2. Agricultural Tenancy Act in 1954
Source: Magsaysay: The People’s President
Although Magsaysay was a
liberal, the Nacionalista Party backed
him for the presidency against
Quirino in the 1953 elections, and
Magsaysay prevailed. He promised
reform in nearly every segment of
Filipino life, but he was often
thwarted by a congress that only
represented the interests of the
wealthy.
Magsaysay did manage to
enact agrarian reform, giving some
90,000 acres to 4,500 indigent
families for settlement/farming
purposes. He also set up a process to
hear and address citizen grievances,
and maintained a reputation for
incorruptibility throughout his
presidency, all of which went a long
way toward ensuring his popularity.
Sadly, Ramon Magsaysay's term
came to an abrupt end on March 17,
1957, when his presidential plane
crashed, killing Magsaysay and 24
other passengers. An estimated 5
million people attended Magsaysay's
burial on March 31, 1957, and
afterward, he was referred to in the
Philippines as the "Idol of the
Masses."
In his honor, the Ramon
Magsaysay Award, considered "Asia's
Nobel Prize," was established in
1957. In the spirit of Ramon
Magsaysay's
The Presidency
Let’s Continue. Administration Achievement
(1) His brilliant counterinsurgency
efforts were unprecedented.
Ramon
Magsaysay,
then the
Defense
Secretary
for
President
Elpidio
Quirino,
marking a
Huk target
with a
smoke
bomb from
a spotter
plane.
Photo
courtesy of
LIFE
Magazine.
(2) He gave land to the landless.
The usual sight in Malacañan Palace during
Ramon Magsaysay’s term. As noted by the
Philippines Free Press, the very first “at home”
of President Magsaysay in residence (a mere
two days after his inauguration) had
Malacañan Palace opening its doors to
citizens—and they came en masse. Source:
Presidential Museum and Library.
Ramon Magsaysay,
Defense Secretary of
the Quirino Cabinet, on
the cover of TIME
Magazine for
November 26, 1951,
featuring a quote
emphasizing his strict
adherence to the rule
of law: “I will send my
own father to jail if he
breaks the law.”
Source: Presidential
Museum and Library.
(3) He created a government of the
people, by the people, for the
people.
(4) He refused special treatment.
Ramon
Magsay
say, the
quintes
sential
mechan
ic.
Source:
Preside
ntial
Museu
m and
Library
(5)He banned nepotism and
corruption.
Best remembered for his humility and
compassion for the masses, President
Ramon Magsaysay was just 49 when
killed in a plane crash. On March 16,
1957, the president travelled from
Manila to Cebu aboard a newly
reconditioned twin-engine C-47.
Magsaysay named it Mt. Pinatubo, the
highest peak in Zambales where he hid
and fought during his guerilla years.
In Cebu, Magsaysay attended several
speaking engagements including the
one in University of Visayas where he
received an honorary doctorate. At
exactly 1:15 A.M. of the following day,
the plane left Cebu for Manila. It met its
tragic end fifteen minutes later when it
crashed on the side of Mt. Manunggal,
killing the president and 25 others while
leaving journalist Nestor Mata as the
sole survivor.
Several theories came up to explain
why and how Mt. Pinatubo met an
unexpected tragedy. Among these were
possible sabotage (direct or indirect), a
bomb on board, tipsy pilots, and
overloading. Initial investigations
discovered that technical lighting errors
were to blame while former Senator
Ramon Magsaysay Jr., son of the late
president, believes otherwise. Since
sabotage was already ruled out, it’s
possible that the several baskets of
mangoes, in addition to the passengers,
took its toll on the plane engine. Ramon
Magsaysay has long been gone but the
mystery of the plane crash remains
unanswered by the few evidences left.
The Backstory
Magsaysay
Plane Crash
Clueless Factor