Republic of the Philippines

North Luzon Philippines State College

San Nicolas, Candon City, Ilocos Sur

Project in GE 2:

Readings in Philippine History

Submitted by:

RANDY G. GASALAO

ABEL – 1

Submitted to:

Mr. Ian Norvin G. Buccat

Instructor
 Elpidio Quirino

Born: November 16, 1890 – Died: February 29, 1956

Biography

Elpidío Quiríno was a native of Caoayan, Ilocos Sur although born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur
to Don Mariano Quebral Quirino of Caoayan, Ilocos Sur and Doña Gregoria Mendoza Rivera of
Agoo, La Union. He was baptized on November 19, 1890. Quiríno spent his early years in
Aringay, La Union. He studied and graduated from his elementary education to his native
Caoayan, where he became a barrio teacher. He received secondary education at Vigan High
School, then went to Manila where he worked as junior computer technician at the Bureau of
Lands and as property clerk in the Manila police department. He graduated from Manila High
School in 1911 and also passed the civil service examination.

Quiríno attended the University of the Philippines in Manila. In 1915, he earned his law
degree from the university's College of Law, and was admitted to the bar later that year. He was
engaged into the private practice of law. During his early years as an adult he was inducted into
the Pan Xenia Fraternity, a professional trade fraternity in the University of the Philippines, in
the year 1950.

He was married to Alicia Syquía (1903-1945) on January 16, 1921. The couple had five
children: Tomas, Armando, Norma, Victoria, and Fe Angela. On February 9, 1945, his wife and
three of their children (Armando, Norma and Fe Angela) were killed by Japanese troops as they
fled their home during the Battle of Manila. His brother Antonio Quirino was the owner of Alto
Broadcasting System, which later merged with Chronicle Broadcasting Network to form the
ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation.
 Elpidio Quirino was inaugurated as the 6th President of the Philippines on April 17, 1948
at the Council of State Room, Executive Building, Malacañan Palace. Quiríno assumed the
presidency on April 17, 1948, taking his oath of office two days after the death of Manuel Roxas.
His first official act as the President was the proclamation of a state mourning throughout the
country for Roxas' death. Since Quiríno was a widowed, his surviving daughter Victoria served
as the official hostess and perform the functions traditionally as the First Lady.

HukBaLaHap

The term HukBaLaHap was a contraction of Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapones (in
English: The Nation's Army Against the Japanese Soldiers), members of which were commonly
referred to as Huks.

With the expiration of the Amnesty deadline on August 15, 1948, the government found
out that the Huks had not lived up to the terms of the Quiríno-Taruc agreement. Indeed, after
having been seated in Congress and collecting his back pay allowance. Luis Taruc surreptitiously
fled away from Manila, even as a number of his followers had either submitted themselves to the
conditions of the Amnesty proclamation or surrendered their arms. In the face of countercharges
from the Huk to the effect that the government had not satisfied the agreed conditions, President
Quirino ordered a stepped-up campaign against dissidents, restoring once more an aggressive
policy in view of the failure of the friendly attitude previously adopted.

Contributions

Economy

Upon assuming the reins of government, Quirino announced two main objectives of his
administration: first, the economic reconstruction of the nation and second, the restoration of the
faith and confidence of the people in the government. In connection to the first agenda, he
created the President's Action Committee on Social Amelioration or PACSA to mitigate the
sufferings of indigent families, the Labor Management Advisory Board to advise him on labor
matters, the Agricultural Credit Cooperatives Financing Administration or ACCFA to help the
farmers market their crops and save them from loan sharks, and the Rural Banks of the
Philippines to facilitate credit utilities in rural areas.
Social Program

Enhancing President Manuel Roxas' policy of social justice to alleviate the lot of the
common mass, President Quirino, almost immediately after assuming office, started a series of
steps calculated to effectively ameliorate the economic condition of the people. After periodic
surprise visits to the slums of Manila and other backward regions of the country, President
Quirino officially made public a seven-point program for social security.

