MANUEL L.

QUEZON
First President of the Commonwealth
Term: November 15, 1935 - August 1, 1944

BIOGRAPHY
The second president of the Republic of the Philippines, Manuel Luis Molina Quezon was
identified as the primary founder of the Philippine Independence. He was born on August
19, 1878 in Baler, Tayabas (now known as Quezon) to a school teacher and a
hardworking mother.
During the Filipino-American war, Quezon dropped out of college and went to join the
revolution against the United States under the command of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. He
fought in the provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga and Bataan, and in a short time attained the
rank of major. In 1901, when the rebellion was ended, he was captured and imprisoned
for six months. Upon his release, he went back to the University and continued his studies.
He graduated with a degree of arts, studied jurisprudence, and placed fourth in the Bar
examinations.
Quezon foresaw that the only path to independence was through mutual agreement with
the United States. He ran for Tayabas governor in 1905 and won the election. He served
for two years and became a representative in 1907 to the newly created Philippine
National Assembly. The following year, he was selected to join the first Philippine
assembly and became the floor leader of Nacionalista party.
In his service in the government, he was chosen to be commissioner of the country in
Washington where he served for seven years. He attained the privilege to speak but not
to vote in the US House of Representatives. There he fought for the immediate grant of
Philippine Independence. In 1916, Quezon became a tool in the fast passing of the Jones
Acts; its purpose was to grant us a greater degree of self-government and it promised the
country ultimate freedom.
When he resigned from his position as commissioner and returned to Manila, he was
selected to be a part of the newly formed Philippine Senate where he served as president
until 1935. He then obtained rule of the Nacionalist party which was formerly governed by
Sergio Osmeña. In 1930, the US Congress arranged for the announcement of the
Philippine independence and with Quezon’s backing, the bill to liberate the Philippines
was approved. Thus, the Tydings-McDuffie law was signed.
On September 17, 1935, the Philippine Commonwealth was established and Manuel
Quezon became its president. During his term, he restructured the country’s military
defense and was aided by Gen. Douglas McArthur, who later became his special adviser.
Part of Quezon’s mission for the Philippines was to give stability to the country’s economy.
He campaigned to stop graft and corruption, and supported the resolution and progress
of Southern Mindanao islands.

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In 1941, he was re-elected as President and when Japan invaded the Philippines, Quezon
left for the United States. There he created a government which could only support the
people from afar and became a member of the Pacific War Council where he signed the
declaration of the United Nations against fascist governments.
On August 1, 1944, Manuel L. Quezon died of tuberculosis in Sarnac Lake, New York.
His remains were returned to the Philippines on exactly two years later and were
temporarily buried at Cementerio del Norte. On August 1, 1979, they were finally
transferred to the Quezon Monument in Quezon City.

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, making him
known as the “Father of the National Language”
 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

JOSE P. LAUREL
President of the Japanese Sponsored Republic
Term: October 14, 1943 - August 15, 1945

BIOGRAPHY
Jose P. Laurel was known to be the president of the puppet republic. He was elected as
the 3rd President of the Philippines by the National Assembly on September 25, 1943,
and was inaugurated on October 14, 1943. Born on March 9, 1891 in the small town of
Tanuan in Batangas, Jose P. Laurel studied and received his law degree at the University
of the Philippines in 1915 and at Yale University in 1920.
His first entry in politics was in 1925, when he was elected to the Philippine Senate. In
1936 he was selected as associate justice of the Supreme Court. When the Japanese
invaded our country, Laurel was the only high ranking official who chose to remain in
Manila. Laurel had been vocal in his disapproval of the US control and because of his
open dislike of the US government, the Japanese had given him numerous positions
during its three-year reign.

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Laurel’s government didn't get the Filipinos' full support. During his first year, Laurel was
shot twice by Filipino rebels, but by some miracle survived. After the war, he was charged
with 132 counts of treason but he never got into trial because of the general amnesty
given in April 1948. In 1949, he ran again for president under the Nacionalista Party but
was defeated by Elpidio Quirino, standard bearer of the Liberal Party.
Upon his losing the presidency, he was later elected as senator and as a delegate to the
Constitutional Convention. He was recognized because of his support for women’s
freedom and rights, and his assistance in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution. When
Magsaysay sat as president in 1955, Laurel became the lead of an economic mission to
the United States. His job was to enhance and develop the relationship between the
Philippines and the United States.
In 1957, he retired from the political arena and led a normal life with his former wife,
Paciencia Hidalgo. Jose Laurel died on November 5, 1959.

