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Spanish Perspective during American’s Involvement by Gideon Villanueva

Between 1895 and 1898 Cuba and the Philippine Islands revolted against Spain. The Cubans gained independence, but the Filipinos did not. In both instances the intervention of the United States was the culminating event.

In 1895 the Cuban patriot and revolutionary, José Martí, resumed the Cuban struggle for freedom that had failed during the Ten Years’ War (1868-1878). Cuban juntas provided leadership and funds for the military operations conducted in Cuba. Spain possessed superior numbers of troops, forcing the Cuban generals Máximo Gómez and Antonio Maceo, to wage guerrilla warfare in the hope of exhausting the enemy. Operations began in southeastern Cuba but soon spread westward. The Spanish Conservative Party, led by Antonio Cánovas y Castillo, vowed to suppress the insurrectos, but failed to do so.

The Cuban cause gained increasing support in the United States, leading President Grover Cleveland to press for a settlement, but instead Spain sent General Valeriano Weyler to pacify Cuba. His stern methods, including reconcentration of the civilian population to deny the guerrillas support in the countryside, strengthened U.S. sympathy for the Cubans. President William McKinley then increased pressure on Spain to end the affair, dispatching a new minister to Spain for this purpose. At this juncture an anarchist assassinated Cánovas, and his successor, the leader of the Liberal Party Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, decided to make a grant of autonomy to Cuba and Puerto Rico. The Cuban leadership resisted this measure, convinced that continued armed resistance would lead to independence.

In February two events crystallized U.S. opinion in favor of Cuban independence. First, the Spanish minister in Washington, Enrique Dupuy de Lóme, wrote a letter critical of President McKinley that fell into the hands of the Cuban junta in New York. Its publication caused a sensation, but Sagasta quickly recalled Dupuy de Lóme. A few days later, however, the Battleship Maine, which had been sent to Havana to provide a naval presence there exploded and sank, causing the death of 266 sailors. McKinley, strongly opposed to military intervention, ordered an investigation of the sinking as did Spain. The Spanish inquiry decided that an internal explosion had destroyed the vessel, but the American investigation claimed an external source.The reluctant McKinley was then forced to demand that Spain grant independence to Cuba, but Sagasta refused, fearing that such a concession would destroy the shaky Restoration Monarchy. It faced opposition from various domestic political groups that might exploit the Cuban affair by precipitating revolution at home. 

Underlying strong Spanish opposition to Cuban freedom was the traditional belief that God had granted Spain its empire, of which Cuba was the principal remaining area, as a reward for the conquest of the Moors. Spanish honor demanded defense of its overseas possessions, including Puerto Rico and the Philippines. Spain sought diplomatic support from the great powers of Europe, but its long-standing isolation and the strength of the U.S. deterred sympathetic governments from coming to its aid.

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Commonwealth Government by Prabhjot Kullar

The Commonwealth era was the 10-year transitional period in Philippine history from 1935 to 1945 in preparation for independence from the United States as provided for under the Philippine Independence Act or more popularly known as the Tydings-McDuffie Law. This era was interrupted when the Japanese occupied the Philippines in January 2, 1942. It was led by Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio S. Osmeña, they went into exile in the U.S., Quezon died of tuberculosis while in exile and Osmeña took over as president. At the same time, the Japanese forces installed a puppet government in Manila headed by Jose P. Laurel as president. This government is known as the Second Philippine Republic. On October 20, 1944, the Allied forces led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur landed on the island of Leyte to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese. Japan formally surrendered in September 2, 1945.

After liberation, the Commonwealth government was restored. Congress convened in its first regular session on July 9, 1945. It was the first time the people’s representatives have assembled since their election on November 11, 1941. Manuel Roxas was elected Senate President, and Elpidio Quirino was chosen President Pro Tempore. Jose Zulueta was speaker of the house, while Prospero Sanidad became speaker pro Tempore. The first law of this congress, enacted as commonwealth act 672, organized the central bank of the Philippines. The commonwealth deal also tackled the issue of collaboration. In September 1945 the counter intelligence corps presented the people who were accused of having collaborated with, or given aid to, the Japanese. Included were prominent Filipinos who had been active in the puppet government that the Japanese had been established. ��A People’s Court" was created to investigate and decide on the issue.

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The 1973 Constitution of the Philippines by Alyssa Sarabia

How is it significant? How much of a travesty is it? How did it affect the Philippines in its current state?

But first,how did the 1973 constitution come about?

In 1972, the 10th president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law.

In that time, he arrested 11 members of the constitutional convention that was called  to change the 1935 constitution to establish the Commonwealth of the Philippines.

The convention was then re-convened to write a constitution in line with what dictator President Ferdinand Marcos wanted.

He manipulated an ongoing Constitutional Convention and caused the drafting of a new constitution – the 1973 Constitution – which allowed him to rule by decree until 1978 when the presidential system of the 1935 Constitution was replaced with a parliamentary one. Under this new system, Marcos held on to power and continued to govern by decree, suppressing democratic institutions and restricting civil freedoms.

In 1981, martial law was officially lifted, but Marcos continued to rule by the expedient of being “re-elected” in a farce of an election to a new 6-year term. Despite economic decline, corruption allowed Marcos and his wife Imelda to live extravagantly, causing resentment domestically and criticism internationally.

The ratifications and plebiscites that were conducted to ratify the amendments were all rigged, orchestrated, and made possible by his total control of governmental agencies like the bureaucracy, the military, and the Supreme Court.

On August 21, 1983, opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. was assassinated on the tarmac at Manila International Airport (Now, Ninoy Aquino International Airport). A few months before his assassination, Ninoy had decided to return to the Philippines after his research fellowship from Harvard University had finished.

The opposition blamed Marcos directly for the assassination while others blamed the military and his wife, Imelda. Popular speculation pointed to three suspects; the first was Marcos himself through his trusted military chief Fabian Ver; the second theory pointed to his wife Imelda who had her own burning ambition now that her ailing husband seemed to be getting weaker, and the third theory was that Danding Cojuangco planned the assassination because of his own political ambitions.

In late 1985, in the face of escalating public discontent and under pressure from foreign allies, Marcos called a “snap election” with more than a year left in his term. The opposition to Marcos united behind two American-educated leaders, Aquino’s widow, Corazon, and her running mate, Salvador Laurel.  The elections were held on February 7, 1986.The official election canvasser, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), declared Marcos the winner.  The failed election process gave a decisive boost to the “People Power movement .

