Manuel L. Quezon

Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina was a central figure in Philippine history.

He was a lawyer, a soldier, and a statesman. He served as the second president of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. Quezon was the first Filipino to lead a government covering the entire nation. He won the 1935 election by defeating Emilio Aguinaldo. Today, Quezon City and Quezon Province are named in his honor.

Quezon was born on August 19, 1878, in Baler. His parents, Lucio Quezon Urbina and María Dolores Molina, were both primary school teachers. His father was a retired sergeant of the Guardia Civil. Some historians believe the family had Chinese heritage through his father. In 1899, Quezon paused his law studies at the University of Santo Tomas. He joined the Republican army during the Philippine-American War. He served as an aide-de-camp to President Emilio Aguinaldo.

During the conflict, he reached the rank of major in the Bataan sector. After the war ended in 1900, he returned to his studies. He passed the bar examinations in 1903 and began a career in government service.

His political career grew through many different roles. He served as a treasurer for Mindoro and Tayabas. In 1906, he was elected governor of Tayabas. In 1907, he was elected to the first Philippine Assembly. He became the majority floor leader there. Later, he served as a resident commissioner in Washington, D.C.

He arrived in the United States in December 1909. Because he was not fluent in English, he used a tutor and a Spanish-English dictionary. His American friends gave him the nickname "Casey." He lobbied for the Philippine Autonomy Act, also known as the Jones Law.

In 1916, Quezon returned to Manila to join the new legislature.

He was elected Senate President and held that position for 19 years. This was a very long tenure in Philippine history. During his time in the Senate, he led missions to the United States. In 1934, he helped secure the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act. This act was a major step toward Philippine independence. However, his time in the Senate also included political rivalry. He famously clashed with Sergio Osmeña, which split the Nationalista Party into two factions.

Quezon won the first national presidential election in 1935. He received nearly 68 percent of the total vote.

As president, he focused on "Filipinization," which meant giving more power to Filipinos. He appointed the first all-Filipino cabinet. He also replaced American justices on the Supreme Court with Filipino ones. This helped the country manage its own legal affairs. He worked to reorganize government departments to make them more efficient. He created the Council of National Defense and the Mindanao and Sulu Commission.

His presidency addressed many social and economic issues. He worked on land reform to help peasants who did not own land. He also promoted the development of Mindanao through new settlements. Quezon fought against government corruption and graft. He also worked to protect Philippine trade from foreign control. He reorganized the military defense of the islands. Even while managing these tasks, he faced the massive challenge of World War II.

When the Japanese invasion began, the government faced a crisis.

To keep the government running, Quezon established a government in exile in the United States.

He moved to Washington, D.C., to lead from afar. He used radio broadcasts to speak to his people in the Philippines.

He continued to work for his country until his death in 1944. His leadership helped bridge the gap between colonial rule and full independence.