Philippine History The cry to remember the Maine became the slogan of the
Spanish and American War American.
American Intentions
in the Philippines
Before the actual conflicts between US and Spain broke out
Theodore Roosevelt, the assistant Secretary of the Navy
has standby instructions to George Dewey, the Commander
of the US Asiatic Squadron based in Hong Kong to attack
Manila in the event of that armed conflict with Spain
would break out
The coming of the American, was not the natural off shoot of
the Spanish American war but an execution of the previously
planned agenda of the US Navy
Filipino-American collaboration against Spain was also
build between the American consuls and Aguinaldo in
Singapore, a proof that the coming of the Americans to the
Philippines was not an accident
There were vested interest group in America who were
pressuring the US government to acquire the Philippines
First was the politico-military sector whose leading promoter
was Theodore Roosevelt Sr.
Intentions to expand the following;
Americas naval influence by making the Philippines a US
first line of defense in Asia Pacific
The American business sector interests in the Far East,
eying participation in the lucrative China trade
American Protestant wanted the Philippines
as a base for their evangelical operations in Asia
1897
Spain was able to negotiate through Pedro Paterno, a
peace agreement with Aguinaldo ending the first stage of
the Philippine Revolution
In Cuba, where a revolution was also powerful, the situation
was different in Americas economic investments in Cuba
sugar industry pulled her into the side of the Cuban
revolutionists
Spain tried her best to settle the split with the Americans but
following irritants between them proved to be serious
Serious Incident
The publication of the letter of De Lome, the Spanish
representative to Washington
The letter describe President Mc Kinley as a cheap politician
and a bidder for the crowd, Mc Kinley felt insulted and the
American became indignant/angry.
Several resolution were passed in the US congress declaring
the right of Cuba to be free
As a consequence, American citizens in Cuba became target
of the harassment and in several cases, became victims of
killing committed by cruel Spanish authorities
War became pending
Spanish American War
February 15, 1898
American battleship Maime was blown to Havana Harbor,
Cuba
The hawkish US newspapers admired the flames of war
sentiments and moved American anger against Spain
April 19, 1898
Several resolutions which were passed by the US congress
demanded Spain to leave Cuba
April 24, 1898
Spain declared war on the US
The following day the American Congress declared war
against Spain
The Battle of Manila Bay
Commodore Goerge Dewey had a specific order to
proceed to the Philippines and destroy the Spanish fleet in
the event of war with Spain would break out
Week after war was declared, Dewey on board his flagship,
the Olympia, immediately steamed to Manila bay
May 1, 1898
Started the naval battle
The American destroyed the Spanish flotilla (task force) led
by Admiral Patricio Montojo
It was a massacre-the Americans did not lose a ship or a man
while the Spaniards all their ships sunk and burned and the
causalities were 167 killed and more than 200 were
wounded.
The Americans began to read books and maps about the
Philippines
Dewey became celebrity, the Hero of the Battle of
Manila Bay
American Victory
Battle of Manila Bay
Signaled the end of the political gory of Spain and ushered
the entry of the United States as a world power
It led to the American Benevolent (generous)
Assimilation of the Philippines
Filipino-American Alliance
When war broke out between US and Spain, the American
consuls in Singapore and Hong Kong conferred with
Aguinaldo about Filipino-American collaboration against
Spain
Spencer Pratt, the American consul in Singapore
convinced Aguinaldo to join them in expelling the Spaniards
out of the Philippines
Pratt cited the example of Cubans whose struggle for
independence was greatly aided by the US
The Consul assured that US did not have intention of
colonizing the Philippines
With this assurances, Aguinaldo agreed to collaborate with
the Americans
He gave money to Rounserille Wildman the American
Consul General, to buy arms and ammunitions for Filipinos
The Resumption of the Revolution
Aguinaldo advised by the Hong Kong Junta, group of
Filipino exiles in Hong Kong to return to the Philippines and
resume the Resolution
He sailed to Cavite on board the Me Cullock ship, Deweys
income cutter
1
May 1898 upon his arrival he urged Filipinos to resume the
struggle for independence and help the US against Spain
Aguinaldo consolidate all the revolutionary forces under his
command
The Mock Battle of Manila
After the victory at the Battle of Manila, Dewey cordoned
the Bay
Aguinaldo and his troops, after liberating the nearby
provinces (Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Tayabas, Bulacan,
Pamapanga and Bataan) from Spanish hands, surrounded the
city
They now laid blockade on Manila waiting for it to surrender
Aguinaldo and his men cut the supply of food and water
to starve the attentive Spaniards inside the Intramuros
New Spanish Governor General
Fermin Jaudenes
August 5, 1898
Through the Belgian Consul secretly negotiated with the
Americans about the Spanish surrender to save the Spanish
honor
Americans Officers agreed to the following conditions;
Filipinos would not be allowed to enter to the city during the
surrender
The Americans must guarantee the protection of the Spanish
lives and properties
The Spanish authorities agreed to surrender both Spanish
troops and Filipino volunteers to the Americans
Mock Battle
August 18, 1898
In the Morning
Mock battle began at Manila
The American naval guns bombarded Fort San Antonio
Abad near Bagumbayan
The Filipino forces joined the fight and defeated the
Spaniards in several fight in the suburbs of Manila
Entering of the
Walled City
In the Afternoon
Filipinos and Americans saw the white flag raised above
Intramuros signaling Spanish surrender
The Americans entered the Walled City and when the
Filipinos tried to do the same, they prevented the entry of
their supposed allies
The exclusion of the Filipinos from entering the city
naturally became the major irritant that put a block into the
Filipino and American teamwork
The Treaty of Paris
The last Governor-General Riego De Los Rios successor
of Jaudenes
Established his first headquarters at Iloilo but the Filipino
patriots there led by Mariano Delgado forced him to out of
the city
December 10, 1898
The American and Spanish signed the Treaty of Paris
It was been signed by Spanish and Americans peace
commissioners without the consultation with the Filipinos
The Philippines became the territory of US
Treaty Provided the following;
Spain surrendered to the US, the Philippines, Guam and
Puerto Rico
The US paid the amount of $20 million to Spain for her
improvements in the colony
Spaniards had the right to ship products to the Philippines for
the period of 10 years on the same terms as those of the
Americans
Emilio Aguinaldo
Born into a big family of 8 children
Kawit, Cavite
March 22, 1869
His job
Teacher (he got his leadership qualities)
Municipal Captain of Kawit
He proclaimed Independence on June 12, 1898
His decree organized the Malolos Congress on September
15, 1898
Promulgation of the Malolos Constitution of the first
Philippine Republic on January 23, 1899
Died on February 6, 1964 at the age of 95
Dictatorial Government
May 24, 1898
Aguinaldo arrival in Cavite, he had a draft of constitution
prepared by Mariano Ponce for the creation of
Revolutionary Government
Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista his adviser persuaded him
that the country was not yet prepared for the Revolutionary
Government due to the critical conditions brought by war, a
dictatorial government was needed
Aguinaldo establish a decree of Dictatorial Government
The decree abolished all orders issued under the Biak na
Bato Republic and Dictatorial Government was only
temporary in nature and was last until peace and liberty
attained
May 29, 1898
First Official Acts of the Dictatorial Government was
Aguinados Circular, advised the humane treatment of
Spanish prisoners of war
The Dictator also ordered that all crimes must be
prosecuted by military courts
Proclamation of Philippine Independence June 12, 1898
Important achievement of the Dictatorial Government was
the declaration of Philippine Independence at Kawit (Cavite
de Viejo)
The ceremony was held at the balcony of the Aguinaldos
residence
Military and civil officials of the government attended the rites
Filipino National Flag made by Marcella Agoncillo in
Hong Kong was officially unfurl amidst applause and cheers
of the people
The National Anthem composed by Julian Felipe was
played for the first time in public
Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista read during the ceremony
the Act of the Declaration of Independence
2
98 persons among them an American Officer signed the
Philippine Declaration Independence
The Revolutionary Government
10 days after the declaration of Philippine Independence,
Apolinario Mabini advised Aguinaldo, a decree the change
of the Dictatorial Government to the Revolutionary form of
Government
The decree change Aguinaldos title of Dictator to President
of the Revolutionary Government
Aguinaldo define that the principal aim of the Revolutionary
Government was for the ultimate recognition by all
nations of Philippine Independence and that a true
Republic may be established
4 Departments of
Revolutionary Government
The Department of Foreign Affairs
Apolinario Mabini
The Department of Finance
Mariano Trias
The Department of Interior
Leandro Ibarra
The Department of Justice
Baldemero Aguinaldo (Secretary of War)
July 15, 1898 the first Cabinet Meeting of the
Revolutionary Government
Decree of Dictatorial Government
June 18, 1898
Provided the recognition of the local government in the
provinces already liberated from Spanish control
Decree provided for the election of representatives from each
province who would constitute a Republican Congress
Aguinaldos decree on June 23 (now under the Revolutionary
Government) restated the need for a Revolutionary Congress
The Malolos Congress
September 15, 1898
Revolutionary Congress was organized by Aguinaldo
At Barasoain Malolos, Bulacan
Malolos Congress was inaugurated at Barasoain Church
The basilica was filed with delegates, guests and expectations
Aguinaldos message to celebrate the peoples
patriotism/nationalism and informed the delegates for their
historical task in writing a constitution
Majority of the delegates belong to the educated class
Elected Officers of the Congress
President Pedro Paterno
Vice-President Benito Legarda
First Secretary Gregorio Araneta
Second Secretary Pablo Ocampo
Achievements of the
Malolos Congress
The ratification (approval) of Philippine Independence
The promulgation of the Malolos Constitution that ushered
the birth of the first Philippine Republic
Apolinario Mabini
1864
Poor parents Inocencio Mabini and Dionsia Maranan
Bario Talaga, Tanuan Batangas
Studied in a school under Father Valerio Malabanan, a
famous pedagogue
Finished his Law degree in UST in 1894
1896
he contracted immature paralysis that disabled him from
waist to his lower limbs
Joined Rizals civic organization the La Liga Filipina worked for
the reforms in the administration government
1898
Aguinaldo recruited him as his private counselor for the
Revolutionary Government
Dictators called him the Black Chamber of Aguinaldo
Admirers called him the Brains of the Revolution
Writings
The Rise and Fall of the Philippine Republic
Most valuable historical documents about the Philippine
Revolution
True Decalogue
The Constitutional Program of the Philippine Republic
The Philippine Revolution
El Semil de Alejandro
The Malolos Constitution
Felipe Calderon
Headed a committee composed of nineteen members to draft
a constitution
These constitutional plans (Mabini, Paterno and the Calderon
Plans) were submitted to the committee for study and
deliberations
Mabinis Constitutional plan of the Philippine Republic was
overruled first by Congress then by the constitutional
committee
Calderon who had very strong influence on his committee
members, set aside Paternos constitutional plan, which was
largely based from the Spanish-Republican Constitution
of 1898
The Calderon plan as the best and submitted it to Congress
for approval
President Aguinaldo was reluctant to approved Calderons
drafted constitution because of the advice of Mabini but
bowing to the will majority in Congress he finally approved
the constitution on January 21, 1899
The Malolos Constitution thus became the organic law of the
Philippines
The constitution provided for the democratic state with the
government that was popular representative and
responsible
It provided for an executive, legislative and judicial
department each distinct from each other
Legislative was the superior
The creation of Permanent Legislative Commission to
continue enacting laws even when Congress was in recess
The legislative branch elected the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court with the agreement of the President and
the cabinet-an evidence of obvious superiority of the
legislature over the 2 branches
The Constitution provided the Bill of Rights for both
Filipinos and aliens and instituted safeguard against abuses of
these rights
The Philippine Republic
July 23,1899
3
The first Republic of Asia was inaugurated in festive
ceremonies at Barasoain Church, Malolos
Aguinaldo took his oath of office as President of the
Republic
In his inaugural speech, he thanked the framer of the Malolos
Constitution, the army and the people for the help and
cooperation in the attainment of freedom
The Filipino troops took their oath of loyalty to the President
and procession followed
Aguinaldo issued a decree granting pardon to prisoners of
war who were not Spanish army regulars
Education Under the Republic
Aguinaldo ordered the reopening of schools that had been
abandoned before
October 24, 1899 issued a decree outlining the curriculum
of the Burgos Institute, a college for boys established in
Malolos headed by Enrique Mendiola a respected
academic and scholar
The course offerings included a Bachelor of Arts degree in
special vocational course in
Agriculture
Surveying
Commerce
Higher Education
Provided an Aguinaldos Decree of October 9, 1898
established the Literary University of The Philippines
The first President Dr. Joaquin Gonzales
Second and the last President until its closure due to Filipino
American war Dr. De Leon Ma. Guerrero
Curriculum includes;
Civil and Criminal Law
Medicine and Surgery
Pharmacy
Notary Public
Diplomatic Activities of the Republic
June 24 and August 10, 1898
President Aguinaldo issued 2 decrees creating the Hongkong
Junta whose members represented the Revolutionary
Government in different countries in order to convince them
to recognize Philippine Independence
United States - Felipe Agoncillo and Sixto Lopez
Japan - Mariano Ponce
England - Antonio Maria Regidor
Australia - Eriberto Zarcal
France - Juan Luna and Pedro Roxas
Aguinaldo created the Department of Foreign Affairs as
one of the first offices in the executive branch
Cayetano Arellano declined the position as Secretary of
Foreign Affairs instead Aguinaldo offered it to Mabini and
became the first Filipino Foreign Secretary
The Religious Schism/Split
1896
The Revolution produce a religious antagonism between the
Filipino clerical groups and Spanish clergy
Aguinaldo resumed the Revolution, the Spanish authorities
with a promise of independence, commissioned Father
Gregorio Aglipay, the Ecclesiastical Government of the
Diocese of Nueva Segovia, to bring the prominent Filipino
Generals (Artemio Ricarte and Mariano Truas) to the Spanish
side
Aglipay mission failed because the revolutionary leaders had
already lost their trust in the colonial government
Aguinaldo lost no time in convinced the Filipino religious
leader to work for the Revolutionary cause
October 20, 1898
Aguinaldo appointed Gregorio Aglipay as Military Vicar
General of the Revolutionary Government
As a Filipino , Aglipay had set aside his position in the
Catholic hierarchy for that would be tantamount to siding
with colonial government
October 21, 1898
Aglipay issued a letter to the Filipino clergy
Convincing them to organize themselves
To create a committee or council, which would ask the Pope
to appoint Filipino in all ecclesiastical positions from
Archbishop to parish priest
Vacancies of parish priest/priest in the parishes due to the
capture of the Spanish priest by the revolutionary forces
October 22 - Issued another letter/manifesto
Asking the Filipino clergy to take all the vacant positions left
by the Spanish friar curates
Urged all Filipino priest under the diocese of Nueva Segovia,
to rally behind the revolutionary cause
Excommunication
The action of Aglipay alarmed the Manila Archbishop
Bernardino Nozaleda
April 29, 1899 he charge Aglipay with
contravention/usurpation of the authority before the
Ecclesiastical Tribunal, issued the decree of excommunication
against Aglipay that will take effect on May 5, 1899
Arch. Nozaleda thought that excommunication would
humiliate and destroy the revolutionary vicar, but he was
wrong Aglipay countered attack the Nozaleda of charging him
an excommunication due to starving purposely the Filipinos
and with collaboration with the authoritarian officials
Mabini and the Filipino Independent Church
Apolinario Mabini, a mason and riding on the popularity of
the revolutionary government, saw the need of having a
Filipino National Church
The National Church as he had conceived was to be
administered by Filipino priests and loyal of the Republic
Mabini helped in the formation of the Filipino National Church
when at the start of the second phase of the Revolutionary
Government refused to recognize Nozaledas authority
Mibini recognize the validity of civil marriages putting into
practice the principle of the separation of Church and
State
Revolutionary Government prohibited any Filipino priest from
accepting any responsibility from the Catholic Church or
occupying vacant parishes without its express approval
Mabinis manifesto encouraged the Filipino clergy to assert
their rights and occupy the vacant parishes
October 23, 1899
A provisional Constitution of the Filipino Church was enclosed
The constitution in effect declared the independence of the
Filipino clergy from Spanish control
The assumption of authority to negotiate with the Vatican
4
The Schism/Split
Before the complete defeat of the Revolutionary Forces
against the Americans, Mosignor Placido Chapelle, the
Popes delegate to the Philippines arrived of January
2, 1900
He announced arrogantly that he would considered those
who opposed the Spanish priests and the carrying on of their
parishes as enemies of the church and order
He made it known that he was ready to use force if possible
for the friars to retake their positions
He disapprovingly stated that Filipino clergy was only capable
of unskilled duties in the Church
His arrogant posture supported the religious schism
Rome
Father Salustiano Araullo and father Jose Chanco failed to get
from the Pope the solutions to the problem of Filipino clergy
The Pontiff was more inclined to side with the friars and
promised nothing to the Filipino
Isabelo De los Reyes
July 3, 1902
Founded the Union Obrera Democratica (Democratic Labor
Union)
The first labor union at the Centro de Bellas Artes and
proposed for the stablishment of a church independent in
Rome with Gregorio Aglipay as the Supreme Bishop
De los Reyes proposal was approved by the union members
who soon became the first converts of the new church
AGLIPIYAN CHURCH
THE PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENT CHURCH
(Iglesia Filipina Independiente or IFI)
Supreme Bishop Gregorio Aglipay
Product of revolution
Filipino American War
The American betrayal of not allowing their supposed allies
to enter the Walled City after its surrender and the
subsequent American order Aguinaldo to withdraw his forces
from strategic areas near Manila after the mock battle
damage the relationship of Filipino and American
The tension of these incidents worsened by signing the
Treaty of Paris without the consultation o the Filipino
December 21, 1898, President William McKinley
Issued the Benevolent (caring)Assimilation Proclamation
indicating that American intention of exercising the right
of sovereignty/power over the Philippines
It is clear that the American from the start did not want to
leave the Philippines after the Spanish-American war ended
The San Juan Bridge Encounter
Evening of February 4, 1899
Private William Grayson with 2 comrade-in-arms
encountered a group of Filipino soldiers at the vicinity of San
Juan Bridge
They challenged the Filipinos to advance and be recognized,
but were also asked to do the same
Grayson immediately shot to death one Filipino soldier
before they retreated (the first Filipino who was shot by a
American), this is the cause of the outbreak of Filipino-
American hostilities
The Americans, had innocently admitted their role as the new
colonial master and called the war the Philippine
Insurrection (rebellion)
Aguinaldo ordered Felipe Buencamino to conduct
investigations regarding the incident
According to the evidences and testimonies the American
planned the encounter to provoke an armed conflict with the
Filipinos
The American never attempted to investigate the mater but
General MacArthur issued the order to attack Filipino
forces the day after the shooting incident at San Juan
Aguinaldo in his communication with the US authorities
express his desire to stop further clashes but the Americans
became more disrespectful, due to the successive
arrivals of American troop reinforcement
General Elwell Otis, the Commander of the US forces even
gave Aguinaldo the brief reply fighting having began must
go on to the bitter end
Initial Battles of the War
The American Army beaten Pasig and other towns while US
naval guns covering the Filipino defenses north of San Juan
del Monte
Battle of La Loma, Major Jose Torres Bugallon was
killed
With the Filipinos defeated at La Loma, General McArthur
drove towards Kalookan where Filipino defenders under
General Antonio Luna waited
The Battle of Kalookan was violently fought by both sides and