On February 25, 1986, Marcos talked to United States Senator Paul Laxalt, a close associate of the United States President, Ronald Reagan, asking for advice from the White House. Laxalt advised him to "cut and cut cleanly”, to which Marcos expressed his disappointment after a short pause. Finally, at 9:00 p.m., the Marcos family was transported by four Sikorsky HH-3E helicopters to Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga, about 83 kilometers north of Manila, before boarding US Air Force C-130 planes bound for Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, and finally to Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii where Marcos arrived on February 26.

Former Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos, whose corrupt regime spanned 20 years, dies in exile in Hawaiithree years after being driven from his country.

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The Failure of the First Philippine Republic by Ulrika Andrea Castro

The Malolos Republic, was a nascent revolutionary government in the Philippines. It was formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 21, 1899, in Malolos, Bulacan. So why is it considered a failure?

On  July 18, 1898,  Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree asking for the election of delegates to the revolutionary congress, another decree was promulgated five days later, which declared that Aguinaldo would appoint representatives of congress because holding elections is not practical at that time.  In accordance with these two decrees, Aguinaldo assembled the Revolutionary Congress at the Brasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan on September 15, 1898.

A committee headed by Felipe Calderon and aided by Cayetano Arellano, the constitution was drafted, for the first time by representatives of the Filipino people and it is the first republican constitution in Asia. The constitution was inspired by the constitutions of Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil, Belgium and France. After some minor revisions (mainly due to the objections of Apolinario Mabini), the final draft of the constitution was presented to Aguinaldo.

The constitution established a democratic, republication government with three branches - the Executive, Legislative and the Judicial branches. It called for the separation of church and state.  

The first Philippine Republic was inaugurated in Malolos, Bulacan on January 21, 1899. After being proclaimed president, Emilio Aguinaldo took his oath of office. The constitution was read article by article and followed by a military parade. Apolinario Mabini was elected as a prime minister.

On March 31, Malolos, seat of the Philippine Republic, fell into enemy hands, followed on April 26 by Calumpit, where the Filipino forces led by over-all commander Gen. Luna were also routed. As the American army closed in on him Aguinaldo moved the government to Tarlac, and then to Bayambang, Pangasinan.  In a final bid to swing the odds in their favor, Aguinaldo ordered the shift from regular to guerrilla warfare even as he began his exodus to the north. Aguinaldo was captured in Palanan, Isabela, on March 23, 1901, a day after his 32nd birthday.  

The republic lived only for two years, January 23, 1899 to March 23, 1901, when Aguinaldo was captured by the Americans. When he took the oath of allegiance to the United States nine days later, the First Philippine Republic came to an end. 

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Cultural Practices During the Pre-Hispanic Period by John Henry Chia

The Filipinos lived in settlements called barangays before the colonization of the Philippines by the Spaniards. As the unit of government, a barangay consisted from 30 to 100 families. It was headed by a datubarangay came from the Malay word balangay, a boat that transported them to the islands. and was independent from the other groups. The Tagalog word

Usually, several barangays settled near each other to help one another in case of war or any emergency. The position of datu was passed on by the holder of the position to the eldest son or, if none, the eldest daughter. However, later, any member of the barangay could be chieftain, based on his talent and ability. He had the usual responsibilities of leading and protecting the members of his barangay. In turn, they had to pay tribute to the datu, help him till the land, and help him fight for the barangay in case of war.

THE PEOPLE’S COMMANDMENTS

Pre-college Filipino textbooks teach that the only written laws of pre-colonial Philippines that have survived are the Maragtas Code and the Code of Kalantiaw, both prepared in Panay. Some historians believe that the Maragtas Code was written by Datu Sumakwel, one of the chieftains from Borneo who settled there. As for the Code of Kalantiaw, it was said to have been promulgated by the third chief of Panay and possibly a descendant of Datu Sumakwel, Rajah Kalantiaw, in 1433. W. Henry Scott, however, has disputed the authenticity of the Code of Kalantiaw.

CLASSES OF THE SOCIETY

DATU - the title for chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs in the Visayas and Mindanao Regions of the Philippines.

MAHARLIKA - the feudal warrior class in ancient Tagalog society in Luzon the Philippines translated in Spanish as Hidalgos, and meaning freeman, libres or freedman.

TIMAWA - the feudal warrior class of the ancient Visayan societies of the Philippines.

ALIPIN:

ALIPING NAMAMAHAY – also known as household servants.

ALIPING SAGUIGUILID – also known as slaved workers.

CLOTHING AND ORNAMENTS

The natives already wore clothes and personal ornaments. The men wore short-sleeved and collarless jackets, whose length reached slightly below the waist. The color of the jacket appeared to indicate the position of the wearer in society, red for the chief, and blue or black for those below him, depending on the societal class. For the lower part, they wore a bahag, a strip of cloth wrapped around the waist, passing between the thighs. Their thighs and legs were left exposed.

A piece of cloth wrapped around the head, called a putong, served as a head gear. The kind of putong one wore was important. For example, a red putong meant the wearer had killed a man in war while one who had killed at least seven people signified so by wearing an embroidered putong. They also wore necklaces, armlets or kalombiga, earrings, rings, and anklets, usually made of gold and precious stones.

The women’s upper garment was a sleeved jacket, called a baro. Over their skirts (saya or patadyong) was wrapped a strip of cloth called tapis. They also wore gem-studded bracelets, necklaces, rings, and gold earrings. Tattoos were part of the body ornaments of pre-Hispanic Filipinos, men and women alike. These were also sported as war “medals.” The more tattoos, the more impressive was a man’s war record.

THEIR GOD

Bathala was the supreme god of the pre-Spanish Filipinos. They attributed to Bathala the creation of the heavens, Earth, and man. There were lesser gods and goddesses, like a god of death, a god of agriculture, a goddess of harvest, sea gods, river gods, and the like. It was also believed that things found in nature were full of spirits more powerful than man. Spirits of dead relatives were also revered. Sacrifices were offered to all of them.

HOW ISLAM CONQUERED PARTS OF THE PHILIPPINES

The Islamization of Southeast Asia was generally accomplished by peaceful means through Muslim traders, missionaries, and teachers. They went to Java, Sumatra, Jahore, Malacca, Borneo, and nearby islands to conduct their mission. To speed up the conversion process, these proselytizers usually married into the families of the rich and ruling class. most of the lands in Southeast Asia were Islamized.

