Philippine presidents major events and contribution

The native Tagalog word for ‘president’ is pangulo, and the Spanish-derived Filipino word is presidente.

Since independence in 1898 and the ratification of the Philippine Constitution in the First Republic, there
have been 15 presidents. Starting with General Emilio Aguinaldo all the way to current president
Benigno Aquino, this article details each president's particular contributions and achievements while in
office. Under the present Constitution of the Philippines, the President of the Philippines (Filipino:
Pangulo ng Pilipinas) is both the head of state and the head of government, and serves as the
commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces. The President is directly elected by qualified voters
of the population to a six-year term and must be "a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered
voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the
Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election". Any person who has served as
president for more than four years is barred from running for the position again. Upon an incumbent
president's death, permanent disability, resignation, or removal from office, the Vice President assumes
the post.

1. Emilio Aguinaldo 1899-1901

Emilio Aguinaldo (1869 – 1964)

The president of the first Philippine republic (1899). He started as a member of the Magdalo Chapter of
the Katipunan in Cavite, then was elected president of the revolutionary government at the Tejeros
Convention on March 22,1897, and, later, Biak-na-Bato Republic. He proclaimed Philippine
independence at Kawit on June 12, 1898. His capture foreshadowed the end of large-scale armed
resistance to American rule.

Contributions and Achievements:

 first (and only) president of the First Republic (Malolo Republic)

 signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, creating a truce between the Spanish and Philippine
revolutionaries
 known as the President of the Revolutionary Government
 led the Philippines in the Spanish-Philippine War and the American-Philippine War
 youngest president, taking office at age 28
 longest-lived president, passing away at 94

2. Manuel L. Quezon, 1935-1944

Manuel L. Quezon (1878-1944)

The first Filipino president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines under American rule. He was
president of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. For advocating Filipino-language amendments to the
1935 Constitution, he is known as the “Father of the National Language.”

After 34 years of Insular Government under American rule, Philippine voters elected Manuel Luis
Quezon first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. He is known as the “Father of National
Language” (Ama ng Wikang Pambansa). He died of tuberculosis in Saranac Lake, New York.

Contributions and Achievements:

 first Senate president elected as President of the Philippines

 first president elected through a national election
 first president under the Commonwealth
 created National Council of Education
 initiated women’s suffrage in the Philippines during the Commonwealth
 approved Tagalog/Filipino as the national language of the Philippines

3. José P. Laurel, 1943-1945

Jose P. Laurel (1891 – 1939)

President of the Second Republic from 1943 to 1945. He had been secretary of the interior (1923),
senator (1925 – 1931), delegate to the Constitutional Convention (1934), and chief justice during the
commonwealth. When World War II broke out, he was instructed by Quezon to stay in Manila and deal
with the Japanese to soften the blow of enemy occupation. As president, he defended Filipino interests
and resisted Japanese efforts to draft Filipinos into the Japanese military service. Upon return of the
American forces, Laurel was imprisoned in Japan when Douglas Macarthur occupied that country He
was returned to the Philippines to face charges of treason, but these were dropped when President
Roxas issued an amnesty proclamation. In the Third Republic, he was elected senator and negotiated the
Laurel-Langley Agreement.

José P. Laurel's presidency is controversial. He was officially the government's caretaker during the
Japanese occupation of World War II. Criticized as a traitor by some, his indictment for treason was
superseded later by an amnesty proclamation in 1948.

Contributions and Achievements:

 since the early 1960s, Laurel considered a legitimate president of the Philippines
 organized KALIBAPI (Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas, or Association for Service to
the New Philippines), a provisional government during Japanese occupation
 declared Martial Law and war between the Philippines and the U.S./United Kingdom in 1944
 with his family, established the Lyceum of the Philippines
4. Sergio Osmeña, 1944-1946

Sergio Osmeña, Sr. (1878 – 1961)

The first Filipino national leader under the American regime as speaker of the Philippine assembly and
the second president of the Philippines (1944-1946).

Sergio Osmeña was the second president of the Commonwealth. During his presidency, the Philippines
joined the International Monetary Fund.

