ELPIDIO QUIRINO

(NOVEMBER 16, 1890- FEBRUARY 29, 1956)

PHILIPPINES DURING THE REIGN OF THE SECOND PRESIDENT

1911 and 1915

In 1911, Elpidio Quirino graduated from high school and also passed the civil service exam, first grade. After graduating from the College of Law, UP, he served as a clerk in the Philippine Commission and then as secretary to Senate president Manuel Quezon.

1919, 1925 and 1931

In

1919, Quirino won the post of congressional representative from the first district of Ilocos Sur. In 1925, he was elected Senate. Quezon appointed him chairman of the Committee on Accounts and Claims and to other important congressional bodies. In 1931, he was reelected Senate. He became secretary of finance. And then became the secretary of interior. In 1941,

World War II
When

WW II broke out, Quirino refused to join the puppet government of Jose Laurel and became an underground leader of the Filipino resistance movement against the Japanese. He was captured and imprisoned by the Japanese military police in Fort Santiago, and his wife, two daughters, and a son were

1946 and 1947

On

the inauguration of the Philippine Republic in 1946, he occupied the post vice president and first secretary of foreign affairs. In 1947, Quirino urged the adoption of the anomalous ( irregular,
strange, abnormal, inconsistent, unusual) party amendment (adjustment, improvement, correction, change) imposed by

the U.S. government in the exchange of independence, war damage payments,

Quirino vs. Magsaysay

When

President Manuel Roxas died on April 15, 1948, Quirino succeeded him as president of the republic. For his weakness in tolerating in rampant graft and corruption in his party, permitting immortality in the armed forces, and neglecting the improvised plight of the majority of Filipinos, he was very unpopular, and in 1953 he was defeated

 As

president, he was accused by many Filipinos for being extremely pro-American and even subservient (obedient, compliant) to alien economic interests. To maintain peace and order for the sake of national unity, he granted amnesty (official pardon, general pardon, forgiveness) to the Huk guerillas on June 21, 1948; but this measured proved futile (useless, ineffective, fruitless) in solving deep-rooted social injustice and exploitation inherent in the

 Although

Quirino saw the need for increasing the appeal for loans from the United States and establishing controls to protect local Filipino industries and conserve natural resources, he failed to act vigorously and sincerely in implementing drastic agrarian reforms. Quirino was elected president in 1949, when, according to historians and news reports, widespread terrorism and violation of legal electrocal processes

ACHIEVEMENTS

Supported the establishments of several industrial plants and projects at strategic point all over the country, thereby mobilizing its economic resources and ushering in an era of industrialization.
Burgos

irrigation project in Zambales Hydroelectric project in Lanao Roads all over Mindanao The cement factory in Bacnotan and La Union Other new necessary industries which provided employment to thousands

Amnesty for the Huks

Quirino

negotiated with Luis Taruc in Malacanang The result of this negotiation was granting Amnesty for the Huks.

Social Justice Program

He

established the Presidential Action Committee on Social Amelioration (PACSA) This agency provided protection for Huk victims and to all those who were caught fighting It also provided food, medicines, clothes, and jobs for the unemployed.

Improvement of Economy
Quirino

launched an Economic Mobilization program to industrialize the country and give more jobs to the Filipinos Built more irrigation systems and farm-tomarket roads to help the farmers. Labor relations also improved with him signing of the Magna Carta of Labor and the Minimum Wage Law. Increased tarrif rates in order to earn more dollars.

Economic relations with the United States

President

Quirino and G. William Foster of the U.S. signed the Quirino-Foster Agreement which implemented the recommendations of the Bell Mission. Under this agreement, the U.S. and the Philippines would cooperate to develop the economy of the nation. The U.S. would provide funds and technology while the Philippines would