From there, Islam filtered to Mindanao and Sulu, the southern part of the Philippines, in the 14th century. In 1380, an Arab teacher, Mukdum, arrived in Sulu from the Malay peninsula to preach Islam. He built the first mosque in Simunul, Sulu. Around 1390, he was followed by Raja Baginda, a minor ruler of Menangkabaw, Sumatra. About 1450, Abu Bakr, a Muslim scholar, came to Sulu and married Paramisuli, the daughter of Raja Baginda. After Baginda died, Abu Bakr established a sultanate form of government with himself as sultan. Islam then spread rapidly to all parts of Sulu.

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Malolos Constitution by Emmanuel Z. Añago

(General Aguinaldo (seated, center) and ten of the delegates to the first assembly that passed the Constitution, in the Barasoain Church, Malolos) (Taken December 8, 1929)

Political Constitution of 1899 also known as “Malolos Constitution” and it was the first basic law of the First Philippine Republic, and it was written by Felipe Calderon y Roca and Felipe Buencamino.In accordance with the decrees of June 18 and 23, 1898, Aguinaldo convoked the Revolutionary Congress at Barasoain, Malolos. Peace and order conditions in some provinces were such that Aguinaldo was compelled to appoint their delegates to Congress. In accordance with the decrees of June 18 and 23, 1898, Aguinaldo convoked the Revolutionary Congress at Barasoain, Malolos. Peace and order conditions in some provinces were such that Aguinaldo was compelled to appoint their delegates to Congress. Consequently, on September 4, he appointed fifty delegates to the Congress. This number was increased by ten on September 10. The number of delegates to the Congress fluctuated from time to time.

Felipe Calderon also known as Felipe G. Calderon/Father of the Malolos Constitution but he was a Filipino Lawyer, Politician and Intellectual. 

Malolos Congress in 1898

In the morning of September 15, the basilica at Barasoain was filled with delegates and spectators. Outside, the Banda Pasig played the National Anthem. When Aguinaldo and his officers arrived, the delegates, the cream of the Filipino intelligentsia, spread out to give way to the President. With the President seated, the secretary read the names of the delegates, after which Aguinaldo was introduced. Cries of "Viva!" reverberated and Aguinaldo acknowledged the applause of the throng. Then he stood up and read his message, first in Tagalog, then in Spanish. A round of applause followed Aguinaldo's speech, which Felipe Buencamino wrote. Aguinaldo then announced that the ceremonies were over and that Congress was to convene after electing its officers. In the afternoon, the Congress proceeded to elect its officers, namely, Pedro A. Paterno, President; Benito Legarda, Vice-President; Gregorio Araneta, First Secretary; and Pablo Ocampo, Second Secretary.

The first significant act of the Congress was the ratification on September 29, of the independence proclaimed at Kawit on June 12, 1898. Aguinaldo, whose office and official residence were located at the convent of Malolos Church, arrived at Barasoain, where Congress was holding its sessions, amidst the "vociferous acclamations of he people and strains of music." The ceremonies began at 10:30am and Aguinaldo, after congratulating Paterno for having been elected to the presidency of Congress, partly said in Tagalog:

“Now we witness the truth of what the famous President Monroe said to the effect that the United States was for the Americans; now I say that the Philippines is for the Filipinos.”

A committee to draft the constitution was created with Felipe G. Calderon as its most prominent member. Having set Mabini's Constitutional Program aside, the committee. under the influence of Calderon, also set aside, but in a subtle manner, Paterno's constitutional plan, which smelled strongly of the Spanish Constitution of 1869. With the advise of Cayetano Arellano, a brilliant but unreconstructed mestizo, Calderon drew up his plans for a constitution, deriving inspiration from the constitutions of Mexico, Belgium, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil and France. In the session of Oct 8, Calderon presented the draft of this constitution.

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10 Facts About The Philippine-American War by Anthony James Batanes

Did you know that the Philippine lost over 20,000 combatants while American lost only 4,200 in Philippine - American War

Philippine - American War lasted for over three years

The Philippine - American War  was brutal on both sides. US forces burned villages, implemented a policies for civilian reconsecration, and tortured suspected guerrillas. While Filipino fighters also tortured captured US forces and terrorized civilians who cooperated with American forces.

During that time many civilians died because of food shortage caused by the fighting of the US and of the Philippines, malaria and cholera epidemics, and also because of the war itself.

200, 000 of Filipino civilians died from the violence, famine, and disease during the Philippine - American War

The first shot in the Philippine - American War was 9:00 in the evening of February 4th, 1899 by Private William Grayson of the First Nebraska Volunteers and that is where the war started.

The treaty that ended the Philippine - American War  was the treaty of Paris.

There were some Filipinos who were never part of Aguinaldo's movement but independently fought the Americans like the Moro Rebellion (Muslim Filipinos).

Philippine - American War is also known as Philippine Insurrection.

Philippines Gained independence because of Treaty of Paris

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10 Facts about Japanese Occupation by Beah Nicole Feliciano

Here are 10 things you should know about the Japanese Occupation in the Philippines during WWII:

1. The Chinese also fought the Japanese as Guerrillas.

The Chinese—being also on the receiving end of Japanese aggression during the war—formed their own guerrilla group against the invaders. Composed mainly of assimilated Chinese, the Philippine Chinese Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Force or “Wah Chi” operated in Central Luzon and often conducted lightning raids and liquidations against the Japanese and their collaborators. 

2.  Philippine music during the Japanese Occupation

The performance of jazz and Western music identified with the allied nations of the war was prohibited. Hence, the Japanese held conferences and lectures on Oriental music in Manila with the hope of diverting the loyalty of the Filipinos away from the Americans. The first was a Japanese Musical Mission to the Philippines held on May 7, 1943, with the support of the New Philippine Musical Federation headed by Kosak Yamada. 

3. The Mickey Mouse Money

This is known as the Japanese government-issued Philippine fiat peso or the Japanese invasion money. Filipinos called the fiat peso "Mickey Mouse money". Many survivors of the war tell stories of going to the market laden with suitcases or "bayóng" (native bags made of woven coconut or buri leaf strips) overflowing with the Japanese-issued bills. According to one witness, 75 "Mickey Mouse" pesos, or about 35 U.S. dollars at that time, could buy one duck egg. In 1944, a box of matches cost more than 100 Mickey Mouse pesos.

