Ramon Magsaysay

Ramon Magsaysay was born on August 31, 1907 in Iba, Zambales. His parents were Perfecta del Fierro and Exequiel Magsaysay. Magsaysay studied elementary in Castillejos and his high school at the Zambales Academy, where he graduated salutatorian. He tool up mechanical engineering at the Unviersity of the Philippines. He never finished the course. He transferred to Jose Rizal College and finished Bachelor of Commerce in 1932.

When the Pacific War broke out, Ramon Maysaysay enlisted as a soldier. When the Filipino-American Forces surrendered in 1943, he joined the guerrilla group headed by Colonel Merill. He was appointed as Supply Officer. Being a hard worker, he was promoted to Major. He later became guerrilla leader.

When General MacArthur went to Zambales in 1945, Magsaysay was assigned to guard him. General MacArthur was impressed by his work attitude that he appointed him Military Governor of Zambales.

When the Commonwealth government was reinstated, Maysaysay ran as Congressman of Zambales. He easily won as he was already popular in Zambales.

He was appointed by President Roxas as representative for the Rogers Veteran Bill that directed the US government to take care of the hospitalization and supply of medicine to Filipino Veterans of World War II. He helped in the passage of the bill. This law paved the way for the establishment of the Veterans Memorial Hospital to cater primarily to Filipino Veterans. 

From 1948 to 1951, Ramon Magsaysay was in the list of the Ten Most Outstanding Legislators. 

He was appointed Secretary of Defense in 1950.

He held dialogues with the rebels and listened to their problems. He promised them a new life. The rebel leaders surrendered and one of them was Luis Taruc who, together with his rebel force in Central Luzon, surrendered to the government with the help of Benigno (Ninoy) Aquino Jr. on May 17, 1959.

The surrender of the rebels increased Ramon Maysaysay's popularity and was attributed as the primary reason for his winning the presidential elections of December 23, 1959.

Works and Contribution of Ramon Magsaysay

He immediately imposed discipline in the government. He even prohibited his relatives to enter government service. 

As President, he opened Malacañang Palace to the people. He institutionalized land reform in 1955, thus permitting poor farmers to own land being sold by the government at low prices. He supported the creation of cooperatives giving capital loans to the farmers. He established the Presidential Assistance and Community Development to help barrio workers.

He married Luz Banzon, who hails from Bataan, on July 10, 1933. They had three children.

Ramon Magsaysay died on March 17, 1957, when the airplane, Mt. Pinatubo, crashed into Mt. Manunggal in Cebu, killing all aboard, except one, Nestor Mata, a journalist. 

Manuel A. Roxas

Manuel A. Roxas was born in January 1, 1892 in Capiz (now Roxas City) province of Capiz. His parents are Rosario Acuña  and Gerardo Roxas. In 1910 Roxas started taking up law at Young Men's Christian Association. He later transferred to the College of Law at the University of the Philippines in 1911. He topped 1913 bar examinations with a degree of 92%.

Roxas returned to his hometown Capiz in 1917 to continue the term of his grandfather as a councilor. He was elected as governor of the province of Capiz after two years. He was also elected as the Presiding Officer of the Governor's Convention which added to his growing popularity.

In 1922, Roxas was elected as representative of Capiz to the National Assembly. Manuel L. Quezon helped him become the Speaker of the Lower House. Roxas held this position until 1933. Roxas was elected as the representative of Capiz in the Constitutional Convention in 1937. He was appointed by Quezon as Secretary of Finance. Roxas quit his job to run for senator in 1941. He won but did not serve as the war in the Pacific broke. Roxas serve in the Philippine Army. He was captured by the Japanese in 1942 after Corrigidor surrendered. He was sentenced to death for refusing to cooperate, but pardoned  by Gen. Masaharu Homma. He was returned to his home on November 22, 1942. He served as the head of the Economic Planning Board under the administration of President Laurel. In 1944, the Japanese took the leaders of the Philippine government including Roxas, to Baguio City. But he escaped. Roxas immediately called Gen. MacArthur, who declared him innocent of collaboration. He was again bestowed the rank of Brigadier General.

In the elections of April 23, 1946, Roxas won as the president of the Philippines as against Sergio Osmena, with Elpidio Quirino as his vice-president. Roxas was the president when the United States granted the Philippines its independence on July 4, 1946.

Manuel Roxas was immediately instituted livelihood programs and created the Rehabilitation Finance Corporation and closely cooperated with the United States. In rehabilitating the country's economy. He pardoned all Filipinos charged with collaboration, including former president Jose P. Laurel. Under his presidency however, the persecution of the Communists continued, such as the banning from office of winning representatives who were believed to be Communists, like Luis Taruc and Jesus Lava. The two went to the mountains and led the Hukbalahap rebellion (Hukbong Bayan Labas sa Hapon, a former guerrilla group).

Manuel A. Roxas Contributions to the country

One of Roxas' programs was the Bell Trade Law, which gave Americans right to own properties in the Philippines. He also supported the retention of the American Military bases. Roxas did not finish his term of office, he died of hear atack during his speech at Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga on April 15, 1948.

Manuel A. Roxas was married to Trinidad de Leon, a Carnival Queen in 1920 and daughter of Senator Ceferino de Leon of Bulacan. They had two children, Rosario and Gerardo who latter also went into politics.

Although he only served two years as president, his efforts to improve the economy will be remembered. He believed that the country's economy will benefit from close trade cooperation with America. He is also remembered for granting amnesty to Filipinos charged with collaboration with the Japanese. But his government is criticized for its tolerance in dealing with the Communists. 

Gloria Arroyo in a wheelchair attending his case hearing

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the 10th president of the third Philippine Republic. She was sworn to the office by Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. in 2001 after the Supreme Court unanimously declared the position of President vacant. The second woman to be swept into the presidency by a peaceful People Revolution (EDSA II).

Arroyo was born on April 5, 1947. She is the daughter of the late President Diosdado Macapagal a descendant of Lakandula and fondly known as the "poor boy from Lubao", Pampanga and Dr. Evangeline Macaraeg of Binalonan, Pangasinan. 

Gloria upheld the high academic standards of her parents. Graduated valedictorian of her high school class in Assumption Convent. She graduated Magna cum Laude from Assumption College with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce. She later earned a Master of Arts in Economics degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, and a Ph.D in Economics from the University of the Philippines. She was consistently on the Dean's List during her two year in college stint at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. where former U.S President Bill Clinton became her classmate.

Gloria Arroyo began her professional career as a teacher at Assumption College. She later became Assistant Professor at the Ateneo de Manila University and Senior Lecturer at the U.P School of Economics. She entered government service as an Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry  during Aquino Adminstration. She became Executive Director  of the Garments and Textile Export Board steering the garments industry to become the top net dollar earner of the country. 

She was elected Senator during her first try in 1992 and re-elected in 1995 with nearly 16 million votes, the highest number of votes in Philippine history. In 1998 she was elected Vice President  with almost 13 million votes, the largest in the history of Vice Presidential elections.

Gloria Arroyo Contribution to the country

During her tenure in the Senate, she authored 55 laws on economic and social reform and was named outstanding Senator several times. When she was elected Vice-President, President Joseph Estrada appointed her as concurrent Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, a post she held until her resignation from the cabinet on October 12, 2000. She pioneered the AHON programs which are all aimed at improving the lives of the poor. 

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is married to lawyer businessman Jose Miguel Tuazon Arroyo of Binalbagan, Negros Occidental the grandson of the late Senator Jose Ma. Arroyo of Iloilo. They have three children, Mikey, Luli and Dato.