the American weapons proved superior to Filipinos
Kalookan was finally captured by the American
Lunas Encounter Attack in Manila
After the capture of Kalookan, General Antonio Luna planned
a daring recapture of Manila
February 22, he bravely attacked the city, setting the fire the
American-occupied house in Binondo and Tondo
The conflagration/fire threw the city into confusion enabling
Lunas troops to advance up to American where they were
finally revolted by superior American forces
Lunas staff found out that the causes of failure to make
Caloocan and Manila were the weak and defective
coordination among the unit involved
Lack of discipline (officer that led to insubordination)
Captain Janolino, commanding officer of Kawit not complying
the order of Luna, he only follow the instruction given by
Aguinaldo)
Lack of arms and ammunitions
Filipino Victories in 1899
Major McConville American casualties of the war
Killed in Pandacan Manila by Filipinos
March 25 at Polo, Filipino revolted the forces of General
Wheaton and killed Colonel Harry Egbert
April 23 in Plaridel (Quinqua) General Gregorio Del Pilar
in retreat a US cavalry force under Major Franklin Bell
Prominent American casualty in this battle was Colonel John
Stotsemberg who died in action
December 18 General Licerio Geronimo and his forces
defeated the American under General Lawton (highest
ranking American military officer) in the Battle of San Mateo
5
The Capture of Malolos
After the failure plan of Luna to recapture Manila, General
MacArthur ordered offensives against the Filipino in north and
south of the city
Polo where Luna established his headquarters after the fall of
Kalookan was taken by the American
The Filipino courageously resisted the American advance in
all fronts but were badly beaten due to weak and defective
coordination
March 31, 1899 the captured of Aguinaldo in Malolos
by the Americans
Transferred his capital at San Isidro, Nueva Ecija
Antonio Luna
Born in Manila on 1868
Belonged to a well to do family
His brother;
Juan Luna (prize winning painter) was equally distinguished
like him
Jose doctor
Joaquin led the position of a governor, deputy and senator
Manuel renowned violinist
Educational Attainment
Obtained his AB Ateneo de Municipal
Pharmacy University of Sto Tomas
Doctor in Pharmacy Central University of Madrid
Chemical Engineering Belgium
He worked for a several countries in Europe as a chemist
Military Science and Tactics Spain and Germany
During his exile
Revolution broke out -1896
He was implicated in the plot and deported in Spain
During the second phase of the Revolution
Returned home and offered his service to Aguinaldo
Due to his rare talents he rose from one position to another
until he became the Aguinaldos Assistant Secretary of
War
He was the editor of the revolutionary newspaper La
Independencia
Lunas Promotion
Among the Filipino Generals who served the Republic in its
war against the American only Luna is the well qualified due
to his knowledge in military science
Jose Rizal himself suggested Pio Valenzuela to promote Luna
as overall military commander of the Revolution
Luna became the Commander of the Revolutionary forces in
Central Luzon during the height of American offensives on
the North
The American admired and forced his military skills in
battlefield strategies
The Assassination of Antonio Luna
June 5, 1899
General Antonio Luna together with Colonel Francisco
Roman his Aide-deCamp was murdered by Kawit
Company Guards at the Cabanatuan convent
Received no less than 40 wounds from his assassins
Aguinaldo never ordered the investigation or the punishment
of his guard
The Flight of Aguinaldo
The American believed that with the capture of Aguinaldo,
Filipino resistance would immediately end
General Otis sent veteran troops to Lingayen, Pangasinan
to encircle Aguinaldo who was then based in Pampanga
As the American advanced, Aguinaldo hastily transferred his
headquarters, as the situation demanded
From San Fernado, Pampanga, he moved to Tarlac and
then to Bayambang
November 1899
Aguinaldo together with his staff and his immediate family
left for Calasiao
He go across rugged and mountainous terrain which ended at
Palanan, Isabela
Gregorio Del Pilar
Born in Bulacan on November 14, 1875
The son of Fernando H. Del Pilar a brother of Marcelo H. Del
Pilar
During his childhood days he helped the cause of the
Propagandists by distributing their pamphlets in churches
during Sunday masses
This made the churchgoers believed that the Church itself
was involved in the Revolution
Educational Attainment
Obtained his education in Ateneo Municipal
Finished his Bachelor of Arts Degree -UST
Revolution in 1896
He joined in its army
One of his daring exploits was when he led the assault of
the convent of Bulacan town where he carried off arms
and ammunition
Aguinaldo took cognizance of his heroic acts that from then
on he was promoted form one position to another until he
became Commander of the Northern Revolutionary
Brigade
He fought the Americans in the Battle of Plaridel where
Colonel Stotsemburg died
Died on December 2, 1899 after the Battle of Pasong Tirad
The Battle of Tirad Pass
General Gregorio del Pilar who was defending the rear of
Aguinaldo, made his last gallant stand at Pasong Tirad
The location of the Pass enables the Filipinos to see the entry
movements for miles and it was suggested by Del Pilar as a
tactical place to do the battle with the pursuing Americans
With 60 men, Del Pilar order the building of dugout on
vantage position of the Pass
December 2, 1899
Major March with 300 men attacked the pass but they were
revolted by Del Pilars riflemen
There was temporary standoff until Januario Galut, an
Igorot guide exposed to the Americans the existence of a
trace to the top and rear of the Filipino defenders
Caught between 2 American assaults, Del Pilar and his men
were finally besieged by Marchs sharpshooters
Del Pilar mounted on his white horse was shot down mortally
wounded in the neck and his 8 men escaped the massacre
6

The Capture of Aguinaldo
After the battle of Pasong Tirad, the American lost the
whereabouts of the fugitive Filipino President
Cecilio Segismundo Aguinaldos messenger fell into the
hands of Colonel Frederick Funston in Nueva Ecija he saw
and read the letter of Aguinaldo to some of the Generals
asking for reinforcements to his base in Palanan Isabela
With the help of Hilario Tal Placido and Lazaro Segovia 2
former Filipino army officers and the Macabebe Scouts,
Funston planned an elaborate scheme to capture Aguinaldo
With the reluctant approval of MacArthur , Funston with 4
American officers and the Filipino mercenaries sailed to
Palanan on board the US gunboat Vicksburg
Pretending to be the Filipino reinforcement soldiers and with
the 5 American officers, their prisoners, the Macabebes
entered Aguinaldos camp without difficulty
Then at the opportune time, the Macabebes suddenly fired at
Aguinaldos sentries who were ultimately overpowered
Funston and their American officers entered Aguinaldos room
and arrested him
Aguinaldo was brought to Manila on board the Vicksburg and
on April 1, 1901 he took the oath of allegiance to the
United States
The captured of Aguinaldo ended the Malolos Republic
End of the Republic
The capture of Aguinaldo ended the Republic but not the
resistance
In Batangas, General Miguel Malvar restored the
guerilla welfare and continued the straggle
Samar General Vicente Lukban harassed and
ambushed American soldier until his capture on February
27, 1902
Macario Sakay, who has established a Tagalog Republic
in the Sierra Madre, continued the resistance until he
accepted an American officer of amnesty that led to his
subsequent arrest and execution
Decade of Suppressed Nationalism and Continuing Resistance
Rivalries, of Western imperialist power continued their
colonial expansion around the world under the desire of the
New Imperialism that had begun in the 1880s
Asia, nationalism had regained vigor during the Opium War
and the Boxer Rebellion in China, the Filipino
Revolution against Spain in 1896 and the Japanese
victory against Russia (Russia-Japanese War) in 1905
The American occupied the Philippines by force and by
the treaty of cession (Treaty of Paris) much against the
wishes of the Filipinos
It is indeed ironic that American fought Spain in the Spanish
American War of 1898 to liberate the Cubans but only to
emerge from the conflict as the new masters of the
Filipino people
The US however, had defended this act before the world by
protecting an unselfish policy through the Benevolent
(compassionate) Assimilation proclamation of
President McKinley
US policy would teach and guide Filipino the concepts of
democracy leading to self-government
American Decision to Keep the Philippines
The Treaty of Paris became the death-blow to Filipino
aspiration for independence
President McKinley made up his mind to maintain the
Philippines
Supposedly by divine wish and sanction, a political storm was
raging in the US on the issue of imperialism
The Anti-imperialism led by William Jennings Bryan and
supported by the Democrats opposed the violent extension of
Americans rule over the Philippines because it was against
the US constitution
The Treaty of Paris was approved by the American senate on
February 6, 1898 President McKinley issued a proclamation
that through the singing of Treaty of Peace the future
control and disposition of the Philippine Islands are
abandon/ceded to the United States
American people gave their verdict in the presidential
election of 1900 in favor of the retention
The Military Government
After the defeat of the Spanish fleet in the Battle of Manila
Bay, General Wesley Meritt, the Commander of the
American forces, issued a proclamation addressed to the
Filipino people announcing the military occupation of
Manila
President McKinley as the Commander in Chief of the
Armed Forces of the US issued instructions about the new
territory o the US was the Island of the Philippines
August 14, 1898
General Wesley Meritt
First Military Governor of Manila
Other American Governor
The successor of Meritt
August 29, 1898 1900 General Elwell S. Otis
May 5, 1900 1901 General Arthur Mc Arthur (the last
Military Governor)
The military rule lasted only 3 years 1898 to 1901
US Congress
Assumed a direct control of the Philippines
The American President remained the source of all
governmental powers in the country
The US President delegate this authority to the American
Military Governor who exercises as long as the war lasted,
all functions of the government; executive, legislative and
judicial
The policy of winning the goodwill and cooperation of the
Filipinos was carried out by the Military Government
Schools were immediately opened with US soldiers
acting as temporary teachers
Civil courts were opened but the Supreme Court was
reorganized to consist of 6 Filipino lawyers and 3 officer of
the army
Cayetano Arellano as Chief Justice
Municipal Government also established according to the
plan submitted by a board consisting of Chief Justice Arellano
Attorney General Florentino Torres and 3 American Judicial
Officers
7
The First Filipino Commission
January 20, 1899
President McKinley appointed the First Philippine Commission
Schurman Commission
To assist the United States;
In shaping a Philippine policy
To have an effective sovereignty over the archipelago
The Commission consisted of the folowing;
Jacob G. Schurman
President
Rear Admiral Goeorge Dewey
Commander of the American Asiatic Squadron
Major General Elwell S. Otis
Military Governor of the Philippines
Charles Denby and Dr. Dean C. Worcester
Professor at the University of Michigan
The Function of the Commission
To deliver Americans message of good will to the Filipino
people
To investigate the conditions in the Philippines
To make recommendations to the President of the United
States as to the kind of government to be established in the
Philippines
Schurman Commission
March 4, 1899 arrived in Manila
At that time, Filipinos and American were locked in the deadly
combat, for hostilities started on February 4, 1899
Investigation
Owing to the pressure of war, the Commission failed to
discharge all the tasks assigned to it
Conducted a public hearings in Manila, received the
emissaries of General Aguinaldo, and in every other possible
way, sought to enlighten the Filipino people on the
benevolent aims of America
After completing its investigation and survey of the Philippine
conditions, the Commission returned to the United States and
submitted its report on January 31, 1900 to President
McKinley who, in turn, transmitted it to Congress on Febrary
2 as the necessary for peace
Schurman Commission Report
Filipino were unprepared for independence, hence the US
should remain in the Philippines
Recommendations;
The establishment of an autonomous government with a
bicameral legislature-the lower house to be elective and half
appointive
The establishment of the civil government in the places
already at peace with America
The conservation of the natural resources of the Philippines
for the Filipinos
The organization of the autonomous municipal and provincial
governments
The opening of the free public of elementary schools
throughout the country
The appointment of men of credibility and ability to important
government ofices
The Fall of Mabini
May 1899
Schurman Commission offered an peace agreement and
autonomy to the Filipino in reply to the requests of Mabini,
the President of the Malolos Cabinet for a temporary end of
conflict
Schurman set down the condition that the Filipinos should
first put down their arms and surrender them to the
American authorities
Followed by the autonomy proposal in which the government
should be composed of a Governor General appointed by the
President of the US, a cabinet appointed by ad responsible to
the governor general, a general advisory council elected by
the people , and an independent judiciary whose members
would be Filipino and Americans
Mabini rejected the American offer of autonomy
He stated a memorandum issued in San Isidro Nueva Ecija
that the US;
Had no rightful or legal claim to the Philippines
Had no right to offer the people autonomy
Mabini firmly stood for Philippine independence under the US
protection
He insisted that a general amnesty without the
necessity of surrendering arms should be first decreed by
the American as a show of good faith
The American disagree so the hostilities continue
Majority of the members of Aguinaldos cabinet are inclined
to accept American offer of autonomy
Mabini sensed the pacifism of his colleagues that he
suggested the advisability of changing the personnel of
the executive department
May 9, 1899
Mabini resigned to his post
Pedro Paterno as the new head of the cabinet
Known as the Peace Cabinet
Failed to end hostilities and achieve autonomy
Because the American military authorities demanded the
primary requirements of the complete surrender of arms
June 2, 1899 issued again a war manifesto against the
American
The Second Philippine Commission
The Taff Commission
Legislative and Executive power
Accelerate the transfer of the government from military
to the civilian authority
March 16, 1900 President McKinley appointed the Second
Philippine Commission
Composition of Taff Commission
Judge William H. Taff President
Members
Luke E. Wright
Henry C. Ide
Bernard Moses
Dean C. Worcester
Composed wholly of civilians
September 1900 August 1902
8
Enacted a total of 440 laws
Few of this was;
The creation of municipal and provincial governments
Philippine Constabulary (PC)
Public School System
Civil Service System
Code of Civil Procedure
Bureau of Agriculture and Forestry
Civil Government
Civil Government
Inaugurated in 1901
Taft policy of Philippines for Filipinos met firm opposition
from the conservative Manila Americans and the other
imperialist elements who through that the Philippines should
be retained and exploited as a colonial possession
Taft liberal stand helped him win the hearts of many Filipinos
1903 Taft as chairman work for the issuance of municipal,
provincial and central government internal improvement
bonds of a mixed amount, wholly tax-free in the US
Proposed an increase maximum of the amount of land
that any individual or corporation might use for agricultural
purposes to 25 thousand acres
Permission for an individual or association to file more
than one mining claim upon a lode deposit
Reduction of the American tariff (tax) on the
Philippines sugar and tobacco
Control by the Commission of inter-island shipping
Postponement in the application of coastwise navigation laws
on trade between US and Philippines
Macario Sakay and the
Tagalog Republic
Barber from Tondo and stage actor in Moro-Moro during
Spanish period
Has been with Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto during the initial
struggles of the katipunan
Captured during the Filipino-American war
He tried to revived the Katipunan in Manila for which he was
detained and jailed under the Sedition Law
Released after the proclamation of amnesty in July 1902
Resumed his revolutionary activities and went to the
mountains, taking the command of the guerillas in the Rizal-
Cavite-Laguna-Batangas area
The privilege of writ of habeas corpus (literally to "produce
the body") is a court order to a person (prison warden) or
agency (institution) holding someone in custody to deliver the
imprisoned individual to the court issuing the order. was
suspended
Sakay, Julian Montalban and Cornelio Felizardo formed
the Tagalog Rebublic
Sakay chosen to be the head and worked for the chain of
the command
Julian Montalban took overall leadership of military
operations, he had under his control the group of Colinel
Ramos, Colonel Masigla and Liutenant Colonel de
Vega
These 3 had jurisdiction over Cavite and Eastern Batangas,
other groups were operating in Pasay, Bacoor (northern parts
of Cavite)
Brigadier General Oruga whose officers operated in;
Colonel Villanueva Batangas
Lt. Colonel Vito Taal Lake region
Major Flores Laguna joined forces with Sakay
Sakays republic had its own constitution which patterned of
the Katipunan
Francisco Carreon Vice President (councilor of the
early Katipunan of Bonfacio)
Other signatories of the constitutions were former councilors
of the Katipunan/KKK;
Aguedo del Rosario
Alejandro Santiago
Nicolas Rivera (president of Catotohanan section of Tondo
and former member of Katipunan)
Other former members of Katipunan/KKK
Salustiano Cruz
Justo Bautista
Pedro Mendiola
Feliciano Cruz
Jose Flores
Benito Fernandez
April 1904
Sakay released a manifesto addressed to all foreign
consulates in which he affirmed the patriotic resolve of his
people to fight the United States and depend the
independence of the Philippines
He declared that he and his men were real revolutionaries
and not bandits as the American government claimed
because they had a flag, a government and a constitution
Sakay issued a warning to those who would violate the
territory of this country
He warned the group that those Filipino who would give aid
and comfort to the Americans would severely punish
Law and Acts of Suppression
3 years after the US declared to the world that the
Americans had come to the Philippines to help liberate the
Filipinos from Spanish rule and teach them democratic
concepts and basic freedoms
The Philippine Commission passed the Sedition
(incitement of rebellion) Law (Act No. 292) on November
4, 1901 which imposed death penalty or long prison terms
to any Filipino advocating independence
Taft Administration
Enacted the passage of the Brigandage Act of November
12, 1902
Classifying guerilla resistance as bandolerismo or
banditry
The Filipino resistance fighters were branded as ladrones or
thieves
Philippine Commission
Passed the Reconcentration Act
Allowing the provincial governors to reconcentrate all
residents of remote barrios to facilitate the apprehension of
rebels who were being hidden and protected by the people
9
Reconcentration resulted to food scarcity, malnutrition, Founders;
diseases and epidemics due to overcrowding and poor Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera
sanitary conditions in the camps Cayetano Arellano
Flag Law Juan Sumulong
The American government passed this law on July 23, 1907 Tomas del Rosario
Banning the display of all Filipino banners, flag and Florante Torres
emblems (symbols) Amborsio flores
As consequence of these suppressive laws, many were 120 Filipinos
arrested and imprisoned Objectives
Many inmates died of undernourishment, starvation or of Attainment of peace
sickness due to the worst conditions in these prisons Annexation (occupation of take over) of the Philippines as the
Manila Bilibid Prison Jailed administered by the state of the United States
Americans the death rates rose from Aimed to Americanize the people for preparation of statehood
72 1,000 in 1902 Pardo de Tavera
438 per 1,000 inmates in 1905 President of the party
Nationalism in Literature and Journalism A Governor General of the Philippines would be
Stage plays (attacking the American occupation) appointed by the US President and have the power to
Aurelio Tolentino Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas he was appoint department secretaries and provincial governors
arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1905 Advocated a program of government for the Philippines as
(pardned after 7 years) follows;
Juan Cruz Matapang Hindi Aco Patay (I am not Dead) Sending of the 5 Filipino commissioners to the US
PH Poblete Pag-ibig sa Lupang Tinubuan (Loe of Ones Own Congress to represent the Philippines
Native Land) Creation of a bicameral legislature composed of
Severino Reyes Walang Sugat (No Wound) Senate
Juan Abad Tanikalang Ginto (The Golden Chain) House Representative
Nationalistic Papers (anti-American sentiments) Federal Party
May 1900 Sergio Osmena El Nuevo Dia (the New day) with Became the political party of the Taft Administration
Rafael Palma and Jaime C. De Veyra as his supporters The Americanistas were rewarded by appointing them to top
Pascual Poblete - El Grito del Pueblo in 1900 positions
Rafael Palma -El Ranacimiento (1901) 3 of there leaders appointed members of the Philippine
Commission
The American authorities threatened both writers and the Tavera
founders of these nationalistic papers Benito Legarda
General Arthur MacArthur, the Military Governor, Jose Luzurriaga
immediately imposed strict censorship on the native press Civil Government
and plays The American Administrators
