Chapter 7

Executive Power and Presidential Leadership: Philippine Revolution to Independence

Executive

branch of the Philippine government is represented and symbolized by the president, as the chief
executive of the state, under the

Malolos Constitution

the first Philippine Constitution on 1899 to 1902

Manuel L. Quezon

First president of the commonwealth from 1935 to 1944

Sergio Osmeña

vice president who assumed presidency after Manuel Quezon died.

Manuel A. Roxas

last president of the commonwealth and first president of the independent republic

July 4, 1946

declaration of Philippine independence from the US

Elpidio R. Quirino

Assumed presidency after President Roxas died (1948-1949, 1949-1953)

Ramon Magsaysay

defeated President Quirino in his reelection bid and served from (1953-1957)

died in a plane crash

Carlos P. Garcia

won his own term as president 1957-1961 but lost reelection to his former Vice President Diosdado
Macapagal

Diosdado Macapagal

assumed presidency from 1961-1965 but lost to Ferdinand Marcos

Ferdinand Marcos

the only president who won two election terms (1965-1969, 1969-1972)

September 21, 1972

Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy

president of the first Philippine Republic

Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña

presidents during Commonwealth

Jose P. Laurel

president during Occupation Republic

Roxas, Quirino, Magsaysay, Garcia, Macapagal and Marcos

presidents during independent Republic

Magsaysay and Aguinaldo

only presidents who were not lawyers

Osmeña and Quirino

Senate president contempore

Quezon, Roxas and Marcos

Senate president

Quirino and Garcia

lost reelection bid on grounds of graft and corruption issues

Emilio Aguinaldo

youngest Philippine president

Diosdado Macapagal

born poor but worked his way to achieve and become president

Malolos Republic

First Philippine Republic (1899-1902)

Pact of Biak na Bato

peace negotiation with the Spanish authorities in November 1897 that cold for the revolutionaries'
surrender of arms, general amnesty for all the Spanish authorities, promise of reforms, payment of P800,
000 to Aguinaldo and other leaders and P900,000 for civil damages during the hostilities.

December 27, 1897

Aguinaldo was exiled

Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines and resumed command of the revolutionary forces.

Treaty of Paris

with its signing on December 1898, Spain ceded Philippines to US

June 12, 1898

Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence from Spain and raised national flag done by Marcela
Agoncillo while on exile in Hong Kong in the balcony of his residence in Kawit, Cavite

June 18, 1898

Aguinaldo issued the decree establishing dictatorial government

decree of June 23, 1898

the decree established four departments each undersecretary and respective bureaus and divisions and
allowed the president to choose his secretaries at his discretion and appoint all personnel of the
department provided that favoritism be eliminated in the appointment of employees for the good name
of the country and the triumph of the regulation that requires the services of truly capable persons

Article 1 of decree on June 18, 1898

Article 5 of decree of June 18, 1898

Article 6 of decree of June 18, 1898

Revolutionary government

also called as revolutionary congress

September 15, 1898

Malolos Constitution was converted, the document dated January 20, 1899 signed by Pedro Paterno as
president of the Congress

January 21, 1899

Aguinaldo proclaimed the Malolos Constitution and on its base is promulgated the First Philippine
Republic in the ceremony at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan on January 23, 1899

Revolutionary Congress

also known as Malolos Congress was inaugurated in September 15, 1898 and held at Barasoain Church in
Malolos Bulacan

January 20, 1899

Malolos Constitution was crafted. Aguinaldo officially promulgated on January 21, 1899 and its basis
proclaimed the First Philippine Republic two days later on January 23, 1899

Felipe Calderon
Congress favored his position for a powerful legislature over the executive. module argued that
Calderon's position became politically significant in for stalling the preeminence of Aguinaldo as the
supreme military chief after revolutionary forces and head of government

Mabini

contended for more powers for the executive. He urged Aguinaldo to reject the constitution on the issue
of the provisions for a strong legislature vis-a-vis the executive.

