Manuel Acuña Roxas (January 1, 1892—April 15, 1948) was the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines. He served as president from the granting of independence in 1946 until his abrupt death in 1948.

Early life and career

Roxas was born on January 1, 1892 in a city that was named, postmortem, after him, Roxas City, Capiz to parents Gerardo Roxas and Rosario Acuna.

Roxas studied law at the University of the Philippines and was the Bar topnotcher. He was a career politician who started being a provincial fiscal. He served in various capacities under Manuel L. Quezon's commonwealth government. In 1921, he was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives and in the following year he became speaker.

After the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established (1935), Roxas became a member of the National Assembly, served (1938-1941) as the Secretary of Finance in President Manuel Quezon's cabinet, and was elected (1941) to the Philippine Senate.

In World War II, he was captured (1942) by the Japanese invasion forces. During WWII, however, he served under the Japanese-sponsored Philippine Republic. He was responsible for economic policy under the government of Jose P. Laurel. During this time he also served as an intelligence agent for the underground Philippine guerilla forces. In 1944 he unsuccessfully tried to escape to Allied territory. The returning American forces arrested him a Japanese collaborator. After the war, Gen. Douglas MacArthur pardoned him and reinstated his commission as an officer of the US armed forces. This resuscitated his political career.

In the Philippine election of 1946, Roxas ran for president as the nominee of the liberal wing of the Nacionalista Party. He had the staunch support of General MacArthur. His opponent was Sergio Osmeña, who refused to campaign, saying that the Filipino people knew his reputation. However, in the April 23, 1946 election, Roxas won 54 percent of the vote, and the Liberal Party won a majority in the legislature. When Philippine independence was granted on July 4, 1946, he became the first president of the new republic.

Presidency

Manuel Roxas is depicted on the 100-peso bill

In 1948, Roxas declared amnesty for those arrested for collaborating with the Japanese during World War II, except for those who had committed violent crimes.

On April 15, 1948, he succumbed to a fatal heart attack after delivering a speech at Clark Air Base. He was succeeded by his vice president, Elpidio Quirino.

External links

• The Philippine Presidency Project
• A Country Study: Philippines