Name: Jelou E.

Ubag
Subject: GE2-K

1. List down the names of the Philippine presidents after Ramon Magsaysay to
Benigno S. Aquino III, and list down their achievements, highlights of their
administration, and problems during their respective administration.

a. Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay

Ramon Magsaysay was the 7th president of the Philippines and the 3rd president
of the Third Republic. He was the first president who sworn into the office wearing
Barong Tagalog during the inauguration. He died in an aircraft disaster while boarding
the presidential plane.

Presidential Term: December 30, 1953 - March 17, 1957

Contributions and Achievements:

• He led to defeat the Hukbalahap movement

• Chairman of the Committee on Guerrilla Affairs
• His presidency was referred to as the Philippines’ “Golden Years” for its lack of
corruption
• The Philippines was ranked second in Asia’s clean and well-governed countries
during his presidency
• He established the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration
(NARRA) among other agrarian reforms
• He made the Philippine a member of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization

Highlights of their Administration:

• Agrarian reform was undertaken, resulting in the distribution of 90,000 acres to 4,500
impoverished families for settlement/farming purposes.
• Known for successfully defeating the communist-led HUKBALAHAP movement
• During the 1950's Philippine crisis, he is recognized with peace building, law, and
order.
• Magsaysay's administration restructured the unconscionable Bell Trade Act of 1946
into the Laurel-Langley Agreement, which preserved the nation's economic servitude
to US monopolies.
• In 1957, he approved the first Agricultural Commodities Agreement with the United
States, prolonging the nation's economy's colonial framework, and was also
accountable for the enactment of the Anti-subversion Law, which limited residents'
democratic rights of assembly, free speech, and belief.
• One of the cleanest and most corruption free administration.

 Problems:

During his reign, he 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.

References:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ramon-Magsaysay

https://www.biography.com/political-figure/ramon-magsaysay

https://biography.yourdictionary.com/ramon-magsaysay

b. Carlos P. Garcia

Carlos P. Garcia is the 8th president of the Philippines and fourth president of the
Third Republic. This Bohol native was a lawyer, poet, and professor and served as a
guerrilla leader during the Pacific War. Garcia served as vice president under Ramon
Magsaysay and as secretary of Foreign Affairs for four years. He became president
when Magsaysay died in a plane crash in 1957.

Presidential Term: March 18, 1957 - December 30, 1961

Contributions and Achievements:

• Carlos P. Garcia was known for promoting “Filipino First Policy,” which favored
Filipino businesses over foreign investors
• He established the Austerity Program focusing on Filipino trade and commerce
• He became a famous poet and known as the “Prince of Visayan Poets” and the
“Bard from Bohol.”
• Cultural arts was revived during his term
• He was the first president to have his remains buried at the Libingan ng mga
Bayani

 • He achieved 7th placer in the Philippine Bar Exam in 1923

Highlights of their Administration:

• Launched the First Filipino Policy, which emphasized business owners over foreign
investors.
• Increased government assistance and security.
• Established the Austerity Program in eliminating the country's endemic graft and
corruption.
• People were urged to reject luxury goods and enjoy a simple lifestyle.
• Highlighted the importance of restoring the cultural arts.

Problems:

The main problem that was facing the Garcia administration was the current
economic situation during that time. Corruption was also prevalent in the country since
he had just inherited the Magsaysay administration. Several cases of corruption were
found within the government offices during his administration.
The imports that were coming in the country greatly outnumbered the exports that we
were shipping out of the country, making the Philippines highly dependent on foreign
products that required dollars to purchase.

References:

https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/carlos-p-garcia-1957-1961/
https://philpad.com/presidents-philippines-achievements-contributions/
#8_Carlos_P_Garcia_March_18_1957_-_December_30_1961

c. Diosdado Macapagal

Diosdado P. Macapagal was the 9th president of the Philippines. He was a

lawyer and economist, born in Lubao, Pampanga. He was inaugurated on December
30, 1961, at the Quirino Grandstand. His daughter, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, followed
his path and became president, too.

Presidential Term: December 30, 1961 - December 30, 1965

Contributions and Achievements:

• Topped the Bar Exam, 1st place in 1936

• Took a Master of Law in 1941 and Doctor of Civil Law in 1947, and a Ph.D. in
Economics in 1957

 • Diosdado Macapagal was a great economist, he established the first Land Reform
Law, allowing for the purchase of private farmland to be distributed in inexpensive,
small lots to the landless
• He placed the Philippine peso on the free currency exchange market and
encouraged exports
• The Philippine representative to the United Nations General Assembly three times
• He signed the Minimum Wage Law
• Diosdado Macapagal signed the law to create the Philippine Veteran’s Bank
• Featured in the 200-peso bill

Highlights of their Administration:

• Eradicated graft and corruption while also stimulating the Philippine economy.
• The peso was placed on the free currency exchange market, promoting exporters.
• Passed the nation's first land-reform law and attempted to reduce income tax evasion,
particularly among the wealthiest households.

