Manuel L.

Quezon, 1935-1944

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

 appears on the twenty-peso bill

 a province, a city, a bridge and a university in Manila are named after him

 his body lies within the special monument on Quezon Memorial Circle
 peace and order, ending criminal, insurgent and secessionist movements
 Alleviating poverty and hunger by achieving food security and ensuring that government
economic gains are directed to truly benefit the poor
 ending graft and corruption, achieving transparency and accountability in government
José P. Laurel, 1943-1945

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treason was superseded later by an amnesty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
 During Laurel's tenure as President, hunger was the main worry. Prices of essential
commodities rose to unprecedented heights. The government exerted every effort to
increase production and bring consumers' goods under control.
Sergio Osmeña, 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

 restoration of the commonwealth
 President Osmeña proceeded with the immediate reorganization of the government and
its diverse dependencies.
 Rehabilitation of the Philippine national bank
Manuel Roxas, 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

 No sooner had the fanfare of

the independence festivities ended that the government and the people quickly put all
hands to work in the tasks of rescuing the country from its dire economic straits
 In 1946, shortly after his induction to Presidency, Manuel Roxas proclaimed the Rice
Share Tenancy Act of 1933 effective throughout the country.
 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 José P. Laurel (1943–1945).
 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 rights.
 On 19 September 1946 the Republic of the Philippines notified the United Kingdom that
it wished to take over the administration of the Turtle Islands and the Mangesse Islands.
Pursuant to a supplemental international agreement, the transfer of administration became
effective on 16 October 1947.
Elpidio Quirino, 1948-1953

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
 His first official act as the
President was the proclamation of a state
mourning throughout the country for
Roxas' death.
 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.
 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 Malacañan Palace.
 the economic reconstruction of the nation and the restoration of the faith and confidence
of the people in the government.
 President Quirino also created the Social Security Commission
 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.
 President Quirino created the Integrity Board to probe into reports of graft and corruption
in high government places.
Ramon Magsaysay, 1953-1957

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
 Ushering a new era in Philippine government, President Magsaysay placed emphasis
upon service to the people by bringing the government closer to the former.
 President Magsaysay created the Presidential Complaints and Action Committee.
 Republic Act No. 1160 of 1954—Abolished the LASEDECO and established the
National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA) to resettle dissidents
and landless farmers. It was particularly aimed at rebel returnees providing home lots and
farmlands in Palawan and Mindanao.
 Republic Act No. 1199 (Agricultural Tenancy Act of 1954) – governed the relationship
between landowners and tenant farmers by organizing share-tenancy and leasehold
system. The law provided the security of tenure of tenants. It also created the Court of
Agrarian Relations.
Carlos P. Garcia, 1957-1961

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
 President Carlos P. Garcia signed the said bill into law as Republic Act No. 1700 on June 19,
1957.
 President Garcia exercised the Filipino First Policy, for which he was known. This policy
heavily favored Filipino businessmen over foreign investor.
 President Garcia initiated what has been called "The Austerity Program". His
administration was characterized by its austerity program and its insistence on a
comprehensive nationalist policy.
 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.
Diosdado Macapagal, 1961-1965

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
 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.
 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. The peso devalued from P2.64 to the U.S. dollar, and
 stabilized at P3.80 to the dollar, supported by a $300 million stabilization fund from the
International Monetary Fund.
 Free enterprise was restored with decontrol. The Five-Year Economic Program had been
prescribed. Land reform abolishing tenancy had been launched. These were essential
foundations for economic and social progress for the greatest number.
 Macapagal had certain achievements.[13] Foremost of these was the Agricultural Land
Reform Code of 1963 (Republic Act No. 3844) which provided for the purchase of
private farmlands with the intention of distributing them in small lots to the landless
tenants on easy term of payment.[13] It is a major development in history of land reform
in the Philippines.
 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.
Ferdinand Marcos, 1965-1986

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

 Marcos ran a populist campaign emphasizing that he was a bemedalled war hero
emerging from World War II. 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.
 To help finance a number of economic development projects, the Marcos government
borrowed large amounts of money from international lenders.[165][166] The External
debt of the Philippines rose more than 70-fold from $360 million in 1962 to $26.2 billion
in 1985,[167] making the Philippines one of the most indebted countries in Asia.
 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.

Corazon Aquino, 1986-1992

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

 on the new 500-peso bill together with her husband Benigno Aquino

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

 The triumph of the peaceful People Power Revolution and the ascension of Corazon
Aquino into power signaled the end of authoritarian rule in the Philippines and the
dawning of a new era for Filipinos, where PHP-USD exchange rate immediately crashes
form Php 8-$1 to Php 20-$1 and to Php 27-$1 during her administration. The relatively
peaceful manner by which Aquino came into power drew international acclaim and
admiration for her and her allies.
 Fidel V. Ramos, 1992-1998
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
 Republic Act No. 7653 - The New Central Bank Act .
 Republic Act No. 7638 - Charter of the Department of Energy.
 Republic Act No. 7648 - Electric Power Crisis Act.
 Republic Act No. 7832 - Anti-electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials
Pilferage Act of 1994.
 Republic Act No. 7881 – Amended certain provisions of RA 6657 and exempted
fishponds and prawns from the coverage of CARP.
 Republic Act No. 7905 – Strengthened the implementation of the CARP.
 Republic Act No. 8179 - An act further liberalizing foreign investments, amending for
the purpose Republic Act No. 7042, and for other purposes.
 Republic Act No. 8293 - The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (Philippine
copyright law).
 Republic Act No. 8435 – (Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act AFMA) Plugged
the legal loopholes in land use conversion.
 Republic Act No. 8532 – (Agrarian Reform Fund Bill) Provided an additional Php50
billion for CARP and extended its implementation for another 10 years.
 Under his administration, the Philippines enjoyed economic growth and stability. His
visions of 'Philippines 2000' led the country into a newly industrialized country in the
world and the "Tiger Cub Economy in Asia".
 The Ramos administration speeded the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program (CARP) of former President Corazon Aquino in order to meet the ten-
year time frame.
Joseph Estrada, 1998-2001

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
 The Estrada administration widened the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program (CARP) to the landless peasants in the country side.
 President Estrada created the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF)
with the objective of minimizing, if not totally eradicating, car theft and worsening
kidnapping cases in the country.
 peace and order, ending criminal, insurgent and secessionist movements
 Achieving food security and economic stability by strengthening the agricultural sector
 Implementation of the Agri-Agra Law through ERAP Bonds.
 Implementation of the Irrigation Law.
 Gaining investor confidence through peace and order and good governance
 Alleviating poverty and hunger by achieving food security and ensuring that government
economic gains are directed to truly benefit the poor