Article 1 of Malolos Constitution

government of the republic is popular, representative, alternative, and responsible and shall exercise
three distinct powers namely the legislative the executive and judicial

Article of Malolos y

any two or more of these powers shall never be united in one person or corporation nor the legislative
power vested in one single individual

Article 56 of Malolos Constitution

executive power is vested in the president of the republic who shall exercise it through the department
secretaries

Article 57 of the Malolos Constitution

Article 59 of the Malolos Constitution

Article 60-63 of the Malolos Constitution

American civil authorities

reorganized the central and local levels of government

Philippine Bill of 1903

called the setting up of the Philippine assembly such that elections were held in 1907

Jones Law or the Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916

provided for the grant of Philippine independence as soon as a stable form of government could be
setup including an all-Filipino Filipino legislature with the elective senate on a term of six years and the
house of representatives as the lower house on a term of three years

Tydings-McDuffie Law

The path on the 1935 Constitution was paved by the passage of the US Congress of the Tydings-McDuffie
Law through the political maneuverings of Manuel Quezon to replace the previous Hare-Hawes-Cutting
Act obtained by Sergio Osmeña and Manuel Roxas.

Resolution 38

On September 15, 1939, the Assembly passed this approving the amendment such that the original term
of six years without the right of reelection was changed to four years with only one reelection
My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my people begins

Manuel Quezon's Statement

Manuel Quezon

studied in San Juan de Letran for his Bachelor of Arte and at the University of Santo Tomas for Law

Manuel Quezon

anecdotes and examples of his political style have created the image of a "dominant executive"

Sergio Osmeña

organized the People's Court to try cases against top national leaders charged for collaboration with the
Japanese

Manuel Roxas

He signed the Executive Agreement pertinent to the Bell Trade Act also called the Philippine Trade Act or
Parity Act and the inclusion of the Parity Amendment in the Philippine Constitution, granting US
businessmen equal right with Filipinos in the exploitation of natural resources and operation of public
utilities.

US-RP Military Bases Agreement

Despite objections from various quarters, Roxas made way for the on the extraterritorial rights of the US
over their military bases for the period of ninety-nine years; and the US-RP Military Assistance Pact for
continued US control over the Philippine armed forces by way of the Joint US Military Advisory Group,
for which the Philippines received materials and weapons.

Property Act

gave the US government the right over real estate and other property acquired before the July 4, 1946,
independence.

Commonwealth 732

Roxas obtained legislation from Congress for the reorganization of the administrative departments. He
organized the Department of Foreign Affairs on the basis of

Executive 18

established the foreign service for the purpose of launching the Philippines in the international scene.

Elpidio Quirino

secretary of finance in the cabinet of the last American governor-general and also secretary of finance
and subsequently secretary of the interior in Quezon's first term in Commonwealth

Elpidio Quirino

he appointed Magsaysay as secretary of defense

led by Luis Taruc and the communist groups

Elpidio Quirino

succeeded as president for the unexpired term due to Roxas's untimely death, in compliance with
constitutional provisions

Manuel Roxas

has been described as American-educated, handsome, eloquent, an excellent writer and orator,'6 and
quite a match to Quezon. His educational and professional credentials made him a most qualified
political leader." He is remembered for the Osrox mission (Osmeña and Roxas mission to the US) that
obtained the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act for Philippine independence.

Sergio Osmeña

became president of the Commonwealth upon Quezon's death in 1944 and was sworn to office by
General MacArthur on February 27, 1945, upon return of the Commonwealth government to the
Philippines.

Jose Laurel

president of the Japanese-sponsored Republic. His track record speaks of his stature. He obtained his
Bachelor of Arts at the University of Santo Tomas and law at the University of the Philippines, and civil
laws from Yale University. He also attended several universities-the Tokyo Imperial University, the
University of Paris in France, and the University of Oxford in England. He was secretary of the interior in
1923 at age thirty-one; elected senator, delegate to, and presiding officer of the 1934 Constitutional
Convention; appointed secretary of justice, associate justice then chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Manuel Quezon

made an impact in the politics of securing Philippine independence from American colonial rule. ° He is
remembered for his strong political statement, "My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my
people begins."5' He also uttered, "I would prefer a government run like hell by Filipinos to one run like
heaven by Americans, because no matter how bad a Filipino government might be, it can still be
improved."

Manuel Quezon

studied at San Juan de Letran for his Bachelor of Arts and graduated with highest honors and at the
University of Santo Tomas for law. “He witnessed the "Fall of Manila" as Spain lost to the US and was
described to have been saddened as he had Spanish blood and spoke the language very well. Since
Aguinaldo led the resistance against American takeover, he joined the guerrilla fight and was designated
second lieutenant, promoted to captain and then to major. " Under the American civil regime, he worked
as a lawyer, then a fiscal. He was elected governor of Tayaba’s in 1905, after which he was elected to the
first Philippine Assembly. For a time, he became resident commissioner to the US.55

Ramon Magsaysay
carried the image of an honest and humble man, a trustworthy and commendable guerrilla leader, the
man with the common touch, as one of the masses-the common "tao"-a tough fighter of communism
but caring and sympathetic to the rebels, a man of action and example, the people's president.92
Magsaysay's Spanish ancestry did not come out strongly in his features and his parents could afford to
give him a piece of land and a car." He started the study of engineering at the University of the
Philippines but returned to his home in Zambales due to illness. He recuperated and finished college
with a degree in commerce at Jose Rizal College.* He worked in a transportation firm for eleven years
and promoted to manager till the war.