4.   Bataan Death March

The forcible transfer by the Imperial Japanese Army of 60,000–80,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war from Saysain Point, Bagac, Bataan and Mariveles to Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac, via San Fernando, Pampanga, where the prisoners were loaded onto trains. The transfer began on April 9, 1942, after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II. 

he total distance marched from Mariveles to San Fernando and from the Capas Train Station to Camp O'Donnell is variously reported by differing sources as between 60 and 69.6 miles (96.6 and 112.0 km). Differing sources also report widely differing prisoner of war casualties prior to reaching Camp O'Donnell: from 5,000 to 18,000 Filipino deaths and 500 to 650 American deaths during the march. The Bataan Death March was considered a Japanese war crime.

5.  Douglas MacArthur's escape from the Philippines.

On 11 March 1942, during World War II, General Douglas MacArthur and members of his family and staff left the Philippine island of Corregidor and his forces as he was recalled to active duty with the United States Army. This was when he said his famous line “I shall return.”

On October 20, 1944, a few hours after his troops landed, MacArthur waded ashore onto the Philippine island of Leyte. That day, he made a radio broadcast in which he declared, “People of the Philippines, I have returned!” 

6.  General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila an open city.

Manila was declared an open city in December 1941 to avoid its destruction as Imperial Japan invaded the Commonwealth of the Philippines. 

7.  Some farmers of Pampanga banded together as a unified Guerrilla army.

Luis Taruc, Juan Feleo, Castro Alejandrino, and other leaders of organized farmers held a meeting in February 1942 in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija. They were originally formed to fight the Japanese, but extended their fight into a rebellion against the Philippine Government, known as the Hukbalahap Rebellion. (Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon / Nation’s Army Against the Japanese Soldiers). 

Hukbalahap was put down through a series of reforms and military victories by Filipino President Ramon Magsaysay.

8. The Japanese attacked the Philippines just hours after the bombing on Pearl Harbor.

The Philippines was attacked 10 hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor.  The defending Philippine and United States troops were under the command of General Douglas MacArthur.  Under the pressure of superior numbers, the defending forces withdrew to the Bataan Peninsula and to the island of Corregidor at the entrance to Manila Bay.

9.  During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, a Filipino president was appointed by the Japanese.

Jose P. Laurel Sr. was the president of the Second Philippine Republic. And because the Japanese appointed him, the republic was run by the Japanese and was of course a puppet government.

10. Japan would have employed biological warfare in the Philippines.

While it’s now common knowledge that the Japanese willfully employed chemical and biological warfare against the Chinese several times throughout the war, lesser-known is the fact that they would have also used the same weapons against the Filipino and American forces in Bataan. 

 Frustrated by the stubborn defense being put up by the Fil-Am forces, the Japanese planned to unleash hundreds of millions of plague-infected fleas into the Bataan Peninsula. As fate would have it, the surrender of the Bataan defenders in April shelved the Japanese plan for biological warfare.

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The Moro Resistance in Filipino-American War by Angel Cruz

The Muslim Moros are a multilingual ethnic group that comprised about 5.25% of the total Philippine population in 2005. Their name originated from the Spanish word Moor, and they mostly live in the western part of Mindanao Island, the Sulu Archipelago and nearby islands.

There are at least ten Moro ethno-linguistic subgroups, all descended from the same Malayan stock that populated the rest of the Philippines. Three of these groups make up the majority of the Moro. They are the Maguindanaos of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Maguindanao provinces; the Maranaw of the two Lanao provinces; and the Tausug of the Sulu Archipelago. Smaller groups include the Banguigui, Samal, Badjao, Yakan, Ilanon, Sangir, Malabugnan, and the Jama Mapun.

They are not closely knit and lack solidarity. Each group is proud of their culture, identity and language, including their variation of Islam.

The Moros were converted in the great missionary extension of Islam from India in the 15th and 16th centuries, although there had been earlier contacts with Arab missionaries in the 13th and 14th centuries. For over 300 years, they fought off Spanish expeditions to conquer their territory and convert them to Christianity; in return, they launched devastating raids on Christian settlements in the Visayas and Luzon Island.  Nevertheless, the Spaniards managed to establish small outposts in a few isolated areas in western Mindanao Island, but drained by centuries of Moro resistance and retaliation, succeeded in securing a peace treaty with Sultan Jamal ul-Azam of Sulu on July 22, 1878.

Sultan Jamal ul-Azam, ruler of Sulu and North Borneo/ Sabah from 1862 to 1881, receiving a French official delegation. The chief qadi, an Afghan, sits behind the SultanThe western part of Mindanao and the neighbouring islands were ruled by the sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao but the former was more compact and better organized.

In response to rumors that the Americans planned to exterminate them, several hundred Moros, including women and children, moved to Bud Dajo, where legend held that spirits at the site would help warriors in times of need. Bud Dajo, the crater of an extinct volcano, is about six miles from the city of Jolo. Rising some 2,100 feet with steep, heavily jungled slopes, it was accessible only by three narrow paths. As such, it provided an easily defender position and was well stocked with provisions.

On March 7, while taking heavy casualties, many of the Moros feigned death and then attempted to ambush Duncan’s forces when they neared the top of the mountain. The Americans troops then attacked the cottas (forts) and the other Moro positions, taking Bud Dajo on March 8.

FACT:

In the battle, 18 Americans lost their lives, and another 52 were wounded. Wood estimated the number of enemy dead at 600, including women and children, although some estimates ran as high as 900. Corpses were piled five deep, and many of the bodies were wounded multiple times. Only seven were captured, three women and four children. Eighteen men escaped from the mountain, and it is possible this number could have been double. Wood censored the telegrams from Jolo describing the casualties.

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The Role of the Philippines in the 2nd World War by Justin Dale Ruzol

On December 7, 1941, The Philippines was attacked by the Japanese Imperial Army nine hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Philippines at that time was controlled by the United States of America, the Philippines housed important military bases which was targeted by the Japanese as well as almost each of neighboring countries.

The Philippines was attacked for its resources, strategic location and territory, it was an important military target for the Japanese at that time because it was a territory of the United States. The Philippines was perfect for the Japanese’s Imperial Navy to secure firm control of South-east Asia.

