto earned his Bachelor of Science in Education (Major in Math and Minor in General Science) in 1949. Guadalupe then became the first mathematics teacher when the University of San Carlos Girls High School opened in 1949. The school was then located at the present Land Bank of the Philippines Building near the Sto. Rosario Church along P. Del Rosario Street, Cebu City.

Guadalupe fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an engineer. She enrolled at the Cebu Institute of Technology (now Cebu Institute of Technology University) while teaching Psychics in its High School Department. The school had a policy of giving scholarships to their faculty members.

Guadalupe then became a civil engineer after passing the licensure examinations on December 27, 1957, the same year she finished her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. Engr. Guadalupe  topped her engineering licensure examinations, placing 4th in the Sanitary Engineering on January 15, 1959, 3rd Place in the Master Plumber on December 12, 1961, 1st Place in the Junior Geodetic Engineering on March 19, 1974. Guadalupe Mansueto also holds the degree of Structural Engineering (Professional Regulations Commission on January 30, 1978) and Civil Construction Engineer on July 1, 1983.

Engr. Guadalupe's thirst for continuing education brought her to earn the degree of Master in Environmental Planning at the University of the Philippines, Dilliman, Quezon City in 1975, Master in Environmental Management in 2003 at the University of Southern Philippines and lastly Doctorate in Technology Management in 2007.

It was not only in the academe and public office that she excelled and occupied positions, in civic organizations she became district chairman of the Inner Wheel Club of the Philippines in 1978 and 3rd national vice president. She also became president of the Young Ladies Association of Charities Auxiliary, San Nicolas Chapter, Cebu City in 1981.

In the religious sector, she became Regent of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, San Nicolas Chapter in 1983, then as president of the San Nicolas Parish Pastoral Council, Cebu City from 1982 to 1986.

Engr. Mansueto became the first Cebu City Planner and Development Coordinator from 1974 to 1976 when she was elected in 1976 in the Cebu City Council. She became chairman of the Committee on Public Works.

Engr. Guadalupe Ozarraga Mansueto of Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental married Dr. Antonio Alfafara Mansueto, the King of Engineers in 1949 of the Cebu Institute of Technology. Engr. Antonio was magna cum laude when graduated as Civil Engineer, placing 9th in the Licensure Examinations on November 1949. Engr. Antonio is not only a Civil Engineer, he also is an Electrical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Sanitary Engineer and Master of Science in Mathematics and graduated as summa cum laude. Engr. Antonio is the President Emeritus of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineer, Inc or the PICE.

The Mansueto couple was blessed with ten children: Antonio I (Boy) who married Esperanza Valero, Annabelle who married Albert John Lopez, Adeline who married Danilo Hatamosa, Alma who married Efren Ozaraga, Antonio II "Boyie" who married Maria Monalei Modesta Cornejo, Antonio III "Nick" who married Nancy Villamala, Arlene who married Alexander Galeos, Antonio IV "Ditoy" who married Elyn Gatab, Antonio IV "Jun" who married Evelyn Canaman and Antonette who married Rhoel Balili Awit.

Guadalupe Ozarraga Mansueto, the Lady Engineer and legislator of Cebu died on November 10, 2015 but her greatness continues to live with us with the many roads she surveyed, designed, and constructed in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.