* Unemployment insurance

* Old-age insurance

* Accident and permanent disability insurance

* Health insurance

* Maternity insurance

* State relief

* Labor opportunity

President Quirino also created the Social Security Commission, making Social Welfare
Commissioner Asuncion Perez chairman of the same. This was followed by the creation of the
President's Action Committee on Social Amelioration, charges with extending aid, loans, and
relief to the less fortunate citizens. Both the policy and its implementation were hailed by the
people as harbingers of great benefits.

Agrarian Reform

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.
 Ramon Magsaysay

Born: August 31, 1907 – Died: March 17, 1957

Biography

Ramón del Fierro Magsaysay Sr. was a Filipino politician who was the seventh President
of the Philippines, serving from December 30, 1953 until his death in an aircraft disaster. An
automobile mechanic, Magsaysay was appointed military governor of Zambales after his
outstanding service as a guerilla leader during the Pacific War. He then served two terms as
Liberal Party congressman for Zambales before being appointed as Secretary of National
Defense by President Elpidio Quirino. He was elected president under the banner of the
Nacionalista Party.

He spent his grade school life somewhere in Castillejos and his high school life at
Zambales Academy in San Narciso, Zambales. After high school, Magsaysay entered the
University of the Philippines in 1927, where he enrolled in a pre-medical course. He worked as
a chauffeur to support himself as he studied engineering; and later, he transferred to the Institute
of Commerce at José Rizal College (1928–1932), where he received a baccalaureate in
commerce. He then worked as an automobile mechanic in a bus company (Florida) and shop
superintendent.
 He was married to Luz Magsaysay (née Banzon) on June 16, 1933 and they had three
children: Teresita "Sita" Banzon-Magsaysay (1934–1979), Milagros "Mila" Banzon-Magsaysay
(born 1936) and Ramon "Jun" Banzon-Magsaysay, Jr. (born 1938).

In the Election of 1953, Magsaysay was decisively elected president over the incumbent
Elpidio Quirino. He was sworn into office wearing the Barong Tagalog, a first by a Philippine
president. He was then called "Mambo Magsaysay".

As president, he was a close friend and supporter of the United States and a vocal
spokesman against communism during the Cold War. He led the foundation of the Southeast
Asia Treaty Organization, also known as the Manila Pact of 1954, that aimed to defeat
communist-Marxist movements in South East Asia, South Asia and the Southwestern Pacific

During his term, he made Malacañang literally a "house of the people", opening its gates
to the public. One example of his integrity followed a demonstration flight aboard a new plane
belonging to the Philippine Air Force (PAF): President Magsaysay asked what the operating
costs per hour were for that type of aircraft, then wrote a personal check to the PAF, covering the
cost of his flight. He restored the people's trust in the military and in the government.

Magsaysay's administration was considered one of the cleanest and most corruption-free
in modern Philippines history; the period of his presidency is often cited as the Philippines's
"Golden Years". Trade and industry flourished, the Philippine military was at its prime, and the
country gained international recognition in sports, culture, and foreign affairs. The Philippines
placed second on a ranking of Asia's clean and well-governed countries.

Contributions

Agrarian Reform

To amplify and stabilize the functions of the Economic Development Corps (EDCOR),
President Magsaysay worked for the establishment of the National Resettlement and
Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA). This body took over from the EDCOR and helped in
the giving some sixty-five thousand acres to three thousand indigent families for settlement
purposes. Again, it allocated some other twenty-five thousand to a little more than one thousand
five hundred landless families, who subsequently became farmers.

As further aid to the rural people, the president established the Agricultural Credit and
Cooperative Financing Administration (ACCFA). The idea was for this entity to make available
rural credits. Records show that it did grant, in this wise, almost ten million dollars. This
administration body next devoted its attention to cooperative marketing.
 Along this line of help to the rural areas, President Magsaysay initiated in all earnestness
the artesian wells campaign. A group-movement known as the Liberty Wells Association was
formed and in record time managed to raise a considerable sum for the construction of as many
artesian wells as possible. The socio-economic value of the same could not be gainsaid and the
people were profuse in their gratitude.

Finally, vast irrigation projects, as well as enhancement of the Ambuklao Power plant
and other similar ones, went a long way towards bringing to reality the rural improvement
program advocated by President Magsaysay.

President Ramon Magsaysay enacted the following laws as part of his Agrarian Reform
Program:

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.

