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Manuel Acunia RoxasFirst President of the Republic of the Philippines
Date of Birth: 01.01.1892
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Content:
Biography of Manuel Acuña Roxas
Manuel Acuña Roxas was born on January 1, 1892 in Capiz province, Panay Island. His father died during the anti-Spanish uprising just six months before his birth. After a brief stay at Sianang school, Roxas primarily studied in English-language educational institutions in the Philippines. He received his secondary education in his hometown and completed his high school education in Manila.
At the age of seventeen, Roxas enrolled in the College of Law at the University of the Philippines, where he studied English, Spanish, and Tagalog languages. After teaching law at the National University in Manila from 1915 to 1916, he returned to Capiz to practice law. In 1919, he was elected governor of the province, and in 1921, he became a member of the House of Representatives.
Under the patronage of Manuel L. Quezon, Roxas became the Speaker of the House of Representatives, replacing Sergio Osmena, who had moved to the Senate. During his tenure, he managed to become part of the "big three" national politicians. From 1923 to 1924, 1929 to 1930, and 1931 to 1933, Roxas led the delegation that negotiated the terms of Philippine independence. The negotiations culminated in the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act, which outlined the conditions of sovereignty. However, both Quezon and the Philippine Senate rejected these terms. Roxas was subsequently removed from his position as Speaker of the House, but a year later, he was elected as a delegate to the 1934 and 1935 Constitutional Convention, where he led the anti-Quezon faction.
Later, Roxas reconciled with Quezon and accompanied him to the United States to approve the text of the Philippine Constitution. He became a member of the unicameral parliament of the newly formed Philippine Commonwealth, but soon resigned. In 1937, Roxas served as an economic expert and was appointed as a member of the United Preparatory Committee on Philippine Affairs, tasked with developing recommendations to alleviate economic difficulties expected after independence. After 15 months in this position, he was appointed as the chairman of the National Economic Council and later became the president of the National Development Company, a government organization focused on economic independence.
In 1938, Roxas served as the Minister of Finance in Quezon's cabinet, and in 1941, he was elected to the Senate. Roxas's record during World War II is contradictory. As a reserve lieutenant colonel in the Philippine Army, he was appointed as a liaison officer to General MacArthur immediately after the Japanese invasion. While MacArthur and other Filipino leaders evacuated to Australia, Roxas stayed on Corregidor Island but later fled to Mindanao, where he led guerrilla forces. He was captured by the Japanese and agreed to serve as a minister without portfolio in the puppet government led by Jose Laurel. During this time, he participated in the preparation of the constitution for the pseudo-independent Philippines. Later, Roxas welcomed the returning American forces to Manila and was commissioned as a brigadier general in the US Armed Forces. After the liberation of the islands, he led a vigorous campaign to be elected as the head of state. With the support of General MacArthur and the widow of the late President Quezon, Roxas emerged victorious in the elections held on April 23, 1946, defeating President Sergio Osmena. On July 4, 1946, the country's independence was proclaimed, and Roxas became the last president of the Philippine Commonwealth and the first president of the Republic of the Philippines.