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

SERGIO OSMEÑA
Second President of the Commonwealth
Term: August 1, 1944 - May 27, 1946

BIOGRAPHY
As a statesman and founder of the Nacionalista Party, Sergio Osmeña became the 4th
president of the Republic of the Philippines. Born on September 9, 1878 in Cebu City,
Osmeña worked in the Philippine Revolution as a courier for Emilio Aguinaldo before
finishing his law studies at the University of Sto. Tomas in 1903.
He was a prominent figure in the fight for independence and assisted in the battle using
passive means as an editor of El Nuevo Dia, a newspaper in Cebu. His job as a politician
began in 1904 when the US colonial administration appointed him as governor of Cebu
and he became the district attorney of the said province and of Negros Oriental. After two
years, he was elected governor.

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Between 1907 and 1916, he was chosen as a representative to the Philippine National
Assembly and became speaker of the House of Representatives. He was also the
organizer of the Nacionalista Party that controlled the political arena. Osmeña remained
its leader until 1921 and was followed by Manuel Quezon.
The Osmeña and Quezon tandem was victorious in its fight for independence. Their
biggest battle arose during the lapse of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Independence Act of the
US Congress in 1933. The team did not last long, for Osmeña and Quezon disagreed
over maintaining the US military base after the country has gained its independence.
While Osmeña was working on the condition, Quezon was operating on blocking its
confirmation in the Philippines. When the bill was passed, Quezon acquired in its place
the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934 with a stipulation of making a commonwealth republic.
In 1935, Osmeña was elected vice president of the Commonwealth nation and Quezon
became its president. He became a loyal follower of President Quezon and joined him
when he went into exile in Washington, DC in 1942. Sergio Osmeña replaced president
Quezon when he died on August 1, 1944. He returned to the Philippines with the party of
Douglas McArthur on October 20, 1944.
He ran again for president on April 23, 1946 but lost to Manuel Roxas, who became the
first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines. He retired to Cebu after that
and passed away on October 19, 1961 at the age of 83.

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

MANUEL ROXAS
First President of the Third Republic of the Philippines
Term: May 28, 1946 - July 4, 1946 / July 4, 1946- April 15, 1948

BIOGRAPHY
The fifth president of the Republic of the Philippines, Manuel A. Roxas was born on
January 1, 1892 in Roxas City, formerly Capiz. He finished law in 1913 with flying colors

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at the University of the Philippines, and topped the bar examination in the same year. His
first work experience was as a private secretary of Chief Justice Cayetano Arrelano, and
he was a law professor from 1915 to 1916.
His first entry to the political world was in 1917, when he became a member of the
municipal council of Capiz. He was elected governor of the province and served his term
from 1912 to 1921. He took a seat at the Philippine House of Representatives in 1922,
and was afterward selected as a Speaker of the House and a member of the Council of
State.
When US Governor General Leonard Wood was preventing bills to be passed by
Philippine legislators, Senators Manuel Roxas and Manuel Quezon resigned from the
Council of State. After nine years, the team of Roxas and Osmeña headed the passing
of the Hare-Hawes Cutting Act in Washington, D.C. However, Quezon contradicted
Roxas on the bill and this led to the disbanding of the Nacionalista Party. From 1938 to
1940, Roxas worked as a Secretary of Finance under the Commonwealth administration.
During the Japanese occupation, Manuel Roxas assisted in the pro-Japanese
government headed by Jose P. Laurel by getting supplies of rice for the Japanese army.
After the war, a trial was brought against the accomplices of the Japanese Government,
but Roxas' friend Douglas McArthur defended him.
Roxas was elected President of the Commonwealth in 1946 and became the first
president of an Independent Republic when liberty was declared on July 4. During his
reign, he saw that the country’s only way to recover and re-establish itself was by
associating and acquiring aid from the US that included trade and military cooperation
that lasted for 99 years. In spite of this, many Filipinos were not happy with these
arrangements, and the government was flawed with several problems including graft and
corruption and the uprising of the Hukbalahap.
Roxas died on April 15, 1948 in Clark Field Pampanga.

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

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 ELPIDIO QUIRINO
Second President of the Third Republic of the Philippines
Term: April 17, 1948 - November 10, 1953

