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Ramon Magsaysay: A Legacy of Reform

Ramon Magsaysay was the president of the Philippines from 1953 to 1957. He was successful in defeating the communist Hukbalahap movement through an effective anti-guerrilla campaign that emphasized gaining the trust of peasants and reforming the corrupt army. As president, Magsaysay promised reform but faced opposition from a conservative congress representing wealthy interests that blocked effective land reform legislation. He remained popular for his reputation of being incorruptible until his early death in a plane crash before his term expired.

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621 views1 page

Ramon Magsaysay: A Legacy of Reform

Ramon Magsaysay was the president of the Philippines from 1953 to 1957. He was successful in defeating the communist Hukbalahap movement through an effective anti-guerrilla campaign that emphasized gaining the trust of peasants and reforming the corrupt army. As president, Magsaysay promised reform but faced opposition from a conservative congress representing wealthy interests that blocked effective land reform legislation. He remained popular for his reputation of being incorruptible until his early death in a plane crash before his term expired.

Uploaded by

RENGIE GALO
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Ramon Magsaysay, (born Aug. 31, 1907, Iba, Phil.

—died March 17, 1957, near Cebu), president of the


Philippines (1953–57), best known for successfully defeating the communist-led Hukbalahap (Huk)
movement.

The son of an artisan, Magsaysay was a schoolteacher in the provincial town of Iba on the island
of Luzon. Though most Philippine political leaders were of Spanish descent, Magsaysay was of
Malay stock, like most of the common people. Working his way through José Rizal College near
Manila, he obtained a commercial degree in 1933 and became general manager of a Manila
transportation company. After serving as a guerrilla leader on Luzon during World War II, he
was appointed military governor of his home province, Zambales, when the United States
recaptured the Philippines. He served two terms (1946–50) as a Liberal Party congressman for
Zambales, his first experience in politics.

President Elpidio Quirino appointed Magsaysay secretary of defense to deal with the threat of the
Huks, whose leader, Luis Taruc, in February 1950 established a People’s Liberation Army and
called for the overthrow of the government. Magsaysay then carried out until 1953 one of the
most successful antiguerrilla campaigns in modern history. Realizing that the Huks could not
survive without popular support, he strove to win the trust of the peasants by offering land and
tools to those who came over to the government side and by insisting that army units treat the
people with respect. Reforming the army, he dismissed corrupt and incompetent officers and
emphasized mobility and flexibility in combat operations against the guerrillas. By 1953 the
Huks were no longer a serious threat, but Magsaysay’s radical measures had made many enemies
for him within the government, compelling him to resign on February 28, when he charged the
Quirino administration with corruption and incompetence.

Although Magsaysay was a Liberal, the Nacionalista Party successfully backed him for the presidency
against Quirino in the 1953 elections, winning the support of Carlos P. Romulo, who had organized a
third party. Magsaysay promised reform in every segment of Philippine life, but he was frustrated in his
efforts by a conservative congress that represented the interests of the wealthy. Despite initial support
of Congress in July 1955, Magsaysay was unable to pass effective land-reform legislation; government
indifference to the plight of the peasants then undid most of his good work in gaining the support of the
people against the Huks. Nevertheless, he remained extremely popular and had a well-deserved
reputation for incorruptibility.

In foreign policy, Magsaysay remained a close friend and supporter of the United States and a vocal
spokesman against communism during the Cold War. He made the Philippines a member of the
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, which was established in Manila on Sept. 8, 1954. Before the
expiration of his term as president, Magsaysay was killed in an airplane crash; he was succeeded by the
vice president, Carlos P. Garcia.

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