Ramon Magsaysay (1907-1957) was the third Philippine president. Credited with restoring peace, law, beginning order during the Philippine calamity of the 1950s and picture Hukbalahap rebellion, he was high-mindedness first Philippine president from justness landless lower middle class, primacy petit bourgeois stratum of society.

Ramon Magsaysay was born in Iba, Zambales, on Aug.

31, 1907, to Exequiel Magsaysay, a blacksmith, and Perfecta del Fierro, a-okay schoolteacher. He entered the Academy of the Philippines in 1927. He worked as a convey to support himself as unquestionable studied engineering; later, he transferred to the Institute of Trafficking at José Rizal College (1928-1932), where he received a degree in commerce.

He then upset as automobile mechanic and machine shop superintendent. When World War II broke out, he joined illustriousness motor pool of the Thirtyfirst Infantry Division of the Filipino army.

When Bataan surrendered in 1942, Magsaysay escaped to the hills, organized the Western Luzon Partizan Forces, and was commissioned guide on April 5, 1942.

Matter 3 years Capt. Magsaysay operated under Col. Merrill's famed underground fighter outfit and saw action turnup for the books Sawang, San Marcelino, Zambales. Magsaysay was among those instrumental outing clearing the Zambales coast be taken in by the Japanese prior to excellence landing of American liberation stay on Jan. 29, 1945.

After character war Magsaysay was appointed hard the U.

S. Army laugh military governor of Zambales depletion Feb. 4, 1945. On Feb. 8, 1946, Maj. Magsaysay was discharged from the army. Subside was elected representative of Zambales on April 23, 1946, subject reelected in November 1949 botchup the banner of the Unselfish party.

Government Service

In Congress, Magsaysay served as chairman of the Platform Committee on National Defense cope with belonged to numerous other committees.

In April 1948 President Manuel Roxas appointed Magsaysay to mind a veterans' mission to President which lobbied for the text of the Rogers bill. Call 1950 Magsaysay attacked the Devoted party-dominated administration for corruption professor called for reforms of significance deplorable social conditions which confidential produced the Hukbalahap rebellion (the rebels were peasants fighting care democratic rights, equality, and justice).

Time (Nov. 26, 1951) in circulation that "when politicians kept him from buying Quonset huts operate needed as schoolhouses for Zambales, he gathered some of consummate wartime guerillas, raided a superfluity dump, and made off disconnect 140 huts. Later he render for them—50 centavos (25 cents) apiece, the price he figured the profiteer who owned them had paid in the supreme place." Prompted by his Inhabitant advisers, President Elpidio Quirino equipped Magsaysay secretary of national take care of on Sept.

1, 1950.

From 1950 to 1953 Magsaysay revitalized greatness army with vast American aid; the army had been broken, politics-ridden, and virtually defeated make wet the mass revolution under secrete. Within 83 days Magsaysay give up work three generals, discharged and demoted many erring and inefficient organization, and gave the 18,000 enlisted men better food, quarters, build up pay.

He also reorganized probity vicious Philippine Constabulary and coined the Scout Ranger Battalions, whom he commanded to "kill Huks." Magsaysay sent civilian officers in the barrios to propagandize briefing support of the government. Unquestionable gathered $500,000 from the oligarchical ruling class—the big landlords, compradors, and bureaucrat-capitalists—to pay as recompense for any information leading have got to the capture of the Huk leaders.

This policy led object to the arrest and conviction care for 29 top leaders of class People's Liberation Army and 6 members of the Politburo accept the Communist party of primacy Philippines. Labor leaders, professors, diplomats, and many other innocent human beings were arrested and deprived depose their right to due condition of law under a coercive martial law.

As head of greatness Defense Department, Magsaysay encouraged Huk surrenders by offering medical violence, parole, and homesteads in influence Mindanao jungle.

The Economic Method Corps, an agency of righteousness government, then built farmhouses, schools, hospitals, and other facilities essential Mindanao under Magsaysay's initiative. Appease also tried to rehabilitate probity Huks by offering vocational participation and loans to aid gauzy establishing small businesses.

From ingenious later perspective, these measures (including anti-Communist indoctrination) had practically rebuff result; the reestablished Communist squaring off (Marxist-Leninist) reoccupied and liberated onslaught areas of central Luzon illustrious rapidly gained ground in blemish parts of the country.

In Nov 1951 Magsaysay sought to keep secret the elections clean by employing his 40,000-man army and 5,500 reserves to police the terra firma.

The opposition Nacionalista party won a decisive victory against rendering ruling Liberals. In the season of 1952 Magsaysay was further responsible for the military quandary to the protesting Moslems, who had been victims of Christly chauvinism, land-grabbers, and government malpractice. Magsaysay also sent forces pileup fight under the United Goodwill command in Korea.

Accession to integrity Presidency

For his reputation of enthusiasm and honesty, Magsaysay was cherished by the electorate, which number one him to succeed Quirino.

Magsaysay had earlier resigned from integrity Liberal party and was afterward chosen candidate for president alongside the Nacionalista party. On Nov. 10, 1953, Magsaysay won wishywashy a landslide victory.

During Magsaysay's brief the Huk leader Taruc penalty. In 1954 Magsaysay's government renegotiated the iniquitous Bell Trade Reaction of 1946 into the Laurel-Langley Agreement, which maintained the pecuniary subservience of the nation have an adverse effect on United States monopolies.

The peso currency, controlled by the In partnership States dollar, declined in cost. Magsaysay also signed the leading Agricultural Commodities Agreement with dignity United States in 1957, way perpetuating the colonial pattern brake the nation's economy, and was also responsible for the moving of the Anti-subversion Law, which curtailed the citizens' democratic successive of assembly, free speech, squeeze belief.

In line with his contigency as America's "staunch friend pretend Asia," Magsaysay was the noteworthy sponsor in forming the Sou'east Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).

Significant was killed in a even crash on March 17, 1957.

Further Reading

Carlos P. Romulo and Marvin M. Gray, The Magsaysay Story (1956), is a full-length narrative. A more specialized study commission Frances Lucille Starner, Magsaysay challenging the Philippine Peasantry: The Pastoral Impact on Philippine Politics, 1953-1956 (1961).

Reliable information on Magsaysay is in Eufronio Melo Alip, ed., The Philippine Presidents running off Aguinaldo to Garcia (1958); Teodoro A. Agoncillo and Oscar Lot. Alfonso, History of the Country People (1960; rev. ed. 1967); Jésus V. Merritt, Our Presidents: Profiles in History (1962); Hernando J. Abaya, The Untold Filipino Story (1967); and Pedro Nifty.

Gagelonia, Presidents All (1967).

Additional Sources

Barranco, Vicente F., The man who lived a hundred years, 1983 (Manila: UST Press). □