I.

INTRODUCTION

PRESIDENT SERGIO OSMEÑA

(4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to1946)

Who is Sergio Osmeña?

Sergio Osmeña y Suico (1878-1961) was a politician of Chinese

Filipino who served as the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944
to1946. He was the Vice President under Manuel L. Quezon, and rose
to the presidency upon Quezon's death in 1944, being the oldest
Philippine president to hold office at age 65.He was regarded as the
second President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, co-founder
of the Nacionalista Party, Editor of El Nuevo Día newspaper and
Patriarch of the prominent Osmeña family. He led the country in its
initial stage of political maturation by his honest and selfless devotion
to public service.

Early life and childhood days

Sergio Osmeña was born in Cebu to Juana Osmeña y Suico, who was
reportedly only 14 years of age when she gave birth to him. His father was Don Pedro Lee
Singson Gotiaoco.Owing to the circumstances of his birth, the identity of his father had been
a closely guarded family secret.

Personal life

He married Estefania Chiong Veloso on April 10,1901 and have 10 children: Nicasio Veloso-
Osmeña, Vicente Veloso- Osmeña, Edilderto Veloso- Osmeña, Milagros Veloso- Osmeña,
Emilio Veloso- Osmeña, Maria Paloma Veloso- Osmeña, Jesus Veloso- Osmeña, Teodoro
Veloso-. Osmeña, Jose Veloso-. Osmeña and Sergio Osmeña, Jr.And in 1920 two years after
his first wife died, he married Esperanza Limjap. The couple had three children, Ramón,
Rosalina, and Victor.

Educational and Early career

He took his elementary education in the Colegio De San Carlos and graduated in 1892. Osmeña
continued his education in Manila, studying in San Juan De Letran College where he first met
Manuel L. Quezon, a classmate of his, as well as Juan Sumulong and Emilio Jacinto. His
schooling was interrupted by the 1896 revolution and the Filipino-American War.
 He served in the war staff of General Emilio Aguinaldo as a courier and journalist. In 1900, he
founded the Cebu newspaper, el nuevo dia which lasted for three years.After the revolutionary
struggles he continued his studies and took up law at University of Santo Tomas and was
second place in the BAR examination in 1903.

In 1904, the American administration appointed him as a governor of Cebu. Two years later,
on March 5, 1906, Osmeña was elected provincial governor of Cebu at the age of 28. Although
he had little political experience, he succeeded in solving the grave problems of public order
and community cooperation in his province, cultivating the people's trust in the municipal
enforcement officers.

POLITICAL CAREER

House of Representatives

While governor, he ran for election to the Philippine Assembly of 1907 and was elected
Speaker of that body. Osmeña was 29 years old and already the highest-ranking Filipino
official. He and another provincial politician, Manuel L. Quezon of Tayabas, set up to the
Nacionalista Party as a foil to the Partido federalista of Manila-based politicians. The two
would engage in a rivalry for political dominance ever since.

Senate

Osmeña was elected to the Philippine National Assembly in 1907 and remained a member of
the lower house until 1922. In 1922 he was elected to the Senate. He went to the United States
as part of the OsRox Mission in 1933, to secure passage of the Hare-Hawes- Cutting
Independence Bill which was superseded by the tydings -McDuffie Act in March 1934.

Together with Manuel Roxas, Pres. Sergio Osmeña went on a mission to the US to ask for the
Philippines’ independence. The mission was called OSROX, coined from combining the first
letters of their family names. The mission was successful. The Philippines was granted its
independence.

Presidency

Osmeña became president of the commonwealth on Quezon’s death in 1944. He returned to

the Philippines the same year with General Douglas Mac Arthur and the liberation forces. After
the war, Osmeña restored the commonwealth government and the various executive
departments. He continued the fight for Philippine Independence. For the presidential election
of 1946, Osmeña refused to campaign, saying that the filipino people knew of his record of 40
years of honest and faithful service. He lost to Manual Roxas, who won 54%of the vote and
became president of the independent Republic of the Philippines. Osmeña retired from
public office after his defeat and died on Oct. 19, 1961 due to natural cause related to old
age.
LAWS, PROJECT AND PROGRAMS

I. DOMESTIC POLICIES:

• Restoration of the Commonwealth

• Government Reorganization
• Rehabilitation of the Philippine National Bank
• People’s Court
• Reestablishment of Local Government