Problems:

• Low living standards of the masses

• Lack of economic stability
• Unemployment
• Devaluation of the Philippine Peso
• Foreigners could now buy and control more local businesses easily because of the
exchange rate. They were richer than the Philippines.
• Revocation of 350 midnight appointments
• Garcia appointed 350 people into certain positions before he stepped down as
president (A few hours before) Most controversial position was the central bank
governor. This act was against the Saligang Batas; However, the supreme court still
had the final authority/”say”.
• Graft and Corruption (Stonehill Scandal)
• Rise in Consumer Goods Prices
• Peace and Order Issues
• Macapagal’s privileged subjects in congress and business paraded their lavish wealth
in conspicuous parties and anomalous deals.

References:
https://philpad.com/presidents-philippines-achievements-contributions/
#9_Diosdado_P_Macapagal_December_30_1961_-_December_30_1965
https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/diosdado-p-macapagal-1961-1965/

d. Ferdinand Marcos

Ferdinand Marcos was the tenth president of the Philippines and the last
president of the Third Republic. He was one of the most controversial leaders of the

 20th century. He ruled the Philippines for 21 years and was removed from office after
the People Power Revolution.

Presidential Term: December 30, 1965 - February 25, 1986

Contributions and Achievements:

• The first president to win a second term

• The longest-ruling president of the Philippines, he ruled for 21 years
• He declared Martial Law on Sept. 22, 1972
• He increased the size of Philippine military and armed forces
• By 1980, the Philippine GNP was four times greater than 1972
• Marcos built more schools, roads, bridges, hospitals, and other infrastructure than
all former presidents combined
• He topped 1st place in the Bar Exam in 1939
• The only president whose remains were interred inside a refrigerated crypt

Highlights of their Administration:

• Urged the resuscitation of the judiciary, the strengthening of national defense, and the
fight against smuggling, criminality, graft, and corruption in government.
• Mobilized the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel and resources for
operation to reinforce civilian agencies in tasks such as infrastructure construction,
economic planning and program execution, regional and industrial site planning and
development, community development, and others.
• Marcos proclaimed martial law in order to quell rising public unrest and communist
invasion threats. The proclamation was first supported by some sectors, but it
gradually grew unpopular among the people and the masses due to the military's
human rights violations.

Problems:

• Unemployment
• Destabilized Economy
• Rampant Corruption in the Government and abuse of authority and power
• Increased crime rates (before martial law) due to poverty
• Marcos Ill-gotten wealth
• Declaration of Martial Law
• Assassination of Benigno Aquino

References:
https://philpad.com/presidents-philippines-achievements-contributions/
#10_Ferdinand_E_Marcos_December_30_1965_-_February_25_1986
https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/ferdinand-edralin-marcos-1965-1986/

 e. Corazon Aquino

Corazon Aquino was the first woman president of the Philippines and the first
woman to become president of an Asian country. She was the 11th president and a
democracy icon, one of the 100 Women Who Shaped World History and 20 Most
Influential Asians of the 20th Century.

Presidential Term: February 25, 1986 - June 30, 1992

Contributions and Achievements:

• The first woman to be president of the Philippines or any Asian country

• She signed the Family Code of 1987, a major civil law reform, and 1191 Local
Government Code, which reorganized the structure of the executive branch of
government
• She initiated charitable and social activities helping the poor and the needy
• Was named “Woman of the Year” in 1986 by TIME magazine
• She was featured on the new 500-peso bill together with her husband, Benigno
Aquino Jr.
• Among the 100 Women Who Shaped World History
• One of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century
• One of TIME Magazine’s 65 Asian Heroes
• Received Honorary Doctorates from international universities including Boston
University, Eastern University in Pennsylvania, Fordham University in New York,
Waseda University in Tokyo

Highlights of their Administration:

• Restoration of democracy (People Power Revolution)
• Abolished the legislature
• Declared a revolutionary government
• Wrote a new constitution (1987 Constitution)
• Land Reform
• Free secondary schooling

Problems:

• Displeased citizens
• Power Shortage/Rampant Brownouts

Aquino was not spared from the controversies that eventually centered on
Hacienda Luisita, a 6,453-hectare estate located in the Province of Tarlac, which she
inherited from her family. She was scored for allowing Hacienda Luisita, which was now
owned by the Tarlac Development Corporation, to opt for stock distribution, instead of

 land redistribution. She also has an issue concerning the farmers of Mendiola being
massacred.

References:
https://philpad.com/presidents-philippines-achievements-contributions/
#11_Corazon_C_Aquino_February_25_1986_-_June_30_1992
https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/corazon-c-aquino-1986-1992/

f. Fidel V. Ramos

Fidel Ramos is the 12th president of the Philippines and the oldest living former
presidents of the country. FVR is now 92 years old. He’s one of the most admired
presidents because, during his presidency, he restored economic growth and stability in
the country.

