Nepedia
Back to Discover
Advanced Reader
📖

Manuel Roxas

society Maturity 11-13 death dying politics Next article →

This article covers sensitive topics: death_dying, politics. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

Manuel Roxas was a central figure in the transition of the Philippines to a sovereign nation.

Official Portrait of President Manuel Roxas, 1947
Official Portrait of President Manuel Roxas, 1947

He served as the fifth president of the Philippines from 1946 until his death in 1948. Before this, he was the third and final President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. His leadership marked the beginning of the Independent Third Philippine Republic. This era began after the United States ceded its sovereignty over the islands.

Seal of the President of the Philippines 1947-1951
Seal of the President of the Philippines 1947-1951

Roxas was born on January 1, 1892, in Capiz.

Young Manuel Roxas
Young Manuel Roxas

His early life involved significant personal loss. His father died after being wounded by the Spanish Guardia Civil. Roxas received his early education in public schools in Capiz. He later attended St. Joseph's College in Hong Kong. However, he returned to Capiz because he was homesick. He eventually graduated from Manila High School with honors in 1909.

His academic career was marked by exceptional achievement in law. He studied at the University of the Philippines. There, he was elected president of his class and the student council. In 1913, he earned his law degree as the class valedictorian. He also topped the bar examinations with a score of 92%. These credentials led him to become a law professor. He also served as a secretary to a Supreme Court judge.

Manuel Roxas, Speaker of H., Phillippines LOC npcc.10140
Manuel Roxas, Speaker of H., Phillippines LOC npcc.10140

His political rise involved many different levels of government. He began in the municipal council of Capiz. He then became the youngest provincial governor of Capiz. Later, he was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives. He served as the Speaker of the House for twelve consecutive years. He also held roles such as secretary of finance and chairman of the National Economic Council. Roxas was part of the Nacionalista Party, which was led by the hacendado class. This class owned large estates known as haciendas.

Honorable Manuel Roxas (Delegates from the Philippines)
Honorable Manuel Roxas (Delegates from the Philippines)

During the 1930s, Roxas focused on the complex issue of independence. He traveled to the United States to lobby the U.S. Congress. He worked with officials like Secretary of State Henry Stimson and Secretary of War Patrick Hurley. At the time, many Filipinos feared that immediate independence would hurt their economy. They worried about high tariffs on agricultural goods. Roxas advocated for a slower path to independence to protect trade. This approach helped lead to the creation of the Philippine Commonwealth.

Embassy of Gabon, Washington, D.C
Embassy of Gabon, Washington, D.C

World War II brought sudden and violent changes to the region. In 1941, Japan invaded the Philippines.

Lt. Col Jimbo, Gen. Sharp and Gen. Roxas, 1942
Lt. Col Jimbo, Gen. Sharp and Gen. Roxas, 1942

Roxas served as a brigadier general in the United States Army Forces in the Far East. He was a recognized guerrilla leader and military leader. During the invasion, he supervised the destruction of Philippine currency on Corregidor. This was done to prevent the Japanese from capturing it. He later went to Mindanao to direct resistance efforts.

Roxas-w960
Roxas-w960

After the war, Roxas helped lead the new Republic. He was inaugurated as the first president of the Third Republic on July 4, 1946.

Manuelroxasinaguration
Manuelroxasinaguration

His presidency was brief because he died on April 15, 1948. His life connected the era of American rule to the era of Philippine independence. He navigated the difficult politics of patronage and international diplomacy. His career spanned local governance, military leadership, and national presidency.

ManuelRoxas Last
ManuelRoxas Last
520 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (17)
File:Young Manuel Roxas.jpg
Young Manuel Roxas.jpg
File:Manuel Roxas of Capiz, Primer Distrito (1923).jpg
Manuel Roxas of Capiz, Primer Distrito (1923).jpg
File:Manuel Roxas, Speaker of H., Phillippines LOC npcc.10140.jpg
Manuel Roxas, Speaker of H., Phillippines...
File:Honorable Manuel Roxas (Delegates from the Philippines).jpg
Honorable Manuel Roxas (Delegates from...
File:Embassy of Gabon, Washington, D.C.jpg
Embassy of Gabon, Washington, D.C.jpg
File:Lt. Col Jimbo, Gen. Sharp and Gen. Roxas, 1942.png
Lt. Col Jimbo, Gen. Sharp and Gen. Roxas, 1942.png
File:Roxas-w960.jpg
Roxas-w960.jpg
File:Seal_of_the_President_of_the_Philippines_1947-1951.svg
Seal_of_the_President_of_the_Philippines_1...
File:Official Portrait of President Manuel Roxas, 1947.jpg
Official Portrait of President Manuel...
1946-07-15 Philippines Independence Proclaimed.ogv
File:Manuelroxasinaguration.jpg
Manuelroxasinaguration.jpg
File:Philippine President Manuel Roxas's cabinet (1947).jpg
Philippine President Manuel Roxas's...

+ 5 more

More to explore

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.