Ramon Magsaysay
(August 31, 1907- March 17, 1957)
a Nacionalista.
7th President of the Philippines
(3rd President of the 3rd Republic)
Term of Office December 30, 1953- March 17,
1957
Vice President Carlos P. Garcia
Predecessor Elpidio Quirino
Successor Carlos P. Garcia
Born August 31, 1907 at Iba, Zambales
He died due to a plane crash last March 17,
1957 at Mt. manunggal, Balamban, Cebu
Early Life and Career
His parents were Ezequil Magsaysay, a
blacksmith, and Perfectadel Fierro, a school
teacher. Of Visayan descent, he was
nonetheless ethnically affiliated with the Ilocanos
of Iba and considered himself as one of them.
Studied at Zambales Academy
high school: In 1927, he enrolled at the
University of the Philippines. He took up pre-law
course and later shifted to engineering, all the
while working as a chauffeur to support himself.
However, he did not finish his course due to
illness. Eventually he studied commerce at Jose
Rizal College, graduating in 1933.
WWII: Magsaysay joined the motor pool of the
31st Infantry Division of the Philippine army.
Following the fall of Bataan in 1942, he
organized the Western Luzon Guerilla Forces
that fought against Japanese.
1946: elected on the Liberal party ticket to the
Philippine House of Representative
1950: He was appointed Secretary of National
Defense in the administration of President
Elpidio Quirino
He intensified the campaign against the
HUKBALAHAP guerillas, waging one of the
most successful anti-guerilla campaigns in
modern history. This success was due in part to
the unconventional methods he employed
During this term as Defense Secretary, Filipinos
began to respect and admire their soldiers
1953-- he resigned from his post as defense
secretary, criticizing the Liberal government and
becoming the presidential candidate of the
Nacionalist party.
Personal Life
A good husband to first lady Luz Banzon-
Magsaysay (1915-2004) and a father to 3
children: Teresita & Milagros Magsaysay and
former congressman and senator Ramon
Magsaysay, Jr
Presidency
He won president over the incumbent Elpidio
Quirino with a convincing fashion.
Sworn into the office wearing the Barong
Tagalog, a first by a Philippine president.
He was a close friend and supporter of the
United States and a vocal spokesman against
communism during the Cold War.
Known for his integrity and strength of
character.
He made Malacanang Palace literally a “house
of the people”
Death
Magsaysay left Manila for Cebu where he
was scheduled to speak at an educational
institution. That same night, he boarded the
presidential plane “Mt. Pinatubo” heading
back to Manila.
March 17, his plane was reported missing. It
was late in the afternoon that day that
newspapers reported that the airplane had
crashed on Mt. Manunggal in Cebua
The only survivor was a newspaperman,
named Nestor Mata.
Vice President Carlos P. Garcia assumed
the presidency to complete the last eight
months of Magsaysay’s term.
An estimated 2 million people attended
Magsaysay’s burial on March 22, 1957.
Magsaysay’s Charisma as a Leader
Won due to the votes of the masses or the
“common people”
He promised to try hard to improve the status of
the masses, geared his administration to the
urgent demands of rural improvement
Magsaysay had Congress pass the Agricultural
Tenancy Act in 954 to make the move toward
the attainment of his development goals
During the first year of Magsaysay’s
administration, 28,000 land patents covering
241,000 hectares, were issued to
settlers/landless. The following year, the number
increased to 33,075. Agricultural lots were
distributed to landless applicants. It was during
his barrio-to-barrio campaigns that he realized,
as nobody in the government realized, the plight
of the “taos” who lacked the necessary
leadership to make their voices heard.
The Philippines during Magsaysay time
successfully negotiated the RP-US trade
relations that culminated in the signing of the
Laurel-Langley Trade Agreement of 1956
During his term Japan agreed to pay war
reparation to the Philippines over a 20 year
period for the damage inflicted by the Japanese
to the country during World War II.
Carlos P. Garcia
(November 4, 1896- June 14, 1971)
Known for its “Filipino First” policy
Order 8th President of the Philippines- 4th
President of the 3rd Republic (1957-1961).
Term of Office March 23, 1957- December
30, 1961
Vice President Diosdado Macapagal
Predecessor Ramon Magsaysay
Successor Diosdado Macapagal
Born November 4, 1896 at Talibon, Bohol
Died June 14, 1971, Bohol, Philippines
Early Life and Career
Child of Policronio Garcia and Ambrosia
Polistico (who were both natives of
Bangued, Abra).
He grew up with politics
Garcia got his primary education in his
native Talibon,
Secondary education: Cebu Provincial High
School.
He briefly took law courses at Siliman
University in Dumaguete City. He then
studied in Philippine Law School and
earned his degree in 1923. He was among
the top ten in the bar examination.
He worked as a teacher for two years at
Bohol Provincial High School instead of
practicing law.