Reference

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Culture and Education Under Japanese Era by Christel Angela Batangoso

Japan is now adjusting to recent, large-scale reforms. The reforms have been instituted in a general cultural climate that is diffused with legacies from a feudalistic and ultra-nationalistic past intermingled with liberal and humanistic influences.

In 1868, the Meiji Government opened Japan’s doors to the West and undertook in transform Japan into a modern, industrialized nation. A multi-track, highly centralized school system was set up in which education was compulsory in the primary school for three and later six years. The Board of Education Law (1948) provided for the establishment of boards of education as autonomous administrative agencies at the prefecture and municipal levels.

Parents and the School

A phenomenon of recent education is increased parent participation, parents visit schools frequently, they assist teachers on such occasions as Sports Day, School Exhibition Day.

Teacher in the Public Schools

Through some Japanese say the tendency is weakening teachers of the writer’s acquaintance look upon their work as a trust and a significant social contribution.

Military Order No. 2 (1942)

Japanese educational policies were embodied in the Military Order No. 2. The Philippine Executive Commission of Education, Health and Public Welfare. Schools were reopened in June 1942 with 300,000 students.

Curriculum and the Six Principles of the Japanese Republic

Tagalog, Philippine History, and Character Education were the focus.

Love for Work and Dignity for Labor was emphasized.

There was the spread elementary and vocational education.

Nippongo was used and the Japanese tried to stop the Filipino people from using the English language.

Six Basic Principles of the Japanese Education

Realization of a new order and promote friendly relations between Japan and the Philippines to the farthest extent.

Foster a new Filipino culture based.

Endeavor to elevate the morals of the people, giving up over emphasis to materialism.

Diffusion of the Japanese language in the Philippines.

Promotion of vocational education.

To inspire people with the spirit to love neighbor.

Ministry of Education

October 14, 1943 – the Japanese sponsored republic created the Ministry of Education

1978 – By virtue of P.D No. 1397 it became the ministry of education and culture.

1982 – education act of 1982 created the ministry of educations, culture and sports.

1987 – the later became the department of education, culture and sports by virtue of executive order no. 117

Trifocals System

Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) – elementary, secondary and non formal education, including sports.

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) – post –secondary, middle-level manpower training and development.

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) – higher education

August 2001 – R.A. 9155 (Governance of Basic Education Act)

Reference

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Rise of the Filipino in Middle Class by Justine Lumidao

Philippines in the 19th Century: Social Structure

Highest class – the people that belong in this class include the Spaniards, Peninsulares and the Friars. They have the power and authority to rule over the Filipinos and have freedom to do everything with their position.

The Peninsulares (Spaniards who were born in Spain). They held the most important government jobs,and made up the smallest number of the population.

The Friars are members of any of certain religious orders of men, especially the four mendicant orders (Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans).

Middle Class – the people that belongs into this class includes the natives, mestizos and the criollos.

Natives – the pure Filipinos

Mestizos are the Filipinos of mixed indigenous Filipino or European or Chinese ancestry.

Lowest class – this class includes the Filipinos only.

Indios are the poor people having pure blood Filipino which ruled by the Spaniards.

Economic Development and the Rise of Filipino Nationalism

Factors Contributed to the Development of Filipino Nationalism:

Opening of the Philippines to International Trade and the Rise of the Middle Class

Manila was opened to foreign trade which brought prosperity to the Filipinos and Chinese mestizo resulting to the existence of middle class.

Influx of European Liberalism

Ideas of the enlightened philosophers like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rosseau, masonry and the French Revolution reached the Philippines. Liberty, religious freedom, democracy, human rights such as suffrage, freedom of speech, press and form associations and assemblies.

Opening of the Suez Canal on November 17, 1869

Results: (a) Philippines became closer to Europe and Spain (b) encouraged European travelers to come to our country (c) exodus of literal ideas from Europe to the Philippines (d) more educated and young Filipinos were able to study abroad

Spanish Revolution of 1868 and the Liberal Regime of Carlos Maria Dela Torre (1869-1871)

Accomplishments:

Abolished censorship of the press and allowed unlimited discussions of political problems and proclaimed freedom of speech

Abolished flogging as a punishment

Curtailed abuses particularly the tribute and the polo

Allowed secular priests to be assigned to vacant parishes or seminaries and created an office which would prevent abuses by members of the regular religious orders

Reformed the Royal Audiencia to bring about speedier administration of justice

Decreed educational reforms, ordered the setting up of medical, pharmacy, and vocational schools

Created the Council of the Philippines on December 4, 1870 which was a consultative body to study Philippine problems and propose solutions to them.

Reference

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Changes in the Philippines during Spanish Colonization by Jomar Asumbrado

Change in Filipino Names

Why were the names changed?

Origins of Filipino names were “weird” from the Spaniards’ point of view.

Taxation and record keeping issues.

Confusion to the Spanish authorities.

Solution:

Effects of the Name change:

Christian Filipinos adopted Spanish names, most of which were names of saints

Some people were able to retain their native surnames even though they adopted Christian first names

Intermarriages

Peninsulares – Spanish nationals who came from Spain

Insulares – Spanish individuals that were born in the Philippines

Spanish Mestizo – Half Filipino(M) / Half Spanish(F)

Mestizo de Sangley – Half Filipino(M) / Half Chinese(F)

Indios – Locals; Full-blooded Natives

Social Activities

Fiestas were celebrated in honor of the town’s patron saint

One to two days of festivities

Government and Church worked together to make this happen

Plays, shows, and games were included in the program

Changes in Clothing

Clothing became a status symbol and a way to distinguish the natives from the Spaniards

Western style of clothing was introduced for the men, while women upgraded their clothing to make it more “Spanish”

Footwear also became popular; also became a status symbol

“Mestiza Dress”

Architecture

Houses also became a status symbol

Rich people lived in Antillean houses

Poor people lived in the same houses that were introduced during the pre-colonial period

Some parts of the house were introduced by the Spaniards, like the azotea, banggera, and the balcon

The Filipinas during the Spanish Period

The women during this time “took a huge step backwards” toward progress

Women were treated very differently as compared during the pre-colonial period

They were trained to be “dependent” and “obedient”

Religion

Catholicism became widely accepted

The natives embraced Christianity because they saw the similarities between their previous beliefs with the new one

Strengthened the concept of having faith to a “Supreme Being”

[history-mcse4b-blog]

Balangiga Massacre by Christian Hong

FACTS ABOUT BALANGIGA MASSACRE

It is initially referred to the killing of about 48 members of the US 9th Infantry by the townspeople allegedly augmented by guerillas in the town of Balangiga on Samar Island during an attack on September 28 of that year.