Presidential Term: June 30, 1992 - June 30, 1998

Contributions and Achievements:

• FVR was widely credited as the most effective president because he led the
Philippines to economic growth
• He promoted family-planning practices to help to solve the country’s growing
population
• Hosted the 4th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leader’s Summit in the
Philippines in 1996
• He presided over celebrations of Philippine Independence Centennial in 1998
• Ramos reached out peace talks with the rebels such as the Moro National
Liberation Front and New People’s Army
• FVR received British Knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Knight
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George)
• The Philippine Stock Exchange became an international favorite during his
presidency
• Ranked 8th Place in the Philippine Civil Engineering Licensure Exam (1953)
• The death penalty was reinstated while he was in office
• FVR is the only military officer who reached the rank of five-star general/admiral de
jure who rose from second lieutenant up to commander-in-chief of the armed
forces
• Has 29 Honorary Doctorate Degrees

Highlights of their Administration:

• His administration was known for relentlessly pushing individual empowerment and
global competitiveness.
• Endured the two-year power crisis that had decimated the Filipino people and
debilitated Filipino business.

 • Implemented a comprehensive Social Reform Agenda (SRA) that tackled long-

standing challenges such as poverty, jobs and livelihood, health, education and skills
training, housing, environmental protection, children and youth, the elderly and
handicapped, agricultural reform, and equal opportunity.

Problems:

• PEA-AMARI Scam Manila Bay Reclamation Deal

FVR Was accused of Corruption. This deal involved acquiring 158 hectares of
reclaimed land on Manila Bay and it was supposedly going to be converted to what is
called as “Freedom Islands”. The government was accused of corruption because they
were said to favor Amari Costal Bay Resources and Filinvest Development by selling
them a bigger portion for their own intentions. Ramos was accused that the deal was
clinched to benefit the members of Lakas-NUCD, which was Ramos’ group.

• Centennial Expo and Conversion of Military Base in Fort Bonifacio for Private
Development
The Centennial Expo was supposedly one of his notable contributions to the
Philippines and the people. The government was charged of alleged corruption and the
misuse of funds. The projects relating to the Expo site were said to be extravagant and
showed the inefficiency of the administration. They said it was a convenient vehicle to
effect election fund-raising for the Lakas Political Party of Ramos. The issue there was
that there was a budget set for the entire project. However, not all the projects were
completed but the entire budget was spent.

References:
https://philpad.com/presidents-philippines-achievements-contributions/
#12_Fidel_V_Ramos_June_30_1992_-_June_30_1998
https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/fidel-v-ramos-1992–1998/

g. Jospeh Ejercito Estrada

Joseph Estrada is the 13th president of the Philippines and the first film actor to
become a president in the country. During his years in office, economic growth was
slow, and he faced impeachment proceedings. He became the first president in Asia to
be impeached from an executive role. He was ousted from the presidency in 2001.

Presidential Term: June 30, 1998 - January 20, 2001

Contributions and Achievements:

 • He starred in over 100 films in the Philippines and received numerous Best Actor
awards
• Moro Islamic Liberation Front headquarters and camps were captured during his
presidency
• Cited as one of the Three Outstanding Senators in 1989
• He became a Mayor of the City of Manila, the county’s capital
• He won every mayor election in San Juan from 1969 to 1984
• Erap was among the “Magnificent 12” who voted to terminate the agreement that
allows for U.S. control of Clark Airbase and Subic Naval Base
• He was credited with the passage of, among other pieces of legislation, the bills on
irrigation project and the protection of carabaos

Highlights of their Administration:

• The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 was enacted in 1999. (Republic Act No. 8749)
- Designed to conserve and maintain the environment while also ensuring the long-
term development of its natural resources.

• Incentives for Foreign Multinationals' Regional Headquarters (Republic Act No. 8756)
- The measure provides a slew of benefits to international corporations that create
regional hubs in the country. It also offers them a tax- and duty-free operating
environment, numerous entrance permits for expatriates and their families, and a
flat income tax rate of 15%.

• Agrarian Reformation
- The Estrada government expanded the scope of the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program (CARP) to include landless peasants in rural areas. The
administration of the latter transferred around 266,000 hectares of land to 175,000
landless farmers, including land owned by the old rural elite.

• The Death Penalty

- During the presidency of Estrada's predecessor, Fidel Ramos, the Philippines'
death penalty statute was re-enforced. The Estrada administration promoted the
death sentence as a deterrent to crime.

Problems:

• Graft and Corruption

Graft and corruption was pretty eminent not just during Estrada’s administration.
Obviously, we all know Estrada was sanctioned to have been getting or robbing money
from the governments’ fund to use for his own personal interest. That is why he was
impeached due to his plunder and perjury case.

• Asian Financial Crisis

The Central bank raised interest rates by 1.75%. The BSP was forced to
intervene heavily to defend the peso raising the overnight rate from 15% to 24%. The
pesa fell from 26 per dollar to 28 pesos to 40 pesos by the end of the crisis.

 • El Nino
The El Nino led to too many problems in the country. One of which is the serious
drought of lands in the rural areas that cause the unemployment of the farmers and the
rise of the prices of rice.

• Poverty
Of the 14.37 million families, 5.75 million belonged to the lowest 40% income
group while 8.62 million in the highest 60% income bracket. In terms of percentage to
total families, families in the highest 60% income strata got the biggest percentage in
almost all indicators. But in terms of the percentage to the total families within each
income strata, families in the lowest 40% income strata are not far off from families in
the highest 60%.