He became famous for his poetry in Bohol,
where he earned the nickname “Prince of
Visayan Poets”.
1925, Garcia began his career in politics
after scoring an impressive victory running
for congressman representing the third
district of Bohol. He was elected for another
term, but served only until 1931 when he
successfully ran for governor of Bohol. He
served as provincial governor for two terms.
He became a member of the congress in
1946, and was elected three times to the
senate for three consecutive terms from
1941-1953.
Served as Magsaysay’s running mate in the
presidential election of 1953.
He was appointed Secretary of Foreign
Affairs by President Ramon Magsaysay, for
four years concurrently serving as vice-
president.
Presidency
He replaced Magsaysay as President after
the latter died in a plane crash in 1957.
He acted on the Bohlen Serrano Agreement
which shortened the lease of the US Bases
from 99 years to 25 years and made it
renewable after every five years.
Exercised the Filipino First Policy
At the end of his term, he ran for re-election
but in November 1961, Diosdado
Macapagal defeated him.
Programs
The winner of the 1957 Presidential election
was Carlos P. Garcia. His running mate
Jose P. Laurel Jr., for the vice President
was defeated by his Liberal rival, Diosdado
Macapagal.
Garcia favored selective control with the
intention to lessen or ‘arrest the expansion
of credit for non-productive activities’. He
advanced the “Filipino First” policy as a
strong force to improve the socio-economic
life of the nation.
But Garcia antagonized those affected by
his “Filipino First” policy. This made him
unpopular.
Post-Presidency
After his failed re-election bid, Garcia then
retired to private life, living as a citizen in
Bohol.
On June 1, 1971, Garcia was elected
delegate of the 1971 Constitutional
Convention and was selected as its
president. However, he died of a heart
attack on June 14, 1971 at the age of 74.
Diosdado Pangan Macapagal
(September 28, 1910- April 21, 1997)
He failed in his own re-election bid in 1965,
losing to Ferdinand Marcos. He was also
known by his nickname “The Incorruptible”.
Order 9th President of the Philippines (5th
President of the 3rd Republic)
Term of Office December 30, 1961-
December 30, 1965
Vice President Emmanuel Pelaez
Predecessor Carlos P. Garcia
Successor Ferdinand Marcos
Born September 28, 1910
Lubao, Pampanga
Died April 21, 1997
Makati City
Early Life and Career
His parents were Urbano Macapagal and
Romana Pangan.
Graduated valedictorian in Lubao
Elementary School and he graduated with
second highest rating in the Pampanga
High School. His family was poor, but with
the help of Honorio Ventura, the Secretary
of Interior at that time, he studied law and
graduated in the University of Sato Tomas
and pursued and earned the postgraduate
degree of Doctor of Civil Law and Ph.D. in
Economics in the same university.
Finished his law degree in 1936. He worked
as a lawyer for an American employer in
Manila, and was assigned as a legal
assistant to President Manuel Quezon.
During the Japanese occupation,
Macapagal served as support to the anti-
Japanese task force and as an intelligence
liaison to the US guerillas. It was during this
period that his first wife died of malnutrition.
He later married Evangelina Macaraeg, the
mother of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
1949, he was elected to the House of
Representatives, where he served until
1956. During that time, he was the
Philippines’ representative to the United
Nations General Assembly three times.
Garcia of the Nacionalist Party.
Presidency
1957, as a member of the Liberal Party, he
became vice president under President
Carlos
Macapagal
He focused on fighting graft and corruption
in the government.
Philippine peso to float on the free currency
exchange market, the Nacionalistics being
the dominant force in the House of
Representatives and Senate blocked
Macapagal’s efforts for reform
1962-the US made its final rejection of
Philippine monetary claims for the
destruction wrought by American forces in
WWII
Macapagal changed the official celebration
of Independence Day from July 4 to June 12
He also made the decision to recognize
Jose P. Laurel, who was made President of
the Philippines by the Japanese occupation
forces, as having been an official President.
1965: Marcos defeated Macapagal in the
president race with landslide victory.
The Macapagal Administration
Assumed office in 1991, he promised the
so-called “New Era” of prosperity.
He enacted a land reform law to benefit the
poor people, especially the farmers.
Philippines formally presented her claim
over Sabah which was opposed by
Malaysia and Britain.
Post-Presidency
1971: Macapagal was chosen as president
of the constitutional convention that drafted
what became the 1973 constitution.
1979: the National Union for Liberation was
established by Macapagal to oppose the
Marcos regime.
In his retirement, he devoted much of his
time to reading and writing. He authored
several books, and wrote a weekly column
for the Manila Bulletin newspaper.
Heart failure, pneumonia and renal
complications caused his death at Makati
Medical Center on April 21, 1997. He is
buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Reference:
Philippine History(2008) BY Lacandula, C. M. et al.