Republic Act No. 1400 (Land Reform Act of 1955) – created the Land Tenure Administration
(LTA) which was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of large tenanted rice and corn
lands over 200 hectares for individuals and 600 hectares for corporations.

Republic Act No. 821 (Creation of Agricultural Credit Cooperative Financing Administration) -
provided small farmers and share tenants loans with low interest rates of six to eight percent.
 Diosdado Macapagal

Born: September 28, 1910 – Died: April 21, 1997

Biography

Diosdado Pangan Macapagal was the ninth President of the Philippines, serving from
1961 to 1965, and the sixth Vice-President, serving from 1957 to 1961. He also served as a
member of the House of Representatives, and headed the Constitutional Convention of 1970.

A native of Lubao, Pampanga, Macapagal graduated from the University of the

Philippines and University of Santo Tomas, both in Manila, after which he worked as a lawyer
for the government. He first won election in 1949 to the House of Representatives, representing a
district in his home province of Pampanga. In 1957, he became Vice-President under the rule of
President Carlos P. Garcia, whom he defeated in the 1961 polls.

Macapagal excelled in his studies at local public schools, graduating valedictorian at

Lubao Elementary School, and salutatorian at Pampanga High School. He finished his pre-law
course at the University of the Philippines, then enrolled at Philippine Law School in 1932,
studying on a scholarship and supporting himself with a part-time job as an accountant. While in
law school, he gained prominence as an orator and debater. However, he was forced to quit
schooling after two years due to poor health and a lack of money.
 Returning to Pampanga, he joined boyhood friend Rogelio de la Rosa in producing and
starring in Tagalog operettas patterned after classic Spanish zarzuelas. It was during this period
that he married his friend's sister, Purita de la Rosa in 1938. He had two children with de la Rosa,
Cielo and Arturo.

Macapagal raised enough money to continue his studies at the University of Santo
Tomas. He also gained the assistance of philanthropist Don Honorio Ventura, the Secretary of
the Interior at the time, who financed his education. He also received financial support from his
mother's relatives notably from the Macaspacs who owned large tracts of land in barrio Sta.
Maria, Lubao, Pampanga. After receiving his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1936, he was admitted
to the bar, topping the 1936 bar examination with a score of 89.95%. He later returned to his
alma mater to take up graduate studies and earn a Master of Laws degree in 1941, a Doctor of
Civil Law degree in 1947, and a PhD in Economics in 1957.

In 1938, he married Purita de la Rosa. They had two children, Cielo Macapagal-Salgado
and Arturo Macapagal. Purita died in 1943.

On May 5, 1946 he married Dr. Evangelina Macaraeg, with whom he had two children,
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Diosdado Macapagal, Jr.

In the 1961 presidential election, Macapagal ran against Garcia's re-election bid,
promising an end to corruption and appealing to the electorate as a common man from humble
beginnings. He defeated the incumbent president with a 55% to 45% margin. His inauguration as
the president of the Philippines took place on December 30, 1961

Contributions

Major Legislation

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.

Economy

In his inaugural address, Macapagal promised a socio-economic program anchored on "a

return to free and private enterprise", placing economic development in the hands of private
entrepreneurs with minimal government interference.

Twenty days after the inauguration, 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.

To achieve the national goal of economic and social progress with prosperity reaching
down to the masses, there existed a choice of methods. First, there was the choice between the
democratic and dictatorial systems, the latter prevailing in Communist countries. On this, the
choice was easy as Filipinos had long been committed to the democratic method. With the
democratic mechanism, however, the next choice was between free enterprise and the continuing
of the controls system. Macapagal stated the essence of free enterprise in layman parlance in
declaring before Congress on January 22, 1962 that "the task of economic development belongs
principally to private enterprise and not to the government.

Before independence there was free enterprise in the Philippines under Presidents Manuel
Quezon, Sergio Osmeña and Manuel Roxas. In 1950 President Elpidio Quirino deviated from
free enterprise launching as a temporary emergency measure the system of exchange and import
controls. The controls system was carried on by President Magsaysay and Garcia.

