Presidents

of the
Philippines
 NAME OF TERM PROGRAMS/ CONTRIBUTIONS ACHIEVEMENTS
PRESIDENTS
1899-1901 • Signed the agreement of the "Pact of • Cabeza de Barangay at the age of
Biak-na-Bato" on December 14, 1897 17.
in the belief that the war "could not • At the age of 26, he was elected
be won". "Capitan Municipal" which was
• proclaimed independence on June equivalent to Gobernadorcillo
12, 1898 • Joined the Masonry Association
'(whose members include Jose
Rizal, Apolinario Mabini, Juan Luna,
Marcelo del Pilar and Graciano
Jaena) which aimed at improving
EMILIO Famy the economic condition of the
AGUINALDO country.
• Head of the Magdalo Group of the
Katipunan in Cavite
• Led his men to victory in the battle
of Kawit, Imus and Binakayan in
Cavite
• President of the Revolutionary
Government, Tejeros Convention
• When the war between the United
States and Spain broke out on
April 1898, he made an agreement
with Commodore George Dewey
and U.S. Consul Pratt to
consolidate the American and
Filipino forces against the
Spaniards.
• Designed the Flag of the

• Headed the Revolutionary
1935 - 1944
• passing of the Jones Law in 1916,
the law which states that the
Philippines would be given
independence if the Filipinos could
prove that they had the capability
to run their own government.
• passing of the Tydings-McDuffie
Law which provides for a 10-year
moratorium for the independence
MANUEL LUIS Molina of the Philippines and which allows
QUEZON for the holding of a Constitutional
Convention.
• Initiated the official use of the
national language through the
Commonwealth Law No. 570
Philippines which was hoisted at
the veranda of his house in Kawit,
Cavite on June 12, 1898
Government after the
establishment of the Malolos
Congress and the ratification of
the independence and its
constitution on January 21, 1899
• He was called "Ama ng Wikang
Pambansa" because of his
campaign for Filipino as the the
national language.
• Worked as manservant of Rev.
Father Teodoro Fernandez, in a
church in Intramuros
• Finished Bachelor of Arts at the
Colegio de San Juan de Letran at
the age of 16
Started law practice in 1903
• Elected governor of Tayabas
(now Quezon) in 1905
• Was a member of the first
Philippine Assembly in 1906
• Was designated Lieutenant,
Captain and Major in the Army
during the Philippine Revolution
and the Filipino-American War.
• Represented the Philippines in
the International Congress of
Navigation in St. Petersburg,
Russia in 1908.
• Chairman of the majority group,
First Philippine Assembly
• Was Senate President in 1923.
• Elected President of the
Commonwealth of the
Philippines on September 17,
1935
 1943 - 1945 • Helped worked for the approval by
the American Government a
Constitutional Convention that
would pave the way for Philippine
Independence
• Won the nod of the Congress of
the United States about the law on
Independence, the Hare-Hawes
Cutting Act
SERGIO Suico OSMEÑA
1944 - 1946 • Head of the Economic Mission
where the Laurel-Langley
Agreement, an agreement on
trade and industry, was reached
JOSE PACIANO Garcia
LAUREL
• Founded and edited a
nationalistic newspaper with
Jaime de Veyra and Rafael
Palma.
• Second topnotcher in the Bar
Examinations in 1903
• Served as Acting Governor of
Cebu (1903) at the age of 25 as
substitute for Juan Climaco
• Named provincial judge of Cebu
• Won as representative of the
2nd district of Cebu in the First
Philippine Assembly in 1907
where he was elected Speaker,
a position he held for 15 years.
• One of the founders of the
Nacionalista Party and its first
president.
• Elected senator in 1922
• Became the Vice-President of
the Philippine Commonwealth on
November 15, 1935
• President of the Commonwealth
of the Philippines in 1944 when
President Quezon died
• Worked at the Bureau of
Forestry to finance his studies in
spite of his parents' capability to
send him to school.
• Obtained the second highest
grade in the bar exam
• Author of a book about law, the
Constitutional Law of the
Philippines
• Was temporary Chairman of the
Constitutional Convention before
the election of its president
Ciaro M. Recto