BIOGRAPHY
The 6th president of the Philippines, Elpidio Quirino, was born on November 16, 1890 in
Vigan, Ilocos Sur. He finished his degree in law at the University of the Philippines in 1915
and took the bar exams after. His first humanitarian mission began when he was a barrio
school teacher in Vigan, and was followed by a stint at the Bureau of Lands. He then
became a property clerk in the Manila Police Department, and then a private secretary of
then Senate President Manuel Quezon.
His began his career in politics as an elected representative of Ilocus Sur in 1919 and
became a senator in 1925. He was re-elected as senator in 1931. Quirino was one of the
members of the delegates who helped pass the Tydings-McDuffie Act that later paved
the way to Philippine Independence.
Quirino became a part of the convention that prepared the constitution for the new
Philippine Commonwealth. He was selected by Pres. Quezon to be the Secretary of
Finance. Later on, he became the Secretary of the Interior in the Commonwealth
government. When he was elected as Vice President to Roxas, he worked as the
Secretary of Finance and later became the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
Quirino was captured and imprisoned during the Japanese occupation because of his
resistance. His wife Alicia Syquia and their three children were killed by the Japanese
soldiers. After the war, he re-acquired his old position in the government. He was elected
Vice President in 1946 alongside Manuel Roxas. However, Quirino became the president
of the republic when incumbent president Manuel Roxas died. Quirino ran again for
president in the 1949 elections and won over the Nacionalista party candidate.
During Quirino’s presidency, his government exercised two goals: to regain faith and
confidence in the government, and to restore peace and order. Sadly, his government
experienced bad publicity, and for the first time in Philippine history, an impeachment trial
was filed against the president because of a golden orinola that Quirino allegedly bought
at a hefty price using the government’s money.
His six-year reign as president was recognized for post-war reconstruction, general
economic gains and increased economic aid from the US. However, the problems from
the rural areas and other social problems remained unsettled. The government during his
time was stained by graft and corruption.
Quirino’s bid for a second term of office in 1949 was believed to be one of the dirtiest
elections held in the country – next to the 1969 election wherein Ferdinand Marcos won
via massive cheating and intimidation. In the 1953 election, Quirino was defeated by one
of the greatest presidents in Philippine history, Ramon Magsaysay.

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Despite all the controversies in his reign as president of the republic, his administration
was recognized for its projects on industrial ventures, expanding irrigation and
improvement of the road system, setting up of the Central Bank and rural banking, and
the concluding peace with Japan.
After his defeat, he went back to a normal citizen’s life. He passed away on February 28,
1956 at his residence in Novaliches.

CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

 Hukbalahap guerrilla movement was 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

RAMON MAGSAYSAY
Third President of the Third Republic of the Philippines
Term: December 30, 1953- March 17, 1957

BIOGRAPHY
Ramon Magsaysay known as the “the Guy” or “President of the Filipino Masses”, born in
Iba, Zambales on August 31, 1907 and second child of Exequiel Magsaysay and Perfecta
Del Fierro. As the 8th President of the Philippines, he opens the door to the Filipino people
wherein they are given a chance to approach him directly and give them more freedom
to express their pain and sufferings. To this day his leadership and kindness are the
standard qualities that are looked up for Filipino leaders.
He studied in University of the Philippines took up mechanical engineering but ended up
in Jose Rizal College with Commerce degree. During his period, most of the political
leaders are Spanish kin, only Magsaysay was of Malay race, like the common people.
Magsaysay started as a mechanic in the Try-Tran Bus Company and later up rise as the
branch manager. He reached fame as an efficient guerilla leader in World War II and was
named as the military governor of Zambales, Iba by General Douglas McArthur when the
US freed the Philippines.
He served as the Liberal Party Congress in Zambales from 1946-1950. It was his first
experience in politics. He becomes the instrumental politician for having passed the GI
Bill of Rights in the US Congress wherein it will benefit the Filipino war veterans. President
Elpidio Quirino designates Magsaysay to become the secretary of defense to handle the
threat of the Huks which organize the People’s Liberation army. He succeeded the

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campaign against the Hukbalahap using both the military and political solutions. His
campaign is considered as one of the most successful anti-guerilla in modern history.
The huks realize that they cannot survive without support from the people, he tried to win
the peasants by giving them lands and tools to those who will support the government
and the army should treat the people with respect. Reorganized the army by dismissing
corrupt officials, and trained them to become competent against the guerillas. Because
of his radical campaign, the huks were no longer a threat though he made a lot of enemies
within the government. He accused the Quirino administration with corruption and
incompetence, forcing him to resign on Feb. 28.
In 1953, the Nacionalista party and Carlos Romulo supports Magsaysay to run for
President against Quirino although he was a Liberal candidate. He won and become the
8th president of the Philippines. During his administration he introduced major programs
such as land reform, social welfare and public works. He helped the peasants by
establishing agricultural credit and cooperative financing agency. Magsaysay is the
“President of the Peasants” but his plans were hindered by the other politicians who
favoured the wealthy.
Magsaysay as a president was so simple and focused on helping the common man. He
remained a close friend and supporter of the United States. He was also the vocal
spokesperson against Communism during the Cold War. He made the Philippines a
member of SATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization), which was established in Manila
on Sept. 8, 1954 and he organized Afro-Asian nations against world communism at the
Bandung Conference in Indonesia.
Ramon Magsaysay was married to the former Luz Banzon. He died in a plane crash in
Cebu while campaigning for re-election. His vice president, Carlos P. Garcia succeeded
him.