In the 1960s, Filipino nationalists applied it to the retaliatory measures taken on the island.

This incident was described as the United States Army’s worst defeat since the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.

There has been much heated discussion regarding the number of Filipino casualties, for which there are no reliable documentary records.

Brigadier General Jacob H. Smith who ordered the killing of every male over ten years old during the retaliatory campaign, was subject to court-martial for conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline.

Reprimanded but not formally punished, Smith was forced into retirement from the service because of his conduct.

The attack and the subsequent retaliation remains one of the longest-running and most controversial issues between the Philippines and the United States.

Conflicting records from American and Filipino historians have confused the issue.

Demands for the return of the bells of the church at Balangiga, taken by the Americans as war booty and collectively known as the Balangiga bells, remain an outstanding issue of contention related to the war.

One church bell remains in the possession of the 9th Infantry Regiment at their base in Camp red Cloud in South Korea, while the two other bells are on a former base of the 11th Infantry Regiment at F.E.

According to some nationalist Filipino historians, the true Balangiga massacre was the subsequent American retaliation against the Samar population and guerillas.

[history-mcse4b-blog]

The Disunity of Katipunan by Marc Andrey Reyes

From the start there is a dishunity in katipunan because there are man factions there are groups inside the katipunan for example the magdalo and magdiwang they have different leaders in battle and their own style in the revolution yes they are katipunan as a whole but there is no unity in them because they go on different missions or battles they don’t do it as a whole as a group of katipunan. And they also have different rules different flags from there it’s also a sign of dishunity . as  a proof of the disunity in katipunan the opponent Magdalo and Magdiwang groups of the Katipunan in Cavite battled freely of each other. This was a central point for the accomplishment of General Polavieja in his triumphs in Cavite. Understanding this, the Magdiwang group asked Bonifacio, who had rejected in light of the fact that he was required in somewhere else, to intervene. There is also a rules that the magdalo and magdiwang have a disagreement for example in cavite in Imus get together was assembled to decide the initiative in the territory. The intention was to end the contention between the two groups. The Magdalo amass needed a progressive government to supplant the Katipunan. The Magdiwang questioned and kept up that the Katipunan as of now had a constitution and by-laws perceived by all. 

I can say the start of katipunan is good and to the history of Philippine revolution in the Spanish era here in the Philippines katipunan is the successful because the people they gather that united to fight for our country although just like in the government today there is a dark side and groupings in it the dishunity instead doing things as a whole there is a different groups inside that became the reason why the katipunan ended because of the disunity and wrong doings.

[history-mcse4b-blog]

The 1935 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines by John Bennedick Javier

On May 14, 1935, the Constitution of the Philippines was ratified by a large majority of the Filipino people.

The 1935 Constitution of the Philippines which created the Commonwealth of the Philippines was based on the principle of separation of powers among the three branches of government.

Executive power is vested to the President which shall serve for a single-six year term. Legislative power is vested in a unicameral National Assembly, and judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court.

Accordingly, the 1935 Constitution was written with an eye to meeting the approval of the United States Government so as to ensure that the U.S. would live up to its promise to grant the Philippines independence.

It was also on this day in 1910, that the then Commissioner (to the U.S. House of Representatives) Manuel L. Quezon delivered an eloquent speech in the United States Congress, pleading for Philippine independence.

Preamble

The Filipino people, imploring the aid of Divine Providence, in order to establish a government that shall embody their ideals, conserve and develop the patrimony of the nation, promote the general welfare, and secure to themselves and their posterity the blessings of independence under a regime of justice, liberty, and democracy, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.

ARTICLE I                                     The National Territory

ARTICLE II                                    Declaration of Principles

ARTICLE III                                   Bill of Rights

ARTICLE IV                                   Citizenship

ARTICLE V                                    Suffrage

ARTICLE VI                                   Legislative Department

ARTICLE VII                                  Executive Department

ARTICLE VIII                                 Judicial Department

ARTICLE IX                                   Impeachment

ARTICLE X                                    Commission on Elections

ARTICLE XI                                   General Auditing Office

ARTICLE XII                                  Civil Service

ARTICLE XIII                                 Conservation and Utilization of Natural                                                                   Resources

ARTICLE XIV                                 General Provisions

ARTICLE XV                                  Amendments

ARTICLE XVI                                 Transitory Provisions

ARTICLE XVII                                Special Provisions Effective upon the

                                                       Proclamation of the Independence of the                                                               Philippines

ARTICLE XVIII                               The Commonwealth and the Republic

Reference

[history-mcse4b-blog]

The Philippine Presidents by Arvic Austin Chua, Karlo Nieva and Angelo Valmocena

Emilio Aguinaldo was the 1st President of the Republic of the Philippines. He was born on March 22, 1869, in Kawit, Cavite, Philippines. Nicknamed Miong, Aguinaldo was the seventh of eight children. Filipino leader and politician who fought first against Spain and later against the United States for the independence of the Philippines. March 23, 1901, which brought an end to his presidency.

1 Fact About Emilio Aguinaldo

He actually confess in a letter to having ordered Bonifacio’s execution. It will be surprising to know for some that while Aguinaldo denied having anything to do with Luna’s murder until his dying day, he readily confessed to having ordered Bonifacio’s execution. On March 22, 1948 (the day before his birthday), Aguinaldo released a letter saying he was indeed the one who ordered the execution of Bonifacio and his brother Procopio (the letter was certified authentic by Teodoro Agoncillo and published in his book ‘Revolt of the Masses’).

The 2nd president of the Republic of the Philippines. Manuel Quezon, in full Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina, (born Aug. 19, 1878, Baler, Phil.—died Aug. 1, 1944, Saranac Lake, N.Y., U.S.), Filipino statesman, leader of the independence movement, and first president of the Philippine Commonwealth established under U.S. tutelage in 1935.

Quezon fought for passage of the Tydings–McDuffie Act (1934), which provided for full independence for the Philippines 10 years after the creation of a constitution and the establishment of a Commonwealth government that would be the forerunner of an independent republic. Quezon was elected president of the newly formulated Commonwealth on Sept. 17, 1935. As president he reorganized the islands’ military defense (aided by Gen. Douglas MacArthur as his special adviser), tackled the huge problem of landless peasants in the countryside who still worked as tenants on large estates, promoted the settlement and development of the large southern island of Mindanao, and fought graft and corruption in the government. A new national capital, later known as Quezon City, was built in a suburb of Manila.