January 7, 1901 During the first decade of the 20th century there were;
57 Filipino patriots were deported to Guam (a territory of 5 American Civil Governors
US in Pacific) for aiding, supporting and encouraging the William Howard Taft (1901-1903)
Filipino masses to fight for the cause of Independence Luke E. Wright
The deportees; Henry Clay Ide
Apolinario Mabini James Francis Smith
Artemio Ricarte William Cameron Forbes
Pablo Ocampo 3 Military Governors proceeded Taft as;
Chief Executive- Major General Wesley Merrit (1898)
Federal Party Major General Elwell S. Otis (1898 1900)
Factor that great helped the pacification campaign of the Major General Arthur MacArtur (1900 -1901)
Americans was the organization of the Federal Party
Even before the capture of Aguinaldo there had been William Howard Taft
Filipinos who believed in the altruistic (humane) Before Taft appointment to the position
intentions of the Americans and that it is good for the Judge of a district court in the US
country to welcome the invaders later became Chairman of the Second Philippine
Several former illustrado members of the Malolos Congress Commission
and some Cabinet members of Aguinaldo decided that Inauguration as first civil governor ended the American
collaboration with the Americans was sounder policy military government in the Philippines
for the attainment of peace and prosperity Organization of the National Government
December 23, 1900 Taft first act was the organization of the Central
Founded the Partido Federal Government
Other name (Americanistas or Federalista) Taft - head of the central government (Civil Governor)
10
Dean Worcester Secretary of the Interior
Luke E. Wright Secretary of the Department of
Commerce and Police
Henry C. Ide Secretary of Public Instruction or the Vice-
Governor
The commission exercised legislative power until 1907
1907 1916 the commission shared legislative functions
with the Philippine assembly
The Civil Governor was the Chief Executive
Judicial powers were vested in the Supreme Court and
Interior Courts
Provincial and Local Government
The provinces were classified either regular or special
Regular provinces had provincial boards composed of an
elective governor and 2 members
Special provinces no provincial boards, the post of the chief
executive was reserved to Americans who were
commissioned officers in the US Army
Municipal Code - (Act no. 82)
Formulated by the Philippine Commission on January
1901
The people were allowed to elect their
President
Vice-president
Councilors to run the local government every 2 years
The municipal treasurer and secretary were appointed
The Commission limited suffrage to the elite;
Only males who were at least 30 years of age
Must owned real property valued at least to 500 pesos
Held the positions in the municipal government prior the
American occupation
Allowed voters could read, speak and write English or
Spanish
Re-organization of the Central Government
3 Filipinos were added to the Philippine Commission
New bureaus and offices were also created
Bureau of Public Lands established in September for the
purpose of administering the public domains (area)
Bureau of Archives created in October
Bureau of Custom Service and the Court of Custom
Appeals created in February 1902
Bureau were placed under the executive control
The Philippine Bill of 1902
or the Cooper Act
Acts of the US Congress passed during the administration of
Governor Taft, which had a significant effect on Filipinos
Enacted on July 1, 1902
It was considered as important landmark in our political
history
The American constitution was extended for the Filipinos
This is the first organic law introduced to us by the Americans
Cooper Law offers
Bill of Rights and embodied provisions about commerce,
public lands, mines, fisheries, franchises, bonds and others
For the first time Filipinos were guaranteed freedom of
speech, press, assembly and religion
The Bill guaranteed the separation of the Church and State
2 Filipino resident Commissioners in Washington who would
sit at the US Congress with voice but without right to vote
The Census of 1903
Purpose of the census to know the number of population in
the country and the apportionment of the members of the
Philippine Assembly
General JP Sanger Director of the Census
March 27, 1905 published the result of the census
Entire population of the Philippines 7,635,426
6,987,677 were Christians the rest was Muslims and pagans
Economic and Social Progress
The result of the census revealed that the percentage of
literacy was 44 percent
This percentage was higher than those found in Spain, Puerto
Rico, Siam and India
Statistic revealed that the total revenues increased from
1903 $ 11,089,299 to $ 14,112,129 in 1908
$ 20, 567,925 in 1913
1902, 1,000 American teachers arrived in the country
and became the pioneers in the educational field
1903, the Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company
(MERALCO) started operating with the purchase of Spanish
horse drawn streetcar line in Manila
The Friar Lands Case
One of the best achievement of Governor Taft was the
solution of the Friar Estates issue
The matter of disposing the real states owned by the
main religious orders Dominican, Franciscan, and
Augustinian Orders was thrown into the hands of the
Philippine Commission
It was alleged that those religious orders owned vast
tracts of land, where tenants were constantly exploited
the reason which resulted in the non-payment of their rentals
to the landowners
The religious orders had no legal title to the properties
1900
Archbishop Placido Chapelle
Papal delegate to the Philippines
Intervened and claimed that the Church had
executive rights over its properties under the Spanish
regime had been jointly owned and controlled by the Church
and State
After the public hearings and inquiries conducted it was
found out that the religious orders had valid titles to the
land in question
They found out that the total areas owned by the religious
orders was approximately 403,000 acres
60,000 tenants refuse to pay their arrears in rentals they
owned to the 3 religious orders and would face eviction
proceedings
This was not a welcome vision for the Taft Administration, he
realized that unless the problem was not settled to the
satisfaction of the Filipinos
Taft went to the Vatican with the approval of President
Theodore Roosevelt to conducted negotiations with
Pope Leo XIII
11
An agreement was concluded by both parties with the Pensionados called for the Filipino scholars they were
consent of the religious orders involved given a fixed allowances during their stay in the US
The Taft Administration purchased to so called Friar Estates Camilo Osias the first Filipino product of pensionados who
for some 7 Million Dollars become the first Division Superintendent of the Schools
Later these lands were sold to the tenants on an installment Selection of scholars was based on examination conducted
basis throughout the country
Grade of 74% or above must be secured by an applicant
The Birth of the Philippine Assembly 16 years old and above
Inauguration on October 16, 1907 Later American Civil Governors
The people elected 80 delegates for 2 years to represent The Administration
the Christian provinces of the Philippines Governors
The elected to the Philippine Assembly Luke F. Wright
Leon M. Guerrero - Bulacan (1904 1905)
Pedro Paterno Laguna Civil Governors
Rafael Palma Cavite Former Member of Philippine Commission
Sergio Osmena (Nacionalistas choice) former Governor of Policy: equal opportunities for all
Cebu Speaker of the Assembly The Americans and other foreigners hailed while the Filipino
Manuel Quezon (Nationalista) former Governor of Tayabas nationalists disapproved this direction of his administration
Majority Floor Leader Achievements
Education Under the Americans Progress in transportation and communications
The first school opened by the Americans were in the island Railway line of less than 200 kilometers from Manila to
of Corregidor Dagupan, Pangasinan
The first teachers were American soldiers Water supply development
After the occupation of Manila, 7 schools were re-opened Modernized harbor
and a teacher of English was assigned in each Widening of streets
Public schools were opened among the Muslims and Cemented system of waste disposal
other non-Christian people where US Army garrison were Drainage was built
located and when teachers became available
June 21, 1901
Philippine Commission passed Act No. 74 creating the
Bureau of Public Instruction, which provided that all Henry Clay Ide
primary instruction shall be free (1905 1906)
The Act also provided that the Civil Government shall take Civil Governor General on April 2, 1905
over all schools and to established other in every Member of the Philippine Commission
municipality Former Secretary of Finance and Justice
The Act provided that the English language shall be Author of the following law;
made the medium of instruction Code of Civil Procedure in 1901
Fred Atkinson first head of the Bureau of Internal Revenue Law in 1905
Instruction, agreed that many Filipinos were worried to During his term the establishment of;
learn English and the teaching in a vernacular was impractical Postal Saving Bank under the Bureau of Post
This policy was a clear violation of President McKinleys James Francis Smith
instruction to the use of language of the region in the (1906 1909)
primary schools as the medium of instruction Civil Governor on September 20, 1906
The use of English was to facilitate pacification process Former Justice of Supreme Court , member of Philippine
Atkinson hired 1,000 trained American teachers Commission and Secretary of Public Instruction in 1903
80 of them were honorably discharged soldiers in the The first official act was the national convention participated
Philippines by the provincial governors on October 1, 1906
The rest came from all over the US Governor Sergio Osmena of Cebu chosen as President of the
48 teachers came aboard Sheridan convention
the rest arrived aboard Thomas these teachers commonly William Cameron Forbes
called Thomasites (1909 1913)
The teacher training school the Philippine National School Civil Governor form November 11, 1909 to September 1,
(PNU) established in 1903 1913
Philippine School of Arts and Trade (TUP) in 1905 He counseled Filipinos to devote their time less to politics, but
1908 Philippine Commission approved No. 1870 creating more to economic endeavors (activities)
the University of the Philippines (Murray Bartlett - 1st Achievements
President of UP the said institution is for deserving Filipino Forber s called as Caminero-road building governor
students - Scholarship Program) Construction of;
Public buildings
12
Roads There were 1,000 American teachers, but as Filipinos showed
Highways ability in the learning and speaking of the English language
may of them became teachers
Introduction of Protestantism October Bureau of Education created and placed under the
2 months after the Battle of Manila Bay, a convention was department of Instructions
held in New York City among the delegates from various The division of elementary education
Protestant missions and plan for a religious invasion in the 2 levels
Philippines 4 years primary
The first protestant service was openly held on the first 3 years intermediate
Sunday after the occupation of the city by the Americans Above the elementary level 4 years in High School
Arthur W. Prautch and his wife 1st protestant missionary Public schools
work in the country Trade School (TUP)
Opened a Soldiers Institute began their preaching 1911 Manila Business School (PUP)
30,000 members
The Arrival of other Epidemics Calamities and Other Disasters
Protestant Groups 1902
April 21, 1899 - The Presbyterians (Manila) Cholera Epidemic arise for several years
1908 Episcopalian Lack of preventive measures and proper hygiene, the plague
1900 Baptist (Panay and Negros) spread rapidly and death toll increased (4,000 dead Manila
1901 - United Brethren (Manila) only Apolinario Mabini prominent victim)
1902 Congregationalist (Davao) 1903
1905 Seventh Day Adventists Locusts invaded the country and destroyed farms crops
Protestant Schools and Hospitals established (cattle, carabaos and horses were killed)
Siliman University Dumaguete 1911
Philippine Central University Iloilo Eruption of Taal Volcano (great calamities)
Philippine Christian College Manila 1912
Mary Johnson Hospital Manila Typhoon swept Cebu
St. Luke Hospital - Manila Independence Missions and the Philippine Commonwealth
New Catholic Mission Manuel L. Quezon
Non-Spanish August 19, 1878
1906 Born in Baler Tayabas (now Quezon)
Padres de la Congregacion de San Jose (Congregation of St. Father Lucio Quezon (sergeant in the Spanish array) and
Joseph) Mother Maria Dolores Molina (school teacher)
Redemptorist Fathers Education
Benedictine Sisters Letran college Bachelor of Arts Degree
1907 UST Law Degree
Missioneros del Immaculado Corazon de Maria (Immaculate
Heart of Mary) Actively participated in the Filipino American was as an officer
1908 of the Revolutionary forces
Padres del Sagrado Corazon (Sacred Heart) American period
Padres del Divino Verbo (Divine Word) He became the provincial fiscal
1910 Elected as Governor in Tayabas
Holy Ghost Mothers and Belgian Sisters 1916 became senator of the Philippine Legislature until he
became the President of the Senate
Missions Claro Mayo Recto
Establishment of ; February 8, 1890
Schools (Manila an other provinces) Tiaong Tayabas (Quezon)
Mission houses among the ethnic groups Father Don Claro Recto Sr. (Captain in the Spanish Army
Preservation of the Catholic Faith Lipa Batangas) and his mother (2nd wife) Michaela Mayo
De la Salle (British)
San Beda Education
St. Scholastica Ateneo AB (maxima cum laude) academic superior than
Holy Spirit Rizal
St. Paul UST Law (passed the bar exam at the same year at the age
Maryknoll Meriam of 24)
La Consolacion
Growth of Public School
1902 1919

13
He won the seat in the Philippine Legislature (representing
the 3rd district of Batangas)
Became the House Minority Floor Leader after 3 years, he
became a Majority Floor Leader and President of Pro-tempore
of the Senate
1924
Joined Quezon Independence Mission to the US which
lobbied for an Independence Bill
1931
He won seat at the Senate representing the 5th senatorial
district of Batangas, Tayabas, Caite, Mindoro and Marinduque
1935
Associate Justice of Supreme Court and elected President of
Constitutional Convention
The 1935 Elections for Commonwealth Officials
September 17, 1935
Manuel L. Quezon elected as President of the Philippine
Commonwealth
Sergio Osmena who concealed with Quezons Nacionalista
Party
The Inauguration
Inauguration
November 15, 1935
250 thousand people gathered at the Sanken Garden facing
the legislative Building
The inauguration began with;
Invocation read by Msgr. Gabriel M. Reyes the
Archbishop of Cebu
Outgoing Governor-General Frank H. Murphy read the
proclamation of the US President F.D. Roosevelt
providing for the establishment of the new Philippine
government, the commonwealth
Inaugural speech (focus on the establishment of a simple,
honest but efficient government machinery
Administration of Justice
To ensure the speedy disposition of cases
Court of Appeals composed of a Presiding Justice and
14 Associates Justice was created on February 1,
1936 by Law upon the recommendation of President
Quezon
The Honorable Pedro Conception became the first
Presiding Justice of The Court of Appeal
Aiding the speedy administration of justice to the people, 62
Judges of Courts of First Instance and 747 justices of the
Peace all over the country
List of presidents
Japanese occupation of the Philippines
World War in the Philippines
The transitory Commonwealth of the Philippines was
supposed to last for 10 years, after which it would become
independent, a Republic of the Philippines.
However after 6 years of experimental transition, the
Japanese invaded the Philippines
Philippines protector of US
It was expected that Japan would invade Philippines the
Philippine Commonwealth by International Law was
protectorate of sorts of the US
President Quezon and General Douglas McArthur knew it and
they prepared for the defense system of the archipelago
Japanese Occupation
3 and half years Japan occupied the countryThe Quezon
Commonwealth Administration with the approval of the US
government, fled in exile to the US
The Japanese invasion of the Philippines and the Japanese
occupation of the countries of Southeast Asia were inline of
the blueprint on empire building of the Tanaka Memorial
which was submitted by the former Prime Minister Baron
Tanaka to the Japanese Emperor Hirohito in 1927
Emperor Hirohito
War Preparations in the Philippines
As irritants worsened between Japan and the US, vigorous
preparation for the defense of the Philippines continued
Recruitment of Filipino youth to the Armed forces was
accelerated
The US deployed additional troop reinforcements to the
country and military materials and equipment to the newly
created United States Armed Forces in the Far East
(USAFFE)
The Commonwealths armed forces immediately incorporated
into USAFFE under the command of Gen. Douglas
McArthur
The War in the Pacific
January 27, 1941 the American learned a surprise attack on
Pearl Harbor was planned by the Japanese military forces but
this warning was not considered seriously
Without any formal declaration of war, the Japanese
launched a sneak attack at the US naval base in Pearl
Harbor, in Hawaii in the morning of December 7, 1941
Pearl Harbor
The headquarters and the main base of the US Pacific Fleet
More than 300 Japanese planes, launched from 6 aircraft
carriers caught the Americans unprepared
US suffered heavy loses 3,435 casualties
December 8, 1941
President Franklin D. Roosevelt appeared before the US
Congress to ask for a formal declaration of war against
Japan
December 11 Japan allies Germany and Italy declared war on
the US
War in the Philippines
World War II came to the Philippines by noon of December
8, 1941 with Japanese planes from Formosa (Taiwan)
bombed Clark and Iba Fields
Midnight of December 8, 1941
Davao, Tugegarao and Tarlac were similarly attacked by the
Japanese bombers struck Nichols Field (Nichols Field was a
U.S. military airfield located south
of Manila in Pasay and Paraaque, Metro Manila, Luzon,
the Philippines)
The simultaneous Japanese air attacks depleted American air
power in the Philippines
December 10, 1941
14
Japanese bombers attacked Manila and
the Cavite Naval base
The next day the enemy planes returned to the same targets
These enemy aircraft was successfully by 5 Philippine search
planes piloted by Captain Jesus Villamor (the first Filipino
pilot to shoot down and enemy aircraft in combat and
awarded by McArthur a distinguished Service Cross for these
feet) and Lieutenants, Aklan, Gozar, Manlunas and Basa
The Defense of Bataan and Corrigidor
USAFFE forces could not stop the Japanese attack
Filipino-American forces had to retreat to Bataan Peninsula,
where there to make it as the center of resistance while
waiting for promised reinforcement from US that never came
Manila Open City
Manila was declared an Open City to spare it from further
Japanese bombardment and destruction
January 2, 1942 Japanese invaders entered the city without
a shot fired
A few days earlier President Quezon and his Cabinet had
evacuated to Corregidor
Surrender in Bataan
Continuously assailed by enemy artillery and massive air
bombings, the disease-ridden, hungry and battle fatigue
defender of Bataan gave ground and surrendered to the
Japanese on April 9, 1942
General Edward King, the USAFFE field commander
accepted the Japanese terms
Bataan Death March
76,000 USAFFE soldiers (66,000 were Filipino troops) who
surrender in Bataan experience Japanese sadism
They were forced to by their conquerors to march from
Mariveles in Bataan to Capas in Tarlac
100 kilometers
They marched under the searing heat of the sun
Emaciated from either hunger or sickness and weakened by
fatigue and thirst
Thousand of Filipino and American prisoners of war died
along the route, many of them mercilessly bayoneted by the
Japanese guards
Reached the Prison
Camp O Donnel
56,000 reached the prison Camp O Donnel alive on April
15, 1942 (7 days)
A war atrocity for which Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma
Commander of the Japanese Imperial Forces in the
Philippines was found guilty as a war criminal ordered
hanged by an Allied military tribunal after the war
At Camp O Donnel 22,155 Filipinos and 2,000 American
died
Bataan Death March
Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma
Camp O Donnel
The Flight of Quezon
and McArthur
To avoid the possible capture of Quezon by the Japanese,
President Roosevelt urged Filipino leader to escape to the US
Following Roosevelts counsel, Quezon and his family left
Corregidor by Submarine on February 20, 1942 and
reached Australia safety
From there he and his family sailed to US where the
Commonwealth government in exile was established
With Quezon in Washington were Sergio Osmena and some
members of the Commonwealth Cabinet
Gen McArthur
Upon the order of President Roosevelt, General McArthur left
Corregidor on March 11, 1942 and proceed to Australia, He
made this solemn pledge to the Filipinos: I came through
and I shall return!
Establishment of Japanese Rule
A day after the bloodless fall of Manila, the Japanese began
to establish military authority in areas they had already
occupied
January 3, 1942 Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma issued a
proclamation declaring the US sovereignty over the
Philippines had completely disappeared.
Homma declared martial law under the Japanese Military
Administration
They announced that their objective was to free the Filipinos
from the oppressive denomination of the US and to
incorporate Philippines as a part of the Greater East Asia
and Co-Prosperity Sphere
Filipino Leaders under the control of the Japanese
The Japanese authorities invited prominent Filipino leaders to
form a new government of the Philippines but under the
control of Japanese Military High Command
A letter of response was signed by 32 Filipino leaders and
sent to the Japanese High Command
The signatories led by Jorge Vargas mayor of the city
of greater Manila (signified their intentions to cooperate
and that they would obey the orders of the Japanese
authorities for maintenance of peace and order and the
promotion of the well being of our people.)