Contributions and Achievements:

 became president at 65, making him the oldest person to hold office
 first Visayan to become president
 joined with U.S. Gen. Douglas McArthur in Leyte on October 20, 1944 to begin restoration of
Philippine freedom after Japanese occupation
 Philippine National Bank was rehabilitated and the country joined the International Monetary
Fund during his presidency
 Bell Trade Act was approved by the U.S. Congress during his presidency
 appears on the 50-peso bill

5. Manuel Roxas, 1946-1948

Manuel Roxas (1892 – 1948)

The last president of the Philippine Commonwealth and the first president of the republic (1946 – 1948).

Manuel Roxas was the fifth president of the Philippines: the third (and last) president under the
Commonwealth, and the first president of the Third Republic of the Philippines. He held office for only
one year, 10 months, and 18 days.

Contributions and Achievements:

 inaugurated as the first president of the new Republic after World War II
 reconstruction from war damage and life without foreign rule began during his presidency
 under his term, the Philippine Rehabilitation Act and Philippine Trade Act laws were accepted by
Congress
 appears on the 100-peso bill

6. Elpidio Quirino, 1948-1953

Elpidio Quirino (1890—1956)

President of the Philippines from 1948 to 1953. As vice president during Manuel Roxas’s term, he was
also secretary of foreign affairs. He became president when Roxas died in 1948. He was elected
president in his own right in 1949.

Elpidio Quirino served as vice president under Manuel Roxas. When Roxas died in 1948, Quirino became
president.

Contributions and Achievements:

 Hukbalahap guerrilla movement active during his presidency

 created Social Security Commission
 created Integrity Board to monitor graft and corruption
 Quezon City became capital of the Philippines in 1948

7. Ramon Magsaysay, 1953-1957

Ramon Magsaysay (1907 – 1957)

President of the Philippines from 1953 to 1957. He had been President Quirino’s secretary of defense
who was instrumental is suppressing the HUK rebellion. As president, he persuaded Congress to pass the
Agricultural Tenancy Act (1954). It was during his term that the Retail Trade Nationalization Act was
passed. He secured revisions in the Bell Trade Act and was the first president to revise the US Military
Bases agreement to bring it more in line with Philippine interests.

Ramon Magsaysay was born in Iba, Zambales. He was a military governor and an engineer. He died in an
aircraft disaster while boarding the presidential plane.

Contributions and Achievements:

 Hukbalahap movement quelled during his presidency

 chairman of the Committee on Guerrilla Affairs
 first president sworn into office wearing Barong Tagalog during inauguration
 presidency referred to as the Philippines' "Golden Years" for its lack of corruption
 Philippines was ranked second in Asia’s clean and well-governed countries during his presidency
 established National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA) among other
agrarian reforms

8. Carlos P. Garcia, 1957-1961

Carlos P. Garcia (1896 – 1971)

President of the Philippines from 1957 to 1961. Remembered for his Filipino First Policy. He was among
the founders of the Association for Southeast Asia (1963), the precursor of the Association for Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN).

A lawyer, poet, and teacher, Carlos P. Garcia also served as a guerrilla leader during the Pacific War.
Born in Bohol, Garcia serviced as vice president under Ramon Magsaysay and as secretary of Foreign
Affairs for four years. He became president when Magsaysay died in 1957.

Contributions and Achievements:

 known for “Filipino First Policy,” which favored Filipino businesses over foreign investors
 established the Austerity Program focusing on Filipino trade and commerce
 known as the “Prince of Visayan Poets” and the “Bard from Bohol”
 cultural arts was revived during his term
 was the first president to have his remains buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani

9. Diosdado Macapagal, 1961-1965

Diosdado Macapagal (1910 – 1997)

President of the Republic of the Philippines from 1961 to 1965. He asked Congress to pass the
Agricultural Land Reform Code, which abolished share tenancy and installed a leasehold system in its
place; it finally passed on August 8, 1963. This was a significant step toward resolving the agrarian
problem. It was during his presidency that Independence Day was moved from July 4 to June 12, the
date when General Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence in Cavite.

Born in Lubao, Pampanga, Diosdado Macapagal was a lawyer and professor. His daughter Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo was the 14th, and second female, president of the Philippines.