Quezon was reelected president in 1941. After Japan invaded and occupied the Philippines in 1942, he went to the United States, where he formed a government in exile, served as a member of the Pacific War Council, signed the declaration of the United Nations against the Fascist nations, and wrote his autobiography, The Good Fight (1946). Quezon died of tuberculosis before full Philippine independence was established.

Reference

Jose P. Laurel was born on March 09, 1891, in Tanauan, Batangas. Laurel was born and raised in a town south of Manila. His father served in the cabinet of Emilio Aguinaldo in the late 1890s. The younger Laurel received a law degree from the University of the Philippines in 1915 and an advanced jurisprudence degree in 1919 before earning a doctorate in civil law from Yale University in the United States in 1920.

1 Fact About Jose P. Laurel

He is the only president to have served in all three branches of government. No other Filipino president apart from Laurel can claim to have worked in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. Besides being a president, he had also been a senator and an associate justice. Aside from that, he also served in numerous government and cabinet and elected posts during his long and illustrious career.

The 4th president of the Republic of the Philippines. Sergio Osmeña, (born Sept. 9, 1878, Cebu City, Phil.—died Oct. 19, 1961, Manila), Filipino statesman, founder of the Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista) and president of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946.

Osmeña remained leader of the Nationalists until 1921, when he was succeeded by Manuel Quezon, who had joined him in a coalition. Made speaker of the House of Representatives in 1916, he served until his election to the Senate in 1923. In 1933 he went to Washington, D.C., to secure passage of the Hare–Hawes–Cutting independence bill, but Quezon differed with Osmeña over the bill’s provision to retain U.S. military bases after independence. The bill, vetoed by the Philippine Assembly, was superseded by the Tydings–McDuffie Act of March 1934, making the Philippines a commonwealth with a large measure of independence. The following year Osmeña became vice president, with Quezon as president. He remained vice president during the Japanese occupation, when the government was in exile in Washington, D.C. On the death of Quezon in August 1944, Osmeña became president. He served as president until the elections of April 1946, when he was defeated by Manuel Roxas, who became the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines.

Reference: 

The 5th president of the Republic of the Philippines. Manuel Roxas, (born Jan. 1, 1892, Capiz, Phil.—died April 15, 1948, Clark Field, Pampanga), political leader and first president (1946–48) of the independent Republic of the Philippines.

He was governor of the province of Capiz in 1919–21 and was then elected to the Philippine House of Representatives, subsequently serving as Speaker of the House and a member of the Council of State. In 1923 he and Manuel Quezon, the president of the Senate, resigned in protest from the Council of State when the U.S. governor-general (Leonard Wood) began vetoing bills passed by the Philippine legislature. In 1932 Roxas and Sergio Osmeña, the Nacionalista Party leader, led the Philippine Independence Mission to Washington, D.C., where they influenced the passage of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act. Roxas was later opposed by Quezon, who held that the act compromised future Philippine independence; the Nacionalista Party was split between them on this issue. In 1934, however, Roxas was a member of the convention that drew up a constitution under the revised Philippine Independence and Commonwealth Act (Tydings-McDuffie Act). Roxas also served as secretary of finance in the Commonwealth government (1938–40).

During World War II Roxas served in the pro-Japanese government of José Laurel by acquiring supplies of rice for the Japanese army. Although a court was established after the war to try collaborators, Roxas was defended by his friend General Douglas MacArthur. Roxas was elected president of the Commonwealth in 1946 as the nominee of the liberal wing of the Nacionalista Party (which became the Liberal Party), and, when independence was declared on July 4, he became the first president of the new republic.

Although Roxas was successful in getting rehabilitation funds from the United States after independence, he was forced to concede military bases (23 of which were leased for 99 years), trade restrictions for Philippine citizens, and special privileges for U.S. property owners and investors. His administration was marred by graft and corruption; moreover, the abuses of the provincial military police contributed to the rise of the left-wing Hukbalahap (Huk) movement in the countryside. His heavy-handed attempts to crush the Huks led to widespread peasant disaffection. Roxas died in office in 1948 and was succeeded by his vice president, Elpidio Quirino.

Reference

The 6th president of the Republic of the Philippines. Elpidio Quirino, (born Nov. 16, 1890, Vigan, Phil. died Feb. 28, 1956, Novaliches), political leader and second president of the independent Republic of the Philippines.

After World War II, Quirino served as secretary of state and vice president under the first president of the independent Philippines, Manuel Roxas. When Roxas died on April 15, 1948, Quirino succeeded to the presidency. The following year, he was elected president for a four-year term on the Liberal Party ticket, defeating the Nacionalista candidate.

President Quirino’s administration faced a serious threat in the form of the Communist-led Hukbalahap (Huk) movement. Though the Huks originally had been an anti-Japanese guerrilla army in Luzon, the Communists steadily gained control over the leadership, and, when Quirino’s negotiations with Huk commander Luis Taruc broke down in 1948, Taruc openly declared himself a Communist and called for the overthrow of the government. By 1950 the Huks had gained control over a considerable portion of Luzon, and Quirino appointed the able Ramon Magsaysay as secretary of national defense to suppress the insurrection.

Quirino’s six years as president were marked by notable postwar reconstruction, general economic gains, and increased economic aid from the United States. Basic social problems, however, particularly in the rural areas, remained unsolved; Quirino’s administration was tainted by widespread graft and corruption. The 1949 elections, which he had won, were among the most dishonest in the country’s history. Magsaysay, who had been largely successful in eliminating the threat of the Huk insurgents, broke with Quirino on the issue of corruption, campaigning for clean elections and defeating Quirino as the Nacionalista candidate in the presidential election of 1953. Subsequently, Quirino retired to private life.

Reference

Ramon Magsaysay was born on August 31, 1907. President Elpidio Quirino appointed Magsaysay secretary of defense to deal with the threat of the Huks, whose leader, Luis Taruc, in February 1950 established a People’s Liberation Army and called for the overthrow of the government. Ramon Del Fierro Magsaysay Sr. was a Filipino politician who was the seventh President of the Philippines, serving from December 30, 1953 until his death in an aircraft disaster.

