1. RAMON
MAGSAYSAY Born august, 31 1907,
Iba, Zambales
Died: March 17, 1957, Balamban
Full name: Ramón del Fierro
Magsaysay
Presidential term: December 30,
1953 – March 17, 1957
Previous office: President of the
Philippines (1953–1957)
Education: José Rizal University
(1928–1932), University of the
Philippines
2. Early life
Ramon Magsaysay was born Ramon del Fierro
Magsaysay in Iba, a city in the Philippines, on August
31, 1907. After attending the University of the
Philippines, Magsaysay transferred to the Institute of
Commerce at José Rizal College (1928-1932), where he
received a bachelor's degree in commerce.
3. Leading m ilita ry re fo rm
Magsaysay was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives in 1946, and was
later re-elected to a second term. During both terms, he was chairman of the House
National Defense Committee.In 1950, Philippines President Elpidio Quirino appointed
Magsaysay secretary of defense to deal with the threat of the Huks, whose leader, Luis
Taruc, had called for the overthrow of the government. Magsaysay reformed the army,
dismissing many officers and emphasizing mobility and adaptability in combat
operations against the Huk guerrillas—tactics that he had learned in his own guerrilla
efforts against the Japanese in World War II.From then until 1953, Magsaysay carried
out one of the most effective anti-guerrilla campaigns in modern history; by 1953, the
Huks were no longer a serious threat. Unfortunately, Magsaysay's sweeping measures
had made many enemies for him within the government, and he resigned on February
28, 1953, later charging the Quirino Administration with corruption and incompetence.
4. The presidency
Although Magsaysay was a liberal, the Nacionalista Party backed him
for the presidency against Quirino in the 1953 elections, and
Magsaysay prevailed. He promised reform in nearly every segment of
Filipino life, but he was often thwarted by a congress that only
represented the interests of the wealthy.Magsaysay did manage to
enact agrarian reform, giving some 90,000 acres to 4,500 indigent
families for settlement/farming purposes. He also set up a process to
hear and address citizen grievances, and maintained a reputation for
incorruptibility throughout his presidency, all of which went a long way
toward ensuring his popularity.Sadly, Ramon Magsaysay's term came
to an abrupt end on March 17, 1957, when his presidential plane
crashed, killing Magsaysay and 24 other passengers. An estimated 5
million people attended Magsaysay's burial on March 31, 1957, and
afterward, he was referred to in the Philippines as the "Idol of the
Masses."
