RAMON DEL FIERO MAGSAYSAY: 7TH PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES 3RD PRESIDENT OF THE 3RD REPUBLIC

GOVERNMENT SERVICES
PRESIDENT : December 30, 1953- March 17, 1957 SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE: August 31, 1950- February 28, 1953 CONGRESSMAN: May 1948- August 31, 1950

EARLY LIFE
Born August 31, 1907 Father: Exequiel Magsaysay, a blacksmith Mother: Perfecta del Fierro, a school teacher Entered UP in 1927, worked as a chaffeur to support
his studies Transferred to Jose Rizal College in 1928 and graduated in 1932 earning a baccalaureat degree in commerce Worked as automobile mechanic and shop superintendent

WORD WAR II
Joined motor pool of the 31st Infantry Div, P.A. When Bataan surrendred in 1942, he escaped and organized the Western Luzon Guerilla Forces; was commissioned Captain on April 5, 1942 Operated for 3 years under Col Merills guerilla outfit Among those instrumental in clearing Zambales coast prior to American landing on January 29, 1945

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Elected April 23, 1946 under Liberal Party In 1948, as Chairman of the Committee on Guerilla Affairs, chosen by Pres Roxas to go to Washington to help secure the passage of the Rogers Bill, giving benefits to Phil veterans Reelected to a second term in 1949 Chairman of the House Committee on National Defense during both terms

SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE

In August 1950, offered President Quirino a plan to fight communist guerillas using unconventional methods Appointed Secretary of National Defense on August 31, 1950 Utilized soldiers in distributing goods and other forms of aids to outlying provincial communities Citizens began to respect and admire soldiers

MOISES PADILLA INCIDENT (1951)

Rafael Lacson assumed gubernatorial chair of Negros Occidental in 1949, He ruled the prov as a police state, tied up with wealthy plantation owners In 1951 local elections, a guerilla fighter named Moises Padilla ran for the Mayorship of Magallon against an ally of Lacson; He was warned by Lacson that he would die if he did not withdraw his candidacy but he pursued his candidacy nonetheless and sought military protection from Magsaysay Padilla lost in the elections; A day after the elections, Lacsons men picked up Padilla, paraded around the town, tortured and killed When Magsaysay was informed of what was being done to Padilla, he sought to go to Negros Occidental. When he was informed that Padilla was already killed, he still proceeded to Negros Occidental, retrieved the body of the former and carried the cadaver with his own bare hands and delivered the same to the morgue Magsaysay prosecuted and caused the conviction of Lacson

PRESIDENCY
Decisively defeated Quirino in the 1953 elections First President wearing Barong Tagalog on oathtaking Close friend and supporter of US and a vocal spokesman against communism during the Cold War Led the foundation of SEATO Opened the gates of Malacanang to the people Man of integrity and unsullied honesty Administration was cleanest and most corrution-free

DOMESTIC POLICIES
Presidents Action Body- created the Presidential Complaints and Action Committee Agrarian Reform Worked for the establishment of the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Adm (NARRA) Established the Agricultural Credit and Cooperative Administration (ACCFA) Nationwide construction of artesian wells Construction of vast irrigation projects and enhancement of Ambuklao Dam Worked for the passage of several laws in support of of the Agrarian Reform Program

LAWS ENACTED IN SUPPORT OF THE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1160 OF 1954 Abolished the LASEDECO and established the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA) to resettle dissidents and landless farmers. It was particularly aimed at rebel returnees providing home lots and farmlands in Palawan and Mindanao. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1199 (Agricultural Tenancy Act of 1954) Governed the relationship between landowners and tenant farmers by organizing share-tenancy and leasehold system, provided security of tenure of tenants and created the Court of Agrarian Relations.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1400 (Land Reform Act of 1955) Created the Land Tenure Administration (LTA) which was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of large tenanted rice and corn lands over 200 hectares for individuals and 600 hectares for corporations. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 821(Creation of Agricultural Credit Cooperative Financing Administration) Provided small farmers and share tenants loans with low interest rates of six to eight percent.

HUKBALAHAP
In 1954, appointed Benigno Aquino, Jr as personal emissary to Luis Taruc, leader of HUKBALAHAP Reorganized counter-insurgency forces in the employment of unconventional warfare Huks number reduced to less that 2,000 by 1954 Launched the largest anti-Huk operation from February to Sept 1954 resulting in the arrest of Luis Taruc; furhter clearing operations pursued in 1955 reducing further the strength of the Huks to less than 1,000

FOREIGN POLICY
Led the organization of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), organized in Manila on Sept 8, 1954 Actively worked for the Reparations Agreement with Japan obligating the Japanese government to pay $800M as reparations for war damages in the Phil Defense Council- worked for the establishment of a Joint Defense Council with US leading to the signing og the Mutual Defense Pact Negotiated the Laurel-Langley Agreement in 1955

DEATH
Died in a plane crash in Mt. Manunggal in Cebu Province on March 17, 1957

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THANK YOU
ANTONIO G. DE LA CRUZ, CSEE
Police Senior Superintendent (Ret) (Reporter)