Mariano Flores Manguerra was born on March 8, 1894 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Mariano was the son of Pablo Manguerra and Maria Espina Flores. His brothers and sisters were Pablo Jr., Concepcion, Estefania, and Pura. He finished his engineering course at the Valparaiso University, Indiana, United States of America.
Mariano became a Professor of the Engineering Department of the University of the Philippines, established by the Americans on June 18, 1908. The first department that was opened was the College of Medicine. The Engineering Department was the fifth to be opened. It was officially started on June 13, 1910. It was in 1920 that Mariano Manguerra was hired as Professor of the Engineering Department. His fellow faculty members were Edward Hyde (who became Head of the Engineering Department a year later) and Alex R. Webb.
Mariano F. Manguerra became a widower (his first wife was Catalina Abad Santos) and married Concepcion Alesna Cuenco, the Carnival Queen of Cebu in 1931. Concepcion was the daughter of Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco who was Governor of Cebu, Congressman of the old 5th District and Senate President. Her mother was Filomena Barcenilla Alesna of Carcar, Cebu.
Mariano and Concepcion bore the following children: Maria Victoria, Mariano Jesus, Ana Maria Teresita and Cecilia Catalina (married a Brainard and is an award winning book author).
The brother of Concepcion by the name of Manuel (was a Doctor of Medicine, earned his degree at the University of Sto. Tomas,) became Governor of Cebu from 1946 to 1951.
Mariano F. Manguerra became Acting Cebu City Mayor during the interlude of Cebu City Mayors Vicente del Rosario, Dr. Luis Espina, and Atty. Miguel Raffinan.
It was Acting Mayor Mariano Manguerra that approved City Ordinance No. 47 on May 23, 1947. The ordinance was entitled "An Ordinance Prohibiting the Installation and use of Loud Speaker connected with cinematograph, theater, show houses, etc. or operated by business establishment as a medium of advertisement."
The resolution was enacted by the Municipal Board of Cebu on May 16, 1947 and authored by Councilor Filemon R. Zapanta. The purpose of the prohibition of the loudspeakers was to avoid causing nuisance to the public or unnecessary inconvenience of any kind which may be affected by such installation.
The exception was loudspeakers installed inside the cinema or theater. Another exemption was if the establishment could secure a license from the city government.
The members of the Municipal Board of Cebu that enacted the ordinance were: Marcos M. Morelos as President, Atty. Catalina Solidum Ybañez, Filemon R. Zapanta, Atty. Cresencio Tomakin, Atty. Paciente S. Villa, Jovito Abellana, Juan C. Seno, and Magno Paez.
The Secretary of the Municipal Board was Jose Fortich (a street in Sitio Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe is named after him) and the Secretary to the Mayor was Artemio A. Mendoza.
The uncles of Concepcion Alesna Cuenco, the wife of Mayor Manguerra, became literary giants. Jose Maria Cuenco became a lawyer and then a priest, later to become Archbishop of Jaro in Panay Island and youngest brother, Miguel became a lawyer at a young age. The three brothers (Don M.J., Bishop Jose Maria and Atty. Miguel) were trilingual writers. The brothers wrote articles, newspapers, and books at the Imprento Rosario founded by their father, Don Mariano Albao Cuenco, who was succeeded by his wife (after he died on July 9, 1909), Remedios Lopez Diosomito, and made that latter the country's First Woman Publisher.
Acting Mayor Mariano Flores Manguerra aside from a being a professor, became a District Engineer and a Private Contractor, built bridges, roads, and other infrastructures.
He died on October 29, 1957.