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

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 CARLOS P. GARCIA
Fourth President of the Third Republic of the Philippines
Term: March 18, 1957 - December 30, 1961

BIOGRAPHY
The seventh President of the Republic of the Philippines, Carlos P. Garcia was born in
Talibon, Bohol on November 4, 1896 to Policracio Garcia and Ambrosia Polistico. He
studied at the Siliman University in Dumaguete and later moved to Philippine Law School
where he got his law degree. He was also listed as one of the top ten students who passed
the bar examinations. His first job was as a professor at the Bohol Provincial School.
During the Second World War, Garcia was involved in the defiance movement against
the Japanese. His entered politics as a representative of Bohol in the National Assembly,
and then he served as a congressman, a governor of Bohol and a senator of the republic
before becoming president. Garcia was also a part of the team that prepared and drafted
the governing laws and policies of the United Nations.
In 1945, he won a seat in the senate, and became Vice President to Ramon Magsaysay
in 1953. During Garcia's short term as Vice President, President Magsaysay assigned
him as a Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Garcia assumed the presidency when President
Magsaysay died in an airplane crash in March 1957.
As a leader, Garcia promoted a program of austerity; he said that austerity is a policy that
means temperate spending that signifies more work, more thrift, more productive
investment and more efficiency. The result was less imports and more exports, thus the
caption “Pilipino Muna.”
In the 1961 presidential election, Diosdado Macapagal beat Garcia. Garcia died from a
heart attack on June 14, 1971 while he was still the president of the Constitutional
Convention.

CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

 Known for “Filipino First Policy” which favoured 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
 The first president to have his remains buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani

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 DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL
Fifth President of the Third Republic of the Philippines
Term: December 30, 1961 - December 30, 1965

BIOGRAPHY
The ninth president of the Republic of the Philippines, Diosdado Macapal was born in
Lubao, Pampanga on September 28, 1910. His parents were Urbano Macapagal and
Romana Pangan. Diosdado was known as the “poor boy from Lubao,” and his story of
success was an inspiration to all Filipinos. He brought the true meaning of nationalism to
public service and honour to the word politics.
Macapagal’s lack of money did not hold him back in pursuing his dream; with the help of
Honorio Ventura, the Secretary of Interior at that time, he studied law at the University of
Sto. Tomas. He was able to attain his degree in 1936, and worked as a lawyer for an
American employer. He was also assigned as a legal assistant to President Manuel
Quezon.
During the Japanese occupation, Macapagal supported the anti-Japanese task force, and
served as an intelligence liaison to the US guerillas. His first wife died of malnutrition, and
he later married Evangelina Macaraeg, the mother of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
During the term of President Quirino, he appointed Macapagal as a second secretary to
the Philippine Embassy in Washington–Macapagal's first job as a public servant. In 1949,
Quirino urged him to run against a Huk candidate who was also running for a seat in the
House of Representatives. Macapagal won and became a member of the Philippine
House of Representative until 1956. He was also part of the commission that went to the
United States to work out the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty.
Diosdado Macapagal was a member of the Liberal party, his bearer for the national
elections. He won the position of vice president in 1957. In the 1961 presidential elections
where he ran for president, Macapagal won by a margin of 55.04% of the votes, against
other candidates including former president Carlos Garcia. The main program in his
campaign focused on the fight against graft and corruption.
Macapagal’s government was pressured by the International Monetary Fund to liberalize
foreign exchange and import controls. He also dropped the peso value in order to increase
the slumping economy by raising the sugar exports, and because of this, local firms were
affected and the unemployment rate went up.
His five-year program included a shift in the investments from the light industries to
chemicals, steel and industrial equipment. Macapagal formed a union called
MAPHILINDO, an organization composed of South East Asian countries including
Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, in a bid to boost our country’s trade with our
neighbours. The MAPHILINDO union gave the way to the formation of the Association of
the Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN.

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In the 1965 election, he ran against Ferdinand Marcos but lost. Macapagal then became
a blunt detractor of the Marcos administration. When the Constitutional Convention was
formed in 1971, he was selected as president, and one of its major stipulations was to
change the presidential form of government to parliamentary. On April 21, 1997, at the
Makati Medical Center, Diosdado Macapal died of heart failure, pneumonia and renal
complications. He was 87 years old back then.