• War between MILF

During the Ramos administration a cessation of hostilities agreement was signed
between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in
July 1997. This was continued by a series of peace talks and negotiations in Estrada
administration. However the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a Islamic group
formed in 1977, seeks to be an independent Islamic State from the Philippines, despite
the agreements, a sequence of terrorist attacks with the Philippine military and the
civilians still continued.[2] Such of those attack are 277 violations committed, kidnapping
a foreign priest, namely Father Luciano Benedetti, the occupying and setting on fire of
the municipal hall of Talayan, Maguindanao; the takeover of the Kauswagan Municipal
Hall; the bombing of the Lady of Mediatrix boat at Ozamiz City; and the takeover of the
Narciso Ramos Highway. By doing so, they inflicted severe damage on the country’s
image abroad, and scared much-needed investments away.

• Plunder
The plunder case consisted of four separate charges: acceptance of 545 million
pesos from proceeds of Jueteng, an illegal gambling game; misappropriation of 130
million pesos in excise taxes from tobacco; receiving a 189.7-million-peso commission
from the sale of the shares of Belle Corporation, a real-estate firm; and owning some
3.2 billion pesos in a bank account under the name Jose Velarde.

• Perjury
The minor charge of perjury is for Estrada underreporting his assets in his 1999
statement of assets and liabilities and for the illegal use of an alias, namely for the Jose
Velarde bank account.
• BW Resources
BW Resources, a small gaming company listed on the Philippine Stock
Exchange and linked to people close to Estrada, experienced “a meteoric rise” in its
stock price due to suspected stock price manipulation. The head of the compliance and
surveillance group of PSE resigned which led to the confusion of the investigation. The
events created a negative impression. “The BW controversy undermined foreign
investor confidence in the stock market” and “also contributed to a major loss of

 confidence in the Philippines among foreign and local investors on concerns that
cronyism may have played a part.”

• Impeachment Trial
This was the first time Filipinos would witness, through radio and television, an
elected president stand in trial and face possible impeachment with full media coverage.
During the trial, the prosecution presented witnesses and alleged evidences to the
impeachment court regarding Estrada’s alleged involvement in jueteng. The existence
of secret bank accounts that he allegedly used for receiving payoffs was also brought
affront. Singson stood as witness against the president during the trial and said that he
and the President were alleged partners in-charge of the countrywide jueteng
operations. Singson’s testimony was one of the vital pieces of evidence that led to
Estrada’s subsequent conviction.

WHAT THE PRESIDENT DID

With Erap’s plunder and perjury case, he did not do anything about it to prove
that he is not doing some illegal acts. He just made a way to erase the thought in
people’s minds. Because his market is the masa and the masa does not care about how
their president act as long as he is doing something to uplift their sufferings, they do not
keep in mind what Erap is doing may it be against the law or not. He just let the
government take away his position by the impeachment trial. Erap’s perjury case was
different. The Jose Velardo account was obviously one case which Estrada together
with his supporters.

References:
https://philpad.com/presidents-philippines-achievements-contributions/
#13_Joseph_E_Estrada_June_30_1998_-_January_20_2001
https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/joseph-ejercito-estrada-1998-2001/

h. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the 14th president of the Philippines, the 2nd female
president, and the first Filipino president whose parent was a former president. She’s
also an economist like her father, ex-president Diosdado Macapagal. Having a master’s
degree and doctorate in economics, Gloria put the Philippine economy back in shape.

Annual economic growth in the Philippines averaged 4.5% during her

administration, expanding every quarter of her presidency. That is higher than in the
administrations of her three immediate predecessors. The peso strengthened by nearly
20% in making it the best-performing currency of the year in 2007.

Presidential Term: January 20, 2001 - June 30, 2010

 Contributions and Achievements:

• Second female president of the country

• First president to take oath outside Luzon
• Gloria Arroyo oversaw higher economic growth than the past three presidents
before her
• Philippine Peso became the best-performing currency of the year in Asia in 2007
during her term
• eVAT Law was implemented under her term
• She supported to bring back Spanish language in the Philippines during her 9-year
presidency
• She took up International Trade at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. with
Bill Clinton
• Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Assumption College in 1968
• Arroyo earned a Master’s Degree in Economics from Ateneo de Manila University
in 1978
• Obtained Doctorate in Economics from the University of the Philippines in 1986
• Numerous Honorary Degrees granted by prominent international universities
• TIME Magazine’s People Who Mattered list for 2005
• Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (2004 – 2009)
• Currently featured on the 200-peso bill

Highlights of their Administration:

• Restoring Political Stability and Building New Politics.
• The NCRFW assisted the government's poverty-reduction plan by preserving previous
successes in making the bureaucracy work for women, with the goals of advancing
and defending human rights, boosting women's economic empowerment, and
fostering gender-responsive governance.
• Endorsed the Framework Plan for Women, which sought to promote economic
development for women, defend women's human rights, and promote and strengthen
gender-responsive government.
• Amended Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, which strengthens the authority's power to
sue pre-empted acts of trafficking, erases the privacy clause previously enjoyed by
traffickers, and penalizes the confiscation of travel documents such as passports and
work permits from trafficked individuals.
• Implementation of the Gender-Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of
Women (GREAT Women) Project, a governance and capacity development project
aimed at promoting and supporting a gender-responsive enabling environment for
women's economic empowerment, particularly in the micro enterprise sector.