The first fundamental decision Macapagal had to make was whether to continue the
system of exchange controls of Quirino, Magsaysay and Garcia or to return to the free enterprise
of Quezon, Osmena and Roxas. It had been his view since he was a Congressman for eight years
that the suitable economic system for Filipinos was free enterprise. So on January 21, 1962 after
working for 20 straight hours he signed a Central Bank decree abolishing exchange controls and
returning the country to free enterprise.

During the 20 days available to make a decision on choice between controls and free
enterprise, between his inauguration as President and before the opening of Congress,
Macapagal's main adviser was Governor Andres Castillo of the Central Bank.
 Further reform efforts by Macapagal were blocked by the Nacionalistas, who dominated
the House of Representatives and the Senate at that time. Nonetheless, Macapagal was able to
achieve steady economic progress, and annual GDP growth averaged at 5.53% for 1962–1965.

Socio-economic Program

The removal of controls and the restoration of free enterprise was intended to provide
only the fundamental setting in which Macapagal could work out economic and social progress.
A specific and periodic program for the guidance of both the private sector and the government
was an essential instrument to attain the economic and social development that constituted the
goal of his labors.

Such a program for his administration was formulated under his authority and direction
by a group of able and reputable economic and business leaders the most active and effective of
which was Sixto Roxas III. From an examination of the planned targets and requirements of the
Five-Year program – formally known as the Five-Year Socio-Economic Integrated Development
Program – it could be seen that it aimed at the following objectives.

* immediate restoration of economic stability;

* alleviating the plight of the common man; and

* establishing a dynamic basic for future growth.

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.

The essential foundations having been laid, attention must then be turned to the equally
difficult task of building the main edifice by implementing the economic program. Although the
success of Macapagal's Socio-Economic Program in free enterprise inherently depended on the
private sector, it would be helpful and necessary for the government to render active assistance in
its implementation by the citizens.

Such role of the government in free enterprise, in the view of Macapagal he required it
(1) to provide the social overhead like roads, airfields and ports that directly or proximately
promote economic growth, (2) to adopt fiscal and monetary policies salutary to investments, and
most importantly (3) to serve as an entrepreneur or promote of basic and key private industries,
particularly those that require capital too large for businessmen to put up by themselves. Among
the enterprises he selected for active government promotion were integrated steel, fertilizer, pulp,
meat canning and tourism.
 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Born: April 5, 1947

Biography

Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo is a Filipino professor and politician who was
the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 until 2010, as the 10th Vice President of the
Philippines from 1998 to 2001, as the deputy speaker of the 17th Congress from 2016 to 2017,
and a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga since
2010. She was the country's second female president (after Corazon Aquino), and the daughter of
former President Diosdado Macapagal. Arroyo is also the first duly elected female Vice
President of the Philippines. She currently serves as Speaker of the House of Representatives of
the Philippines, making her the first woman to hold the position

Arroyo was a former professor of economics at Ateneo de Manila University where

eventual President Benigno Aquino III was one of her students. She entered government in 1987,
serving as assistant secretary and undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry upon
the invitation of President Corazon Aquino. After serving as a senator from 1992 to 1998, she
was elected to the vice presidency under President Joseph Estrada, despite having run on an
opposing ticket.

After Estrada was accused of corruption, she resigned her cabinet position as Secretary of
Social Welfare and Development and joined the growing opposition to the president, who faced
impeachment. Estrada was soon forced out from office by the Second EDSA Revolution in 2001,
and Arroyo was sworn into the presidency by Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. on January 20.
 She was elected to a full six-year presidential term in the controversial 2004 Philippine
elections, and was sworn in on June 30, 2004. Following her presidency, she was elected to the
House of Representatives, making her the second Philippine president—after José P. Laurel—to
pursue a lower office after their presidency.

In 1968, Arroyo married lawyer and businessman Jose Miguel Arroyo of Binalbagan,
Negros Occidental, whom she had met while still a teenager. They had three children, Juan
Miguel (born 1969), Evangelina Lourdes (born 1971) and Diosdado Ignacio Jose Maria (born in
1974). She pursued a master's degree in Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University (1978)
and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of the Philippines Diliman (1985). From 1977 to
1987, she held teaching positions in several schools, notably the University of the Philippines
and the Ateneo de Manila University. She became chairperson of the Economics Department at
Assumption College.

