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"My concept of service is honesty and sincerity of purpose; action with results, not speeches with big words."




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.