Ramon Magsaysay was a popular president with the people during his time. Coming from humble
beginnings, he had worked as a mechanic, became a guerilla leader during World War II, a
provincial governor in 1946 and a congressman on the same year. He was appointed by President
Elpidio Quirino as Secretary of Defense where he was able to stop the revolt of the Hukbalahap or
Hukbong Bayan Laban Sa Hapon. He served as a cabinet member for five years and ran for
president in 1953. He defeated Quirino and became the third president of the Third Philippine
Republic.
As president, he "'campaigned for the development of cooperatives and the extension of liberalized
credit facilities to farmers'. He also 'accelerated the acquisition of big estates and opened public
agricultural lands for distribution and sale to the tenant-farmers in accordance with the Land Reform
Act of 1955, he set up the Court of Agrarian Relations to settle tenancy disputes,' he 'signed the
Laurel-Langley Agreement which accelerated Phil. duties on imports from the US and decelerated
US duties on imports from the Philippines from 1956 to 1974,' and 'continued the revitalized drive
against dissidence which led to the surrender of Luis Taruc'" (Brilliantes: 1994, 92-93).
Due to a plane crash in Cebu which caused his death, his administration did not last. He died, with
two others in Mt. Manungal.