II. FOREIGN POLICIES

• United Nations Charter
• Foreign Relations Office
• Bell Trade Act

III. LEGISLATION TO PROMOTE THE PEOPLE’S WELFARE

• PNB rehabilitation
• Free distribution of land
• Land tax remission
• Aid to Philippine hospitals
• Manila Railroad Rehabilitation

I. DOMESTIC POLICIES:

• Restoration of the Commonwealth

On Oct. 25, 1944, after the victorious landing in Leyte, Gen. Douglas MacArthur handed
the reins of civil government to Osmeña, who had become president after Quezon's death on Aug.
1, 1944. With his resourceful mind, steadfast purpose, and mature courage in the face of the chaotic
conditions of the postwar reconstruction period, Osmeña rallied the Filipinos to unite and fight the
remaining Japanese resistance. His first step was to incorporate the guerrilla troops into the
reorganized Filipino branch of the U.S. Army. On Feb. 27, 1945, the Commonwealth government
was fully reestablished in Manila.
• Government Reorganization
President Osmena proceeded with the immediate reorganization of the government and its
diverse independence.
On 8 April 1945, he formed his cabinet, administering the oath of office to its component
members. Later, President Osmena received the Council of state to help him solve the major
problems confronting the nation. Government offices and bureaus were gradually reestablished.
Several new ones were created to meet the need of then current. Also restored were the supreme
court of the Philippines and the inferior courts. The court of appeals was abolished and its appellate
jurisdiction was transferred to the Supreme Court, the members of which were increased to eleven-
one Chief Justice and ten associate justice – in order to attend to the new responsibilities .Slowly
but steadily, as the liberating forces freed the other portions of the country, provincial and
municipal governments were established by the commonwealth to take over from the military
authorities.
• Rehabilitation of the Philippine National Bank
Following the restoration of the Commonwealth government, the congress was reorganized.
The first Commonwealth congress earnestly took up the various pending assignments to solve
the pressing matters affecting the Philippines, especially regarding relief, rehabilitation and
reconstruction. The first bill enacted was Commonwealth Act No. 672- rehabilitating the
Philippine National Bank.
• People’s Court
Osmena proposed the creation of people’s court to investigate all Filipinos suspected of disloyalty
or treason.
• Reestablishment of local governments
Immediately after the landing of the American Forces in Leyte on October 20, 1944, the
Commonwealth Government was reestablished and began to function with its capital
temporarily at Tacloban. The provincial government of Leyte was simultaneously reconstituted.
On February 27, 1945, the capital of the Commonwealth was reestablished in Manila, with the city
completely recovered from the enemy. The reconstitution of the governments of the various
provinces, cities, municipalities and municipal districts, followed closely on the heels of the forces
of liberation as these advanced to free and occupy the localities concerned.
II. FOREIGN POLICIES:
o United Nations Charter
▪ President Osmena sent the Philippine delegation, which was headed by Carlos P.
Romulo, to the San Francisco gathering for the promulgation of the Charter of the
United Nations on 26 June 1945.
▪ The 28th signatory nation of the United Nations, the Philippines was one of the fifty-
one nations that drafted the UN Charter. Once approved by Philippine delegation, the
UN Charter was ratified by the Congress of the Philippines and deposited with the U.S
State Department on 11 October 1945.

o Foreign Relations Office

▪ To prepare for the forthcoming independent status of the Philippine, President Osmena
created the Office of Foreign Relations.
▪ Vicente Sinco was appointed as its first Commissioner with cabinet rank.
▪ In this connection, President Osmena also entered into an agreement with the United
States Government to send five Filipino trainees to the U.S States Department to
prepare themselves for diplomatic service.
 o International Banking
▪ On 5 December 1945, President Osmena appointed Resident Commissioner Carlos
P. Romulo as his representative to accept Philippine membership in the
International Monetary Fund and in the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, which bodies had been conceived in the Bretton Woods Agreement,
in which the Philippine had also taken part. Romulo signed said membership on 27
December 1945 on behalf of the Philippines.
o Bell Trade Act
▪ On 30 April 1946, the United States Congress, at last approved the Bell Act, which
as early as 20 January had been reported to the Ways and Means Committee of the
lower house, having been already passed by the Senate.
▪ The Act gave the Philippines eight years of free trade with the United States, then
twenty years during which tariffs would be upped gradually until they were in line
with the rest of the American tariff policy. The law also fixed some quotas for
certain products: sugar – 850,000 long tons; cordage – 6,000,000 pounds; coconut
oil – 200,000 long tons; cigars – 200,000,000 pounds.

