Chapter 10 The Republic of the Philippines

Manuel Roxas

Born on Jan 1, 1892 Born on Capiz Province. In 1914 he graduated from the College of Law of the University of the Philippines. In 1916 he became provincial governor. In 1922 he was elected to Congress, becoming Speaker of the Philippine Assembly. In December 1931 Roxas, together with Senate president pro tempore Sergio Osmea, left for the United States to secure the Hare-HawesCutting Act from the U.S. Congress, which would grant Philippine independence after a transition period of 10 years.

In 1938 he was appointed secretary of finance by Commonwealth president Quezon and then became his trusted adviser.

In 1941 Roxas ran for the Senate and won. On Dec. 8, 1941, at the outbreak of the war, Roxas served as lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). . He was captured in 1942 by the Japanese forces in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, and was forced to serve in the puppet government of Jose P. Laurel.

When the Philippine legislature convened during the liberation, Roxas was elected president of the Senate on June 9, 1945.

He broke with President Osmea and formed the Liberal party, which he led to victory as presidential candidate on April 23, 1946. Roxas thus became the last president of the Commonwealth and the first president of the Republic of the Philippines when it was inaugurated on July 4, 1946.

He died on April 15, 1948 at around 9:30 p.m. because of heart failure.

Roxas Administration (1946 1948)

The third Republic of the Philippines under President Roxas. On July 4, 1946 at exactly 9:15 a.m. High Commissioner Paul V. McNutt read Presisdent harry S. Traumans proclamation, announcing the world the withdrawal of American sovereignty and the recognition of the independence of the Philippines.

Take his oath of office before Chief Justice Manuel V. Moran of the Philippine Supreme Court. The political system of the Philippines was basically patterned in the U.S When Roxas assumed his post, he solved the collaboration issue by proclaiming amnesty to all political prisoners. On April 30, 1946, the U.S. Congress passed two laws that were intended to help the economic recovery of the country. The Philippine Trade Act, also known as Bell Trade Act The Philippine Rehabilitation Act or the Tydings Rehabilitation Act

In return for American support, the government went its way to amend the 1935 Philippine Constitution to give parity rights to the Americans. Luis Taruc and his colleagues in the Democratic Alliance were against the parity rights. The Military Bases Agreement signed on March 14, 1947, gave the U.S. free use of base sites for 99 years ( shortened to 25 years in 1959)

Because of the rampant killing of the movement leaders, Taruc wrote a letter to President Roxas, reminding the prior of their demands, which were mentioned in three prior conferences with government. This includes the following: The temporary rights to keep their firearms due to present insecurity. Protection of constitutional rights Removal of some government officials like Governor Pablo Angeles David of Pampanga The creation of social welfare projects and the agrarian reform.

On March 6, 1948 declaring the Hukbalahap and the Pambansang Kaisahan ng mga Magbubukid (PKM), which was after the war by Mateo del Castillo, as illegal associations organized and maintained to commit acts of sedation.

As early as July 29, 1946, President Roxas had already issued Republic Act No. 4 called the surrender of firearms not later than August 31.

Elpidio Quirino
He was born on November 16, 1890, in the small city of Vigan, on Luzon Island Elpidio became a barrio (rural village) teacher while studying at Vigan High School. He moved to Manila and graduated from Manila High School in 1911 and then passed the civil service exam. He entered law school at the University of the Philippines, graduating in 1915. Served as secretary to Senate President Manuel Quezon, where he began his rise through the Philippine government. In 1919, he was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives. In 1925, he was elected to the Philippine Senate and was quickly given Senate committee appointments. In 1934 he served as a member of the Philippine Independence mission to Washington, D.C., helping secure the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which set the timetable for Philippine independence from the United States.

In April 1942, the Philippines were captured by Japanese imperial forces. Elpidio Quirino refused to join the Japanese-sponsored puppet government of Jose Laurel and instead went underground.

He was captured by Japanese military police and imprisoned. His wife, son and two daughters were killed by Japanese forces as they fled their home during the Battle of Manila in early 1945.

After the war, Elpidio Quirino became the leader of the majority Liberal Party and president pro tempore of the Senate. Anticipating the countrys impending independence, elections were held in April 1946, and Manuel Roxas was elected president, with Quirino as vice president.

When President Roxas unexpectedly died in April 1948, Quirino became president.

The Quirino Administration (1948 1953) When he took office, Quirino had two goals: Reconstructing the nation Restoring the faith and confidence of the people. He sent his brother, former Judge Antonio Quirino to have a dialog with Taruc and his men to know what the Huks wanted. On June 21, Taruc went to Malacaang and president Quirino issued a proclamation granting amnesty to all Huk and PKM leaders and members. The Huks agreed to surrender their arms and ammunitions to duly constituted authorities within a period of 50 days following the amnesty grant. Three hours after the 50 days period, a clash between the 507 th MP Company and a band of 50 Huks occurred in a barrio of Cabanatuan. Taruc accused the Quirino administration of bad faith when it refused to give the peasants on-the-spot permits for possessing firearms, which they need for self-defense. The Huk rebellion became more intense in 1949 to 1950. THE Huks continued terrorizing the Central Luzon and provinces around Manila.

The Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP) decided to place their main emphasis on an armed struggle. The PKP worked out a systematic expansion program and changed the HUkbalahap to HUkbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (HMB) or Army of National Liberation.

The peace and order contingency reaches its climax when on April 28, 1949, Mrs. Aurora Aragon Quezon, the late President Quezons wife, her daughter, baby, and 10 others were ambushed in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija. Taruc denied any Huk involvement in the incident.

President Quirino created the Presidents Action Committee on Social Amelioration (PACSA) to aid the needy families. In 1949 the Philippine Jaycees *Junior Chamber of Commerce) was organized. It is best known for the selection of the TOYM (Ten Outstanding Young Men)in various fields of endeavor.

In 1951 Fort Santiago was declared a national shrine. The Bell Mission was sent by the United States to conduct surveys to all aspects of the Philippine economy. It found out that the country had low income, excessive volume of imports, misdirected investment, mounting deficits and corruption in the government.

The Bell report recommended the following: Improvement of Production Higher taxes A more efficient collection of government revenues A minimum wage law A tax on the sale of foreign exchange Reforms in public administration and land reform

On November 14, 1950 The Quirino-Foster Agreement was signed wherein the Americans would decide on how the Philippine money would be spent. Before the dawn of October 18, 1950, 22 units of the Armed Forces, aided by the Manila police raided several places simultaneously.

In September 1952 the Philippine government signed a peace treaty with Japan. However in early 1952 the agreement was suspended because the Philippine demanded for $8 billion in war damages.

In the 1953 presidential elections, the Liberal Party lost. Nacionalist partys bet Ramon Magsaysay won a decisive victory over the incumbent president.

Chapter 10
Roxas & Quirino Administration

Caballero, Jasmin E. BBTE 3-1