1946 - 1948 • Obtained the Hare-Hawes-Cutting
Act from the US Congress, which
gave independence to the
Philippines for ten years.
• Agreement on the Philippine Trade
Act of 1946 was reached where a
free trade between the Philippines
and America was established.
MANUEL Acuña ROXAS
• One of the so-called Seven Wise
Men who studied the
Constitution
• Was Assistant Secretary and
later Secretary of the Interior in
1922
• Was Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court in 1936
• Was president of the Japanese-
Sponsored Philippine Republic
during the Japanese Regime.
• Bested the twenty candidates
for senator under the reign of
Quirino
• Was Chancellor of the National
Teachers College and founded
the National Economic
Development Authority
• Founded the Lyceum of the
Philippines in Intramuros and
the Philippine Banking
Corporation.
• Topped the bar examination in
1913
• Worked as Personal Secretary of
Supreme Justice Cayetano
Arellano
• Taught Law at the Philippine
Law School and National
University.
• A town counselor of Capiz
• Elected governor of Capiz in
1919
• Named chairman of the
Provincial Governors Convention
• Ran for Congressman of Capiz in
1922 and won
• Was Speaker of the House of
Representatives (1935)

1948 - 1953
• During his reign, the Central Bank
of the Philippines was established.
• With Osmena, he led the mission
about Independence from the
United States and was helped by
Jorge Jacobo, Jayme de Veyra
and Catalino Lavandia.
• Named Outstanding
Representative at the
Constitutional Convention in
1934-1935
• Named Secretary of Finance by
Quezon
• Was Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the National
Economic Council
• Topped the senatorial race in
the 1941 election.
• Served in the Philippine Army
when the World War II broke out
• Was President of the Philippine
Commonwealth on April 23,
1946
• Was President of the Philippines
during the Japanese regime
• Headed the Preparatory
Commission for Philippine
Independence which aimed at
persuading the Filipinos to
surrender and come to terms
with the Japanese
• Joined hand with the United
States to uplift the economy of
the country ravaged by war.
• Was called Architect of National
Economy.
• Worked as an employee at the
Manila Police Department to
-finance his studies.
• Worked at the Bureau of Land.
• Personal secretary of President

ELPIDIO Rivera QUIRINO
1953 - 1957
• Played an important role in the
passing of the bill on benefit
grants by the United States to the
Flipino veterans of the war and
one of these was the building of
the Veterans Memorial Hospital.
• He gave the farmers the right to
RAMON del Fierro own land according to the laws of
MAGSAYSAY the Land Reform Act of 1955.
Quezon, Commissioner of the
Philippines and Senate.
• Was representative of llocos Sur
in the National Assembly.
• Representative of the Philippines
in the International Bar
Conference in Peking, China in
1921.
• Twice elected as senator (1925
and 1945).
• Named Secretary of Finance
during the time of Quezon.
• Concurrent Secretary of Foreign
Affairs, during the
Commonwealth.
• Served in the Presidency due to
the sudden demise of President
Roxas in 1948.
• Took oath as President on April
17, 1948.
• Regained the peace and order of
the country due to the defeat of
the HUKBALAHAP.
• Worked as jeepney driver and
mechanic to finance his studies
at the car company of the
Yangcos; was promoted to
supervisory position and later
on, branch manager in
Zambales.
• Volunteered to serve in the
Armed Forces.
• Joined the forces of Lieutenant
Colonel Thorpe in 1942, before
the Fall of Bataan.
• Named Military Governor by Gen
Douglas Mac Arthur in
Zambales.