Problems:

• Killings
- There have been more than 840 killings in the Philippines since President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo came to power.

 - One of the major problems of the Philippines are the arbitrary, unlawful and
extrajudicial killings which includes the death of journalists.
- More than half of the journalists who were killed after Marcos’ time were killed
during the Arroyo administration. Only in three cases of killings were the killers
been convicted but no mastermind was brought to court.
- The Philippines is now considered as the second most dangerous country to
practice journalism next to Iraq.
- Even though there are intense efforts of the government to investigate and
prosecute the cases of killings, many cases were still unresolved and a lot of
them are still not punished.

• Corruption
- Corruption scandals during the Arroyo Administration in the last seven years
have cost the Filipinos around 7.3 billion pesos.
- With at least six corruption cases so far, President Arroyo has now been
considered the most corrupt president in the Philippines.
- Corruption has greatly benefited the Arroyo Administration while it continues to
worsen the condition of the Philippines specifically contribute more to poverty.
- Corruption is a problem in all the institutions of the Philippines including the
criminal justice system specifically the police, prosecutorial and judicial organs.

• Budget Mismanagement
- Education, health, and public infrastructure were not given much priority even
though there were large increases in the national budget.
- The president relied on reenacted budget; none of the proposed regular
budgets were approved on time. In three of the nine years as president, she
ran the government without an approved budget.

• Poverty
- Poverty is most rampant in the rural areas of the Philippines. Even though
there is a share of poverty in the National Capital Region, the rate of poverty in
rural areas than urban areas is still a lot higher. The rural poor are the
unemployed or self-employed in agriculture or only casual labor who are
landless.
- Poverty has worsened because of high inflation and unemployment. The
Philippines has not yet surpassed poverty unlike neighboring countries like
Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia who are rapidly reducing poverty at present.

• Unemployment
- President Arroyo promised to create 10 million jobs from 2004-2010 but didn’t
reach this target. A lot of decent jobs in the manufacturing sector disappeared
and more less secure jobs emerged.
- Since unemployment, poverty and hunger go together, this just shows the
failure of the Philippine social-protection program who doesn’t provide enough
protection for the less fortunate and unemployed. All these three have
worsened under the Arroyo Administration.

 • Hello “Garci” Controversy (June 2005 – Present)

The Hello “Garci” Controversy is about wiretapped recordings of Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo’s conversations with COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcilliano.
The conversations was about rigging or cheating the 2004 national elections. Former
NBI Deputy Director Samuel Ong released the wiretapped tapes; he also claimed that
he had the “mother of all tapes” which was released a few days later. The National
Telecommunications Commission initially banned the playing of the tapes in the media,
and threatened that any media group who plays the tapes will be forced to close. The
tape was then allowed by the Supreme Court to be aired by the media with a vote of 9 –
6, this was against the NTC’s decision.

In the tape a woman who sounds like Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was talking to
Virgilio “Garci” Garcilliano about by how many votes she would win in her run for the
presidency. In the conversation she asked if she would win by a million votes and Garci
replied that she will; coincidentally or suspiciously she did win by over a million votes in
the 2004 presidential elections.

GMA admitted that she was the woman in the wiretapped conversations but said
that she only talked to Garci after the counting has been done. She also aired on
national television her apology to the public for her “lapse in judgement”, this act was
supposed to reduce the tensions the issue has created however this backfired and it
created more tensions and more calls for her to step down.

Virgilio Garcilliano’s whereabouts were unknown right after the Hello Garci tapes
came out. There were even some rumors that he was able to escape the country. 5
Months later he resurfaced and admitted that he was the one talking to GMA in the
tapes but the conversation took place after the counting of votes had been done. He
also denied that GMA instructed him to cheat in the 2004 national elections.
The issue created a lot of tension and anger in the public. Thousands went to the street
to call for GMA to step down. There was even an attempt to create another People
Power, this failed however due to the lack of protestors that attended the peaceful
gathering. GMA survived the storm; this issue was the biggest issue that threatened her
presidency. Until now the issue has not yet been solved, and no one has been
punished.

• Oakwood Mutiny (July 27, 2003)

A group composing of more than 300 fully armed soldiers took over Oakwood
Premier in Ayala, Makati City. The soldiers were led by Navy Ltsg. Antonio Trillanes IV,
Army Capt. Gerardo Gambala, Army Capt. Milo Maestrecampo, Navy Ltsg. James
Layug and Marine Capt. Gary Alejano.