January 23, 1942
The executive commission was created by the Japanese
military authorities
Former National Assembly Speaker - Jose Yulo was
designated as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Japanese advisers were assigned into each departments of
the Executive Commissions
Chairman Jorge Vargas
Commissioners
Benign Aquino
Interior
Antonio de Las Alas
Finance
Rafael Alunan
Agriculture and Commerce
Jose P. Laurel
Justice
Claro M. Recto
Education, Health and Public Welfare
15
Quintin Paredes
Public Works and Communications
Filipino Leaders who opted not to collaborate with the
Japanese
Jose Abad Santos
The Chief Justice of Supreme Court of the Philippines
Captured in Cebu, he was asked by the Japanese to
collaborate with them
He refused and was executed by the Japanese in Malabang
Lanao on May 2, 1942
Policies of Attraction
The Japanese authorities had embarked on a cultural
propaganda in order to gain the cooperation and
goodwill of Filipinos
In order to draw the loyalty of the people away from the US,
the Japanese tried to erase all races of American
influence in the Philippines
Changes
The Japanese ordered of changing of the American
names of streets, owns and buildings to either Filipino
or Japanese names
The propaganda section of the Japanese Army celebrated
Japanese history and culture
The Japanese presented themselves as the true friends of
the Filipinos and the American as their enemies
Educational and Religious Institution
It was used as vehicles of Japanese propaganda
Nippongo, the Japanese language, was made a compulsory
course in all schools
In government and private offices classes in Nippongo were
opened to propagate the Japanese language, history and
culture
Japanese Catholic priests were sent to the Philippines to
help to promote the idea that Japan, being an Asian peoples
including Filipinos
Slogan were circulated in cities and towns throughout the
country
Asia for Asians, Asia is one Philippines for Filipinos
Refusal in collaboration
Despite these policies of attraction and cultural propaganda
of the Japanese, the majority of Filipinos refused to
collaborate with the Japanese
The social and economic conditions brought by war went
from bad to worst
Japanese military policies or Kempeitai became brutally
inhumane in its treatment of Filipinos they arrested
By their brutality, Filipinos developed a universal antagonism
towards Japanese
General Homma listed 17 acts punishable by death
Rebellion
Espionage/Spying
Causing damage on roads, waterways and communications
Stealing arms and ammunitions
Murder
Robbery
Arson
Counterfeiting
Aiding a person who had violated martial law
Inhumane
The Japanese Army confiscated from the people whatever it
needed especially food
They confiscated from Filipinos any vehicle they can use for
whatever purpose
Persons suspected of being guerillas were picked up, tortured
and executed
Independence
The Japanese even tried to foster nationalism among Filipinos
They encourage the use of national language
Japan through Hideki Tojo promised them independence
Philippine Independence
To facilitate their effort to rally the Filipinos to their side and
against the American the Japanese promised independence
to the Philippines
The promise was first made by Japanese Premier Hideki
Tojo, in speech before the Diet, Japans parliament on
January 21, 1942
In his speech he said that the Philippines would be granted
independence provided Filipinos collaborated with Japan in
establishing a Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere
Following his visit in May 1943 he announced that Philippine
Independence would be given by Japan in the same year
Groundwork for Philippine Independence
The Japanese authorities ordered the creation of the
Preparatory Commission for Philippine Independence
This commission was headed by Jose P. Laurel with
Roman Avancena and Benigno Aquino as first ad second
vice chairmen
September 4, 1943
The constitution was drafted and signed by members of the
Commission
It was ratified 3 days later by the members of KALIBAPI
Kapisanan sa paglilingkod sa bagong Pilipinas
The Republic of the Philippines with 3 branches of
government
The executive power vested in the President of the
Philippines
The Unicameral National Assembly exercised legislative
power
The Judicial power vested in the supreme court
September 25, 1943
The National Assembly unanimously chose Benigno Aquino as
speaker and Jose P. Laurel as president of the republic
Elisa Ochoa from Agusan was the only woman member
of the assembly
The Second Republic of the Philippines
October 14, 1943 for the second time, the independence of
the Philippines was declared and a Philippine Republic was
formally inaugurated
President Jose P Laurel in his speech emphasized the need
for more Filipinism self reliance and self sufficiency, self
sacrifice
Abolishment of Japanese Military Administration
On the day of the inauguration of the Republic the Japanese
Military Administration was abolished
16
However in the provinces where there were Japanese
garrisons, the Japanese still controlled and govern the
people
Puppet republic
It was ignored by most counties
Only Japan, her axis allies (Italy and Germany) fascist Spain
and a handful of axis satellite status recognized the
Philippines
They continued to recognize the government in exile of
President Quezon
Many of the Filipinos remain loyal to Quezon and to the
Commonwealth
The Kalibapi
December 1942, the Japanese Military Administration
ordered the abolition of all existing political parties in
the Philippines
In place of these political parties Philippine Executive
Commission Chairman Jorge Vargas upon the instruction of
Japanese Military Administration issued an executive order
creating the Kalibapi (Society for Service to the New
Philippines)
Officer of Kalibapi
President Jorge Vargas
Vice President and Director General Benigno S. Aquino
(directly controlled the administration of the organization
Aim of Kalibapi
To unify the Filipinos in order to extend positive cooperation
to the Japanese Military Administration in the reconstruction
of the country
And to invigorate in the people such Oriental values as faith,
self reliance, self sacrifice and hard work
Membership
All Filipinos 18 years old and above could join the
organization
Government officials and employees had to be a member of
the organization
Kalibapi was expanded to include all civic groups
Junior version of the association was created for the youth it
was called kabataang kalibapi
The Makapili
Makabayang Pilipino or League of Nationalistic Filipinos
Formally organized on December 8, 1944
Leader Benigno Ramos and Artemio Ricarte as founding
officials
It was organized at a time when Japanese position in the
Philippines was already weak; General McArthur had already
landed at Leyte and re-established the Commonwealth on
October 23, 1944
General Yamashita
Inspired by General Yamashita the organization, therefore
was a last channel attempt to fulfill the obligations of the
Republic of the Philippines in the pact of alliance with the
empire of Japan and by collaborating unreservedly with the
Imperial Japanese Army and Navy in the Philippines
Its military section was called Bisig Bakal ng Tagala or Arms
of Steel of the Philippines it was led by Aurelio Alvero
Recruitment
Makapilis recruited its members from the former Sakdals and
Ganaps, the financial followers of Pro-Japanese Benigno
Ramos, who boasted that his organization would be
independent of the republic and subject only to the authority
of the Japanese Commander-in-Chief
Life during the Japanese Occupation
At the early days of occupation, all means of production are
rigidly under Japanese control
Few banks were allowed to operate, under a strict conditions
Buying and selling was the principal source of income of
some enterprising Filipinos
The paper currency or Mickey Mouse money introduced by
the Japanese provoked an inflation of alarming productions
The cost of living skyrocketed
Food and medicines and other basic necessities were in
scarcity
Hunger and sickness cast a shadow upon the country
In the cities it became necessary to institute food rationing
To augment the limited food supply, the people turned
vacant lots into vegetable gardens
Serious Problem
Food shortage
Many farmers left their farms to escape the crossfire or in
many instances, from Japanese atrocity
In many occasions, the Japanese troops fed themselves by
forcibly seizing whatever food stocks they can get from the
people
Medicine shortage
Scarcity of medicine and medicine supplies
Health conditions in the country were very terrible Dysentery,
malaria and tuberculosis were the common diseases that
caused deaths to many people
There were few doctors and registered nurses available
Due to the destruction caused by the war, hospital services
and medical facilities were very limited
The people in the rural areas resorted to herbs, special plants
or barks of trees for their cure or treatment
Filipino Resistance
Underground resistance to the Japanese continued in the
form of unconventional guerilla movement waged by former
Filipino officers and soldiers and their new recruits and a few
Americans who did not surrender to the Japanese
In some towns of Central Luzon,- HUKBALAHAP (Hukbo
ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon) controlled zones, the guerillas
were farmers during the day and became fighters by night
Famous Filipino Guerilla Leaders
HUKBALAHAP (Cetral Luzon) Luis Taruc and Castro
Alejandrino
Northern Luzon Guillermo Nakar
Mountain Province Bado Dangwa
Lanao Ali Dimaporo
Leyte Col. Ruperto Kangleon
Mindanao Salipada K. Pendatum
Bicol Wenceslao Q. Vinzon
Panay Macario Peralta
Ilocos Norte Roque Ablan
Manila Terry Adevoso and Marcos Agustin
17

American Guerillas
Wendell Fertig
Bernard Anderson
Russel Volckmann
Walter Cushing
CA Thorpe
Robert Lapham
Edwin Ramsey
Liberation of the Philippines
The Return of MacArthur
People of the Philippine, I have returned
General MacArthur kept his promise to return to the
Philippines on 20 October 1944.
The landings on the island of Leyte (Palo beach) were
accompanied by a force of 700 vessels and 174,000 men.
General MacArthur went ashore Red Beach with President
Sergio Osmena, General Basilio Valdes, and General Carlos
Romulo (nb Quezon died at NY)
3 days later President Osmena declared restoration of the
legitimate Commonwealth Government, with Tacloban as
temporarily capital
Defeat of Japanese
Through December 1944, the islands
of Leyte and Mindoro were cleared of Japanese soldiers.
During the campaign, the Imperial Japanese Army conducted
a suicidal defense of the islands.
Cities such as Manila (the second most destroyed Allied city
in WWII) were reduced to ruins.
Between 500,000 and 1,000,000 Filipinos died during the
occupation.
Liberation of Manila
Evening of February 3, guided by guerillas led by Captain
Manuel Colayco units of the First Cavalry Division of the US
Army made a commando raid and took the American
Internment Camp at Santo Tomas
They freed thousand of Allied internees but Captain
Colayco lost his life during the rescue operation
February 8, the whole northern part of the city was cleared
by the Japanese
Organized Japanese resistance in Manila ended only when
Intramuros was captured by the Liberators
Battles for Liberation of the Philippines
January 1, 1945, the liberation forces made a surprise
landing at Mindoro
January 9 at Lingayen Gulf
January 23 reconquest of Camp O Donnel and Conception
Tarlac
January 25 Clark Field and Fort Stotsenberg
January 31 Olongapo submarine
February 19, 1945 liberation of Visayas and Mindanao
The end of the 2nd
Philippine Republic
2 weeks before liberation forces landed in Luzon, Laurel with
his family and his cabinet evacuated to Baguio City
Shortly before the city fell, the Japanese evacuated Laurel
with his family, cabinet member Camilo Osias, Speaker
Benigno Aquino, Tomas Capinpin, and Jorge Vargas to Japan
in April
August 17, 1945 from his refuge in Nara, Japan Laurel
issued an Executive Proclamation declaring the termination of
the Philippine Republic of 1943
Third republic
The Collaboration issue
What to be done with the Filipino who collaborated with the
Japanese sponsored republic
Problem confronted by President Osmena after liberation
August 20, 1945 Osmena presented to the Congress an
administrative measure establishing Peoples Courts whose
judges were not to identified to deal with the collaboration
issue
During the deliberations on the bill on collaboration Manuel
Roxas worked for the adoption of a provision granting
freedom on bail for collaborator detainees
September 1945 , the US Volunteer Intelligence Corps
handed over the Commonwealth government the list of
political detainees
Decision for the Japanese collaborators
The US government insistent in punishing the collaborators
and even exerted pressure on Osmena to take severe
punishment
Lorenzo M. Tanada named as Solicitor General who
would prosecute the collaborators
The first to be tried by the Peoples Court was Teofilo Sison
the Secretary of National Defense, he was sentenced to life
imprisonment
January 28, 1948 President Roxas proclaimed amnesty to
all collaborators
Last Year of Commonwealth
1935 Constitution established a unicameral National Assembly
as the legislature of the Philippine Commonwealth
1940 the Constitution was amended to establish a bicameral
Congress of the Philippines
November 1941 members of the Congress were not able to
convene because of the Japanese occupation happened on
December
Senate and House of Representatitve
The Congress of the Philippines was convened for the first
time on June 6, 1945
Manuel Roxas elected as Senate President
Jose C. Zulueta House of Representative
Passed a law calling for national elections on April 23, 1946
Party Lists
The ruling party during the restoration of the Commonwealth
Osmena accepted the Nationalista Party nomination as
standard bearer and Eulogio Amang Rodriguez as his VP
Manuel Roxas bolted out of the party and formed a new
political party Liberal Party where he became the
presidential candidate with Elpedio Quirino as his VP
Nationalista/Liberal Party
1946 Elections
The Liberal Party emerged winner
Out of 16 senatorial seats - 9 came from Liberal
18
House of Representative 60 out of 98 came also from Liberal,
they capture the majority
With the support of General MacArthur
May 25, the newly elected Congress was re-organized and
Senator Jose Avelino Perez House Speaker
The Roxas Administration
July 4, 1946 April 16, 1948
Manuel Acua Roxas - Manuel Roxas y Acua
January 1, 1892 April 16, 1948
The fifth President of the Philippines who served from 1946
until his death in 1948.
He briefly served as the third and last President of
the Commonwealth of the Philippines from May 28, 1946 to
July 4, 1946
The first President of the independent Third Philippine
Republic after the United States surrendered its sovereignty
over the Philippines.
Married life
Roxas was married to Trinidad de Leon at Our Lady of
Remedies Church located at Barangay Sibul, San Miguel,
Bulacan in 1921.
The couple had two children, Ma. Rosario ("Ruby"), who
married Vicente Roxas (no relation) and Gerardo Manuel
("Gerry"), who married Judy Araneta.
Clan of Mar Roxas
His son, Gerry, became a member of the Philippine House of
Representatives and a leader of Liberal Party of the
Philippines.
2004 - Gerry's sons, Manuel II ("Mar") and Gerardo, Jr.
("Dinggoy"), served as representatives from Capiz
Mar became a Senator and was also elected president of
the Liberal Party.
His daughter-in-law, Judy, continues to be a prominent and
driving force of the Liberal Party.
Political Career
Roxas occupied more important positions in the Philippine
government than any other Filipino had ever held before him.
Starting in 1917 he was a member of the municipal council of
Capiz.
He became the youngest governor of his province and served
in this capacity from 1919 to 1922.
Political Career
He was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives in
1922, and for twelve consecutive years was Speaker of the
House.
He was member of the Constitutional Convention 1934 to
1935, Secretary of Finance, Chairman of the National
Economic Council, Chairman of the National Development
Company and many other government corporations and
agencies, Brigadier General in the USAFFE, Recognized
Guerilla leader and Military leader of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army.
During the WWII
Roxas - an officer in the reserves, he was made liaison officer
between the Commonwealth government and the United
States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) headquarters of
General Douglas MacArthur.
He accompanied President Quezon to Corregidor where he
supervised the destruction of Philippine currency to prevent
its capture by the Japanese.
When Quezon left Corregidor, Roxas went to Mindanao to
direct the resistance there.
It was prior to Quezon's departure that he was made
Executive Secretary and designated as successor to the
presidency in case Quezon or Vice-President Sergio
Osmea were captured or killed.
Japanese Occupation
Roxas was captured in 1942 by the Japanese invasion forces.
He became chief advisor to Jos P. Laurel, but secretly
sympathetic to the guerrilla movement
He was returned by the military service of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army joining the troops and military officers
of men was beginning the liberation against the Japanese
forces.
Senate President
When the Congress of the Philippines was convened in 1945,
the legislators elected in 1941 chose Roxas as Senate
President.
Last President of the Commonwealth
Roxas served as the President of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines in a brief period, from May 28, 1946 to July 4,
1946 during which time Roxas helped prepared the
groundwork for an independent Philippines.
June 3, 1946
President Roxas appeared for the first time before the joined
session of Congress to deliver his message on the Senate of
the Nation
He informed the member of the Congress of the grave
problems and difficulties facing the nation (next to Poland,
Manila was declared as the 2nd most devastated city during
the war
End of Commonwealth Administration
Manuel Roxas' term as the President of the Commonwealth
ended on the morning of July 4, 1946, when the Third
Republic of the Philippines was inaugurated and
independence from the United States proclaimed.
July 4, 1946
The inauguration of Republic of the Philippines and Philippine
Independence was proclaimed
The Historical event witnessed by 300,000 people and the
representatives of 25 nations marked the fulfillment of the
liberation
The Inauguration
It was marked by the simultaneous lowering of the Stars and
Stripes and raising of the National Flag, a 21-gun salute, and
the pealing of church bells.
Roxas then swore the Oath of Office as the first President of
the new Republic.
19
The inaugural ceremonies took
place at Luneta Park
in the City of Manila
Dignitaries
On the Grandstand alone were around 3,000 dignitaries and
guests, consisting of President Roxas, Vice-President Quirino,
their respective parties and the Cabinet; the last High
Commissioner to the Philippines and first Ambassador to the
Philippines Paul McNutt; General Douglas MacArthur ; United
States Postmaster General Robert E. Hannegan; a delegation
from the United States Congress led
by Maryland Senator Millard Tydings (author of the Tydings
McDuffie Act) and Missouri Representative C. Jasper
Bell (author of the Bell Trade Act); and former Civil Governor-
General Francis Burton Harrison.
Members of the Cabinet
Problem of the Country due to WWII
The country was facing near bankruptcy.
There was no national economy, no export trade.
Indeed, production for exports had not been restored.
On the other hand, imports were to reach the amount of
three million dollars.
There was need of immediate aid from the United Nations
Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
Again, loans from the United States, as well as some increase
in the national revenues, were to help the new Republic.
Roxas Solution
The main remedies proposed was the establishment of the
Philippine Rehabilitation Finance Corporation.
This entity would be responsible for the construction of
twelve thousand houses and for the grant of easy-term loans
in the amount of 177,000,000 pesos.
Another proposal was the creation of the Central Bank of the
Philippines to help stabilize the Philippine dollar reserves and
coordinate and the nations banking activities gearing them to
the economic progress.
Concentrating on the sugar industry, President Roxas would
exert such efforts as to succeed in increasing production from
13,000 tons at the time of the Philippine liberation to an all-
high of one million tons.
Reconstruction after the war
The postwar Philippines had burned cities and towns, ruined
farms and factories, blasted roads and bridges, shattered
industries and commerce, and thousands of massacred
victims.
The new Republic began to function on an annual
deficit/shortage of over Php 200,000,000 with little prospect
of a balanced budget for some years to come.
Schools
The war had paralyzed the educational system, where 80%
of the school buildings, their equipment, laboratories and
furniture were destroyed.
Numberless books, invaluable documents and works of art,
irreplaceable historical relics and hundreds of churches and
temples were burned.
The reconstruction of the damaged school buildings alone
cost more than Php 126,000,000,000.
Manila
Manila and other cities then were infested with criminal
gangs which used techniques of American gangsters in some
activitiesbank holdups, kidnapping and theft.
In rural regions, especially the provinces of Central
Luzon and the Southern Tagalog regions,
the Hukbalahap and brigands terrorized towns and barrios.
Agrarian reform
In 1946, shortly after his induction to Presidency, Manuel
Roxas proclaimed the Rice Share Tenancy Act of 1933
effective throughout the country.
However problems of land tenure continued.
Among the remedial measures enacted was Republic Act No.
1946 likewise known as the Tenant Act which provided for a
7030 sharing arrangements and regulated share-tenancy
contracts.
It was passed to resolve the ongoing peasant unrest in
Central Luzon.
Amnesty proclamation
President Roxas, on January 28, 1948, granted full amnesty
to all so-called Philippine collaborators, many of whom were
on trial or awaiting to be tried, particularly former
President Jos P. Laurel (19431945).
The Amnesty Proclamation did not apply to those
"collaborators", who were charged with the commission of
common crimes, such as murder, rape, and arson.
The presidential decision did much to heal a standing wound
that somehow threatened to divide the people's sentiments.
It was a much-called for measure to bring about a closer
unity in the trying times when such was most needed for the
progress of the nation.
Huks outlawed/banned
Disgusted with the crimes being committed by Hukb ng
Bayan Laban sa Hapn (Nation's Army Against the Japanese,
also called "the Huks") and possessing evidence of their
subversion, Roxas issued a proclamation outlawing the Huk
movement on March 6, 1948.
It had become an crucial in view of the recovery of Huk
depredations, following the unseating of the seven
Communists, led by Huk Supremo Luis Taruc through acts of
terrorism.
Foreign policy
Treaty of General Relations
On August 5, 1946, the Congress of the Philippines ratified
the Treaty of General Relations that had been entered into by
and between the Republic of the Philippines and the United
States on July 4, 1946.
The Treaty reserved for the United States some bases for the
mutual protection of both countries; consented that the
20
United States represent the Philippines in countries where the
latter had not yet established diplomatic representation;
made the Philippines assume all debts and obligations of the
former government in the Philippines; and provided for the
settlement of property rights of the citizens of both countries.
United States military bases
Although Roxas was successful in getting rehabilitation funds
from the United States after independence, he was forced to
grant military bases (23 of which were leased for 99 years),
trade restriction for the Philippine citizens, and special
privileges for U.S. property owner and investor.
Party Rights Amendment
On March 11, 1947, Philippine voters, agreeing with Roxas,
ratified in a nationwide plebiscite the "parity amendment" to
the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines, granting United
States citizens the right to dispose of and utilize Philippine
natural resources, or parity/equality rights.
Assassination attempt
The night before the plebiscite, Roxas narrowly escaped
assassination by Julio Guillen, a discontented barber
from Tondo, Manila, who throw a grenade at the platform
on Plaza Miranda immediately after Roxas had addressed a
rally
Controversies
His administration was marred by graft and corruption;
moreover, the abuses of the provincial military police
contributed to the rise of the left-wing (Huk) movement in
the countryside.
His heavy-handed attempts to crush the Huks led to
widespread peasant disaffection.
The good record of Roxas administration was stained by two
failures: the failure to control graft and corruption in the
government, as evidenced by the Surplus War Property
scandal, the Chinese immigration scandal and the School
supplies scandal; and the failure to check and stop the
communist Hukbalahap movement.
Death
Roxas did not finish his full four-year term. On the morning of
April 15, 1948 Roxas delivered a speech before the United
States Thirteenth Air Force.