1957 - 1961
• Implemented the principle of
"Pilipino Muna" which aimed to
support and patronize Filipino-
made produces, Filipino language,
• Founded the Guerilla Forces of
Western Luzon after the Fall of
Bataan and Corregidor.
• Twice elected as congressman
of Zambales.
• Secretary of National Defense,
(1950)
• Successfully persuaded the
members of the HUKBALAHAP to
surrender and return to the
government fold.
• Received the Man of the Year
Award in 1951.
• President of the Republic of the
Philippines, (November, 1953).
• Formed the President's Action
Committee (PCAC) as his
implementing line to help the
masses.
• Opened the doors of
Malacañang to the people so
they could air their grievances.
• Huk Supreme Leader Luis Taruc
personally surrender to him that
signaled the reign of peace in
the country.
• Was called the Champion of the
Masses.
• Promoted vigorously the use of
the national language and
wearing of the Barong Tagalog.
• According to him, those who
have less in life should have
more in law.
• Tagged as the Prince of Poetry
in the Visayas and Poet of Bohol.
• Taught at Bohol Provincial High
School for two years.

music, arts and everything Filipino.
Created a program which gave
priority to all Filipinos over foreign
nationals in the country.
CARLOS Polistico
GARCIA
1961 - 1965 • Authored, co-authored the
minimum wage law, the rural bank
law and the law on nationalization
of the rice and corn industry.
• Signed the Agricultural Land
Reform Code (Republic Act -No.
• Two-time congressman, who
represented Eastern Visayas
(1941).
• Was Governor of Bohol from
1932 to 1942.
• Joined the Guerilla Forces who
fought the Japanese during the
Second World War.
• Elected Vice-President of
President Ramon Magsaysay in
1953.
• Was appointed Secretary of the
Deparment of Foreign Affairs.
• Took oath as President of the
Philippines after the death of
President Magsaysay who died
in a plane crash on March 18,
1957.
• Elected President of the
Republic of the Philippines at the
official presidential election in
November, 1957.
• Accomplished the $550 million
War Damage Claim from Japan
for the rehabilitation of the
Philippines from destruction
caused by war.
• Was President of the 1971-1972
Constitutional Convention.
• Was elected President of the
Second Constitutional
Convention on June 11, 1971
• Supported by Philanthropist
Honorio Ventura to study Law at
the University of Sto. Tomas and
became the bar examination
topnotcher.
• Was a member of the National
 3844) on August, 1963.
• Helped in establishing the
MAPHILINDO (Malaysia,
Philippines, Indonesia), which was
replaced by ASEAN in 1963.
• Instrumental in the change of
Independence Day from July 4 to
June 12.
DIOSDADO Pangan
MACAPAGAL
Legislature from 1949 to 1957.
• Served as assistant lawyer of
President Manuel Quezon.
• Was a professor at the
University of Sto. Tomas.
• Chief of Legal Division
Department Department of
Foreign Affairs, (1946).
• Congressman, first district of
Pampanga, twice elected, (1949-
1953).
• Was head of the Philippine
Delegation at the United Nations
Assembly in Paris in 1951 and
helped in the negotiations of the
mutual defense treaty, in the
United States and peace treaty
in Japan.
• Chairman; Congress Committee
on Foreign Relations.
• Honored as one of the Ten
Outstanding Congressmen by
the Congressional Press Club,
(1947-1957).
• Tagged as the Champion of the
Masses because of his concern
for the poor.
• Named The Most Outstanding
Congressman of the Third
Congress.
• Became the Vice-President of
the Philippines in 1957.
• Became the President of the
Philippines in 1961.
• He was tagged "The
Incorruptible" because of his
strict campaign against
corruption.
• Elected head of the
Constitutional Convention
(1971-1972) after the death of
President Carlos P. Garcia.

1965 - 1973,
1973-1981, • Ordered the making of several
1981 - 1986 irrigation systems in the
countryside and promoted the
miracle rice nationwide
• He suspended the Writ of Habeas
Corpus on August 21, 1971 to
restore peace and order after the
bombing of the rally of the Liberal
FERDINAND EMMANUEL Party in Plaza Miranda.
Edralin MARCOS • Implemented Martial Law and
suspended the 1935 Constitution
(September 21, 1972).
• Spearheaded the country's claim
of Sabah from Malaysia.
• Battalion Commandant, with a
rank of Major Cadet and head of
the Rifle and Pistol Team of the
University of the Philippines.
• He received the President
Manuel Quezon Medal Award
because of his Graduation
Thesis.
• Accused of conspiring in the
killing of Representative Julio
Nalundasan, political opponent
of his father in 1938.
• Was topnotcher in the bar
examinations in November
1939.
• Defended himself before the
Supreme Court in the murder
case filed against him and was
acquitted in November, 1940.
• Headed the information security
of the 21st branch of the
USAFFE.
• Thrice elected as congressman
of llocos Norte, (1949, 1953 at
1957)
• At the age of 32, he was the
youngest member of the House
of Representatives and head of
the minority group.
• Senator (1959), the first
candidate of the minority to top
the senatorial race; head of the
minority group, president of the
senate (1936).
• President of the Republic of the
Philippines (November 1965).