1 Fact About Ramon Magsaysay

He was the first Philippine president from the landless lower middle class, the petit bourgeois stratum society.

The 8th president of the Republic of the Philippines. Carlos P. Garcia, in full Carlos Polestico Garcia, (born November 4, 1896, Talibon, Philippines—died June 14, 1971, Quezon City), fourth president of the Republic of the Philippines.

After graduating from law school in 1923, he became, successively, a schoolteacher, representative in the Philippine Congress, governor of his province (Bohol), and then (1941–53) senator. During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II, Garcia was active in the resistance movement. He was elected vice president on the ticket of the Nacionalista Party in 1953 and was also minister of foreign affairs (1953–57). He became president of the Philippines in March 1957, upon the death of Pres. Ramon Magsaysay, and was elected to a full four-year term the same year. He maintained the strong traditional ties with the United States and sought closer relations with noncommunist Asian countries. In the election of November 1961 he was defeated by Vice Pres. Diosdado Macapagal.

Reference

Diosdado Pangan Macapagal (September 28, 1910 ? April 21, 1997) was a Filipino statesman who served as the ninth President of the Philippines, serving from 1961 to 1965, and the sixth Vice-President, serving from 1957 to 1961. A native of Lubao, Pampanga, Macapagal graduated from the University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas, both in Manila, after which he worked as a lawyer for the government. He first won election in 1949 to the House of Representatives, representing a district in his home province of Pampanga. In 1957, he became Vice-President under the rule of President Carlos P. Garcia, whom he defeated in the 1961 polls.

1 Fact about Diosdado Macapagal

He was instrumental in initiating and executing the Land Reform Code, which was designed to solve the centuries-old land tenancy problem, the principal cause of the Communist guerrilla movement in central Luzon.

Ferdinand Marcos was born on September 11, 1917. Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. was a Filipino politician and kleptocrat who was the tenth President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled as a dictator under martial law from 1972 until 1981. His regime was infamous for its corruption, extravagance, and brutality.

1 Fact About Ferdinand Marcos

He bought the Kalayaan Island in Spratlys for 1 peso.

Philippines’ claim over the Spratlys started when Tomas Cloma landed at its biggest island in 1956. A seafaring adventurer and owner of a fishing business, Cloma made a “Proclamation to the whole world” that a new state called “The Free Territory of Freedomland” was created. He asserted sovereignty over the area although no country formally recognized his claims.

María Corazón "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco (born January 25, 1933, Tarlac province, Philippines—died August 1, 2009, Makati), His father was a well-known businessman in Tarlac and a politician and grandfather of Melecio Cojuangco, a member of the Malolos Congress . Her mother was influenced by the political family of Sumlong of Rizal. Aquino finished in St. Scholastica's College in Manila in her elemetary education and moved to the Assumption Convent in the first year of high school. He continued his college here. He went to Mount Saint Vincent in New York City where he studied Mathematics and French .

1 Fact about Cory Aquino

She was named Mother of Democracy because of her support for the restoration of democracy in the Philippines 

Fidel Valdez Ramos (born March 18, 1928) is the eleventh President of the Republic of the Philippines (30 June 1992 - 30 June 1998) in Lingayen, Pangasinan,

He graduated with the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1950. He also graduated with a master's degree in civil engineering at the University of Illinois , Masters in Business Administration at Ateneo de Manila University , and headed for his Infantry training and Special Forces / Pay courses Operations / Airborne in Fort Benning, Georgia.

1 Fact about Fidel V. Ramos

Ramos implemented a comprehensive Social Reform Agenda (SRA) that addressed the long-standing problem of poverty: jobs and livelihood, health, education and skills training, housing, environmental protection, children and the youth, the elderly and the handicapped, agrarian reform, and access to equal opportunity.

Joseph Estrada was born on April 19, 1937. Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada is a Filipino politician and former actor who served as the 13th President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001 and as the ninth Vice President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. In 2001, he became the first president in Asia to be impeached from an executive role.

Estrada was well known as an actor in the Philippines before he entered politics. He called the presidency “the greatest role of my life.” Even so he sometimes acted if politics was all a big joke. Once he said, "Why do we pass all these laws when nobody seems to follow them." His trademark was a white wristband. Estrada was well known as an actor in the Philippines before he entered politics. He called the presidency “the greatest role of my life.” Even so he sometimes acted if politics was all a big joke. Once he said, "Why do we pass all these laws when nobody seems to follow them." His trademark was a white wristband.

1 Fact About Joseph Estrada

He was a famous actor before he became the 13th president of the Philippines.

The 14th President of the Republic of the Philippines, Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo was born April 5, 1947 is a Filipino professor and politician who was the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 until 2010, as the 10th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, as the deputy speaker of the 17th Congress from 2016 to 2017, and a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga since 2010. She was the country's second female president (after Corazon Aquino), and the daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal. Arroyo is also the first duly elected female Vice President of the Philippines.

1 Fact about Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo

She had a long political career in which she held plenty of important positions and his most important work was to provide a sense of calm when Philippines was being ravaged with anti-corruption protests in 2001.

Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III

The 15th President of the Philippines, Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (born on February 8, 1960) better known by the nickname Noynoy Aquino or call P-Noy Born in Manila , Aquino completed his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1981, and joined his family when the Marcos government dismissed them in the United States . He returned to the Philippines in 1983 after his father's murder and held several positions in the private sector. In 1998, he was elected Representative of the 2nd District of the province of Tarlac 

1 Fact about Noynoy Aquino

Aquino created the no ‘wang-wang’ policy is a street lingo for blaring sirens.

The 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte was born March 28, 1945 also known as Digong and Rody, is a Filipino politician who is the 16th and current President of the Philippines and the first from Mindanao, the southernmost major island group of the country, to hold the office. Duterte studied political science at the Lyceum of the Philippines University, graduating in 1968, before obtaining a law degree from San Beda College of Law in 1972. He then worked as a lawyer and was a prosecutor for Davao City, a highly urbanized city on Mindanao island, before becoming vice mayor and, subsequently, mayor of the city in the wake of the Philippine Revolution of 1986. Duterte was among the longest-serving mayors in the Philippines, serving seven terms and totaling more than 22 years in office.

1 Fact About Rodrigo Roa Duterte

Hates drug users and drug dealers that’s why he initiated a drug policy “War on drugs” or “Tokhang”