After the speech, he felt dizzy and was brought to the
residence of Major General E.L. Eubank at Clark
Field, Pampanga.
He died later that night of a heart attack.
Roxas term
Roxas' term as President is thus the third shortest, lasting
one year, ten months, and 18 days.
On April 17, 1948, two days after Roxas' death, Vice-
President Elpidio Quirino took the oath of office as President
of the Philippines.
Elpidio Quirino
THE 6TH PRESIDENT
Life
Elpidio Rivera Quirino - Elpidio Quirino y Rivera
November 16, 1890 February 29, 1956
Native of Caoayan, Ilocos Sur although born in Vigan, Ilocos
Sur to Don Mariano Quebral Quirino of Caoayan, Ilocos Sur
and Doa Gregoria Mendoza Rivera of Agoo, La Union.
Served as the sixth President of the Philippines from 1948 to
1953.
After his term, he retired to his new country home
in Novaliches, Quezon City, where he died of a heart attack
on February 29, 1956.
Educational Attainment and Working Experience
He studied and graduated from his elementary education to
his native Caoayan, where he became a barrio teacher.
He received secondary education at Vigan High School, then
went to Manila where he worked as junior computer
technician at the Bureau of Lands and as property clerk in the
Manila police department.
He graduated from Manila High School in 1911 and also
passed the civil service examination, first-grade.
Quirino attended the University of the Philippines.
In 1915, he earned his law degree from the
university's College of Law, and was admitted to the bar later
that year.
He was engaged in the private practice of law.
He was later inducted into the Pan Xenia Fraternity, a
professional trade fraternity in the University of the
Philippines, in the year 1950.
Family
Quirino was married to Alicia Syquia on January 16, 1921.
The couple had five children: Tomas, Armando,
Norma, Victoria, and Fe
Only Quirino, his son Tomas, and his daughter Victoria,
survived when the Japanese massacred the family during the
war.
His brother Antonio Quirino was the owner of Alto
Broadcasting System, which later merged with Chronicle
Broadcasting Network to form the ABS-CBN Broadcasting
Corporation.
Congressional career
Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Philippine
Commonwealth and Independence Act on March 24,
Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc.
House of Representatives
Quirino was engaged in the private practice of law until he
was elected as member of the Philippine House of
Representatives from 1919 to 1925, succeeding Alberto
Reyes.
In 1925 he was succeeded as Congressman by Vicente
Singson Pablo.
Senate
Quirino was elected as Senator from 1925 to 1931
representing the First Senatorial District.
21
He then served as Secretary of Finance and Secretary of the
Interior in the Commonwealth government.
In 1934, Quirino was a member of the Philippine
Independence mission to Washington, D.C., headed
by Manuel L. Quezon, that secured the passage in the United
States Congress of the TydingsMcDuffie Act.
This legislation set the date for Philippine independence by
1945.
Official declaration came on July 4, 1946.
Before and During the WWII
Before the Second World War, Quirino was re-elected to the
Senate but was not able to serve until 1945.
During the Battle of Manila in World War II, his wife, Alicia
Syquia, and three of his five children were killed as they fled
their home.
The Congress was likewise re-organized and in the Senate
Quirino was installed was Senate President pro tempore.
Presidency
After World War II, Quirino served as secretary of state and
vice president under the first president of the independent
Philippines, Manuel Roxas.
When Roxas died on April 15, 1948, Quirino succeeded to the
presidency.
The following year, he was elected president for a four-year
term on the Liberal Party ticket, defeating the Nacionalista
candidate.
Administration and Cabinet
First term (19481949)
Succession
Vice-President Elpidio Quirino was inaugurated as the 6th
President of the Philippines on April 17, 1948 at the Council
of State Room, Executive Building, Malacaan Palace.
April 17, 1948
Quirino assumed the presidency, taking his oath of office two
days after the death of Manuel Roxas.
His first official act as the President was the proclamation of
a state mourning throughout the country for Roxas' death.
Quirino was a widower, his surviving daughter Victoria
Quirino Gonzalez [Vicky] would serve as the official hostess
and perform the functions traditionally ascribed to the First
Lady.
New capital city
On July 17, 1948, the Congress approved Republic Act No.
333, amending Commonwealth Act No. 502,
declaring Quezon City the capital of the Philippines in place
of Manila.
Nevertheless, pending the official transfer of the government
offices to the new capital site, Manila remained to be such for
all effective purposes.
HUK issue
President Quirinos administration faced a serious threat in
the form of the Communist-led Hukbalahap (Huk) movement.
Though the Huks originally had been an anti-Japanese
guerrilla army in Luzon, the Communists steadily gained
control over the leadership, and, when Quirinos negotiations
with Huk commander Luis Taruc broke down in 1948, Taruc
openly declared himself a Communist and called for the
overthrow of the government.
By 1950 the Huks had gained control over a considerable
portion of Luzon, and Quirino appointed the able Ramon
Magsaysay as secretary of national defense to suppress the
insurrection.
Fireside chats
To bring the government closer to the people, he
revived President Quezon's "fireside chats", in which he
enlightened the people on the activities of the Republic by
the periodic radio broadcasts from Malacaan Palace.
Impeachment attempt
Riding on the summit of the growing wave of bitterness
against the Liberal Party, a move to formulate to impeach
President Quirino himself.
Led by Representative Agripino Escareal, a committee
composed of seven members of the House of Representatives
prepared a five-count accusation ranging from nepotism
(favoritism) to gross expenditures.
Speaker Eugenio Prez appointed a committee of seven,
headed by Representative Lorenzo Sumulong to look into the
charges preparatory to their filing with the Senate, acting as
an impeachment body.
Solicitor General
Felix Angelo Bautista
Entered his appearance as defense counsel for the chief
executive.
Following several hearings, on April 19, 1949, after a rather
turbulent session that lasted all night, the congressional
committee reached a verdict completely clear/absolved the
President.
Romulo becomes President of the UN General Assembly
Great honor was paid the Philippines when, in September
1949, the Fourth General Assembly of the United Nations
elected delegate Carlos P. Romulo as its President.
The first Oriental to hold the position, Romulo was strongly
supported by the Anglo-Saxon bloc, as well as by the group
of Spanish-speaking nations, thus underscoring the hybrid
nature of the Filipino people's culture and upbringing.
1949 Presidential election
Incumbent President Elpidio Quirino won a full term
as President of the Philippines after the untimely death
of President Manuel Roxas in 1948.
His running mate, Senator Fernando Lpez won as Vice
President.
Despite factions created in the administration party, Quirino
won a satisfactory vote from the public.
It was the only time in Philippine history where the duly
elected president, vice president and senators all came from
the same party, the Liberal Party.
22

Second term (19491953)
President Elpidio Quirino was inaugurated for his first full
term as President of the Philippines on December 30, 1949 at
the Independence Grandstand (now Quirino Grandstand),
Manila.
Baguio Conference
In May 1950, upon the invitation of President Qurino, through
the insistent suggestion of United Nations President Carlos P.
Romulo, official representatives of India, Pakistan, Ceylon,
Thailand, Indonesia, and Australia met in the city
of Baguio for a regional conference sponsored by
the Philippines.
The delegates discussed economic and, most of all, cultural,
problems confronting their respective countries.
Strangely enough however, the Baguio Conference ended
with an official communiqu in which the nations attending
the same expressed their united agreement in supporting the
right to self-determination of all peoples the world over.
This initial regional meet held much promise of a future
alliance of these neighboring nations for common protection
and aid.
Peace campaign
With the Communist organization estimated to still have more
than 40,000 duly registered members by March 1951, the
government went on with its sustained campaign to cope
with the worsening peace and order problem
The 1951 budget included the use of a residue fund for the
land resettlement program in favor of the surrendered HUKS.
The money helped maintain the Economic Development
Corps (EDCOR), with its settlements of 6,500 hectares in
Kapatagan (Lanao) and 25,000 hectares in Buldon
(Cotabato).
In each group taken to these places there was a nucleus of
former Army personnel and their families, who became a
stabilizing factor and ensured the success of the program.
Indeed, less than ten percent of the Huks who settled down
gave up this new lease in life offered them by the
government.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
To promote the smooth restructuring of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines, the military were made to undergo a
reorganization.
Battalion combat teams of 1,000 men each were established.
Each operated independently of the High Command, except
for overall coordination in operational plans.
A total of 26 Battalion Combat Teams were put up. New army
units were also established, such was the first Airborne Unit,
the Scout Rangers, the Canine Unit, and the Cavalry Unit.
These units all showed considerable ability.
1951 midterm election
After a sweep by the Liberals in 1949, many Filipinos doubted
the election result.
This brought a sweep by the Nacionalistas in the 1951
elections.
There was a special election for the vacated senate seat
of Fernando Lopez, who won as Vice President in 1949.
The Liberals won no seats in the senate.
1953 Presidential election
Quirino ran for re-election to the presidency with Jos Yulo as
vice president in 1953 despite his ill health.
His defense secretary Ramon Magsaysay, resigned his office
and joined the Nacionalista Party.
Other prominent Liberalists, like Vice President Fernando
Lpez, Ambassador Carlos P. Romulo, Senators Toms
Cabili and Juan Sumulong, also bolted Quirino's party.
On August 22, 1953, Nacionalista and Democratic
Parties formed a coalition to ensure Quirino's full defeat. On
the election day, Quirino was defeated by Ramon
Magsaysay with a majority vote of 1.5 million.
Economy
Upon assuming the reins of government, Quirino announced
two main objectives of his administration:
The economic reconstruction of the nation
The restoration of the faith and confidence of the people in
the government.
In connection to the first agenda, he created the President's
Action Committee on Social Amelioration or PACSA to
mitigate the sufferings of indigent families, the Labor
Management Advisory Board to advise him on labor matters,
the Agricultural Credit Cooperatives Financing Administration
or ACCFA to help the farmers market their crops and save
them from loan sharks, and the Rural Banks of the Philippines
to facilitate credit utilities in rural areas.
Social program
Enhancing President Manuel Roxas' policy of social justice to
alleviate the lot of the common mass, President Quirino,
almost immediately after assuming office, started a series of
steps calculated to effectively ameliorate the economic
condition of the people.
Action
After periodic surprise visits to the slums of Manila and other
backward regions of the country, President Quirino officially
made public a seven-point program for social security, to wit:
Unemployment insurance
Old-age insurance
Accident and permanent disability insurance
Health insurance
Maternity insurance
State relief
Labor opportunity
Creation of Social Security Commission
Making Social Welfare Commissioner Asuncion Perez
chairman of the same.
This was followed by the creation of the President's Action
Committee on Social Amelioration, charges with extending
aid, loans, and relief to the less fortunate citizens. Both the
policy and its implementation were hailed by the people as
harbingers of great benefits.
23
Agrarian reform
As part of his Agrarian Reform agenda, President Quirino
issued on October 23, 1950 Executive Order No. 355 which
replaced the National Land Settlement Administration with
Land Settlement Development Corporation (LASEDECO)
which takes over the responsibilities of the Agricultural
Machinery Equipment Corporation and the Rice and Corn
Production Administration.
Integrity Board
To cope with the insistent clamor for government
improvement, President Quirino created the Integrity Board
to probe into reports of graft and corruption in high
government places.
Vice-President Fernando Lopez was most instrumental,
through his courageous exposes, in securing such a decision
from President Quirino.
Foreign policies
Quirino's administration excelled in diplomacy, impressing
foreign heads of states and world statesmen by his
intelligence and culture.
official travels
In United States, European countries, and Southeast Asia, he
represented the Philippines with flying colors.
During his six years of administration, he with his Foreign
Secretary Helen Cutaran Bennett was able to negotiate
treaties and agreements with other nations of the Free
World.
Visit of other Countries
Two Asian heads of state visited PhilippinesPresident
Chiang Kai-shek of the Republic of China in July 1949
President Achmed Sukarno of Indonesia in January 1951.
Korean War and
Filipino deployment
In 1950, Quirino authorized the deployment of over 7,450
Filipino soldiers to Korea, under the designation of
the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea or PEFTOK.
Korean War
On June 25, 1950, the world was surprised to hear the North
Korean aggression against the independent South Korea.
The United Nations immediately took up this challenge to the
security of this part of the world.
Carlos P. Romulo soon stood out as the most effective
spokesman for the South Korean cause.
On behalf of our government, Romulo offered to send a
Philippine military contingent to be under the overall
command of General Douglas MacArthur, who had been
named United Nations Supreme Commander for the punitive
expedition.
The Philippines, thus, became the first country to join the
United States in the offer of military assistance to
beleaguered /stess South Korea.
Action of the President
War in Korea
President Quirino took the necessary steps to make the
Philippine offer.
On a purely voluntary basis, the first contingent the Tenth
Battalion Combat Team was formed under Col. Azurin, and
dispatched to Korea, where its members quickly won much
renown for their military skill and bravery.
The name of Captain Jose Artiaga, Jr., heroically killed in
action, stands out as a symbol of our country's contribution
to the cause of freedom outside native shores.
Other Philippine Combat Teams successively replaced the
first contingent sent, and they all built a name for discipline,
tenacity, and courage, until the ceasefire that brought the
conflict to a arrest.
Quirino-Foster Agreement
By the time of the creation of the integrity board, moreover,
the Bell Mission, led by Daniel W. Bell, an American banker,
and composed of five members, with a staff of twenty
workers, following their period of stay in the Philippines,
beginning in July 1950, finally submitted its report on October
of the same year.
The Report made several proposals, most noteworthy, of
which were that the United States on, President Quirino
gamely and patriotically, took in the recommendations and
sought to implement them.
November 1950
President Quirino and William Chapman Foster, representing
the United States Government, signed an agreement by
virtue of which the former pledged to obtain the necessary
Philippine legislation, in keeping with the Bell Mission Report,
while envoy Foster promised the necessary by the same
Report.
Resistance of the Filipino
However, much as he tried to become a good president,
Quirino failed to win the people's affection.
Several factors caused the unpopularity of his administration,
namely:
Failure of government to check the Huk danger which made
travel in the provinces unsafe, as evidenced by the killing of
former First Lady Aurora Quezon and her companions on
April 28, 1949 by the Huks on the Bongabong-Baler road,
Baler, Tayabas (now part of Aurora province);
Economic distress of the times, aggravated by rising
unemployment rate, soaring prices of commodities, and
unfavorable balance of trade.
Post-presidency
Following his failed bid for re-election, Quirino retired from
politics to private life in 1953.
24
He offered his dedication to serve the Filipino people,
becoming the "Father of Foreign Service" in the Republic of
the Philippines.
Death
Qurino died of a heart attack during the leap year day of
February 29, 1956.
He was buried at Manila South Cemetery in Makati. On
February 29, 2016, Quirino's remains were relocated and
reinterred at a special tomb site in the Heroes'
Cemetery in Taguig, in time for the former President's 60th
death anniversary.
Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay, Sr.
THE 7TH PRESIDENT
Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay, Sr.
(August 31, 1907 March 17, 1957)
born in Iba, Zambales
August 31, 1907
Parents; Exequiel Magsaysay y de los Santos (April 18, 1874
in San Marcelino, Zambales January 24, 1968 in Manila), a
blacksmith, and Perfecta del Fierro y Quimson (April 18, 1887
in Castillejos, Zambales May 5, 1980 in Manila), a
schoolteacher.
Early life
He spent his grade school life somewhere in Castillejos and
his high school life at Zambales Academy in San Narciso,
Zambales.
After high school, Magsaysay entered the University of the
Philippines in 1927, where he enrolled in a pre-medical
course
He worked as a chauffeur to support himself as he studied
engineering; and later, he transferred to the Institute of
Commerce at Jos Rizal College (19281932), where he
received a baccalaureate in commerce.
He then worked as an automobile mechanic in a bus
company (Florida) and shop superintendent.
Career during World War II
At the outbreak of World War II, he joined the motor pool of
the 31st Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.
When Bataan surrendered in 1942, Magsaysay escaped to the
hills, narrowly evading Japanese arrest on at least four
occasions.
There he organized the Western Luzon Guerrilla Forces, and
was commissioned captain on April 5, 1942.
For three years, Magsaysay operated under Col. Merrill's
famed guerrilla outfit & saw action at Sawang, San
Marcelino, Zambales, first as a supply officer
codenamed Chow and later as commander of a 10,000 strong
force.
Magsaysay was among those instrumental in clearing the
Zambales coast of the Japanese prior to the landing of
American forces together with the Philippine
Commonwealth troops on January 29, 1945.
Family
He was married to Luz Magsaysay (ne Banzon) on June 16,
1933 and they had three children:
Teresita "Sita" Banzon-Magsaysay
Milagros "Mila" Banzon-Magsaysay
Ramon "Jun" Banzon-Magsaysay, Jr.
House of Representatives
On April 22, 1946, Magsaysay, encouraged by his ex-
guerrillas, was elected under the Liberal Party to
the Philippine House of Representatives.
In 1948, President Manuel Roxas chose Magsaysay to go
to Washington as Chairman of the Committee on Guerrilla
Affairs, to help to secure passage of the Rogers Veterans Bill,
giving benefits to Philippine veterans.
In the so-called "dirty election" of 1949, he was re-elected to
a second term in the House of Representatives.
During both terms he was Chairman of the House National
Defense Committee.
Secretary of National Defense
In early August 1950, he offered President Elpidio Quirino a
plan to fight the Communist guerillas, using his own
experiences in guerrilla warfare during World War II.
After some hesitation, Quirino realized that there was no
alternative and appointed Magsaysay Secretary of National
Defence on August 31, 1950.
He intensified the campaign against
the Hukbalahap guerillas.
State Visit
In June 1952, Magsaysay made a goodwill tour to the United
States and Mexico.
He visited New York, Washington, D.C. (with a medical
check-up at Walter Reed Hospital) and Mexico City where he
spoke at the Annual Convention of Lions International
1953 - Plan
President Quirino thought the threat of the Huks was under
control and Secretary Magsaysay was becoming too weak.
Magsaysay met with hindrance and obstruction from the
President and his advisers, in fear they might be unseated at
the next presidential election.
Although Magsaysay had at that time no intention to run, he
was urged from many sides and finally was convinced that
the only way to continue his fight against communism, and
for a government for the people, was to be elected President,
ousting the corrupt administration that, in his opinion, had
caused the rise of the communist guerrillas by bad
administration.
Resignation
Magsaysay resigned his post as defense secretary on
February 28, 1953, and became the presidential candidate of
the Nacionalista Party, disputing the nomination with
senator Camilo Osas at the Nacionalista national convention.
1951 Padilla incident
When news reached Magsaysay that his political
partner Moises Padilla was being tortured by men of
provincial governor Lacson, he rushed to Negros Occidental,
but was too late.
25
 He was then informed that Padilla's body was swimming in
blood, pierced by fourteen bullets, and was positioned on a
police bench in the town plaza.
Magsaysay himself carried Padilla's corpse with his bare
hands and delivered it to the morgue, and the next day, news
clips showed pictures of him doing so.
Magsaysay even used this event during his presidential
campaign in 1953.
Trial
The trial against Lacson started in January 1952
Magsaysay and his men presented enough evidence to
convict Lacson and his 26 men for murder.[
August 1954, Judge Eduardo Enrquez ruled the men were
guilty and Lacson, his 22 men and three other mayors of
Negros Occidental municipalities were condemned to
the electric chair
Presidential election of 1953
Presidential elections were held on November 10, 1953 in the
Philippines.
Incumbent President Elpidio Quirino lost his opportunity for a
second full term as President of the Philippines to former
Defense Secretary Magsaysay.
His running mate, Senator Jos Yulo lost to Senator Carlos P.
Garca.
Vice President Fernando Lopez did not run for re-election.
This was the first time that an elected Philippine president did
not come from the Senate.
Moreover, Magsaysay started the practice in the Philippines
of "campaign jingles" during elections, for one of his
inclinations and hobbies was dancing.
Magsaysay as the President
In the Election of 1953, Magsaysay was decisively elected
president over the incumbent Elpidio Quirino.
He was sworn into office wearing the Barong Tagalog, a first
by a Philippine president.
He was then called "Mambo Magsaysay".