In 1987, she was invited by President Corazon Aquino to join the government as
Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry. She was promoted to
Undersecretary two years later. In her concurrent position as Executive Director of the Garments
and Textile Export Board, Arroyo oversaw the rapid growth of the garment industry in the late
1980s.

First Term (2001–2004)

Succession

The last quarter of 2000 up to the first week of January 2001 was a period of political and
economic uncertainty for the Philippines. On January 16, 2001, the impeachment trial also took a
new direction. Private prosecutors walked out of the trial when pro-Estrada senators prevented
the opening of an evidence (a brown envelope) containing bank records allegedly owned by
President Estrada. With the walkout, the impeachment trial was not completed and Filipinos
eventually took to the streets in masses to continue the clamor for President Estrada's resignation.
From January 17 to 20, 2001, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos gathered at Epifanio de los
Santos Avenue (EDSA), the site of the original People Power Revolution. The clamor for a
change in the presidency gained momentum as various sectors of Philippine society –
professionals, students, artists, politicians, leftist and rightist groups – joined what became
known as EDSA II. Officials of the administration, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),
and the Philippine National Police (PNP) also withdrew their support for President Estrada.

Days after leaving Malacañang Palace, President Estrada's lawyers questioned the
legitimacy of Arroyo's presidency before the Supreme Court. He reiterated that he had not
resigned as president and that at most, Arroyo was just serving in an acting capacity. The high
court, however, voted unanimously to uphold the legitimacy of Arroyo's succession. As a
consequence, Estrada no longer enjoys immunity from charges being filed against him.
 In the last week of April 2001, the Sandiganbayan ordered the arrest of Estrada and his
son, then mayor Jinggoy Estrada, for plunder charges. A few days later, Estrada supporters
protested his arrest, gathered at the EDSA Shrine, and staged what they called, EDSA III –
comparing their actions to the People Power revolution of 1986 and January 2001.

Thousands of protesters demanded the release of Estrada. Eventually, they also called for
the ouster of Arroyo and the reinstatement of the former. On May 1, 2001, they marched towards
Malacañang to force Arroyo to give in to their demands. Violence erupted when the protesters
attempted to storm the presidential palace and the military and police were ordered to use their
arms to drive them back. Arroyo declared a state of rebellion because of the violence and
prominent political personalities affiliated with Estrada were charged and arrested. The so-called
EDSA III was the first serious political challenge to the Arroyo presidency.

Second Term (2004–2010)

2004 Presidential Election

On June 30, 2004, in a break with tradition, Arroyo first delivered her inaugural speech at
the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. She then departed for Cebu City for her oath taking, the first
time that a Philippine president took the oath of office outside of Luzon.

Allegations of cheating against Arroyo gained momentum one year after the May 2004
elections. In a press conference held on June 10, 2005, Samuel Ong, former deputy director of
the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) claimed to have audio recordings of wiretapped
conversations between Arroyo and an official of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
Virgilio Garcillano, a former COMELEC commissioner, would later be identified as the official
talking to Arroyo. According to Ong, the recordings allegedly proved that Arroyo ordered the
rigging of the national elections for her to win by around one million votes against Poe.

The recordings of Ong became known as the Hello Garci controversy and triggered
massive protests against Arroyo. Key members of her cabinet resigned from their respective
posts and urged Arroyo to do the same. On June 27, 2005, Arroyo admitted to inappropriately
speaking to a COMELEC official, claiming it was a "lapse in judgement". She, however, denied
influencing the outcome of the elections and declared that she won the elections fairly. Arroyo
did not resign despite the pressures coming from various sectors of society.

The Hello Garci controversy became the basis of the impeachment case filed against
Arroyo in 2005. Attempts to impeach Arroyo failed later that year. Another impeachment case
was filed against Arroyo in 2006 but was also defeated at the House of Representatives.

In October 2007, lawyer Alan Paguia filed an impeachment complaint against Arroyo in
connection with the issue of bribery. Paguia's complaint was based on the revelation of
Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio that various governors received half a million pesos from
Malacañang. The impeachment case, as of the middle of October 2007, has already been referred
to the House of Representatives Committee on Justice.

