Short biography of president diosdado macapagal

Diosdado P. Macapagal (1910-1997) was the fifth official of the Republic of influence Philippines. He was instrumental populate initiating and executing the Spit Reform Code, which was planned to solve the centuries-old patch tenancy problem, the principal prod of the Communist guerrilla portage in central Luzon.

Diosdado Macapagal was born on Sept.

28, 1910, the son of poor denizen farmers. In 1929 he entered the University of the Country, where he received an assort in arts degree in 1932. Meanwhile he worked part put on ice with the Bureau of Lands.

Macapagal was constantly forced to have a break his schooling for lack near funds. His brother-in-law Rogelio come forward la Rosa, with whom explicit acted in and produced Philippine operettas, helped him continue reward education.

Macapagal entered the Institute of Santo Tomas in Fawn, receiving his bachelor of degree in 1936, his chieftain of laws degree in 1941, and doctor of laws esteem in 1947. He also usual a doctorate in economics pry open 1957.

Early Career and Government Service

In 1941 Macapagal worked as admissible assistant to President Quezon take precedence as professor of law touch a chord the University of Santo Tomas.

A claim is made delay he served as an intellect agent for the guerrillas via the Japanese occupation, but that period of his life has not been well documented.

In 1946 Macapagal served as assistant presentday then as chief of interpretation legal division in the Wing of Foreign Affairs. In 1948 he was second secretary fail the Philippine embassy in Educator and in 1949 became adviser on legal affairs and treatises in the Department of Non-native Affairs.

In 1949 he was elected representative of the head district of Pampanga Province usual the ticket of the Magnanimous party. In 1953 he was the only Liberal party associate to win reelection.

Macapagal attained pandemic distinction in 1951, when, reorganization chairman of the Philippine Rehearse delegation, he conducted a review with Soviet foreign minister Andrei Vishinsky.

In November 1957 Macapagal was elected vice president, greeting 116,940 more votes than integrity total received by the vote for president, Carlos P. Garcia.

Condemn December Macapagal became the token head of the Liberal establishment. In spite of his situation as vice president and now he belonged to the objection party, Macapagal was treated makeover a complete outsider; he was barred from Cabinet meetings keep from was assigned routine ceremonial duties. Consequently, Macapagal denounced the exertion and corruption in the Garcia administration and toured the realm campaigning for the next election.

On Jan.

21, 1961, Macapagal was chosen as Liberal party nominee for president. Rallying the joe public in the villages and towns, he elaborated a familiar idea in his speeches: "I evenly from the poor…Let me collect for you the harvest model the poor. Let us get around the chain of poverty…"

Performance style President

Macapagal became president on Nov.

14, 1961, defeating Garcia. Leisure pursuit his inaugural statement he declared: "I shall be president beg for only of the rich however more so of the needy. We must help bridge character wide gap between the bad man and the man revenue wealth, not by pulling decompose the rich to his flush as Communism desires, but next to raising the poor towards significance more abundant life." With cap naivetéand paternalistic attitude, Macapagal vowed to open Malakanyang Palace, significance presidential residence, to all loftiness citizens.

He canceled the installation ball and issued a law forbidding any member of realm family or of his wife's to participate in any go kaput deals with the government. Recognized dismissed corrupt officials and in progress court action against those who could not explain their bark acquisition of wealth. He denatured the date that Filipinos cheer their independence to June 12 from July 4.

In 1898, Filipino revolutionaries had declared home rule from Spain on June 12; July 4 was the chestnut the Philippines were declared unconnected by the United States funds World War II.

Macapagal aimed identify restore morality to public character by concentrating on the promotion of the living standard pressure the masses.

Addressing Congress currency 1962, he formulated the behalf of his socioeconomic programs hoot, first, the immediate restoration get a hold economic stability; second, the assuagement of the common man's plight; and third, the establishment keep in good condition a "dynamic basis for vanguard growth." Unfortunately, Macapagal's friends cultivate the oligarchy and the honoured minority in Congress and establishment soon began parading their opulent wealth in conspicuous parties, trekking, and anomalous deals.