As president, he was a close friend and supporter of the
United States and a vocal spokesman against communism
during the Cold War.
He led the foundation of the Southeast Asia Treaty
Organization, also known as the Manila Pact of 1954, that
aimed to defeat communist-Marxist movements in South East
Asia, South Asia and the Southwestern Pacific.
DuringMagsaysay term
Malacaang literally a "house of the people", opening its
gates to the public.
One example of his integrity followed a demonstration flight
aboard a new plane belonging to the Philippine Air
Force (PAF):
President Magsaysay asked what the operating costs per
hour were for that type of aircraft, then wrote a personal
check to the PAF, covering the cost of his flight.
He restored the people's trust in the military and in the
government.
Best Government Administration
Magsaysay's administration was considered one of the
cleanest and most corruption-free in modern Philippines
history
The period of his presidency is often cited as the Philippines's
"Golden Years".
Trade and industry flourished, the Philippine military was at
its prime, and the country gained international recognition in
sports, culture, and foreign affairs.
The Philippines placed second on a ranking of Asia's clean
and well-governed countries
Cabinet Members
President's Inauguration Day
Ushering a new era in Philippine government, President
Magsaysay placed emphasis upon service to the people by
bringing the government closer to the former.
This was symbolically seen when, on inauguration day,
President Magsaysay ordered the gates of Malacaan
Palace open to all, who were allowed to freely visit all the
dependencies of the presidential mansion.
Later, this was regulated to allow weekly visitation.
Presidential Complaints and Action Committee
This body immediately proceeded to hear grievances and
recommend remedial action.
Headed by soft-spoken, but active and tireless, Manuel
Manahan, this committee would come to hear nearly 60,000
complaints in a year, of which more than 30,000 would be
settled by direct action and a little more than 25,000 would
be referred to government agencies for appropriate follow-
up.
This new entity, composed of youthful personnel, all loyal to
the President, proved to be a highly successful morale
booster restoring the people's confidence in their own
government.
President Ramon F. Magsaysay was the first president who
regularly wore the Barong Tagalog (national costume).
He set an example of humility by insisting that he be called
"Mr. President" and not "His Excellency".
Agrarian reform
To increase and stabilize the functions of the Economic
Development Corps (EDCOR), President Magsaysay
worked for the establishment of the National Resettlement
and Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA).
This body took over from the EDCOR and helped in the giving
some sixty-five thousand acres to three thousand indigent
families for settlement purposes.
Again, it allocated some other twenty-five thousand to a little
more than one thousand five hundred landless families, who
subsequently became farmers.
Agricultural Credit and Cooperative Financing Administration
(ACCFA)
Aid to the rural people
The idea was for this entity to make available rural credits.
This administration body next devoted its attention to
cooperative marketing.
26

Line of help to the rural areas
President Magsaysay initiated in all earnestness the artesian
wells campaign.
A group-movement known as the Liberty Wells Association
was formed and in record time managed to raise a
considerable sum for the construction of as many artesian
wells as possible.
Finally, vast irrigation projects, as well as enhancement of the
Ambuklao Power plant and other similar ones, went a long
way towards bringing to reality the rural improvement
program
HUKBALAHAP
In early 1954, Benigno Aquino, Jr. was appointed by
President Ramon Magsaysay to act as personal emissary
to Lus Taruc, leader of the rebel group, Hukbalahap.
1954, Lt. Col. Laureo Maraa, the former head of Force X of
the 16th PC Company, assumed command of the 7th BCT,
which had become one of the most mobile striking forces of
the Philippine ground forces against the Huks, from Colonel
Valeriano.
Force X employed psychological warfare through combat
intelligence and infiltration that relied on secrecy in planning,
training, and execution of attack.
With the all out anti-dissidence campaigns against the Huks,
they numbered less than 2,000 by 1954 and without the
protection and support of local supporters, active Huk
resistance no longer presented a serious threat to Philippine
security.
From February to mid-September 1954, the largest anti-Huk
operation, "Operation Thunder-Lightning" was conducted that
resulted in the surrender of Luis Taruc on 17 May.
Further cleanup operations of the remaining guerillas lasted
throughout 1955, diminishing its number to less than 1,000
by year's end.
Foreign policies
The administration of President Magsaysay was active in the
fight against the expansion of communism in the Asian
region.
He made the Philippines a member of the Southeast Asia
Treaty Organization (SEATO), which was established in Pepe
Land on September 18, 1954 during the "Manila Conference.
Members of SEATO were alarmed at the possible victory
of North Vietnam over South Vietnam, which could spread
communist ideology to other countries in the region.
Coordination with
Japanese Government
The active coordination of the Magsaysay administration with
the Japanese government led to the Reparation Agreement.
This was an agreement between the two countries, obligating
the Japanese government to pay $550 million as reparation
for war damages in the Philippines.
Defense Council
Taking the advantage of the presence of U.S. Secretary John
Foster Dulles in Manila to attend the SEATO Conference, the
Philippine government took steps to broach with him the
establishment of a Joint Defense Council.
Vice-President and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Carlos P.
Garcia held the opportune conversations with Secretary
Dulles for this purpose.
Agreement was reached the first meeting of the Joint United
States-Philippines Defense Council was held in Manila
following the end of the Manila Conference.
Thus were the terms of the Mutual Defense Pact between
the Philippines and the United States duly implemented.
Laurel-Langley Agreement
At Malacaang Palace, 1955. Clockwise, from top
left: Senator Edmundo Cea, Former President Jos P. Laurel
Sr., Senator Primicias, Senate President Eulogio A. Rodriguez,
Sr., President Ramon F. Magsaysay, & House Speaker Jos B.
Laurel Jr.
The Magsaysay administration negotiated the Laurel-Langley
Agreement which was a trade agreement between the United
States which was signed in 1955 and expired in 1974.
Although it proved deficient, the final agreement satisfied
nearly all of the diverse Filipino economic interests.
While some have seen the Laurel-Langley agreement as a
continuation of the 1946 trade act, Jose P. Laurel and other
Philippine leaders recognized that the agreement
substantially gave the country greater freedom to
industrialize while continuing to receive privileged access to
US markets.
The agreement replaced the unpopular Bell Trade Act, which
tied the economy of the Philippines to that of United States
economy.
Plane Crash
Magsaysay's term, which was to end on December 30, 1957,
was cut short by a plane crash.
On March 16, 1957, Magsaysay left Manila for Cebu
City where he spoke at three educational institutions.
That same night, at about 1 am, he boarded the presidential
plane "Mt. Pinatubo", a C-47, heading back to Manila.
In the early morning hours of March 17, the plane was
reported missing.
By late afternoon, newspapers had reported the airplane had
crashed on Mt. Manunggal in Cebu, and that 36 of the 56
aboard were killed.
The actual number on board was 25, including Magsaysay.
Death
1957 Cebu Douglas C-47 crash
Survival
Only newspaperman Nstor Mata survived.
Vice-President Carlos Garca, who was on an official visit
to Australia at the time, assumed the presidency to serve out
the last eight months of Magsaysay's term.
Funeral
An estimated 2 million people attended Magsaysay's state
funeral on March 31, 1957.
27
He was referred to as the "Idol of the Masses".
Carlos Polestico Garcia
the 8th president
Carlos P. Garcia
November 4, 1896 June 14, 1971
A Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political
economist, organized guerrilla and Commonwealth military
leader
Early life
Garcia was born in Talibon, Bohol
November 4, 1896,
Parents Policronio Garcia and Ambrosia Polestico, who were
both natives of Bangued, Abra.
Garcia grew up with politics, with his father serving as a
municipal mayor for four terms.
Educational Attainment
He acquired his primary education in his native town Talibon
Secondary education in Cebu Provincial High School, both on
top of his class.
Initially, he pursued his college education at Silliman
University in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, and later
studied at the Philippine Law School, the College of Law
of National University, where he earned his law degree in
1923 and later, he received his Honorary degree, Doctor of
Humanities, Honoris Causa from National University in 1961.
He was among the top ten in the bar examination.
Working Experience
Rather than practice law right away, he worked as a teacher
for two years at Bohol Provincial High School.
He became famous for his poetry in Bohol, where he earned
the nickname "Prince of Visayan Poets" and the "poet from
Bohol".
Family
On May 24, 1933, he married Leonila Dimataga
A daughter, Linda Garcia-Campos.
Political career
Garcia entered politics in 1925, scoring an impressive victory
to become Representative of the Third District of Bohol.
He was elected for another term in 1928 and served until
1931.
He was elected Governor of Bohol in 1933, but served only
until 1941 when he successfully ran for Senate, but he was
unable to serve due to the Japanese occupation of the
Philippines during the World War II.
He assumed the office when Congress re-convened in 1945
after Allied liberation and the end of the war.
When he resumed duties as senator after the war, he was
chosen Senate majority floor leader.
The press consistently voted him as one of the most
outstanding senators.
Simultaneously, he occupied a position in the Nacionalista
Party.
World War II
Garcia refused to cooperate with the Japanese during the
war. He did not surrender when he was placed on the wanted
list with a price on his head.
He instead and took part in the guerilla activities and served
as adviser in the free government organized in Bohol
Vice-Presidency
Garcia was the running mate of Ramn Magsaysay in
the 1953 presidential election in which both men won. He
was appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs by President
Magsaysay, and for four years served concurrently as Vice-
President.
As Secretary of Foreign Affairs, he opened formal reparation
negotiations in an effort to end the nine-year technical state
of war between Japan and the Philippines, leading to an
agreement on April 1954.
During the Geneva Conference of 1954 on Korean unification
and other Asian problems, Garcia, as chairman of the
Philippine delegation, attacked communist promises in Asia
and defended the U.S. policy in the Far East. In a speech on
May 7, 1954the day that the Viet Minh defeated French
forces at the Battle of Din Bin Phu in Vietnam Garcia
repeated the Philippine stand for nationalism and opposition
to Communism.
Garcia acted as chairman of the eight-nation Southeast Asian
Security Conference held in Manila in September 1954, which
led to the development of the Southeast Asia Treaty
Organization (SEATO).
Accession
Vice-President Carlos P. Garcia (right) was inaugurated
President upon Magsaysay's death at the Council of State
Room in the Executive Building of the Malacaan Palace
complex.
The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice Ricardo
Paras.
The death of Magsaysay
At the time of President Magsaysay's sudden death on March
17, 1957, Garcia was heading the Philippine delegation to
the SEATO conference then being held at Canberra, Australia.
Having been immediately notified of the tragedy, Vice
President Garcia enplaned back for Manila.
Upon his arrival he directly repaired to Malacaang Palace to
assume the duties of President.
Chief Justice Ricardo Paras, of the Supreme Court, was at
hand to administer the oath of office.
President Garcia's first actions dealt with the declaration of a
period of mourning for the whole nation and the burial
ceremonies for the late Chief-Executive Magsaysay.
Anti-Communism
The Congress of the Philippines approved a bill outlawing
the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Despite the pressure exerted against the congressional
measure, President Carlos P. Garcia signed the said bill into
law as Republic Act No. 1700 on June 19, 1957.[
28
Republic Act 1700 was superseded by Presidential Decree
885, entitled "Outlawing Subversive Organization,
Penalizing Membership Therein and For Other Purposes."
The Amended Presidential Decree 1736
It was later superseded by Presidential Decree 1835,
entitled, "Codifying The Various Laws on Anti-Subversion and
Increasing the Penalties for Membership in Subversive
Organization."
This, in turn, was amended by Presidential Decree 1975.
On May 5, 1987, Executive Order 167 repealed
Presidential Decrees 1835 and 1975 as being unduly
restrictive of the constitutional right to form associations.
On September 22, 1992, Republic Act 1700, as amended,
was repealed by Republic Act 7636.
Filipino First Policy
President Garcia exercised the Filipino First Policy, for which
he was known.
This policy heavily favored Filipino businessmen over foreign
investor.
He was also responsible for changes in retail trade which
greatly affected the Chinese businessmen in the country.
Austerity Program
His administration was characterized by its austerity program
and its insistence on a comprehensive nationalist policy.
On March 3, 1960, he affirmed the need for complete
economic freedom and added that the government no longer
would tolerate the dominance of foreign interests (especially
American) in the national economy.
Garcia was also credited with his role in reviving Filipino
cultural arts
The main points of the Austerity Program were
The government would tightened up its controls to prevent
abuses in the over shipment of exports under license and in
under-pricing as well.
There would be a more rigid enforcement of the existing
regulations on barter shipments.
Government imports themselves were to be restricted to
essential items.
The government also would reduce rice imports to a
minimum.
An overhauling of the local transportation system would be
attempted so as to reduce the importation of gasoline and
spare parts.
The tax system would be revised so as to attain more
equitable distribution of the payment-burden and achieve
more effective collection from those with ability to pay.
There would be an intensification of food production.
BohlenSerrano Agreement
Garcia acted on the BohlenSerrano Agreement, which
shortened the lease of the American Bases from 99 years to
25 years and made it renewable after every five years
1961 Presidential Election
At the end of his second term, he ran for reelection in the
Presidential elections in November 1961, but was defeated by
his Vice-President Diosdado Macapagal, who belonged to the
opposing Liberal Party
Cabinet
Cabinet
Cabinet
Post-Presidency
After his failed reelection bid, Garcia retired to Tagbilaran to
resume as a private citizen.
On June 1, 1971, Garcia was elected delegate of the 1971
Constitutional Convention.
The convention delegates elected him as the President of the
Convention.
Death
However, just days after his election, on June 14, 1971,
Garcia died from a fatal heart attack on 5:57 p.m. at his
residence in Bohol Avenue (now Sgt. Esguerra Avenue),
Quezon City.
He was succeeded as president of the Convention by his
former Vice-President, Diosdado Macapagal.
Garcia became the first layman to lie in state in Manila
Cathedrala privilege until then limited to a
deceased Archbishop of Manilaand the first President to be
buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Diosdado Pangan Macapagal
9th President of the Philippines
1961 to 1965
September 28, 1910
April 21, 1997
The sixth Vice-President, serving from 1957 to 1961.
He also served as a member of the House of Representatives,
and headed the Constitutional Convention of 1970.
He is the father of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was the
fourteenth President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010
Early Life
Diosdado Macapagal was born on September 28, 1910,
in Lubao, Pampanga
He was third of four children in a poor family.
His father, Urbano Macapagal, was a poet who wrote in the
local Pampangan language, and his mother, Romana Pangan
Macapagal, was a schoolteacher who taught catechism.[
He is a distant descendant of Don Juan Macapagal, a prince
of Tondo, who was a great-grandson of the last
reigning Lakan of the Kingdom of Tondo, Lakan Dula
Poor Boy from Lubao
The family earned extra income by raising pigs and
accommodating boarders in their home.
Due to his roots in poverty, Macapagal would later become
affectionately known as the "Poor boy from Lubao".
Early education
Macapagal excelled in his studies at local public schools,
graduating valedictorian at Lubao Elementary School,
and salutatorian at Pampanga High School
He finished his pre-law course at the University of the
Philippines, then enrolled at Philippine Law School in 1932,
studying on a scholarship and supporting himself with a part-
time job as an accountant.
29
While in law school, he gained prominence as an orator and
debater
However, he was forced to quit schooling after two years due
to poor health and a lack of money
Actor in Zarzuelas
Returning to Pampanga, he joined boyhood friend Rogelio de
la Rosa in producing and starring
in Tagalog operettas patterned after classic
Spanish zarzuelas.
Continue His Studies
Macapagal raised enough money to continue his studies at
the University of Santo Tomas
He also gained the assistance of humanitarian Honorio
Ventura, the Secretary of the Interior at the time, who
financed his education.
After receiving his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1936, he was
admitted to the bar, topping the 1936 bar examination with a
score of 89.95%
He later returned to his alma mater to take up graduate
studies and earn a Master of Laws degree in 1941, a Doctor
of Civil Law degree in 1947, and a PhD in Economics in 1957
Early career
After passing the bar examination, Macapagal was invited to
join an American law firm as a practicing attorney, a
particular honor for a Filipino at the time.
He was assigned as a legal assistant to President Manuel L.
Quezon in Malacaang Palace.
During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World
War II, Macapagal continued working in Malacaan Palace as
an assistant to President Jos P. Laurel, while secretly aiding
the anti-Japanese resistance during the Allied liberation
against the Japanese.
After the War
Macapagal worked as an assistant attorney with one of the
largest law firms in the country, Ross, Lawrence, Selph and
Carrascoso
With the establishment of the independent Republic of the
Philippines in 1946, he rejoined government service when
President Manuel Roxas appointed him to the Department of
Foreign Affairs as the head of its legal division.
In 1948, President Elpidio Quirino appointed Macapagal as
chief negotiator in the successful transfer of the Turtle
Islands in the Sulu Sea from the United Kingdom to the
Philippines
That same year, he was assigned as second secretary to the
Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.
In 1949, he was elevated to the position of Counselor on
Legal Affairs and Treaties, at the time the fourth highest post
in the Philippine Foreign Office
First marriage
In 1938, he married Purita dela Rosa and they had two
children namely Cielo Macapagal-Salgado and Arturo
Macapagal until Purita's death in 1943.
Second marriage
On May 5, 1946 he married Dr. Evangelina Macaraeg, with
whom he had two children, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who
became President of the Philippines and Diosdado Macapagal,
Jr.
House of Representatives
On the urging of local political leaders of Pampanga province,
President Quirino recalled Macapagal from his position in
Washington to run for a seat in the House of
Representatives representing the 1st District of Pampanga.
The district's incumbent Representative, Amado Yuzon, was a
friend of Macapagal, but was opposed by the administration
due to his support by communist groups
After a campaign which Macapagal described as cordial and
free of personal attacks, he won a landslide victory in
the 1949 election.
He also won re-election in the 1953 election, and served as
Representative in the 2nd and 3rd Congress
Achievement in the Congress
The House of Representatives elected Macapagal as
Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and he was
given several important foreign assignments
He was a Philippine delegate to the United Nations General
Assembly multiple times, notably distinguishing himself in
debates over Communist aggression with Andrei
Vishinsky and Jacob Malik of the Soviet Union
He took part in negotiations for the U.S.-R.P. Mutual Defense
Treaty, the LaurelLangley Agreement, and the Japanese
Peace Treaty
He also authored the Foreign Service Act, which reorganized
and strengthened the Philippine foreign service
Sponsored Laws
laws of socio-economic importance, particularly aimed at
benefiting the rural areas and the poor
Among the pieces of legislation which Macapagal promoted
were the Minimum Wage Law, Rural Health Law, Rural Bank
Law, the Law on Barrio Councils, the Barrio Industrialization
Law, and a law nationalizing the rice and corn industries
He was consistently selected by the Congressional Press Club
as one of the Ten Outstanding Congressmen during his
tenure.
In his second term, he was named Most Outstanding
lawmaker of the 3rd Congress
1961 presidential election
Macapagal ran against Garcia's re-election bid, promising an
end to corruption and appealing to the electorate as a
common man from humble beginnings.
He defeated the incumbent president with a 55% to 45%
margin
His inauguration as the president of the Philippines took place
on December 30, 1961
Cabinet
Cabinet
Cabinet
Cabinet
Major legislation signed
30
Republic Act No. 3512 An Act Creating A Fisheries
Commission Defining Its Powers, Duties and Functions, and
Appropriating Funds Therefor.
Republic Act No. 3518 An Act Creating The Philippine
Veterans' Bank, and For Other Purposes.
Republic Act No. 3844 An Act To Ordain The Agricultural
Land Reform Code and To Institute Land Reforms In The
Philippines, Including The Abolition of Tenancy and The
Channeling of Capital Into Industry, Provide For The
Necessary Implementing Agencies, Appropriate Funds
Therefor and For Other Purposes.
Republic Act No. 4166 An Act Changing The Date Of
Philippine Independence Day From July Four To June Twelve,
And Declaring July Four As Philippine Republic Day, Further
Amending For The Purpose Section Twenty-Nine Of The
Revised Administrative Code.
Republic Act No. 4180 An Act Amending Republic Act
Numbered Six Hundred Two, Otherwise Known As The
Minimum Wage Law, By Raising The Minimum Wage For
Certain Workers, And For Other Purposes.
