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Manuel Roxas: First President of the Philippines

Manuel Roxas was the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines, serving from 1946 until his death in 1948. He began his political career in 1917 and played a significant role in advocating for Philippine independence, although his administration faced challenges such as corruption and the rise of the Hukbalahap movement. Roxas successfully secured U.S. rehabilitation funds post-independence but had to concede military bases and trade restrictions.

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3 views3 pages

Manuel Roxas: First President of the Philippines

Manuel Roxas was the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines, serving from 1946 until his death in 1948. He began his political career in 1917 and played a significant role in advocating for Philippine independence, although his administration faced challenges such as corruption and the rise of the Hukbalahap movement. Roxas successfully secured U.S. rehabilitation funds post-independence but had to concede military bases and trade restrictions.

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Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Manuel Roxas

PRESIDENT OF PHILIPPINES
WRITTEN BY:
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica
LAST UPDATED:
1-19-2010
See Article History
Manuel Roxas, (born Jan. 1, 1892, Capiz, Phil.—died April 15,

1948, Clark Field, Pampanga) political leader and first president (1946–48)

of the independent Republic of the Philippines.

•
Manuel Roxas, 1923.
National Photo Company Collection/Library of Congress, Washington,
D.C. (Digital File Number: LC-DIG-npcc-10140)
After studying law at the University of the Philippines, near Manila,

Roxas began his political career in 1917 as a member of the municipal

council of Capiz (renamed Roxas in 1949). He was governor of the


province of Capiz in 1919–21 and was then elected to the Philippine

House of Representatives, subsequently serving as Speaker of the

House and a member of the Council of State. In 1923 he and Manuel

Quezon, the president of the Senate, resigned in protest from the

Council of State when the [Link]-general (Leonard Wood) began

vetoing bills passed by the Philippine legislature. In 1932 Roxas

and Sergio Osmeña, the Nacionalista Party leader, led the Philippine

Independence Mission to Washington, D.C., where they influenced the

passage of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act. Roxas was later opposed by Quezon,

who held that the act compromised future Philippine independence;

the Nacionalista Party was split between them on this issue. In 1934,

however, Roxas was a member of the convention that drew up a

constitution under the revised Philippine Independence and

Commonwealth Act (Tydings-McDuffie Act). Roxas also served as secretary

of finance in the Commonwealth government (1938–40).

During World War II Roxas served in the pro-Japanese government of

José Laurel by acquiring supplies of rice for the Japanese army.

Although a court was established after the war to try collaborators,

Roxas was defended by his friend General Douglas MacArthur. Roxas was

elected president of the Commonwealth in 1946 as the nominee of the

liberal wing of the Nacionalista Party (which became the Liberal Party),

and, when independence was declared on July 4, he became the first

president of the new republic.


Although Roxas was successful in getting rehabilitation funds from the

United States after independence, he was forced to concede military

bases (23 of which were leased for 99 years), trade restrictions for

Philippine citizens, and special privileges for U.S. property owners and

investors. His administration was marred by graft and corruption;

moreover, the abuses of the provincial military police contributed to

the rise of the left-wing Hukbalahap (Huk) movement in the

countryside. His heavy-handed attempts to crush the Huks led to

widespread peasant disaffection. Roxas died in office in 1948 and was

succeeded by his vice president, .Elpidio Quirino

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