Ramon Magsaysay

He opened the Malacañang Palace to the people and created the President's Complaint and Action
Committee, to make the people feel close to government.

Retail Trade Nationalization Law in 1954

signed by Magsaysay to protect the common man who could not compete with the shrewd Chinese
retail merchants with sari-sari stores in remotest towns and villages.

Magsaysay's administration

The surrender of Huk leader Luis Taruc, the rehabilitation of those who surrendered through
resettlement programs, and agrarian reform were hallmarks of Magsaysay's administration

Carlos P. Garcia

considered an experienced politician by the time he became president following the untimely death of
President Magsaysay in 1957, as he was the successor being the vice president. 103 He was born in
1896, finished law at the Philippine Law School and passed the bar, landing in the top ten.

Carlos Garcia

early in his career, he was elected provincial governor of Bohol, as representative to the Philippine
legislature in 1925 and reelected in 1931, then senator in 1941 reelected in 1946, and vice president in
1953. He served as secretary of foreign affairs, as vice president, under Magsaysay.

Carlos Garcia

called the Filipino First Policy

Diosdado Macapagal

image as the poor man who became the president of the Philippines parralled that of Ramon Magsaysay.
But by comparison, he was really born poor and grew up in conditions of lack, but succeeded over
adversity by determination and hard work."° He entered the University of the Philippines, during which
time he joined the Junior House of Representatives as a partial requirement for course completion.

Diosdado Macapagal

With the help of a philanthropist, he finished the degree of Bachelor of Laws from the University of
Santo Tomas and topped the law bar examinations in 1936. He subsequently completed the degree of
Master of Laws in 1941, Doctor of Civil Law in 1947, and Doctor of Philosophy in Economics in 1957. He
brought into the presidency these intellectual and scholarly achievements, besides his experiences from
the practice of law and as law professor.'

Carlos Garcia

set up an Anti-graft Committee

Diosdado Macapagal

his presidency is remembered for his socioeconomic and agricultural policies, highlighting decontrol; and
foreign policies toward the Southeast Asian states.

Diosdado Macapagal

he was a prime figure in the establishment of the Maphilindo association among Malaysia, Philippines,
and Indonesia. But relations with Malaysia became strained as he pushed for the Philippine claim over
Sabah. He tried to move away from the US by declaring June 12 as the Philippine Independence Day, in
keeping with Aguinaldo's declaration in 1898, instead of the July 4 celebration of the US grant of
independence to the Philippines on this date in 1946. Nonetheless, he seemed to support US economic
policies, even on the Vietnam War

Ferdinand Marcos

was a brilliant student who successfully acquitted himself from the criminal case that charged him for
the killing of his father’s political opponent and rose to political power as president of the Philippines.
'I8, He reviewed for the bar examination while in prison and successfully garnered the top place. His
World War II guerrilla exploits had been widely known until questions surfaced about their veracity. He
was elected to the House of Representatives in 1949 and was chosen as outstanding representative; he
was elected as senator in 1959. He became president of the Liberal Party and president of the Senate
but left this party to run against the incumbent standard-bearer Diosdado Macapagal.

Ferdinand Marcos

He was elected for his first term from 1965 to 1969 and reelected for the second term from 1969 to
1973, but he declared martial law in 1972 and pushed for the new 1973 and 1981 constitutions to
support his authoritarian regime.

Police Commission and the President's Agency on Reforms and Government Operations (PARGO)

Marcos failed to fast-track the legislature's mandate to reorganize but he proceeded to create the

1971 Constitutional Convention

Marcos had intended to go beyond his term of four years and reelection of four years or a total of eight
years. But this required the amendment of the 1935 Constitution for which the _____ was called

1899 Malolos Constitution

provided for a weak executive and strong legislature

1935 Constitution
vested strong executive powers on the president, while the dynamics of power relations tilted favorably
for the executive. The executive's dominance over the legislature, the bureaucracy, and the military
derives from factors beyond the constitutional provisions.