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
 Some of the bills he passed as a Congressman were “Minimum Wage Bill” and
“Rural Health Law”
 Created the Philippine Veteran’s Bank
 He renamed Dewey Boulevard to Roxas Boulevard
 He renamed Camp Murphy to Camp Aguinaldo, and
 He replaced Fort McKinley with Fort Bonifacio

FERDINAND MARCOS
President of the Fourth Republic of the Philippines
Term: December 30, 1965- December 30, 1973 / June 30, 1981 - February 25, 1986

BIOGRAPHY
The 10th president of the Republic of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos was born on
September 11, 1917 in Sarat, Ilocos Norte to Mariano Marcos and Josefa Edralin. His
administration was recognized for its strict government, and he held office for 20 years.
He became the first prime minister that served our country when Martial Law was declared
in 1972.
Ferdinand Marcos got his law degree at the University of the Philippines, and was one of
the top-notch students who took the bar exams. His entry in public service began when
he worked as an officer for the Philippine Armed Forces during the Second World War.
He was also one of the many soldiers who were captured and survived the Death March
in Bataan. His consequent claims of being an important figure in the Filipino guerilla
faction became a vital factor in his political career. But later, his claim was contradicted
by the US Government archives; they said that Marcos played little or no part at all in the
anti-Japanese actions during the Second World War.

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He first entered the political scene as an assistant to Pres. Manuel Roxas. He then
became a member of the House of Representatives, and later on a Senator of the
Republic. When Marcos married Imelda Romualdez in 1954, he acquired the position of
Senate President. During the 1965 presidential campaign, Marcos left the Liberal party
after failing to be nominated as the party’s candidate for the presidential post. He then
joined the Nationalista Party and went against Diosdado Macapagal, the chosen
candidate of his rival party, who was then running for re-election.
After the tight and gruelling battle for the presidency, Ferdinand Marcos won and was
inaugurated on December 30, 1965. He was re-elected after four years and, in one of the
dirtiest elections in the country, became the first president to serve a second term. In his
first term of service, his government made progress in agriculture, industry and education.
But his administration was always pestered by student demonstrations and urban-guerilla
movements. Nevertheless, he was still considered to be one of the best presidents our
country ever had.
As his charisma started to fade as the years passed, Marcos declared Martial Law on
September 21, 1972. During this time, he imprisoned all the people who tried to oppose
him. He was both the president and the prime minister under the new but suspended
constitution. There was no freedom of the press; major airlines and utilities went under
government control, and the writ of habeas corpus was suspended. Marcos’ role as a
dictator began. The Supreme Court was granted little authority, while the Catholic Church,
US Embassy officials and the Amnesty International charged the government with
violations of human rights. Political leaders contradicted Ferdinand Marcos, while the New
People’s Army and Muslim separatists tried to bring down his regime.
Martial Law was brought down in January 1981, but with the aid of various “gray areas”
in the constitutional formats, Marcos was able to stay in power until the People Power
revolution of 1986. His administration was flawed by raging corruption, economic
stagnation, and continual widening of economic inequalities between the rich and the
poor. By 1983, Marcos’ command over his subordinates was showing cracks, and hostility
towards his rule was growing stronger. To prove his strength to the people, he called for
a snap election. His opponent was Corazon Aquino, wife of the late Senator Ninoy Aquino.
He “defeated” Ninoy’s widow and declared himself president of the republic despite the
widespread protest of the people. During the “People Power Revolution” on February 25,
1986, Marcos' rule was overthrown. He then escaped to Hawaii at the advice of the US
Government. Marcos passed away on September 28, 1989 in Hawaii.

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

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  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

CORAZON AQUINO
First President of the Fifth Republic of the Philippines
Term: February 25, 1986- June 30, 1992

BIOGRAPHY
Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco Aquino was born in Tarlac on January 25, 1933. She is the
sixth of the eight children of Don Jose Conjuanco and Doña Demetria Sumulong. She
belongs to a wealthy and politically prominent clan from the Tarlac province.
In 1946, Aquino's family left for the U.S., and she attended her junior and senior years of
high school at the Notre Dame College in New York. She then earned a degree in
Bachelor of Arts, major in French at Mount Saint Vincent College in New York in 1949. In
1955, she gave up becoming a lawyer to marry Benigno Aquino, who was then a young
promising politician from the same province. Benigno or "Ninoy" was exiled by archrival
Ferdinand E. Marcos in the States, and was assassinated upon his return in August 21,
1983. Ninoy was supposed to participate in the 1983 elections. After Ninoy's death,
Aquino was left to take care of their five children.
In 1986, Aquino pursued her husband's dream. When then President Ferdinand Marcos
called for a snap election, Corazon Aquino became the unified opposition's candidate for
presidency. Though she was officially reported to have lost the election to Marcos, Aquino
and her supporters challenged the results. They claimed widespread voting fraud. High
officials in the Philippine military soon publicly renounced Marcos and proclaimed Aquino
as the Philippines' rightful president.
The clash of the two candidates resulted in a "People Power Revolution." At the height of
the revolution, Marcos fled the country at the urging of the U.S. Government, and Aquino's
new administration was officially recognized upon his departure for Hawaii. On February
25, 1986, Corazon Aquino became the first woman president of the Philippines.
Despite the people's overwhelming support, the Aquino administration faced an ongoing
outcry of economic injustice, a problem that was only worsened by the continuing warfare
between the communists and the military, whose loyalty to Aquino was uncertain. In
general, her economic policies were criticized for being mixed-up or faltering in the face
of mass poverty. Corazon Aquino served for six years, the maximum term allowed for a
president to stay in power under the revised constitution of 1986.
CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
 First woman president of the Philippines and in Asia