The group called themselves the new “katipuneros” but they were dubbed y the
media as the “magdalo” soldiers. They claim that the taking over of the Oakwood
Premier in Makati was spontaneous, and that their goal was only to be able to air their








 grievances and complaints about the corruption in the military and in the government.
They also stated that the saw signs that GMA was going to declare martial law.
One of the accusations made by the soldiers was that the Arroyo administration was
selling arms and ammunitions to the enemy forces. These enemy forces include the
MILF and the Abu Sayyaf. Also they claim that Arroyo issued the order to bomb Davao
City so that Arroyo would be able to ask the United States of America for anti-terrorist
support. Arroyo also planned to bomb several areas in Metro Manila so that she could
declare martial law.
Some of the grievances include general cases like the corruption of the
government and its officials, low salaries of soldiers and the difference of salaries
between the AFP soldiers and the Air Force Pilots, insufficient supply of medicines in the
army and the powerful “comptroller” family who is enjoying promotions and positions
and are manipulating funds and that the government funds for the soldiers never or
seldom reach them.

The bloodless mutiny ended after 18 hours. The soldiers surrendered as they
failed to rally support from the public. All the 300 soldiers were arrested and charged in
the general court martial.

On September 24, 2004 the soldiers apologized to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and
took back the accusations against top AFP officials. Currently majority of the soldiers
have been released and some soldiers have escaped military custody.

• Proclamation 1017 (February 24, 2006)

“I Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers
vested upon me by Section 18, Article 7 of the Philippine Constitution which states
that: ” The President…whenever it becomes necessary,…may call out (the) armed
forces to prevent or suppress…rebellion…, ” and in my capacity as their Commander-in-
Chief, do hereby command the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to maintain law and
order throughout the Philippines, prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence as
well any act of insurrection or rebellion and to enforce obedience to all the laws and to
all decrees, orders and regulations promulgated by me personally or upon my direction;
and as provided in Section 17, Article 12 of the Constitution do hereby declare a State
of National Emergency.”

On February 24, 2006, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo used her emergency
powers and issued Proclamation 1017. The proclamation was called a “state of national
emergency” and was similar to Martial Law primarily because she will be able to order
arrests without warrants. The proclamation came after the Armed Forces of the
Philippines received reports that some officials of the armed forces will announce their
withdrawal of support from GMA during the anniversary of the People Power Edsa 1
Revolution. To prevent this GMA issued the proclamation to ensure that there will be no
rebellion or violent coup attempts.

 AFP Chief Generoso Sanga revealed that Danilo Lim, one of the commanders of
an elite force in the AFP was the one planning to withdraw his support of GMA. Lim then
was relieved of his port and was placed under Sanga’s custody. Police also suspended
all gun carrying licenses and did not allow the public to carry weapons.

The next day, police raided offices of the newspaper Daily tribune and also sent
armed men in civilian clothing to go around the offices of Abante a tabloid newspaper.
The military was also sent to surround the offices of ABS-CBN and GMA Network. The
government claimed that they were only protecting these establishments from potential
takeovers from destabilizers.

16 people were arrested and charged with rebellion, these people included
Bayan Muna Reps. Satur Ocampo, Teddy Casiño and Joel Virador of Bayan Muna,
Anakpawis Reps. Beltran and Rafael Mariano, and Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza.
Former President Cory Aquino was allowed to have a rally in Ayala but the rally was
dispersed right after Cory Aquino left.

The proclamation lasted for a week, after this President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
lifted the proclamation. Petitions questioning the legality of the proclamation were raised
by a number of groups and people. A few months later the Supreme Court declared that
the proclamation was indeed legal however the acts done in implementing the
proclamation were not.

• NBN-ZTE Controversy (April 2007)

The NBN-ZTE controversy is about a deal between the Philippines and XTE
Corporation, a company in china. The deal was worth $329.59 Million and was aimed at
improving the communication capabilities of the Philippines. On August 29, 2007, Nueva
Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla, disclosed on his privilege speech that COMELEC
chairman Benjamin Abalos has been going to China not just for leisure but to broker a
deal with the XTE Corporation. He also said that there were two other corporations
willing to do the job for the Philippines at lower prices but was turned down. These two
other private companies offered cheaper prices than ZTE Corporation.

Abalos denied these accusations but also admitted that he knew some of the
officials in ZTE Corporation. A few days later on September 10, 2007, Jose de Venecia
III issued an affidavit stating that he was with Abalos in china and heard Ablaos
demanding money from the officials of the ZTE Corporation. The Supreme Court issued
a temporary restraining order preventing the contract from pushing through.

On September 18, 2007, while testifying to in the senate, Jose de Venecia III
revealed that the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo told him to “back off” from pursuing the
deal. A few days later President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo suspended the deal because
of “political criticisms”. She also claimed that the alleged corruption was investigated
and that the reports after the investigation were uncorroborated.

 During the hearings the Senate ordered Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, who was the
President of Philippine Forest Corporation and was said to have knowledge that the
deal was overpriced, to attend the senate hearing. Lozada did not attend the hearing
and was able to fly out of the country 2 hours before the start of the hearing. The
Senate then ordered the arrest of Jun Lozada. On February 5, 2008, Jun Lozada
arrived at the NAIA international airport and was taken away by unidentified men.
Lozada claims that the men blindfolded him and was talking about where he was
supposed to be killed. This was prevented however since text messages from his family
to media revealed that there was going to be something bad that was to happen to Jun
Lozada. The next day the PNP admits that Jun Lozada was in their custody.

