GROUP #4 MANUEL A.

ROXAS

VENTURA, NEIL
HERMOSO, CLARIZZE JADE
MACABONTOC, MARIA LAVENIA
PAGOT, YVONNE

Name: Manuel Acuña Roxas

Birthdate: January 1, 1892

Birthplace: Capiz, Capiz Province

Death: April 15, 1948

Reason of death: Heart Attack

Year of Service as a President: May 28, 1946 to July 4, 1946

Manuel Acuña Roxas is a political leader of the Philippines. He graduated in the

University of the Philippines taking up Law and graduated in 1914. He married Trinidad de
Leon and had 2 children namely: Gerardo Manuel Roxas and Ruby Roxas.

Before he became a president, in 1916, he served his province as a provincial

governor. He was also elected as Congress, becoming the Speaker of the Philippine
Assembly in 1922. In 1934 Roxas was elected to the constitutional convention. In 1938 he
was appointed secretary of finance by Commonwealth president Quezon and then became
his trusted adviser. In 1941 Roxas ran for the Senate and won. Manuel Roxas was the last
president of the Commonwealth elected on April 23, 1946 and after a month which is on May
28, 1946, he took the oath as the third and last President of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines. Thus, this made him the 'first president' of the Republic of the Philippines
because the Commonwealth of the Philippines was eventually changed to Republic of the
Philippines as of the pursuant of the provisions of the Philippine Independence Act.
 Trivial Facts:

• He finished his law degree and passed the bar exam on the same year. He got the
highest honor.

• He was a municipal councilor, provincial governor, member of the lower house of the
Philippine legislature and Speaker of the House for eleven years.

• He was the founder of the Liberal Party. It was established on January 19, 1946.

• He went with Senate President Sergio Osmeña on December 1931 to United States to
secure the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act from the U.S. Congress. This would grant the
independence of the Philippines after the transition period of 10 years.

• He won the Senate in 1941.

• He served as lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) on
December 8, 1941.

• He served the public for 29 years.

• He was captured in 1942 by the Japanese forces in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, and was
forced to serve in the puppet government of José Laurel.

• He was loyal to the United States that he even died on the American soil

• He did not finish his full 4 year term as a president.

• Roxas delivered a speech before the United States Thirteenth Air Force and after the
speech, he suffered from dizziness and had a heart attack on the night of the same
day.

• His picture is still currently in the 100 peso bill

• He was subjected to graft and corruption

 Economy

At first the economy was struggling because of low output growth and high
unemployment rates. Production became low because farms and factories were ruined. Its
effect were production of rice, sugar, coconuts, abaca, coconut oil, cigars, tobacco, gold and
chrome, and manganese and lumber was put to a halt because of the destruction of
manufacturing facilities. Also different businesses were closing, there were no more jobs
available for people. Unemployment rates were rising at a fast pace. Education is also
severely weakened.

Economically Manuel A. Roxas, he wants to concentrate on production. He wants an

income from exports to buy machines, hire technically skilled people and he wants to revive
the production of rice, sugar, coconuts, abaca, coconut oil, cigars, tobacco, gold and chrome
and manganese and lumber. For employment, he wants to encouragement to Filipinos to
participate in the new economy.

The HUKBALAHAP estates during the Japanese occupation.

These estates were confiscated and returned to its owners. Because of this, some of the
farmer tenants preferred to join the HUK movement rather than go back and serve their
landlords under the same condition prior to World War II

Republic Act No. 34 dated September 30, 1946 which is also known as “The Philippine Rice
Share tenancy Act”.

 The landlord and tenant interpreted – for the purpose of this act, the word
“landlord” shall mean and include either a natural or juridical person who is the real
owner of the land which is the subject-matter of the contract and the word "tenant"
shall mean a farmer or farm laborer who undertakes to work and cultivates land for
another or a person who furnishes the labor with the consent of the landlord.
  Form of contract- The contract on share tenancy, in order to be valid and binding,
shall be drawn in triplicate in the language or dialect known to all the parties thereto,
to be signed to thumb-marked both by the landlord or his authorized representative
and by the tenant, before two witnesses, one to be chosen by each party.

 The Philippine Rehabilition Act and the Philippine Trade Act ( Bell Trade Act ). The US
congress offered 800 million dollars as rehabilitation money in exchange for the
ratification of the Bell trade Act. It was passed by the US congress in 1946 specifying
the condition of the Philippine economy governing the independence of the
Philippines from the Americans.

This man's administration showed decisively that political sovereignty without economic
independence bear up or inspire reaction, perpetuation of social injustices, and exploitation.
When the first president of the third republic started his term, he was left with the post-war
state of Philippines. The production decreased, unemployment rate increased,education
diminished, , interference from America heightened, and the HUKBALAHAP movement
intensified. Since this was the state of the country, his inauguration speech centralized on the
rehabilitation of the country. The Bell Trade Act or the Philippine Trade Act was signed through
the exchange of 800 million dollars for rehabilitation money. Along with that policy, others like
the Military Bases Agreement and General Amnesty international were also implemented. Most
policies were manipulated by American government officials who made the policies more
beneficial to the American citizens that for the Filipinos. Issues like the Bell Trade Act were
highly criticized by people because it allowed Americans to trade the Philippine’s natural
resources. The countrymen have felt bought because that right should be exclusive only to the
Filipino citizens. The Military Bases Agreement further angered the people because it allowed
the American military to have their leased bases in the Philippines till year 2045. Roxas had a
hard time managing people who did not agree with his policies. People attempted to murder
him, but fortunately for him, he was able to escape death.
References:

http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-
maps/manuel-roxas

Zaide, Gregorio F. , The Philippines A Unique Nation, pp. 356

https://blueeyedronin.wordpress.com/2014/03/13/todayinhistory-president-manuel-a-roxas-
signs-military-bases-agreement-with-the-united-states/

American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, page 12 and 13, Volume XXII, Number 6,
September-October 1946

https://www.slideshare.net/hyunsu612/agrarian-land-reform-program-roxas-aquino-
17080063

https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/manuel-a-roxas/

http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1946/ra_34_1946.html