Elpidio Quirino - Presidents of the Philippines

Elpidio Quirino

Political leader and second president of the Independent Republic of the Philippines, Elpidio Quirino was born on November 16, 1890 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

Vice- president Elpidio Quirino took his oath of office as president on April 17, 1948, two days after the death of Roxas. He continued the unexpired terms of Roxas. President Quirino inherited the unsolved problems of the Republic. Among these were peace and order, economic rehabilitation and restoration of faith and confidence in the government.

Towards the middle part of the Roxas administration the strength of the Huks increased tremendously. Pres. Roxas, in an attempt to eliminate the problem issued a proclamation on March 6, 1948 declaring the Hukbalahap as an illegal association. This made the Huks enemies of the government. Arrest and shoot-to-kill orders were issued against them.

Pres. Quirino approached the Huk problem differently. He initiated negotiations with the Huk leader, Luis Taruc, through his brother, Antonio Quirino. On June 21, 1948, Pres. Quirino issued a proclamation granting amnesty to all members of the Hukbalahap. The Huks were granted pardon for such crimes as rebellion, sedition, illegal association and disobedience to law. In return, the Huks agreed to surrender their arms to government authorities within fifty days after the grant of amnesty.

However it did not work. On its 50th day, there was fighting between the Huks and government troops. Luis Taruc deplored the failure of Pres. Quirino to implement the reforms they demanded. With the failure of amnesty, Huk aggression continued.

In 1950, the United States government sent a mission headed by Daniel Bill to evaluate the economic development of the country. It reported that economic development was quite slow. The government, too, was spending more than what it was earning. It then was beginning to be indebted heavily.

Based on the recommendations of the Bill mission, the government signed the Quirino - Foster Agreement in 1950. The agreement provided for a $200 million loan to the country.

In the area of foreign trade, the Free Trade Act of 1946 was found to be disadvantages to the country. Pres. Quirino attempted to introduce the policy of economic nationalism. A bill was introduced in Congress to control importation.

To boost agricultural production, the government created the Agricultural Credit Cooperative Financing Administration (ACCFA). The primary function of this institution was to extend loans to farmers and to facilitate the marketing of agricultural products. Rural banks were also opened to help farmers obtain agricultural loans.

Another serious problem faced by the Quirino administration was the declining credibility of the government. The widespread poverty and acts of graft and corruption in some government offices also contributed to the declining faith of the people in government. Scandalous transactions of some government officials lowered the prestige of government.

On top of all these was the increasing threat of the Huks who burned and ransacked towns and barrios.

Pres. Quirino tried to restore the people's faith in government. He conducted weekly broadcast at Malacañang to inform the people of the activities of the government. To help the poor and the needy, the President's Action Committee on Social Amelioration (PACSA) was created. The government also approved the Minimum Wage Law who set the daily wage of laborers, teachers and other public employees.