Contributions and Achievements:

 established the first Land Reform Law, allowing for the purchase of private farmland to be
distributed in inexpensive, small lots to the landless
 placed the Philippine peso on the currency exchange market
 declared June 12, 1898 to be Philippines’ Independence Day
 signed the Minimum Wage Law
 created the Philippine Veteran’s Bank

10. Ferdinand Marcos, 1965-1986

Ferdinand Marcos (1917 – 1989)

President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. Declared martial law on September 21, 1972. After the
People Power revolution in February 1986, he was ousted from power and lived in exile in Honolulu,
Hawaii.

Born in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, Ferdinand Edralin Marcos was a lawyer and Senate President for three
years. He was president for 21 years. He ruled under martial law and his dictatorship was known for its
corruption and brutality. Marcos was removed from office after the People Power Revolution.

Contributions and Achievements:

 first president to win a second term

 declared Martial Law on Sept. 22, 1972
 increased the size of Philippine military and armed forces
 by 1980 the Philippine GNP was four times greater than 1972
 by 1986 the Philippines was one of the most indebted countries in Asia
 built more schools, roads, bridges, hospitals, and other infrastructure than all former presidents
combined
 the only president whose remains are interred inside a refrigerated crypt

11. Corazon Aquino, 1986-1992

Corazon Cojuangco Aquino (1933 – )

President of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. With Salvador Laurel as running mate, she led the
opposition that overthrew the authoritarian government of Marcos, who went into exile after the
successful People’s Power revolution of 1986. She first established a revolutionary government under
the Freedom Constitution, later replaced by the Constitution of 1987, which served as the basis for
reestablishing democracy

The first woman president of the Philippines and the first woman to become president of an Asian
country, Corazon Aquino was born in Paniqui, Tarlac. She was a prominent figure in the People Power
Revolution that brought down Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship. Her husband, Benigno Aquino Jr., was a
senator during the Marcos regime and its strongest critic. He was assassinated while Marcos was still in
power.

Contributions and Achievements:

 first woman to be president of the Philippines or any Asian country

 restored democracy
 abolished the 1973 Marcos Constitution and ushered in the new Constitution of the Philippines
 reorganized the structure of the executive branch of government
 signed the Family Code of 1987, a major civil law reform, and 1191 Local Government Code,
which reorganized the structure of the executive branch of government
  initiated charitable and social activities helping the poor and the needy
 named “Woman of the Year” in 1986 by Time magazine
 Received honors and awards including:
 100 Women Who Shaped World History
 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century
 65 Great Asian Heroes
 J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding

12. Fidel V. Ramos, 1992-1998

Fidel V. Ramos (1928 – )

President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1997. As head of the Constabulary under President Marcos, he
was instrumental in helping to design and implement martial law. Together with General Ponce Enrile
and the RAM, he defected from the government in 1986 and joined the People’s Power revolution that
ousted Marcos from power. His presidency is remembered for better integrating the national economy
in the global scheme.

Fidel V. Ramos was the chief-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines before he became
president. He was also a civil engineer. As president, he restored economic growth and stability in the
country, even during the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. He is the first, and so far the only, non-Catholic
president of the Philippines.

Contributions and Achievements:

 oversaw Philippine economic growth

 presided over celebrations of Philippine Independence Centennial in 1998
 received British Knighthood from the United Kingdom by Queen Elizabeth II (Knight Grand Cross
of the Order of St. Michael and St. George)
 hosted the fourth Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leader's Summit in the Philippines in 1996
 Philippine Stock Exchange became an international favorite during his presidency
 death penalty reinstated while he was in office
 signed peace agreement with the rebel Moro National Liberation Front

13. Joseph Estrada, 1998-2001

Joseph Estrada (1937 – )

President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001. During his term in office, he was arrested and stood
trial at a congressional impeachment hearing on charges of accepting bribes and corruption. While this
trial was aborted when the senators voted 11 to 10 not to open incriminating evidence against him, he
was ousted from power anyway as a peaceful People’s Power II revolution arose and called for his
resignation

Known as Erap, Joseph Estrada was the first president who had been a famous film actor. His presidency
was controversial. During his years in office economic growth was slow and he faced impeachment
proceedings. He was ousted from the presidency in 2001. He was later convicted of stealing from the
government but was pardoned. He ran unsuccessfully for president in 2010.