On February 7, 2008, Jun Lozada appeared in a pre-dawn conference in La Salle

Greenhills and narrated his experience on how he was taken away against his will. In
the following weeks Jun Lozada testified in the senate, fearing for his life. He said that
Abalos threatened to have him killed and that when he left the NBN project the project
was priced at $262 million but it ballooned to $329.5 Million when it was approved.
The hearings were conducted; with Lozada as the “whistleblower” and a lot of
government officials were implicated and involved in the issue. This included First
Gentleman Mike Arroyo, Former Mayor Lito Atienza and Former COMELEC chairman
Benjamin Abalos. Until now the controversy never reached a conclusion and truth and
justice has yet to be achieved.

• Gloria Arroyo’s Expensive Dinners

The public began noticing the expensive dinners that President Macapagal
Arroyo was having when an article from the New York Post reported that GMA and her
entourage to the US dined in the famous Le Cirque in New York and spent $20,000 or
almost 1 Million Pesos.

The report said that GMA ordered several expensive bottles of wine which
pushed the tab to $20,000. Considering the economic downturn in the Philippines and
the continuous increase in unemployment and poverty ratings, the expensive dinner
resulted into a lot of criticisms against GMA. Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay bashed GMA
for her expensive dinner and said that $20,000 can already give 30,000 people 3 square
meals in a day. He also noted that if GMA indeed used public funds to pay for the meal
then it should be deplorable. If she used her own money to pay for the dinner then it is
really insensitive to the millions of Filipino’s who experience hunger everyday in the
Philippines.

Bishops also criticized the expensive dinner and said that it was very “imprudent”
and the public deserves an explanation and an apology. Then Press Secretary Cerge
Remonde said that it was Romualdez that paid for the dinner however this was not
believed by the public and called Cerge a “certified liar”. Cerge said that this dinner
issue was only a way to anger the people and turn them against GMA, also to help ease
the situation he ordered the financial statements regarding the trip to be shown to the
public.

 After this issue several reports regarding a $15,000 dinner in Washington also
came out. The issue then was never resolved and now only exists as a memory.

References:
https://philpad.com/presidents-philippines-achievements-contributions/
#14_Gloria_Macapagal_Arroyo_January_20_2001_-_June_30_2010
https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/gloria-macapagal-arroyo-2001-present/

i. Benigno Aquino III

Benigno Aquino III is the 15th president of the Philippines. He is the first bachelor
president. A son of ex-president Corazon Aquino, he is also called as Noynoy or PNoy.
Noynoy finished his Economics degree from Ateneo de Manila University. He was one
of the students of a former economics professor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the
president before him.

Presidential Term: June 30, 2010 - June 30, 2016

Contributions and Achievements:

• He created the no “wang-wang” (street siren) policy

• Noynoy initiated shifting to K-12 education in the Philippines
• Peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in October 2012
• Oversaw 7.1% growth of the Philippine economy in 2012
• TIME named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2013

Highlights of their Administration:

• Passage of the Reproductive Health bill
• Implementation of the K-12 education system
• Favorable ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration over China’s territorial claims in
the South China Sea.
• Aquino relaunched failed peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a
Mindanao rebel group demanding Moros' self-determination. In August 2011, he met
with the MILF in Tokyo, Japan, to initiate peace process, which led to the signing of
the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the Philippine government
and the rebel group the following year.

Problems:

• BUDGET DEFICIT
The Philippines, Asia’s largest sovereign issuer of offshore debt, is on
course to post its second successive record budget deficit in nominal terms this

 year, largely due to its failure to substantially lift state revenues despite a major
sales tax reform in 2005.The outgoing administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
ended 2009 with a budget deficit of 3.9 percent of GDP, or 298.5 billion pesos
($6.4 billion), a record in peso terms, and it expected a shortfall of 3.6 percent of
GDP or around 300 billion pesos this year. That forecast will be reviewed by
Aquino’s team, as the deficit for the first five months of 2010 was 162.1 billion
pesos, more than the first-half target of 145.2 billion pesos. While the deficit is
comparatively far smaller than the deficits of major economies such as the United
States and Britain, a narrow tax base and chronic evasion and corruption limit the
ability of the government to lift revenues and spend more on social services and
infrastructure upgrades.Aquino has said he would improve collections by
enforcing existing tax laws, but markets are waiting to see if he decides to raise
tax rates to more sustainably support state spending.His finance secretary, Cesar
Purisima, said the deficit needs to be cut but does not have to eliminated.

• CORRUPTION
Aquino has vowed to run after smugglers and tax evaders but that
campaign is unlikely to raise state revenues immediately. He also promised a
clean and honest government, punishment for corrupt officials and a better
investment environment. He is setting up a “Truth Commission” to investigate
allegations of corruption, poll fraud and rights abuses of the Arroyo
administration. Arroyo, in office for 9- years, was hounded by a string of
controversies, including that her family and political allies benefited from
government deals. She denies any wrongdoing. The Philippines has a reputation
for endemic corruption, which extends through all levels of government and is a
serious barrier to attracting more investment. Transparency International’s 2009
Corruption Perceptions Index suggested a marginal improvement from the
previous year, with the Philippines rising to 139th out of 180 countries from 141st
the previous year.