Contributions:

Economy

Arroyo, who earned a master's degree and doctorate in economics, made the Philippine
economy the focus of her presidency. Annual economic growth in the Philippines averaged 4.5%
during the Arroyo administration, expanding every quarter of her presidency. This is higher than
in the administrations of her three immediate predecessors, Corazon Aquino (3.8%), Fidel
Ramos (3.7%), and Joseph Estrada (3.7%). The Philippine economy grew at its fastest pace in
three decades in 2007, with real GDP growth exceeding 7%. The economy was one of the few to
avoid contraction during the 2008 global financial crisis, faring better than its regional peers due
to minimal exposure to troubled international securities, lower dependence on exports, relatively
resilient domestic consumption, large remittances from four-to five-million overseas Filipino
workers, and a growing business process outsourcing industry. Arroyo's handling of the
economy has earned praise from former US President Bill Clinton, who cited her "tough
decisions" that put the Philippine economy back in shape. Despite this growth, the poverty rate
remained stagnant due to a high population growth rate and uneven distribution of income.

A controversial expanded value added tax (e-VAT) law, considered the centerpiece of the
Arroyo administration's economic reform agenda, was implemented in November 2005, aiming
to complement revenue-raising efforts that could plug the country's large budget deficit. Her
administration originally set a target to balance the national budget by 2010. The tax measure
boosted confidence in the government's fiscal capacity and helped to strengthen the Philippine
peso, making it East Asia's best performing currency in 2005–06. The peso strengthened by
nearly 20% in 2007, making it one of Asia's better performing currencies for that year, a fact
attributed to a combination of increased remittances from overseas Filipino workers and a strong
domestic economy.

Early in her presidency, Arroyo implemented a controversial policy of holiday

economics, adjusting holidays to form longer weekends with the purpose of boosting domestic
tourism and allowing Filipinos more time with their families.
.

Ferdinand Marcos

Born: September 11, 1917 – Died: September 28, 1989

Biography

Ferdinand Edralin Marcos was born in the town of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, to Mariano
Marcos and Josefa Edralin. He was later baptized into the Philippine Independent Church, but
was first baptized in the Roman Catholic Church at the age of three.

Marcos studied law at the University of the Philippines, attending the prestigious College
of Law. He excelled in both curricular and extra-curricular activities, becoming a valuable
member of the university's swimming, boxing, and wrestling teams. He was also an
accomplished and prolific orator, debater, and writer for the student newspaper. He also became
a member of the University of the Philippines ROTC Unit (UP Vanguard Fraternity) where he
met some of his future cabinet members and Armed Forces Chiefs of Staff. When he sat for the
1939 Bar Examinations, he received a near-perfect score of 98.8%, but allegations of cheating
prompted the Philippine Supreme Court to re-calibrate his score to 92.35%. He graduated cum
laude. He was elected to the Pi Gamma Mu and the Phi Kappa Phi international honor societies,
the latter giving him its Most Distinguished Member Award 37 years later.

Marcos, who had received ROTC training, was activated for service in the US Armed
Forces in the Philippines (USAFIP) after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served as a 3rd
lieutenant during the mobilization in the summer and fall of 1941, continuing until April 1942,
after which he was taken prisoner. According to Marcos' account, he was released from prison by
the Japanese on August 4, 1942, and US Military records show that he rejoined USAFIP forces
in December 1944.[69] Marcos' Military service then formally ended with his discharge as a
Major in the 14th Infantry, US Armed Forces in the Philippines Northern Luzon, in May 1945.

After his release, Marcos claims that he spent much of the period between his August
1942 release and his December 1944 return to USAFIP[69] as the leader of a guerilla
organization called Ang Manga Mahárlika (Tagalog, "The Freeman") in Northern Luzon during
World War II. According to Marcos' claim, this force had a strength of 9,000 men. His account
of events was later cast into doubt after a United States military investigation exposed many of
his claims as either false or inaccurate.

The biggest controversy arising from Marcos' service during World War II, however,
would concern his claims during the 1962 Senatorial Campaign of being "most decorated war
hero of the Philippines" He claimed to have been the recipient of 33 war medals and decorations,
including the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor, but researchers later found
that stories about the wartime exploits of Marcos were mostly propaganda, being inaccurate or
untrue. Only two of the supposed 33 awards - the Gold Cross and the other the Distinguished
Service Star- were given during the war, and both had been contested by Marcos' superiors.