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  Restored democracy after Marcos’ leadership
 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 honours and awards including:
 Made it to “100 Women Who Shaped World History”
 Made it to “20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century”
 Made it to “65 Great Asian Heroes”
 Received the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding

FIDEL V. RAMOS
Second President of the Fifth Republic of the Philippines
Term: June 30, 1992 - June 30, 1998

BIOGRAPHY
Fidel Valdes Ramos was raised by his father Narciso Ramos in Lingayen, a province of
Pangasinan. The Philippine government awarded the young Fidel Ramos a scholarship
to the U.S. Military Academy after he passed competitive examinations. Seeing the need
to help raise his country from the ruins of war, he pursued further studies in engineering
following his graduation from West Point in 1950. He obtained a Masters Degree in Civil
Engineering at the University of Illinois in 1951 while he was still a government scholar.
In 1966, Ramos was promoted from 2nd Lieutenant Infantry platoon leader in the
Philippine Expeditionary Force to Chief of Staff of the Philippine Civil Action. He then
worked his way up to become the commander of the Philippine Constabulary, a
paramilitary law enforcement agency that was created by the administration of Ferdinand
Marcos.
Ramos is considered the "Father of Philippine Army Special Forces." Some of the
positions that he held in the government were Deputy Chief of Staff for Home Defense of
the Armed Forces, and Chief of the Philippine Constabulary. He became known to the
public in 1986, when he was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines. He then became the Secretary of National Defense in 1988 under the Aquino
administration.

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On June 30, 1992, Ramos ascended to the highest office of the land. He led the Partido
Lakas Tao, a political party that promised to move power to the people as well as greater
control over their livelihood, culture, politics and all aspects of their lives. The former
general tried to improve his administration by reducing the number of cabinet-ranked
positions, though his good intentions were criticized because the appointed officials
retired military officers.
Ramos took positive moves towards his old foes. He granted amnesty to Communist and
Muslim rebels, and recognized the Communist Party. Foreign investment, particularly
tourism, was also one of his targets for improvement.
He is married to Amelita "Ming" Ramos, with whom he has five daughters. The four-star
general was the 12th 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 favourite during his
presidency
 Death penalty reinstated while he was in office
 Signed peace agreement with the rebel Moro National Liberation Front

JOSEPH ESTRADA
Third President of the Fifth Republic of the Philippines
Term: 1998 - 2001

BIOGRAPHY
One of the popular presidents known for his showbiz career, Joseph Ejercito Estrada
became the 13th president of the Republic of the Philippines in 1998. He was born in
Tondo, Manila on April 19, 1937 to Emilio Ejercito, a government employee, and Maria
Marcelo, a housewife.
In his third year at college, Estrada decided to try acting. When he dropped out of college,
his parents were disappointed and prohibited him to use their family name. That was
when he assumed the alias Estrada for his screen name and Erap for his nickname.
During his career in the entertainment industry, he became very famous, playing the lead
role in more than a hundred movies and producing more than 70 films.