• SECURITY
Aquino will need to address peace and security issues across the
archipelago of 7,100 islands. He plans to double defense spending to 2 percent
of GDP, but that may not be enough to quell the country’s twin insurgencies.
Security issues, particularly in the south, are a major impediment to foreign
investment and development of resource-rich Mindanao island. Negotiations with
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group, are bogged
down by issues such as territory, wealth and power-sharing, although a shaky
ceasefire was re-established in mid-2009. Maoist-led guerrillas have been
waging a decades-long insurgency, but peace talks stalled under Arroyo. They
have said they are willing to talk to the Aquino administration. The smaller but
deadlier Abu Sayyaf group still presents a problem despite recent tactical
successes by U.S.-backed Filipino troops, and they are not interested in
negotiations.

 ($1=46.4 pesos)

References:
https://philpad.com/presidents-philippines-achievements-contributions/
#15_Benigno_Aquino_III_June_30_2010_-_June_30_2016
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-challenges-idUSTRE65T15V20100630

2. Explain the reason for the creation of the 1972 constitution. (Essay Type)

The Philippines' supreme law is the Philippine Constitution (Saligang Batas ng

Pilipinas). The 1973 Constitution, which consists of a preamble and 17 clauses, asks for
the transfer of power from the president to the legislature. The Constitution vests
legislative authority in the National Assembly. The Prime Minister is elected by the
National Assembly and serves as the government's leader as well as the Philippine
Armed Forces' commanding general. A President is elected by the National Assembly
members and serves as the ceremonial head of state for a six-year term. The Supreme
Court, which is made up of a Chief Justice and 14 Justices, is the highest court in the
country. The National Assembly has the authority to define, prescribe, and allocate the
jurisdiction of the lower courts.

In 1970, 320 delegates were chosen to a constitutional convention, which met in

1971. President Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial law on September 23, 1972, forcing
the Philippine Armed Forces and the Philippine Constabulary to arrest 11 conveners, as
well as government critics and journalists. According to many critics and victims of the
martial law, the conference reconvened and drafted a constitution that reflected
President Ferdinand Marcos' wishes. Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 86,
delaying the plebiscite and organizing local citizens' assemblies to approve the new
constitution in a referendum between January 10 and 15, 1973. The voting age was
lowered to 15 years old, in addition to the use of citizens' assemblies. Viva voce voting,
which is more like to parliamentary procedure, was used in citizens' assemblies instead
of the traditional secret ballot that had previously been used. During the election
process, however, military men were stationed in prominent locations to intimidate
voters. Mayors were also given mandates for "yes" votes, which were not usually
recorded, whereas "no" votes were not. Official data suggests that 90 percent of people
voted in favor of legitimizing the new constitution, despite the fact that numerous
municipalities did not vote. On January 17, 1973, Marcos issued Proclamation No.
1102, confirming and stating that the 1973 Constitution had been ratified and was thus
in effect. In the Ratification Cases, ruled by the Philippine Supreme Court in 1973, these
outcomes were questioned. The results and the adoption of the 1973 Constitution were
upheld by the court.

 3. Then why did we amend the 1972 constitution and came up with the 1987 Philippine
Constitution?

The people's power (EDSA) revolution of 1986 ousted President Marcos'

dictatorial dictatorship, and the Philippines' 1987 Constitution was born. In the post-
EDSA era, President Corazon Aquino's administration was primarily concerned with
restoring democracy and democratic norms. The 1987 Constitution was written with this
objective in mind. The constitutional culture of the 1987 Constitution was based on
democratic ideas. The goal of a constitutional framework was to make it easier to re-
establish democratic rule. President Aquino signed Proclamation No. 3, repealing the
Marcos regime's 1973 Constitution, on March 25, 1986. Proclamation No. 3, sometimes
known as the "freedom constitution," dissolved the unicameral legislature, the Prime
Minister's office, and the President's legislative power.

President Duterte, who ran on a platform of law and order and promised to
change the country's legal system from a unified to a federal one, spearheaded the
current effort to rewrite the 1987 Constitution. For the first two years of his six-year
presidency, President Duterte ruled as a strong leader, loudly opposing human rights
and international norms and systems by waging a merciless war on illegal drugs. He
maintains his popularity as a president who can impose order and stability, even if it
means violating some democratic principles. This expressed reservations about the
Filipino people's commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. President
Duterte convened a team of experts to make recommendations for changes to the 1987
Constitution. The Commission recommended a transition to a federal structure, as well
as a revision of the bill of rights from one that limited the state's police powers to one
that guaranteed the rights of state actors, in response to the President's demands.

References:

https://www.cenpeg.org/2010/2ia&c/IA-05.html

https://www.britannica.com/place/Philippines/Martial-law

https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/chronology-of-the-1987-philippine-
constitution.pdf