1986 - 1992
• Implemented a program of
reconciliation and freed political
prisoners like Bernabe Buscayno of
the New People's Army and Jose
Maria Sison of the Communist
Party of the Philippines.
• Under her reign,a national
plebiscite was held to ratify the
MARIA CORAZON amendments to the 1935
Cojuangco AQUINO Constitution on February 2, 1987,
• Popularized the slogan This
country will be great again.
• Was reelected for a four-year
term (1969); the first to be
reelected to the Presidency in
the history of the Philippines.
• Proclaimed the 1973
Constitution which prolonged,his
reign.
• During Martial Law, Bagong
Lipunan was born.
• The first Prime Minister of the
Parliamentary form of
government.
• He signed the end of Martial Law
on January 17, 1981 through
Proclamation 2045.
• Was reelected President for a
six-year term after Martial Law.
• He called a snap election for
president on February 7, 1986 ,
and won over Corazon Aquino.
• Agreed to run for president
against Marcos in the February
7, 1986 Snap Election after her
supporters gathered a million
signatures.
• Installed as the President of the
Republic of the Philippines on
February 25, 1986 because of
the historic People's Power
which stripped Marcos of power.
• Took oath under Supreme Court
Justice Claudio Teehankee as
President of the Philippines at
Club Filipino.
• Retained the presidential form
of government.

1992 - 1998
• He formed the Commission on
National Reconciliation to put an
end to the war waged by the
Communist rebels and the Muslim
against the government.
FIDEL Valdez RAMOS
• Named Woman of the Year by
Time Magazine.
• Awarded the Gawad Eleanor
Roosevelt for Human Rights
• Six coup d' etat aimed at
overthrowing her government
took place during her reign, the
two bloodiest of which took
place in 1987 and 1989.
• He was sent by the Philippines
on active service to the Korean
War (1950-1953) and the
Vietnam War(1959-1975).
• He founded the Special Forces of
the Philippine Army.
• Was Chief of the Philippine
Constabulary, which is known
now as Philippine National Police
or PNP.
• Named Vice-Chief of Staff of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
or AFP for five years in the
Marcos administration.
• Launched the Philippines 2000
which aimed to bring progress to
the country.
• Served as Head of the
Intelligence Services of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
and Deputy Chief of Staff for
Home Defense Activities.
• Together with then Defense
Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, they
withdrew their support of the
Marcos Government and joined
Corazon Aquino and the People
Power Movement on February
22, 1986.

1998 - 2001
• Voted to end the Military Base
Treaty between the Philippines and
the United States in 1991.
• Founder and President, ERAP Para
sa Mahirap Foundation
• Men (TOYM) for Public Service
JOSE Marcelo EJERCITO
(ESTRADA)
• He was Chief of Staff of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
in 1986.
• He was the country's
representative at the Third
Asean Conference in Malaysia in
1969 and at the Asean
Ministerial Conference in Kuala
Lumpur.
• Cabinet Secretary, Department
of National Defense, (1988.)
• Vice-Chairman, Regional
Development of Region 9.
• Elected President of the
Republic of the Philippines in
1992.
• Started as a movie actor in 1950
at the age of 21 after dropping
out of school and appeared in
more than 120 movies.
• Awarded Ten Outstanding Young
by the Philippine Jaycees in
1972.
• Installed in the FAMAS Hall of
Fame after winning Best Actor
and Producer of the Best Picture
in 1981 and 1984.
• Was Mayor of San Juan, Metro
Manila for 17 years (1969-1986).
• Won in the senatorial race in the
1987 national election.
• Honored by the Philippine Free
Press Magazine as one of the
three Most Outstanding
Senators of the Year in 1989.
• Chairman, Senate Committee on
Agricultural and rural
 development and Public Works.
• Vice Chairman of the
committees on Health, Natural
Resources Ecology and Urban
Development.
• Popularized the slogan Erap Para
sa Mahirap.
• Elected Vice-President of the
Republic of the Philippines in
1992.
• Head, Presidential Anti-Crime,
Commission.
• Founder and President, Movie
Workers Welfare Foundation,
Inc.
• Chosen Governor of the Film
Academy of the Philippines.
• Adviser, Philippine Motion
Picture Producers Association
(PMPPA)