Contributions and Achievements:

 during his presidency Moro Islamic Liberation Front headquarters and camps were captured
 joined other leaders and politicians to try to amend the 1987 Constitution
 cited as one of the Three Outstanding Senators in 1989
 among the “Magnificent 12” who voted to terminate the agreement that allows for U.S. control
of Clark Airbase and Subic Naval Base

14. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, 2001-2010

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (1947 – )

President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2004. She served as vice president under President Estrada
and became president when he was forced to step down for malfeasance, through the People’s Power II
revolution. PGMA has confronted some of the same obstacles as did her father, President Diosdado
Macapagal, when he tried to clean up corruption in government. Her government continues enjoy
political legitimacy in the face of opposition

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the 14th, president of the Philippines (and the second female president).
The Oakwood Mutiny occurred during her term. Arroyo oversaw road and infrastructure improvements
and higher economic growth that presidents before her, but there was also controversy. The so-called
"Hello Garci" controversy involved recordings that allegedly captured Arroyo ordering the rigging of the
election that put her in office. In 2005 Arroyo faced impeachment proceedings related to the recordings
but the impeachment failed. After she had left office Arroyo faced additional charges of election fraud
and misuse of state funds.

Contributions and Achievements:

 second female president of the country

 first and only female vice-president of the Philippines so far
 first president to take oath outside Luzon
 former Economics professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, where current president
Benigno Aquino III was one of her students
 ex-classmate of former U.S. President Bill Clinton at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of
Foreign Service, where she maintained Dean’s list status
  oversaw higher economic growth than the past three presidents before her
 peso became the best-performing currency of the year in Asia in 2007
 eVAT Law was implemented under her term
 currently on the 200-peso bill

15. Benigno Aquino III, 2010-present

Benigno Aquino III (1960 – )

President of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. Was elected to a six-year term in May 2010.

Benigno Aquino III joined the House of Representatives and the Senate before his presidency. He is the
first president who is a bachelor; he is unmarried and has no children.

Contributions and Achievements:

 created the no "wang-wang" (street siren) policy

 appointed statesman Jesse Robredo to serve as secretary of Interior and Local Government in
2010, where Robredo served until his death in 2012
 initiated K-12 education in the Philippines
 renamed the Office of the Press Secretary to Presidential Communications Operations Office
and appointed new officers
 suspended allowances and bonuses to Government Owed and Controlled Corporation and
Government Financial Institution board members
 oversaw 7.1% growth of the Philippine economy in 2012

16. Rodrigo Duterte (1945 – )

Current president of the Philippines. Was elected to a six-year term in May 2016. Took office on June 30.
Known by the nickname Digong. A lawyer and politician of Visayan descent from the southern island of
Mindanao.

In the first four months of his term, President Duterte has made impressive progress in asserting
Philippine sovereignty and dignity in the international arena, in aligning the country with Asian values
instead of Hollywood-manufactured cultural norms, in the fight against drugs, in uplifting the status of
indigenous peoples and of our Muslim brothers in the south, in putting an end to endo, in putting on
notice corrupt government officials, and in securing fishing privileges for Filipinos in waters that China
has been claiming as its own. He has also secured financial support from Japan and promises from
Russia.
A Final Note

In my opinion, the Philippine economy was stronger when Filipinos believed in and trusted their leaders.
Many ex-presidents were lawyers or professors and citizens found them to be trustworthy. Those
presidents were able to keep the economy strong even in the midst of financial crisis in the rest of the
world.

The Philippine economy began to suffer when people lost trust in their leaders and began to rally. Here
is what I think: We need great leaders, but what we really need right now are great followers. Bring back
the Filipinos who used to respect and honor their commander-in-chief in spite of bad publicity. Bring
back the good vibes. When the people feel positive, the stock market and the peso rise, investors
become interested, jobs open up, and Filipinos are happy.