III. LEGISLATION TO PROMOTE THE PEOPLE’S WELFARE

PNB rehabilitation:

On July 19, 1945, the President signed Commonwealth Act No. 672, providing that the Philippine
National Bank shall resume business immediately, taking over the assets of the Banking Division,
which had been organized early after the occupation to provide the first banking facilities in the
Islands.

Free distribution of land:

Commonwealth Act No. 691, approved on October 15, 1945, provided for the free distribution,
under certain conditions, of lots of 24 hectares each of agricultural land of the public domain. In
the actual distribution, preference will be given to members of the Philippine Armed Forces and
legitimate guerrillas. To carry out the purposes of the act, the sum of P500,000 was appropriated.

Land tax remission:

President Osmeña signed Commonwealth Act No. 703 on November 1, 1945. The act declares
that the land taxes and penalties due and payable for the second semester of 1941 shall also be
remitted if the remaining 50 percent corresponding to 1945 shall have been paid on or before
December 31, 1945. The act also remits the land taxes on all lands, used mainly for the construction
of any building which has been burned or destroyed by reason of the war, until another building
shall have been constructed, the period of exemption to last not more than a year.
Aid to Philippine hospitals:

On November 1, 1945, President Osmeña signed Commonwealth Act No. 705, which appropriates
the total sum of P3,779,500 as aid to national, provincial and city hospitals and their dispensaries.
When funds become available for this purpose, all government hospitals and their dispensaries, in
Manila as well as in the provinces, will benefit from this act.

Manila Railroad Rehabilitation:

Personnel of the Manila Railroad Company, who like other employees of government corporations
as well as government personnel in genera need help in order to improve their living conditions
during the present emergency, should take heart from the signing of Commonwealth Act No. 707
on November 1, 1945.The act sets aside the sum of P20,000,000 to be loaned without interest to
the Manila Railroad Company for its rehabilitation particularly for the purchase of locomotives,
cars, rails, ties and other equipment and accessories of railroad transportation; for the repair of
tracts and bridges; and—this is the significant point—for the reorganization and salaries of
personnel. As quickly as relief funds become available from the United States, the Manila Railroad
Company will be rehabilitated under this act, and personnel of the company will get the
government aid and support that is their due.

PROBLEMS

But what of the nation Osmena was given charge of? The islands were devastated. "Of all the
wartime capitals, only Warsaw suffered more damage than Manila."

• Economy was in shambles

• Unemployment was epidemic
• Nation's export industry had collapsed
• Graft and corruption
• Essential services were in chaos.
• Transportation and communication systems were barely operational in most areas, food
production was at a standstill.
• Health system was horribly overtaxed.

Indoctrination and propaganda campaigns were conducted to support the armed struggle at every
opportunity. Stalin University was reopened in the Sierra Madres mountains for promising recruits.
Huk propagandists were quick to exploit even the most minor case of government abuse or
corruption, and there was no difficulty in identifying these. Realizing that most of their support
came from the peasant farming class, the movement adopted the slogans "Land for the Landless"
and "Prosperity for the Masses". This strategy proved most effective in the days prior to
independence in 1946 as the people searched for socioeconomic reforms that never came from
Manila.

Thus, as the nation approached independence, little constructive change had taken place since
1941. If there was any dramatic change at all, it was a worsening condition for the peasant, brought
about by the ravages of war. The Manila government was riddled with corruption and showed no
visible concern for the peasant farmer. Landlords and wealthy Filipino businessmen continued to
hold firm sway in government and aided by post-war U.S. policy, had returned the Philippines to
the status quo that most favored their own purposes. The peasant felt forgotten, abused, and saw
no hope for substantive social or economic change coming from the current government once the
islands achieved independence.

References:
• http://malacanang.gov.ph/sergio-osmena/
• https://www.slideshare.net/abigail_patana/sergio-osmena-ready-at-powerpoint-
presentation-1

• https://www.slideshare.net/KlaribelleVillaceran/policies-and-programs-of-philippine-
presidents
• Technical Report of President Osmeña on his ten months of Administration | Official
Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines
• https://history.army.mil/books/coldwar/huk/ch3.htm