Economy
Twenty days after the inauguration, exchange controls were
lifted and the Philippine peso was allowed to float on the free
currency exchange market.
The currency controls were initially adopted by the
administration of Elpidio Quirino as a temporary measure, but
continued to be adopted by succeeding administrations.
Socio-economic program
Five-Year Socio-Economic Integrated Development Program
it could be seen that it aimed at the following objectives
immediate restoration of economic stability;
improved the troubles of the common man; and
establishing a dynamic basic for future growth.
role of the government in
free enterprise
Macapagal, requirements;
(1) to provide the social overhead like roads, airfields and
ports that directly or proximately promote economic growth
(2) to adopt fiscal and monetary policies salutary to
investments, and most importantly
(3) to serve as an entrepreneur or promote of basic and key
private industries, particularly those that require capital too
large for businessmen to put up by themselves. Among the
enterprises he selected for active government promotion
were integrated steel, fertilizer, pulp,
meat canning and tourism
Other Programs
Land reform
Anti-corruption drive
Stonehill controversy
The Administration's campaign against corruption was tested
by Harry Stonehill, an American expatriate with a $50-million
business empire in the Philippines
Macapagal's Secretary of Justice, Jose W. Diokno investigated
Stonehill on charges of tax evasion, smuggling,
misdeclaration of imports, and corruption of public officials
Diokno's investigation revealed Stonehill's ties to corruption
within the government. Macapagal, however, prevented
Diokno from prosecuting Stonehill by deporting the American
instead, then dismissing Diokno from the cabinet.
Diokno questioned Macapagal's actions, saying, "How can the
government now prosecute the corrupted when it has
allowed the corrupter to go?
Diokno later served as a Senator of the Republic.
Independence Day
Macapagal appealed to nationalist sentiments by shifting the
commemoration of Philippine independence day
On May 12, 1962, he signed a proclamation which declared
Tuesday, June 12, 1962, as a special public holiday in
commemoration of the declaration of independence from
Spain on that date in 1898
The change became permanent in 1964 with the signing of
Republic Act No. 4166
For having issued his 1962 proclamation, Macapagal is
generally credited with having moved the celebration date of
the Independence Day holiday
Foreign policies
North Borneo claim
On September 12, 1962, during President Diosdado
Macapagal's administration, the territory of eastern North
Borneo (now Sabah), and the full sovereignty, title and
dominion over the territory were ceded by heirs of
the Sultanate of Sulu, HM Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram
I, to the Republic of the Philippines.
The cession effectively gave the Philippine government the
full authority to pursue their claim in international courts.
The Philippines broke diplomatic relations with Malaysia after
the federation had included Sabah in 1963.
revoked in 1989
The succeeding Philippine administrations have placed the
claim in the back burner in the interest of pursuing cordial
economic and security relations with Kuala Lumpur
To date, Malaysia continues to consistently reject Philippine
calls to resolve the matter of Sabah's jurisdiction to
the International Court of Justice
Sabah sees the claim made by the Philippines' Moro leader
Nur Misuari to take Sabah to International Court of Justice
(ICJ) as a non-issue and thus dismissed the claim
Vietnam War
Before the end of his term in 1965, President Diosdado
Macapagal persuaded Congress to send troops to South
Vietnam.
However this proposal was blocked by the opposition led
by Senate President Ferdinand Marcos who deserted
Macapagal's Liberal Party and defected to the Nacionalista
Party
1963 midterm election
31
The senatorial election was held on November 12, 1963.
Macapagal's Liberal Party (LP) won four out of the eight seats
up for grabs during the election thereby increasing the LP's
senate seats from eight to ten.
1965 presidential campaign
Towards the end of his term, Macapagal decided to seek re-
election to continue seeking reforms which he claimed were
stifled by a "dominant and uncooperative opposition" in
Congress
With Senate President Ferdinand Marcos, a fellow member of
the Liberal Party, unable to win his party's nomination due to
Macapagal's re-election bid, Marcos switched allegiance to
the rival Nacionalista Party to oppose Macapagal.
Among the issues raised against the incumbent
administration were graft and corruption, rise in consumer
goods, and persisting peace and order issues.
Macapagal was defeated by Marcos in the November 1965
polls.
Post-presidency
Macapagal announced his retirement from politics following
his 1965 loss to Marcos.
In 1971, he was elected president of the constitutional
convention that drafted what became the 1973 constitution.
The manner in which the charter was ratified and later
modified led him to later question its legitimacy.
In 1979, he formed the National Union for Liberation as a
political party to oppose the Marcos regime.
restoration of democracy
in 1986
Macapagal took on the role of elder statesman, and was a
member of the Philippine Council of State
He also served as honorary chairman of the National
Centennial Commission, and chairman of the board of CAP
Life, among others.
In his retirement, Macapagal devoted much of his time to
reading and writing
He published his presidential memoir, authored several books
about government and economics, and wrote a weekly
column for the Manila Bulletin newspaper.
Death
Diosdado Macapagal died of heart
failure, pneumonia and renal complications at the Makati
Medical Center on April 21, 1997.
He is buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr.
10th President of the Philippines
September 11, 1917
September 28, 1989
Early Life
Ferdinand Edralin Marcos was born on September 11, 1917,
in the town of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte
His parent; Mariano Marcos and Josefa Edralin
He was later baptized into the Philippine Independent
Church, but was first baptized in the Roman Catholic Church
at the age of three.
Educational Background
Marcos studied law at the University of the Philippines,
attending the prestigious College of Law.
He excelled in both curricular and extra-curricular activities,
becoming a valuable member of the university's swimming,
boxing, and wrestling teams.
He was also an accomplished and prolific orator, debater,
and writer for the student newspaper. He also became a
member of the University of the Philippines ROTC Unit (UP
Vanguard Fraternity) where he met some of his future
cabinet members and Armed Forces Chiefs of Staff.
When he sat for the 1939 Bar Examinations, he received a
near-perfect score of 98.8%, although some have disputed
this score.
The Philippine Supreme Court felt justified in altering his
scoring.
He graduated cum laude despite the fact that he was
imprisoned while reviewing.
Had he not been in jail for 27 days, he would have
graduated magna cum laude.
He was elected to the Pi Gamma Mu and the Phi Kappa
Phi international honor societies, the latter giving him its Most
Distinguished Member Award 37 years later.
Personal life
He was married to Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, on May 1,
1954 and the marriage produced three children:
Maria Imelda "Imee" Marcos (born 12 November 1955),
Governor of Ilocos Norte
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (born 13 September 1957),
Senator of the Philippines
Irene Marcos (born 16 September 1960)
His fourth child, Aimee Romualdez Marcos, was adopted and
was a musician in 2012
Descendant
Marcos claimed that he was a descendant of Antonio Luna, a
Filipino general during the PhilippineAmerican War.
He also claimed that his ancestor was a 15th-century pirate
who used to raid the coasts of the South China Sea
Prosecution of Marcos
In December 1938, Ferdinand Marcos was prosecuted for the
murder of Julio Nalundasan.
He was not the only accused from the Marcos clan; also
accused was his father, Mariano, his brother, Pio, and his
brother-in-law Quirino Lizardo.
Nalundasan, one of the elder Marcos' political rivals, had
been shot and killed in his house in Batac on September 21,
1935 the day after he had defeated Mariano Marcos a
second time for a seat in the National Assembly
According to two witnesses, the four had conspired to
assassinate Nalundasan, with Ferdinand Marcos eventually
pulling the trigger.
In late January 1939, they were finally denied bail and later
in the year, they were convicted. Ferdinand and Lizardo
32
received the death penalty for premeditated murder, while
Mariano and Pio were found guilty of contempt of court.
The Marcos family took their appeal to the Supreme Court of
the Philippines, which overturned the lower court's decision
on 22 October 1940, acquitting them of all charges except
contempt.
Military Career
Before World War II, Marcos was already a Reserve Officers'
Training Corps graduate during his time studying law.
Marcos called into the army as a 3rd lieutenant during the
mobilization in the summer and fall of 1941.
The U.S. Army has confirmed that Ferdinand Marcos fought
on the U.S. side after the December 1941 Japanese invasion
of the Philippines until April 1942, before being taken
prisoner.
He also had records showing that he fought on the American
side again from December 1944 until the end of the war.
Bataan Death March
Marcos would be one of the 78,000 Filipino and American
troops who surrendered at Bataan on April 9, 1942,
He survived the Bataan Death March that followed the
surrender
In 1962, Marcos would claim to be the "most decorated war
hero of the Philippines" by garnering almost every medal and
decoration that the Filipino and American governments could
give to a soldier.
Included in his 27 war medals and decorations are that of
the Distinguished Service Cross (allegedly pinned by
General Douglas MacArthur) and the Medal of
Honor (allegedly pinned by General Jonathan M. Wainwright).
Denial of being a soldier
Colonel Manriquez and Adjutant Captain Rivera who were
the commanders of the 14th Infantry, whom Marcos claimed
to have served under, attested that Marcos was not a soldier,
but was a non-combatant and a Civil Affairs officer.
Marcos did received campaign ribbons given to all combatant
and non-combatant participants "in the defense of Bataan
and in the resistance.
Fraud Awards and Release from the Japanese
In 1986, research by historian Alfred W. McCoy into United
States Army records showed most of Marcos's medals to be
fraudulent.
According to Ricardo Jos, former chairman of the
Department of History of the University of the Philippines,
Marcos's claims in his self-commissioned
autobiography Marcos of the Philippines that Gen. Douglas
MacArthur pinned on him the Distinguished Service Cross
medal for delaying Japanese at Bataan for 3 months was
highly doubtful.
In fact, his father Mariano Marcos was a known Japanese
collaborator, who was executed by Filipino guerillas in April
1945, and the younger Marcos was accused of being a
collaborator as well.
This may also be the reason how he was freed by the
Japanese after Bataan.
John Sharkey of the Washington Post found records that
Marcos was in the list of those that were released due to
either "having severe health problems and those whose
families have cooperated with the Japanese military
authorities."
Since Marcos' name did not appear in the 1942 Manila
Tribune list of ailing prisoners that were released by the
Japanese, he believed that Marcos may have been freed due
to his connections with his father.
Maharika
Marcos also claimed to have led a 9,000-man guerrilla force
called Ang Mahrlika (Tagalog, "The Freeman) in
northern Luzon during World War II.
His account of events was later cast into doubt after a United
States military investigation exposed many of his claims as
either false or inaccurate.
Meanwhile, Marcos claimed that he was able to get the
United States Adjutant General to recognize 3,500 individual
claims of soldiers then under his command.
Congressional career
House of Representatives
When the Philippines was granted independence on July 4,
1946 by the American government, the Philippine Congress
was established. Marcos ran and was three times elected as
representative of the 2nd district of Ilocos Norte, 19491959.
He was named chairman of the House Committee on
Commerce and Industry and member of the Defense
Committee headed by Ramon Magsaysay.
He was chairman, House Neophytes Bloc in which (President)
Diosdado Macapagal, (Vice President) Emmanuel Pelaez and
(Manila Mayor) Arsenio J. Lacson were members.
Member of the House Committee
LP spokesman on economic matters
Member of;
Special Committee on Import and Price Controls
Reparations
House Committees on Ways and Means
Banks Currency
War Veterans
Civil Service
Corporations and Economic Planning
House Electoral Tribunal.
Senate
After he served as member of the House of Representatives
for three terms, Marcos won his senate seat in the elections
in 1959 and became the Senate minority floor leader in 1960.
He became the executive vice president of the Liberal Party
in and served as the party president from 19611964.
Senate Presidency
From 19631965, he became the Senate President.
Thus far, he is the last Senate President to become President
of the Philippines.
He introduced a number of significant bills, many of which
found their way into the Republic statute books
33
Presidency
First term (19661969)
Achievement
Economy getting better
Cabinet Member
Vietnam War
To the surprise of many, soon after becoming president,
Marcos wanted the Philippines to become involved, although
limited, in the Vietnam War
He asked Congress to approve sending a combat
engineer unit to South Vietnam.
When the previous Philippine president, Macapagal,
suggested in 19641965 to send troops it had been Marcos
who had led the opposition against this plan on both legal
and moral grounds.
Despite opposition against the new plan, the Marcos
government gained Congressional approval and Philippine
troops were sent from the middle of 1966 as the Philippines
Civic Action Group (PHILCAG). PHILCAG reached a strength
of some 1,600 troops in 1968 and between 1966 and 1970
over 10,000 Filipino soldiers served in South Vietnam, mainly
being involved in civilian infrastructure projects
Second term (19691972)
1969 Presidential Election
Ferdinand Marcos takes the Oath of Office for a second term
before Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion on December 30,
1969
1969 Election
Marcos was reelected for a second term the first and the
last Filipino president to win a second full term.
His running mate, incumbent Vice President Fernando
Lopez was also elected to a third full term as Vice President
of the Philippines.
First Quarter Storm
1970 was a period of leftist unrest in the Philippines,
composed of a series of heavy demonstrations, protests, and
marches against the government from January to March
1970, or the first quarter of 1970.
It was one of the factors leading to the declaration of Martial
Law in 1972.
The protests later became known as the First Quarter Storm.
Martial Law and the New Society (19721981)
At the height of armed communist insurgency in the
Philippines, Philippine Military Academy instructor Lt Victor
Corpuz led New People's Army rebels in a raid on the PMA
armory, capturing rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers, a
bazooka and thousands of rounds of ammunition in 1970.
In 1972, China, which was then actively supporting and
arming communist insurgencies in Asia as part of Mao
Zedong's People's War Doctrine, transported 1,200 M-14 and
AK-47 rifles for the NPA to speed up NPA's campaign to
defeat the government.
Plaza Miranda Bombing
Based on interviews of The Washington Post with former
Communist Party of the Philippines Officials, it was revealed
that "the (Communist) party leadership planned and three
operatives carried out the (Plaza Miranda) attack in an
attempt to provoke government repression and push the
country to the brink of revolution... (Communist Party
Leader) Sison had calculated that Marcos could be provoked
into cracking down on his opponents, thereby driving
thousands of political activists into the underground, the
former party officials said.
Recruits were urgently needed, they said, to make use of a
large influx of weapons and financial aid that China had
already agreed to provide."
Marcos declared martial law
September 21, 1972 when his Press Secretary, Francisco
Tatad, announced on Radio that Proclamation 1081. which
Marcos had signed 2 days earlier on September 21, 1972,
had come into force and would extend Marcos' rule beyond
the constitutional two-term limit.
He justified this by highlighting the threats of Communist and
Muslim insurgencies.
He would later tell historians that he signed Proclamation
No. 1081 as early as September 17.
Ruling by decree, he curtailed press freedom and other civil
liberties, closed down Congress and media establishments,
and ordered the arrest of opposition leaders and militant
activists, including senators Benigno Aquino Jr., Jovito
Salonga and Jose Diokno.
Detainment of Ninoy
Ninoy Aquino's senator colleagues who were detained without
charges, Ninoy, together with communist NPA leaders Lt
Corpuz and Bernabe Buscayno, was charged with murder,
illegal possession of firearms and subversion
Marcos claimed that martial law was the prelude to creating
his Bagong Lipunan, a "New Society" based on new social
and political values.
Referendum 1973
Martial Law was put on vote in July 1973 in the Philippine
Martial Law referendum, 1973 and was marred with
controversy with the following results:
January 1973
constitutional convention
1970 to replace the Commonwealth era 1935 Constitution,
continued the work of framing a new constitution after the
declaration of martial law.
The new constitution went into effect in early 1973, changing
the form of government from presidential
to parliamentary and allowing Marcos to stay in power
beyond 1973.
The constitution was approved by 95% of the voters in
the Philippine constitutional plebiscite.
After putting in force amendments to the constitution,
legislative action, and securing his sweeping powers and with
the Batasan, his supposed successor body to the Congress,
34
under his control, President Marcos lifted martial law on
January 17, 1981.
writ of habeas corpus
The suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas
corpus continued in the autonomous regions of Western
Mindanao and Central Mindanao.
The opposition dubbed the lifting of martial law as a mere
"face lifting" as a precondition to the visit of Pope John Paul
II.
Bagong Lipunan
Marcos had a vision of a Bagong Lipunan
similar to Indonesian president Suharto
He used the years of martial law to implement this vision.
According to Marcos' book Notes on the New Society, it was a
movement urging the poor and the privileged to work as one
for the common goals of society and to achieve the liberation
of the Filipino people through self-realization.
During his martial law regime
Marcos confiscated and appropriated by force and duress
many businesses and institutions, both private and public,
and redistributed them to his cronies and close personal
friends.
Two of these friends were Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr.,
who would go on to control San Miguel Corporation,
and Ramon Cojuangco, late businessman and chairman
of PLDT, and father of Antonio "Tony Boy" Cojuangco (who
would eventually succeed his father in the
telecommunications company), both happened to be cousins
of Corazon Aquino.
These associates of Marcos then used these as fronts
to launder proceeds from institutionalized graft and
corruption in the different national governmental agencies as
"crony capitalism" for personal benefit.
Rolex 12
Marcos and his close Rolex 12 associates like Juan Ponce
Enrile used their powers to settle scores against old rivals
such as the Lopezes who were always opposed to the Marcos
administration.
Enrile and the Lopezes (Eugenio Lopez, Sr. and Eugenio
Lopez Jr.) were Harvard-educated Filipino leaders.
Leading opponents such as Senators Benigno Aquino Jr., Jose
Diokno, Jovito Salonga and many others were imprisoned for
months or years.
This practice considerably alienated the support of the old
social and economic elite and the media, who criticized the
Marcos administration endlessly.
Members of the "Rolex 12"
Tomas Diaz, PMA-Cl '51 - Vice Chief of the Philippine
Constabulary
Juan Ponce Enrile - Minister of National Defense
Romeo Espino UP-ROTC - Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP)
Romeo Gatan - Chief of the Philippine Constabulary in Rizal
Province
Alfredo Montoya, PMA Cl-'51 -Chief of the Philippine
Constabulary Metropolitan Command (METROCOM)
Ignacio Paz, PMA Cl-'51 - Chief of the Intelligence Services of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP)
Fidel Ramos, USMA Cl-'50; Honorary PMA Cl-51 -Chief of the
Philippine Constabulary (PC), future President (19921998)
Jose Rancudo - Chief of the Philippine Air Force (PAF)
Hilario Ruiz -Chief of the Philippine Navy (PN)
Rafael Zagala -Chief of the Philippine Army (PA)
Fabian Ver, Honorary-PMA Cl '51 - Chief of National
Intelligence Security Authority (NISA) [1]
Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, Jr., Honorary PMA Cl-'51 -
present Chairman of San Miguel Corporation.
Along with Marcos, members of his Rolex 12 circle like
Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, Chief of Staff of the
Philippine Constabulary Fidel Ramos, and Chief of Staff of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines Fabian Ver were the chief
administrators of martial law from 1972 to 1981, and the
three remained President Marcos' closest advisers until he
was ousted in 1986.
Other peripheral members of the Rolex 12 included Eduardo
"Danding" Cojuangco Jr. and Lucio Tan.
Enrile and Ramos would later abandon Marcos' 'sinking ship'
and seek protection behind the 1986 People Power
Revolution, backed by fellow-American educated Eugenio
Lopez Jr., Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, and the old political
and economic elites.
The Catholic hierarchy and Manila's middle class were crucial
to the success of the massive crusade, but only within Metro
Manila because no mass demonstrations or protests against
Marcos happened in the provinces and islands of Visayas and
Mindanao.
Investment in weapons
Between 1972 and 1976, Marcos increased the size of the
Philippine military from 65,000 to 270,000 personnel, in
response to the fall of South Vietnam to the communists and
the growing tide of communism in South East Asia.
Military officers were placed on the boards of a variety of
media corporations, public utilities, development projects,
and other private corporations, most of whom were highly
educated and well-trained graduates of the Philippine Military
Academy.
At the same time, Marcos made efforts to foster the growth
of a domestic weapons manufacturing industry and heavily
increased military spending.
Kabataang Barangay
The Marcos regime instituted a mandatory youth
organization, known as the Kabataang Barangay, which was
led by Marcos' eldest daughter Imee.
Presidential Decree 684, enacted in April 1975, required that
all youths aged 15 to 18 be sent to remote rural camps and
do volunteer work.
