Rachel Ann B.

De Leon
12- Einstein

Birthday: August 19, 1878 Family:

Nationality: Filipino Spouse/Ex-: Aurora Quezon
Famous: Presidents Political Leaders Father: Lucio Quezón
Died At Age: 65 Mother: María Dolores Molina
Sun Sign: Leo Siblings: Pedro Quezón
Also Known As: Manuel Luis Quezón Y Children: Jr, Luisa Corazon Paz Quezon, Ma. Aurora
Molina Quezon, Manuel L. Quezon, Maria Zeneida Quezon-
Born In: Baler Avanceña
Famous As: Former President Of The Died On: August 1, 1944
Philippines Place Of Death: Manila
Cause Of Death: Tuberculosis
Founder/Co-Founder: Nacionalista Party

WHO IS MANUEL QUEZON?

Manuel L. Quezon was a statesman, soldier, and politician who was the first elected Filipino to head a
government of the entire Philippines, even though he is considered the second president of the country
after Emilio Aguinaldo. The son of primary schoolteacher parents, Quezon participated in the
independence movement during the Philippine–American War and later joined politics after getting a
law degree. Remaining true to his pledge of "More Government and less politics", he introduced several
major reforms and reorganizations during his presidency, including strengthening military defense,
reshuffling government positions, introducing land reforms, anti-corruption measures, new tenancy
laws, social reforms pertaining to the working class and farmers, and pushing for women's suffrage. He
also saved nearly 2,500 European Jews from the Holocaust, for which he was posthumously bestowed
the Wallenberg Medal by the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation. Following the Japanese
invasion of the Philippines during the Second World War, Quezon took shelter in the United States and
ran government-in-exile from there until his death.

When Manuel was nine years old, his parents sent him to school in Manila, about 240 kilometers (150 miles)
away from Baler. He would remain there through university; he studied law at the University of Santo
Tomas but did not graduate. In 1898, when Manuel was 20, his father and brother were accosted and
murdered along the road from Nueva Ecija to Baler. The motive may have been simply robbery, but it is
likely that they were targeted for their support of the colonial Spanish government against the Filipino
nationalists in the independence struggle.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF MANUEL QUEZON
Even if he never became president, Manuel Quezon would still probably have prospered as a lawyer.
After landing fourth-place in the bar exams, Quezon established his law office in his home province of
Tayabas where he earned $500 per month. However, he gave up his lucrative private practice and
became a local prosecuting attorney for $75.
He achieved national fame for prosecuting—and winning—a much-publicized case against prominent
American lawyer Francis Berry who was accused of illicit land transactions. At the time, it was unheard
of for a Filipino to prosecute an American.
Quezon himself would credit the publicity generated by this case for allowing him to win the
governorship of Tayabas in 1906, a stepping stone towards his involvement in national politics.

HE TRIED TO SECURE A NEUTRALITY PACT WITH THE JAPANESE.

Even before World War II began, Quezon was already mindful of the Japanese intent to invade the
Philippines due to its natural resources. So in June 1938, he secretly went to Tokyo to negotiate a
neutrality pact.
Of course, word of his secret trip got out and irked General MacArthur who had been selected by
Quezon to beef up the islands’ defenses. The incident soured the two men’s relationship for a time.
When war did break out, Quezon repeatedly expressed his frustrations at the lack of American support
in the Philippines and its policy of assisting Britain first. He was known to have uttered “Que demonio!
How typical of America to writhe in anguish at the fate of a distant cousin, Europe, while a daughter, the
Philippines, is being raped in the back room!”
During those times he also thought of pleading the US for independence so that the Philippines could at
least announce neutrality and end the war.

IF I WERE PRESIDENT

If I were president, I would focus on the central issue that will carry this country into the future:
education.
Education, although a long-term investment, will benefit this nation better than bailouts, mandatory
health care coverage for children, investment in new energy sources, or the withdrawal of troops from
Iraq. Although it appears that there are more important, dire situations that the United States is facing
now, the fact is that with an increase in education comes a decrease in these ubiquitous problems in the
future. Without education, society will never understand the effects of drugs, the difference between
Shiite and Sunni Muslims in Iraq, the importance of financial security for emergencies, the requirement
for energy independence, or the need for health insurance.