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Joseph Ejercito Estrada first entered politics in 1968, when he ran for mayor of San Juan.
He was proclaimed mayor in 1969 after winning an electoral protest against Dr. Braulio
Sto. Domingo. The elected mayor was soon named one of the Ten Outstanding Young
Men in Public Administration, Most Outstanding Mayor and Foremost Nationalist (1972),
and Most Outstanding Metro Manila Mayor (1972). It was a wealthy 16-year mayoralty for
Estrada since he was the only mayor who left savings with the Municipal Treasurer –
almost P24M.
Estrada did not end his political career when he stepped off the mayoralty. In 1987, he
ran for senator for the opposition party. He was proclaimed and held office for five years.
During his senatorial years, he focused mainly on preserving and protecting the lands of
the less fortunate Filipinos and their cultures. He chaired the Senate Committee on Rural
Development, authoring and sponsoring the law to promote rural development by
providing an accelerated program for the construction of irrigation projects within a 10-
year period. Besides being a nationalist and driving a pro poor agenda style of politics,
Estrada was also an opponent of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement in 1991.
In the 1992 elections, Estrada ran for Vice Prisident under the Nationalist People's
Coalition. He won by a big margin and was proclaimed the Vice President of the
Philippines even though many believed that his role in the government would be negligible.
He was, however, assigned by the former President Fidel V. Ramos as the head of
Presidential Anti-Crime Commission, which made little difference in the rate of crime in
the Philippines. He also founded a number of projects which supported movie makers
(MOWELFUND), assisted the poor (ERAP Para sa Mahirap), and campaigned against
drugs (PHILDARE).
Estrada was proclaimed the President of the Philippines in 1988, and he announced that
it was the "greatest performance of his life."
During the EDSA II rally in January 2001, Estrada was the first Philippine president to be
impeached, after he was charged of plunder and corruption. He was succeeded by then
vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

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

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 GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO
Fourth President of the Fifth Republic of the Philippines
Term: 2001 - 2010

BIOGRAPHY
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the 14th President of the republic, and is currently the 15th,
after being re-elected in May 2004. She was born on April 5, 1947 to late President
Diosdado Macapagal and his second wife Dr. Evangelina Macaraeg. The Macapagals
have been well known for their integrity and simple but dignified lifestyle.
Arroyo was a bright student; she graduated valedictorian in high school and Magna Cum
Laude at Assumption College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Commerce. She
obtained her Master of Arts in Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University and her Ph.
D. in Economics at the University of the Philippines. She was also a consistent Dean’s
Lister during her 2-year college stint at Georgetown University in Washington, where
former USA president Bill Clinton was one of her classmates.
Arroyo began her professional career as a teacher in Assumption College and later
became an Assistant Professor at the Ateneo de Manila University and Senior Lecturer
at the UP School of Economics. Her first government service was as an Assistant
Secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry during the Aquino administration. She
also became an Executive Director of the Garment and Textile Export Board under the
Aquino administration and became one of the top dollar earners in the country.
Her first entry in politics was in 1992 when she was elected as a senator. She was re-
elected in 1995 and got 16 million votes - the highest number of votes in Philippine history.
During her senatorial years, Arroyo authored 55 laws in economic and social reform. She
was named Outstanding Senator several times, and her awards were recognized by the
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, SBN 336, Magna Carta for the Urban Poor,
Philippine Graphic Weekly Magazine, Philippine Reporter Magazine, Public Eye
Magazine, and by Emil Jurado, Manila Standard Columnist.
In 1998, she was elected Vice President of the republic, garnering a total of 13 million
votes. During her reign as Vice President, she was appointed by then President Estrada
as a Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, a position that she
held until October 12, 2000.
On January 20, 2001, Arroyo was inaugurated and became the 14th president after the
Supreme Court declared the position vacant. She became the second woman to hold the
highest position of the land.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is married to lawyer-businessman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who is
the grandson of the late Senator Jose Ma. Arroyo of Iloilo. They were blessed with three
children: Mikey, Luli and Dato.

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Arroyo’s term as president ended in May 2010.

CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

 Second female president of the country
 First vice-president of the Philippines
 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

BENIGNO AQUINO III

Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino III was born on February 8, 1960 in Manila.
He is the only son of the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. whose assassination led to the
social unrest which catapulted his mother, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino to president. He
is a fourth-generation politician. His great grandfather, Servillano Aquino served as a
delegate to the Malolos Congress his grandfather, Benigno Aquino, Sr., held several
legislative positions from 1919–44.
He is the third of the five children of Benigno Aquino, Jr., who was then Vice Governor of
Tarlac province, and Corazon Aquino. He has four sisters, Maria Elena (Ballsy) Aquino
Cruz, Aurora Corazon (Pinky) Aquino Abellada, Victoria Eliza (Viel) Aquino Dee, and
Kristina Bernadette (Kris) Aquino Yap.
Aquino obtained his Economics degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1981 and
joined his family in their exile in the United States. He returned to the Philippines when
his father was assassinated in 1983.
Aquino had a short tenure as a member of the Philippine Business for Social Progress,
working as an assistant of the executive director of PBSP. Aquino later joined Mondragon
Industries Philippines, Inc. as an assistant Retail Sales Supervisor and assistant
promotions manager for Nike Philippines, Inc.
From 1986 to 1992, during the presidency of his mother, Aquino joined the Intra-Strata
Assurance Corporation, a company owned by his uncle Antolin Oreta Jr., as vice
president.