First term (1966–1969)

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. Included in his claim of 27 war medals and decorations are
that of the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor. According to Primitivo Mijares,
author of the book The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos, the
opposition Liberal Party would later confirm that many of his war medals were only acquired in
1962 to aid in his reelection campaign for the Senate, not for his presidential campaign. Marcos
won the presidency in 1965.

Presidential elections were held on November 11, 1969 and Marcos was reelected for a
second term. He was the first and last Filipino president to win a second full term. His running
mate, incumbent Vice President Fernando Lopez was also elected to a third full term as Vice
President of the Philippines.

Second Term

Marcos won the November 1969 election by a landslide, and was inaugurated on
December 30 of that year. But Marcos' massive spending during the 1969 presidential campaign
had taken its toll and triggered growing public unrest. During the campaign, Marcos had spent
$50 Million Dollars worth in debt-funded infrastructure, triggering a Balance of Payments crisis.
 The Marcos administration ran to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for help, and
the IMF offered a debt restructuring deal. New policies, including a greater emphasis on exports
and the relaxation of controls of the peso, were put in place. The Peso was allowed to float to a
lower market value, resulting in drastic inflation, and social unrest.

Marcos' spending during the campaign led to opposition figures such as Senator Lorenzo
Tañada, Senator Jovito Salonga, and Senator Jose Diokno to accuse Marcos of wanting to stay in
power even beyond the two term maximum set for the presidency by the 1935 constitution.[98]

The media of the time classified the various civil society groups opposing Marcos into
two categories. The "Moderates", which included church groups, civil libertarians, and
nationalist politicians, were those who wanted to create change through political reforms. The
"radicals", including a number of labor and student groups, wanted broader, more systemic
political reforms.

Martial Law (1972–1981)

Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972 when his Press Secretary, Francisco
Tatad, announced on Radio that Proclamation № 1081. which Marcos had signed 2 days earlier
on September 21, 1972, had come into force and would extend Marcos's rule beyond the
constitutional two-term limit.[126] Ruling by decree, he almost dissolved press freedom and
other civil liberties to add propaganda machine, closed down Congress and media
establishments, and ordered the arrest of opposition leaders and militant activists, including
senators Benigno Aquino Jr., Jovito Salonga and Jose Diokno. However, unlike Ninoy Aquino's
senator colleagues who were detained without charges, Ninoy, together with communist NPA
leaders Lt Corpuz and Bernabe Buscayno, was charged with murder, illegal possession of
firearms and subversion. Marcos claimed that martial law was the prelude to creating his Bagong
Lipunan, a "New Society" based on new social and political values.

A constitutional convention, which had been called for in 1970 to replace the
Commonwealth era 1935 Constitution, continued the work of framing a new constitution after
the declaration of martial law. The new constitution went into effect in early 1973, changing the
form of government from presidential to parliamentary and allowing Marcos to stay in power
beyond 1973. The constitution was approved by 95% of the voters in the Philippine
constitutional plebiscite.

Third Term (1981–1986)

On June 16, 1981, six months after the lifting of martial law, the first presidential election
in twelve years was held. President Marcos ran and won a massive victory over the other
candidates. The major opposition parties, the United Nationalists Democratic Organizations
(UNIDO), a coalition of opposition parties and LABAN, boycotted the elections.
 After the lifting of Martial Law, the pressure on the Communist CPP-NPA alleviated.
The group was able to return to urban areas and form relationships with legal opposition
organizations, and became increasingly successful in attacks against the government throughout
the country. The violence inflicted by the communists reached its peak in 1985 with 1,282
military and police deaths and 1,362 civilian deaths.

Contributions:

Economy during martial law (1973–1980)

According to World Bank Data, the Philippine's Annual Gross Domestic Product quadrupled
from $8 billion in 1972 to $32.45 billion in 1980, for an inflation-adjusted average growth rate of
6% per year, while debt stood at US$17.2 billion by the end of 1980. Indeed, according to the
U.S.-based Heritage Foundation, the Philippines enjoyed its best economic development since
1945 between 1972 and 1979. The economy grew amidst two severe global oil shocks following
the 1973 oil crisis and 1979 energy crisis – oil price was $3 / barrel in 1973 and $39.5 in 1979, or
a growth of 1200%. By the end of 1979, debt was still manageable, with debt to Debt-GNP ratio
about the same as South Korea, according to the US National Bureau of Economic Research.