• President the Republic of the

Philipines. (May 11, 1998).

2001 - 2004,
2004 - 2010 • Authored 55 bills on economic and • Taught at Maryknoll College
social reforms. (now Miriam College), St.
Scholastica College, Ateneo de
Manila University and School of
Economics of the University of
the Philippines.
• Was Head of the Department of
Economics of the College of The
MARIA GLORIA Macaraeg Assumption, (1984-1987).
MACAPAGAL-ARROYO • Was Head and President of the
UP Health Maintenance Organ-
ization (UPHMO), (1989-1998).
• Managing Editor, Center for the
Economic Progress of the
Philippines. (PCED, 1994-1998).
• Head, UPEcon Foundation,
 (1994-1998).
• Assistant secretary, Department
of Trade and Industry.
• Managing Editor, Committee on
Clothing and Textile.
• Assistant Secretary and
Governor, Committee on
Investments (1986)
• Started in the public service
when she was named Assistant
secretary of the Department of
Trade and Industry from 1989 to
1992.
• Topped the senatorial race in
1992 and 1995.
• Served as Secretary of the
Department of Social Welfare
and Development under the
government of Joseph Estrada.
• Voted Outstanding Senator of
the Trade Union Congress of the
Philippines.
• Tagged by Asiaweek Magazine
as one of the Most Powerful
Women in Asia.
• Honored as Woman of the Year
by the Association of the
Catholic Teachers of the
Philippines.
• Elected Vice President of the
Republic of the Philippines on
May 11, 1998 where the total
votes she garnered exceeded
that of President Estrada's.
• Took oath under Chief Justice
Hilario Davide as President of
the Republic of the Philippines
on January 20, 2001 at the EDSA
Shrine after President Estrada
left Malacanang.

2010 - • July 30, 2010, Aquino signed
present Executive Order No. 1, creating the
Truth Commission. The
commission is tasked to
investigate various anomalies and
issues including graft and
corruption allegations against the
past administration, government
officials and their accomplices in
Benigno Simeon the private sector during the last
Cojuangco Aquino III nine years
• August 4, 2010, Aquino
implemented Executive Order No.
2, signed on July 30, 2010,
ordering the immediate removal of
all midnight appointments made
by the previous administration for
violating the 60-day constitutional
ban on presidential appointments
before a national election.
• August 6, 2010, Aquino
implemented Executive Order No.
3, signed on July 30, 2010, an
executive order revoking
Executive Order No. 883, signed
by former President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo on May 28,
2010, that automatically promoted
lawyers in government executive
service to the rank of Career
Executive Service Officer III (CESO
III).
• Elected President of the
Republic of the Philippines for
six years in , the national
election of May 10,2004.
• graduated from Ateneo de
Manila University in 1981 with a
Bachelor's Degree in Economic
• Assistant of the Executive
Director of Philippine Business
for Social Progress
• Assistant Retail Sales
Supervisor, Mondragon
Industries
• Assistant Promotions Manager,
Nike Philippines
• Vice President, Intra-Strata
Assurance Corporation
• Executive Assistant/Manager for
Field Services, Central Azucarera
de Tarlac
• Congressman representing the
second district of Tarlac(11th
Congres), 1998 - 2001
• Congressman representing the
second district of Tarlac(12th
Congres), 2001 - 2004
• Congressman representing the
second district of Tarlac(13th
Congres), 2004 - 2007
• Senator (14th Congress), 2007-
2010