Captured of NPA Leaders
The government subsequently captured NPA leaders Bernabe
Buscayno in 1976 and Jose Maria Sison in 1977
35
First Parliamentary Elections after Martial Law Declaration
The Philippine parliamentary election, 1978 was held on April
7, 1978 for the election of the 166 (of the 208) regional
representatives to the Interim Batasang Pambansa (the
nation's first parliament).
The elections were participated by several parties including
Ninoy Aquino's newly formed party, the Lakas ng
Bayan (LABAN) and the regime's party known as
the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL).
Ninoy Aquino
The Ninoy Aquino's LABAN party fielded 21 candidates for the
Metro Manila area including Ninoy himself and Alex
Boncayao, who later was associated with Filipino communist
death squad Alex Boncayao Brigade that killed U.S. army
captain James N. Rowe.
All of the party's candidates, including Ninoy, lost in the
election.
Marcos' KBL party won 137 seats, while Pusyon Bisaya led
by Hilario Davide Jr., who later became the Minority Floor
Leader, won 13 seats.
Prime Minister
In 1978, the position returned when Ferdinand Marcos
became Prime Minister.
Based on Article 9 of the 1973 constitution, it had broad
executive powers that would be typical of modern prime
ministers in other countries.
The position was the official head of government, and the
commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
All of the previous powers of the President from the 1935
Constitution were transferred to the newly restored office of
Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister also acted as head of the National
Economic Development Authority.
Upon his re-election to the Presidency in 1981, Marcos was
succeeded as Prime Minister by an American-educated leader
and Wharton graduate, Cesar Virata, who was elected as an
Assemblyman (Member of the Parliament) from Cavite in
1978.
Cabinet Members under
Martial Law
Third term
(19811986)
Philippine presidential election and referendum, 1981
June 16, 1981
Six months after the lifting of martial law, the first
presidential election in twelve years was held.
President Marcos ran and won a massive victory over the
other candidates.
The major opposition parties, the United Nationalists
Democratic Organizations (UNIDO), a coalition of opposition
parties and LABAN, boycotted the elections.
After the lifting of Martial Law, the pressure on the
Communist CPP-NPA lessen.
The group able to return to urban areas and form
relationships with legal opposition organizations, and became
increasingly successful attacks against the government
throughout the country.
The violence inflicted by the communists reached its peak in
1985 with 1,282 military and police deaths and 1,362 civilian
deaths.
Aquino's assassination
On August 21, 1983, opposition leader Benigno Aquino
Jr. was assassinated on the tarmac at Manila International
Airport. He had returned to the Philippines after three years
in exile in the United States, where he had a heart bypass
operation to save his life after Marcos allowed him to leave
the Philippines to seek medical care. Prior to his heart
surgery, Ninoy, along with his two co-
accused, NPA leaders Bernabe Buscayno(Commander Dante)
and Lt. Victor Corpuz, was sentenced to death by a military
commission on charges of murder, illegal possession of
firearms and subversion.[126] A few months before his
assassination, Ninoy was decided to go back to the
Philippines after his research fellowship from Harvard
University had expired. The opposition blamed Marcos
directly for the assassination while others blamed the military
and his wife, Imelda. Popular speculations pointed to three
suspects; first was Marcos himself through his trusted military
chief Fabian Ver; the second theory pointed to his wife
Imelda who had her own burning ambition now that her
ailing husband seemed to be getting weaker, and the third
was that Danding Cojuangco planned the assassination
because of his own political ambitions.[151] The 1985 acquittals
of Chief of Staff General Fabian Ver as well as other high-
ranking military officers charged with the crime were widely
seen as a whitewash and miscarriage of justice.
On November 22, 2007, Pablo Martinez, one of the convicted
suspects in the assassination of Ninoy Aquino Jr. confessed
that it was Ninoy Aquino Jr.'s relative, Danding Cojuangco,
cousin of his wife Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, who ordered
the assassination of Ninoy Aquino Jr. while Marcos was
recuperating from his kidney transplant.[152]
Impeachment attempt
In August 1985, 56 Assemblymen signed a resolution calling
for the impeachment of President Marcos for alleged
diversion of U.S. aid for personal use,[153] citing a July
1985 San Jose Mercury News expos of the Marcos'
multimillion-dollar investment and property holdings in the
United States.
The properties allegedly amassed by the First Family were
the Crown Building, Lindenmere Estate, and a number of
residential apartments (in New Jersey and New York), a
shopping center in New York, mansions (in London, Rome
and Honolulu), the Helen Knudsen Estate in Hawaii and three
condominiums in San Francisco, California.
The Assemblymen also included in the complaint the misuse
and misapplication of funds "for the construction of
the Manila Film Center, where X-rated and pornographic
films[citation needed] are exhibited, contrary to public morals and
Filipino customs and traditions." The impeachment attempt
gained little real traction, however, even in the light of this
incendiary charge; the committee to which the impeachment
36
resolution was referred did not recommend it, and any
momentum for removing Marcos under constitutional
processes soon died.[citation needed]
Physical decline
During his third term, Marcos' health deteriorated rapidly due
to kidney ailments, as a complication of a chronic
autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus. He had a kidney
transplant in August 1983, and when his body rejected the
first kidney transplant, he had a second transplant in
November 1984.[154] Marcos' regime was sensitive to publicity
of his condition; a palace physician who alleged that during
one of these periods Marcos had undergone a kidney
transplant was shortly afterwards found murdered. Police
said he was kidnapped and slain by communist rebels.
[154]
Many people questioned whether he still had capacity to
govern, due to his grave illness and the ballooning political
unrest.[155]With Marcos ailing, his powerful wife, Imelda,
emerged as the government's main public figure. Marcos
dismissed speculations of his ailing health as he used to be
an avid golfer and fitness buff who liked showing off his
physique.
By 1984, U.S. President Ronald Reagan started distancing
himself from the Marcos regime that he and previous
American presidents had strongly supported even after
Marcos declared martial law. The United States, which had
provided hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, was crucial in
buttressing Marcos's rule over the years,[156] although during
the Carter administration the relationship with the U.S. had
soured somewhat when President Jimmy Carter targeted the
Philippines in his human rights campaign.
Snap election, revolution,
and exile
In late 1985, in the face of escalating public discontent and
under pressure from foreign allies, Marcos called a "snap
election" with more than a year left in his term. He
selected Arturo Tolentino as his running mate. The opposition
to Marcos united behind two American-educated leaders,
Aquino's widow, Corazon, and her running mate, Salvador
Laurel.[157][158]
It was during this time when Marcos' World War II medals for
fighting the Japanese Occupation was first questioned by the
foreign press. During a campaign in Manila's Tondodistrict,
Marcos retorted:[159]
You who are here in Tondo and fought under me and who
were part of my guerrilla organizationyou answer them,
these crazy individuals, especially the foreign press. Our
opponents say Marcos was not a real guerrilla. Look at them,
These people who were collaborating with the enemy when
we were fighting the enemy. Now they have the nerve to
question my war record. I will not pay any attention to their
accusation.
Marcos was referring to both Presidential candidate Corazon
Aquino's father-in-law Benigno Aquino Sr. and Vice
Presidential Candidate Salvador Laurel's father, Jos P.
Laurel, who were leaders of the KALIBAPI, a puppet political
party that collaborated with the Japanese during
the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Both were
arrested and charged for treason after the war.[160]
The elections were held on February 7, 1986.[161] The official
election canvasser, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC),
declared Marcos the winner. The final tally of the COMELEC
had Marcos winning with 10,807,197 votes against Aquino's
9,291,761 votes. On the other hand, the partial 69% tally of
the National Movement for Free Elections(NAMFREL), an
accredited poll watcher, had Aquino winning with 7,502,601
votes against Marcos' 6,787,556 points. Cheating was
reported on both sides.[162] This electoral exercise was marred
by widespread reports of violence and tampering of election
results.
Despite common knowledge that Marcos cheated the
elections, some claim that Marcos is the one that had been
cheated by NAMFREL because his Solid North votes were
transmitted very late to the tabulation center at the PICC.
Two Namfrel volunteers were hanged in Ilocos. The Ilocano
votes were enough to overwhelm Corys lead in Metro Manila
and other places.[163]
The alleged fraud culminated in the walkout of 35 COMELEC
computer technicians to protest the manipulation of the
official election results to favor Ferdinand Marcos. However,
not known to many, the walkout of computer technicians was
led by Linda Kapunan,[164] wife of Lt Col Eduardo Kapunan, a
leader of Reform the Armed Forces Movement, which plotted
to attack the Malacaang Palace and kill Marcos and his
family,[165] leading some to believe that the walkout could
have been plotted with ulterior motives.[163]
The failed election process gave a decisive boost to the
"People Power movement." At the height of the revolution,
Juan Ponce Enrile revealed that a purported and well-
publicized ambush attempt against him years earlier was in
fact faked, in order for Marcos to have a pretext for imposing
martial law. However, Marcos never ceased to maintain that
he was the duly elected and proclaimed president of the
Philippines for a fourth term, but unfairly and illegally
deprived of his right to serve it. On February 25, 1986, rival
presidential inaugurations were held,[166] but as Aquino
supporters overran parts of Manila and seized state
broadcaster PTV-4, Marcos was forced to flee.[167]
At 15:00 PST (GMT+8) on February 25, 1986, Marcos talked
to United States Senator and close associate of the US
President Paul Laxalt, asking for advice from the White
House. Laxalt advised him to "cut and cut cleanly", to which
Marcos expressed his disappointment after a short pause.
[168]
In the afternoon, Marcos talked to Enrile, asking for safe
passage for him and his family including his close allies like
General Ver. Finally, at 9:00 p.m., the Marcos family was
transported by four Sikorsky HH-3E helicopters[169] to Clark Air
37
Base in Angeles City, Pampanga, about 83 kilometers north
of Manila, before boarding US Air Force C-130 planes bound
for Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, and finally to Hickam
Air Force Base in Hawaii where Marcos arrived on February
26.
When protestors stormed Malacaang Palace shortly after
Marcos' departure, it was famously discovered that Imelda
had left behind over 2,700 pairs of shoes in her closet. [170]
Economy
To help finance a number of economic development projects,
the Marcos government borrowed large amounts of money
from international lenders.[171][172] The Philippines' external
debt rose more than 70-fold from USD360 million in 1962 to
USD26.2 billion in 1985,[173] making the Philippines one of the
most indebted countries in Asia.[171] Philippine Annual Gross
Domestic Product grew from $5.27 billion in 1964 to $37.14
billion in 1982, a year prior to the assassination of Ninoy
Aquino. The GDP went down to $30.7 billion in 1985, after
two years of economic recession brought about by political
instability following Ninoy's assassination.[27] A sizable amount
of this money went to the Marcos family and friends in the
form of behest loans[citation needed].
As a former colony of the United States, the Philippines was
heavily reliant on the American economy to purchase
agricultural goods such as sugar,[174] tobacco, coconut,
bananas, and pineapple[175][176] and US corporations
prospered.
Economy During Martial Law (1973-1980)
According to World Bank Data, the Philippine's Gross
Domestic Product quadrupled from $8 billion in 1972 to
$32.45 billion in 1980.[27]Indeed, according to the U.S. based
Heritage Foundation, the Philippines enjoyed its best
economic development since 1945 between 1972 and 1979.
[177]
The economy withstood the two severe global oil shocks
following the 1973 oil crisis and 1979 energy crisis - oil price
was $3 / barrel in 1973 and $39.5 in 1979, or a growth of
1200%. By the end of 1979, debt was still manageable, with
debt to Debt-GNP ratio about the same as South Korea,
according to th US National Bureau of Economic Research. [178]
Foreign capital was invited to invest in certain industrial
projects. They were offered incentives, including tax
exemption privileges and the privilege of bringing out their
profits in foreign currencies. One of the most important
economic programs in the 1980s was the Kilusang
Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran (Movement for Livelihood and
Progress). This program was started in September 1981. It
aimed to promote the economic development of
the barangays by encouraging its residents to engage in their
own livelihood projects. The government's efforts resulted in
the increase of the nation's economic growth rate to an
average of six percent or seven percent from 1970 to 1980.
[179]
Economy After Martial Law (1981-1985)
The Philippine economy, heavily reliant on exports to the
United States, suffered a great decline after the Aquino
assassination in August 1983 because Filipino business and
political leaders who studied in Harvard, Yale, and other US
universities began lobbying American and foreign firms to
discourage them from investing in the Philippines. This was
taking place at the same time that China was beginning to
accept free-market capitalism and American businesses were
jockeying to establish manufacturing plants in China. The
political troubles of the Philippines hindered the entry of
foreign investments, and foreign banks stopped granting
loans to the Philippine government. In an attempt to launch a
national economic recovery program and despite his growing
isolation from American businesses, Marcos negotiated with
foreign creditors including the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, World Bank, and
the International Monetary Fund (IMF), for a restructuring of
the country's foreign debts to give the Philippines more
time to pay the loans. Marcos ordered a cut in government
expenditures and used a portion of the savings to finance
the Sariling Sikap (Self-Reliance), a livelihood program he
established in 1984.
However, the economy continued to shrink despite the
government's recovery efforts because American investors
were discouraged by the Filipino economic elite. The failure
of the recovery program was caused by civil unrest, rampant
graft and corruption within the government, and Marcos' lack
of credibility. The unemployment rate increased from 6.25%
in 1972 to 11.058% in 1985.[180]
Creation of a Credit Bureau
In 1981, Ferdinand Marcos issued Letter of Instructions No.
1107 mandating the Central Bank of the Philippines to
analyze the probability of establishing and funding the
operation of a credit bureau in the Philippines due to the
disturbing increase of failures on corporate borrowers.[181] In
adherence to the order, Central Bank of the
Philippinesorganized the Credit Information Exchange System
under the department of Loans and Credit. It was created to
engage in collating, developing and analyzing credit
information on individuals, institutions, business entities and
other business concerns. It aims to develop and undertake
the continuing exchange of credit data within its members
and subscribers and to provide an impartial source of credit
information for debtors, creditors and the public. On April 14,
1982, Credit Information Bureau, Inc. was incorporated as a
non-stock, non-profit corporation. CIBI was created pursuant
to LOI No. 1107 dated February 16, 1981 and was further
strengthened by PD No. 1941 which recognizes and supports
CIBI as a suitable credit bureau to promote the development
and maintenance of rational and efficient credit processes in
the financial system and in the economy as a whole. In 1997,
Credit Information Bureau, Inc. was incorporated and
transformed into a private entity and became CIBI
Information, Inc. CIBI is a provider of information and
intelligence for business, credit and individuals.[182] The
company also supplies compliance reports before accrediting
suppliers, industry partners and even hiring professionals.[183]
38
Controversies
According to the book "The Making of the Philippines" by
Frank Senauth (p. 103):[184] "Marcos himself diverted large
sums of government money to his party's campaign funds.
Between 1972 and 1980, the average monthly income of
wage workers had fallen by 20%. By 1981, the wealthiest
10% of the population was receiving twice as much income
as the bottom 60%.[185] From 1972 to 1980, agricultural
production fell by 30%. With help from
the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, Marcos brought
the Green Revolution(industrialized, chemical agriculture) to
the Philippines. These reforms resulted in high profits for
transnational corporations, but were generally harmful to
small, peasant farmers who were often pushed into poverty.
[186]
After declaring martial law in 1972, Marcos promised to
implement agrarian reforms. However, the land reforms
served largely to undermine Marcos' landholder opponents,
not to lessen inequality in the countryside,[187] and
encouraged conversion to cash tenancy and greater reliance
on farm workers.[188]Under Marcos, timber products were
among the nation's top exports but little attention was paid to
the environmental impacts of deforestation as cronies never
complied with reforestation agreements. By the early 1980s,
forestry collapsed because most of the Philippines' accessible
forests had been depletedof the 12 million hectares of
forestland, about 7 million had been left barren."[189][190]
However, an article published by the World Bank on
Philippine Agriculture says that crops (rice, corn, coconut,
sugar), livestock and poultry and fisheries grew at an average
rate of 6.8%, 3% and 4.5%, respectively from 1970-1980,
and the forestry sector actually declined by an annual
average rate of 4.4% through the 1970s.[191]
During the Green Revolution, Marcos administration took
advantage of a new rice cultivar IR8 developed by Philippine-
based International Rice Research Institute. While the switch
to IR8 required more fertilizers and pesticides, annual rice
production in the Philippines increased from 3.7 to 7.7 million
tons in two decades and made the Philippines a rice exporter
for the first time in the 20th century.[192][193]
Despite claims made by the book, Marcos's government did
not distribute to small farmers his political rival Ninoy
Aquino's family's 6,453 hectare Hacienda Luisita plantation,
the biggest in the country.[194][195]
Death
In his dying days, Marcos was visited by Vice
President Salvador Laurel.[196] During the meeting with
Salvador Laurel, Marcos offered 90% of his possessions back
to the Filipino people in exchange for being buried back in
the Philippines beside his mother, an offer also disclosed
to Enrique Zobel. However, Marcos' offer was rebuffed by
the Aquino government.[197][198][199]
Marcos died in Honolulu on the morning of September 28,
1989, of kidney, heart, and lung ailments. Marcos was
interred in a private mausoleum at Byodo-In Temple on the
island of Oahu where his remains were visited daily by the
Marcos family, political allies and friends.
The Aquino government refused to allow Marcos' body to be
brought back to the Philippines. The body was only brought
back to the Philippines only after 4 years after Marcos' death
during the term of President Fidel Ramos.[200]
As of 2015 his remains were interred inside a refrigerated
crypt in Ilocos Norte, where his son, Ferdinand Jr., and eldest
daughter, Imee have since become the local governor and
congressional representative, respectively. A large bust of
Ferdinand Marcos (inspired by Mount Rushmore) was
commissioned by the tourism minister, Jose Aspiras, and
carved into a hillside in Benguet. It was subsequently
destroyed; suspects included left-wing activists, members of
a local tribe who had been displaced by construction of the
monument, and looters hunting for the legendary Yamashita
treasure.[201]
Infrastructure Projects and Works
Marcos' government built a large number of infrastructure
projects, including hospitals[215] like the Philippine Heart
Center, Lung Center, and Kidney Center, transportation
infrastructure like San Juanico Bridge, Pan-Philippine
Highway, and Manila Light Rail Transit (LRT), and 17
hydroelectric[216][217] and geothermal power plants[218][219] to
lessen the country's dependency on oil.[220] By 1983, the
Philippines became the second largest producer
of geothermal power in the world with the commissioning of
the Tongonan 1 and Palinpinon 1 geothermal plants. [218]
[221]
According to UP Economics Professor Dr. Sicat, "a study
of infrastructure construction by various presidents shows
that Marcos was the president who made the largest
infrastructure investment. This is not because he was the
longest-serving leader of the country alone. On a per-year
basis, he led all the presidents. Only Fidel Ramos had bested
him in road building for a period of one year".[222] On the
education front, 47[223] state colleges and universities were
built during the Marcos administration, which represents over
40% of all the existing 112 state colleges and universities [224]
[225]
in the country. To help transform the country's
agricultural-based economy to a Newly industrialized country,
[226]
he spearheaded the development of 11 heavy
industrialization projects[227] including steel, petrochemical,
[228]
cement, pulp and paper mill, and copper smelter.
[229]
Cultural and heritage sites like the Cultural Center of the
Philippines, Nayong Pilipino, and Philippine International
Convention Center were built. Likewise, the country crafted a
large number of during Marcos' during Marcos' term.[230]
From 19721986, the Marcos Administration codified laws
through 2,036 Presidential Decrees,[231] an average of 145 per
year during the 14-year period. To put this into context, only
14, 12, and 11 laws were passed in 2015, 2014 and 2013,
respectively.[232] Almost all of the laws passed during the term
of Marcos are remain in force today and are embedded in the
country's legal system.[233]
Marcos, together with agriculture minister and Harvard-
educated Arturo Tanco[234] and later on Salvador Escudero Jr.,
was instrumental in the Green Revolution in the Philippines
and initiated an agricultural program called Masagana 99,
improving agricultural productivity and enabling the country
to achieve rice sufficiency in the late 1970s.[235][236]
39
40