Foreign capital was invited to invest in certain industrial projects. They were offered incentives,
including tax exemption privileges and the privilege of bringing out their profits in foreign
currencies. One of the most important economic programs in the 1980s was the Kilusang
Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran (Movement for Livelihood and Progress). This program was started in
September 1981. It aimed to promote the economic development of the barangays by
encouraging its residents to engage in their own livelihood projects. The government's efforts
resulted in the increase of the nation's economic growth rate to an average of six percent or seven
percent from 1970 to 1980.

Economy after martial law (1981–1985)

The Philippine economy, heavily reliant on exports to the United States, suffered a great
decline after the Aquino assassination in August 1983 because Filipino business and political
leaders who studied in Harvard, Yale, and other US universities began lobbying American and
foreign firms to discourage them from investing in the Philippines. This was taking place at the
same time that China was beginning to accept free-market capitalism and American businesses
were jockeying to establish manufacturing plants in China. The political troubles of the
Philippines hindered the entry of foreign investments, and foreign banks stopped granting loans
to the Philippine government.
 In an attempt to launch a national economic recovery program and despite his growing
isolation from American businesses, Marcos negotiated with foreign creditors including the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank, and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF), for a restructuring of the country's foreign debts – to give the Philippines
more time to pay the loans. Marcos ordered a cut in government expenditures and used a portion
of the savings to finance the Sariling Sikap (Self-Reliance), a livelihood program he established
in 1984.

However, the economy continued to shrink despite the government's recovery efforts due
to a number of reasons. Most of the so-called government development programs failed to
materialize. Government funds were often siphoned off by Marcos or his cronies. American
investors were discouraged by the Filipino economic elite who were against the corruption that
by now had become endemic in the Marcos regime. The failure of the recovery program was
further augmented by civil unrest, rampant graft and corruption within the government, and
Marcos's lack of credibility. The unemployment rate increased from 6.25% in 1972 to 11.058%
in 1985.

Infrastructure and monuments

Marcos's government built widely publicized infrastructure projects and monuments

using foreign currency loans and at great taxpayer cost. This focus on infrastructure, which
critics saw as a propaganda technique, eventually earned the colloquial label "edifice complex.”

These including hospitals like the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center, and Kidney
Center, transportation infrastructure like San Juanico Bridge (formerly Marcos Bridge), Pan-
Philippine Highway, North Luzon Expressway, South Luzon Expressway, and Manila Light Rail
Transit (LRT), and 17 hydroelectric and geothermal power plants to lessen the country's
dependency on oil. By 1983, the Philippines became the second largest producer of geothermal
power in the world with the commissioning of the Tongonan 1 and Palinpinon 1 geothermal
plants. According to UP Economics Professor Dr. Sicat, "a study of infrastructure construction
by various presidents shows that Marcos was the president who made the largest infrastructure
investment. This is not because he was the longest-serving leader of the country alone. On a per-
year basis, he led all the presidents. Only Fidel Ramos had bested him in road building for a
period of one year". On the education front, 47 state colleges and universities were built during
the Marcos administration, which represents over 40% of all the existing 112 state colleges and
universities in the country. To help transform the country's agricultural-based economy to a
Newly industrialized country, he spearheaded the development of 11 heavy industrialization
projects including steel, petrochemical, cement, pulp and paper mill, and copper smelter.
Cultural and heritage sites like the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Nayong Pilipino,
Philippine International Convention Center and the disastrous and ill-fated Manila Film Center
were built as well.
Laws

Likewise, the country crafted a large number of decrees, laws, and edicts during Marcos'
term. From 1972 to 1986, the Marcos Administration codified laws through 2,036 Presidential
Decrees,an average of 145 per year during the 14-year period. To put this into context, only 14,
12, and 11 laws were passed in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. A large amount of the laws
passed during the term of Marcos remain in force today and are embedded in the country's legal
system.