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From 1993 to 1998, Aquino worked for Central Azucarera de Tarlac, the sugar refinery in
charge of the Cojuangco-owned Hacienda Luisita, as the executive assistant for
administration from 1993 to 1996, then Aquino worked as manager for field services from
1996 to 1998.
In 1998, he was elected to the House of Representatives as Representative of the 2nd
district of Tarlac province. He was subsequently re-elected to the House in 2001 and 2004.
In 2007, having been barred from running for re-election to the House due to the term
limit, he was elected to the Senate in the 14th Congress of the Philippines.
After his mother’s death, on September 9, 2009, Aquino officially announced he would be
a candidate in the 2010 presidential election, held on May 10, 2010.
On June 9, 2010, the Congress of the Philippines proclaimed Aquino the winner of the
2010 presidential election. Aquino will take office as the fifteenth President of the
Philippines on June 30, 2010, succeeding Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

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

RODRIGO DUTERTE
Rodrigo Roa Duterte was born on March 28, 1945, in Maasin, Southern Leyte, Philippines.
His father, Vicente, served as a local mayor and governor, and his mother, Soledad, was
a teacher and a community activist.
Prone to misbehaviour, Duterte was twice expelled from elementary school. He managed
to channel his temper by the time he attended Lyceum of the Philippines University where
he was influenced by Communist Party of the Philippines founder José María Sison.
Duterte went on to study law at San Beda College, earning his degree in 1972 despite
claims that he shot a classmate.
Duterte's rise from the legal ranks to politician began when he was named special counsel
at the City Prosecution Office of Davao City in 1977. He became assistant city prosecutor
two years later and in 1986, he was elected vice mayor of Davao City.

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That same year, President Ferdinand Marcos was ousted in the "People Power
Revolution," fuelling an increase in crime that was particularly rampant in Davao City.
Elected mayor in 1988, Duterte sought to crack down on criminal activity by imposing a
strict curfew and drinking laws. Additionally, he permitted the actions of a vigilante "death
squad" — often referred to as the "Davao Death Squad" and “Duterte Death Squad” —
that reportedly killed more than 1,000 suspected drug dealers and gang members over a
20-year span.
Nicknamed the "Punisher" for his controversial methods, Duterte nevertheless was
successful in reducing crime. Furthermore, he was credited with helping to make Davao
City cleaner by enforcing a smoking ban, and for his LGBT-friendly measures. His
popularity was
such that he served seven terms as mayor, sidestepping term limits with stints as a
congressman and vice mayor, and drew huge ratings with a weekly television program.
After initially dismissing the idea he would run for president, Duterte reversed course and
threw his hat into the race in late 2015. Among other promises, he said he would establish
a new federal parliamentary government and revive the country's steel industry. However,
the substance of his campaign was quickly overshadowed by a series of outrageous
statements. He insisted he would massacre criminals and refused to apologize for a joke
about the rape of an Australian missionary. His brashness invited comparisons to Donald
Trump, who was simultaneously running his own unfiltered campaign for president in the
United States.
The strategy proved effective, as Duterte nearly doubled the votes compiled by his two
closest opponents. In May 2016, he was officially named the 16th president of the
Philippines, and the first from its southern island of Mindanao.
After taking office, Duterte signed an executive order to provide full disclosure of
government records and transactions and announced plans to decongest airports.
Vigilante attacks continued under his watch, and thousands of criminals reportedly
surrendered to authorities. Viewed as a tough, effective leader, Duterte scored a 91
percent approval rating in late July.
However, despite being subjected to greater international scrutiny in his new role, Duterte
refused to scale back his incendiary rhetoric. Among his headline-making comments, he
lashed out at U.S. President Barack Obama over mention of the extrajudicial killings, and
compared himself to Hitler for his desire to exterminate drug addicts.
Duterte also threatened to shake up long-time alliances with his words. Upon a state visit
to China in October, he announced that he was "separating" with the U.S. and aligning
himself with the "ideological flow" of his host country. Although he later softened those
remarks, he left many wondering whether he would attempt to tip the balance of power in
the Pacific region.

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Duterte was married to former flight attendant Elizabeth Zimmerman from 1973 until an
annulment was granted in 2000. Two of their three children, Paolo and Sara, followed
their father into politics. Additionally, Duterte has a daughter with his common-law wife,
Honeylet Avanceña.

CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

 Agreement signed with Malaysia and Indonesia to enhance military cooperation in
addressing piracy, kidnap-for-ransom, terrorism, transnational crimes in common
maritime areas
 Mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva
Ecija inaugurated. It is being run by the Department of Health
 911 National Emergency Hotline launched
 The Presidential Agrarian Reform Council, the highest policy- and decision-making
body on land reform and land disputes, is reconvened for the first time after 10
years

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