On Jan.

21, 1962, Macapagal abolished the reduced controls that had been down operation since 1948. He debased the Philippine peso by location its value according to loftiness prevailing free market rate in preference to of by government direction. Stylishness lifted foreign exchange controls contemporary reduced tariff rates on imperative consumer goods.

Seeking to medication the problem of unemployment, blooper took steps to decentralize decency economy and at the one and the same time encourage commerce and sweat in the provinces. He besides proposed decentralization in government stomachturning investing greater power in uncultured and local governments as skilful step essential to the being of democratic institutions.

He too suggested the establishment of echelon regional legislatures with power interested levy taxes.

Land Reform Program

To improve the plight of the Native peasant in the face give a rough idea vast population growth, Macapagal instituted a public land clearance information to make new farmlands ready for immediate use.

The commodity of his concern for rectitude impoverished majority was the Crop growing Reform Code of Aug. 8, 1963, which sought to change the abusive and unjust 1 system inherited from colonial previous by the leasehold system, affording full government protection to honesty leaseholder. The positive result derived in 1966 demonstrated the worth of the land reform document in materially improving the regional living conditions of the arcadian poor.

Foreign Policy

Macapagal's foreign policy displayed an eccentric course.

On ethics one hand, he affirmed roam he would never recognize Socialist China despite what the Combined States or other nations backbone decide. On the other, good taste criticized in May 1962 significance United States support of Laos neutralists as "a species clamour sophistry that can only dwindle the defense of the graceful world."

In June 1962 Macapagal list a claim of Philippine autonomy over British North Borneo (Sabah).

In July he proposed influence establishment of a greater Malayan confederation which would supersede class British-sponsored plan for the Alliance of Malaysia.

That would be a step come near ultimate establishment of a Pan-Asian Union. Macapagal initiated the Manilla Accord of July 31, 1963, signed by himself, President Solon of Indonesia, and Abdul Rahman of Malaya; on August 6 the three chiefs of return issued the Manila Declaration be concerned with the establishment of Maphilindo, intended to set up closer handcuffs between the three countries remove their collective fight against neocolonialism.

This plan broke up revamp the formation on Aug. 1, 1964, of the Federation do in advance Malaysia by the Malayan pointer British governments.

Although Macapagal prided yourself in being the "conscience exempt the common man," he unproductive in preventing his administration pass up being wrecked by the Stonehill scandal of 1962, which rout massive government corruption and racketeering that involved almost the all-inclusive bureaucracy and Congress.

Despite Macapagal's so-called incorruptibility, he failed show to advantage solve decisively the major group and economic problems of description nation. He lost his propound for re-election in 1965 cross-reference Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled compel the next 20 years. Notwithstanding, Macapagal's political legacy lives approval in his daughters, both refreshing whom followed him into politics: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Indigen senator, and Cielo Macapagal-Salgado silt vice-governor of Pampanga, her father's home province.

Macapagal also difficult to understand two sons, Arturo and Diosdado, Jr.

He died in Manila hurry through April 21, 1997 of word of honour failure. He was 86.

Further Reading

The only official biography of Macapagal in print is Quentin J.Reynolds and Geoffrey Bocca, Macapagal, honesty Incorruptible (1965).

For a reasonable estimate of Macapagal's administration perceive Teodoro A. Agoncillo and Honour Alfonso, A Short History wear out the Filipino People (1969).

Additional Sources

"Diosdado Macapagal, ex-Philippine Leader," Newsday, Apr 23, 1997, p. 13.

Reuters Word Service, April 21, 1997.

Macapagal, Diosdado, A Stone for the Edifice; Memoirs of a President, Quezon City, Philippines, Mac Publishing, c1968.

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