Philippine Presidents Quiz

Philippine Presidents

• Emilio Aguinaldo (1899-1901): First president of the Philippine Republic. Aguinaldo was a member of the Magdalo chapter and elected at the Tejeros Convention. He later led the Biak-na-Bato Republic.
• Manuel L. Quezon (1935-1944): The first Filipino president of the Commonwealth. He was also the father of the National Language, initiated women's suffrage, and was the first Senate president.
• José P. Laurel (1943-1945): President of the Second Republic during WWII. He is known as the "Puppet President" and established the Lyceum of the Philippines.
• Sergio Osmena, Sr. (1944-1946): Philippine president during the Commonwealth. Osmena was also the first Filipino National leader under the American regime, became speaker of the Philippine Assembly, and served as vice president during Quezon's regime.
• Manuel Roxas (1946-1948): First president of the 3rd Republic. He signed a treaty surrendering control to the United States, based on the Bell Trade Act and the Philippine Rehabilitation Act. Roxas's administration also established the Philippine War Damage payments.
• Elpidio Quirino (1948-1953): Focused on economic recovery and rebuilding trust in the government. He created the President's Action Committee on Social Amelioration (PACSA), the Agricultural Credit Cooperatives Financing Administration (ACCFA), and rural banks to provide financial assistance to communities. Quirino established the LASEDECO Law Settlement and Development Corp. to support landless farmers.

Key Acts and Agreements

• Bell Trade Act: Established trade relations between the US and the Philippines.
• Philippine Rehabilitation Act: Provided financial assistance to the Philippines post-WWII.
• Military Base Agreement: Allowed the US use of 23 sites in the Philippines for 99 years. This agreement was later reduced to 25 years in 1959, with the option to renew.