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Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina (, , , ; 19 August 1878 – 1 August 1944), also known by his initials MLQ, was a Filipino lawyer, statesman, soldier, and politician who was president of the
Commonwealth of the Philippines The Commonwealth of the Philippines ( es, Commonwealth de Filipinas or ; tl, Komonwelt ng Pilipinas) was the administrative body that governed the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, aside from a period of exile in the Second World War from 1942 ...
from 1935 until his death in 1944. He was the first Filipino to head a government of the entire Philippines and is considered the second president of the Philippines after
Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
(1899–1901), whom Quezon defeated in the 1935 presidential election. During his presidency, Quezon tackled the problem of landless peasants. Other major decisions included the reorganization of the islands' military defense, approval of a recommendation for government reorganization, the promotion of settlement and development in Mindanao, dealing with the foreign stranglehold on Philippine trade and commerce, proposals for land reform, and opposing graft and corruption within the government. He established a government in exile in the U.S. with the outbreak of World War II and the threat of Japanese invasion. Scholars have described Quezon's leadership as a "''de facto'' dictatorship" and described him as "the first Filipino politician to integrate all levels of politics into a synergy of power" after removing his term limits as president and turning the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
into an extension of the executive through constitutional amendments. In 2015, the Board of the
International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation (IRWF) is a non-governmental organization which researches Holocaust rescuers and advocates for their recognition. The organization developed educational programs for school to promote peace and civil s ...
bestowed a posthumous
Wallenberg Medal The Wallenberg Medal of the University of Michigan is awarded to outstanding humanitarians whose actions on behalf of the defenseless and oppressed reflect the heroic commitment and sacrifice of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who rescued ...
on Quezon and the people of the Philippines for reaching out to victims of the Holocaust from 1937 to 1941. President Benigno Aquino III and then-94-year-old Maria Zenaida Quezon Avanceña, the daughter of the former president, were informed of this recognition.


Early life and education

Quezon was born on 19 August 1878 in
Baler A baler or hay baler is a piece of farm machinery used to compress a cut and raked crop (such as hay, cotton, flax straw, salt marsh hay, or silage) into compact bales that are easy to handle, transport, and store. Often, bales are configured ...
in the district of El Príncipe, then the capital of Nueva Ecija (now Baler, Aurora). His parents were Lucio Quezon y Vélez (1850–1898) and María Dolores Molina (1840–1893). Both were primary-school teachers, although his father was a retired ''sargento de Guardia Civil'' (sergeant of the
Civil Guard Civil Guard refers to various policing organisations: Current * Civil Guard (Spain), Spanish gendarmerie * Civil Guard (Israel), Israeli volunteer police reserve * Civil Guard (Brazil), Municipal law enforcement corporations in Brazil Histori ...
). According to historian Augusto de Viana in his timeline of Baler, Quezon's father was a
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
mestizo (; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed Ethnic groups in Europe, European and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also r ...
who came from the Parián (a
Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...
outside Intramuros) in Paco, Manila. He spoke Spanish in the Civil Guard and married María, who was a Spanish mestiza born of Spanish priest Jose Urbina de Esparragosa; Urbina arrived in Baler from
Esparragosa de la Serena Esparragosa de la Serena is a municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' ...
,
Cáceres Province Cáceres is a Spanish surname and placename and may refer to: * Province of Cáceres, in Spain ** Cáceres (Spanish Congress Electoral District), which covers the province * Cáceres, Spain, the capital of Cáceres Province, not a bishopric * Cáce ...
, Spain in 1847 as the parish priest. He later boarded at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran, where he graduated from secondary school in 1894. In 1899, Quezon left his law studies at the University of Santo Tomas to join the independence movement. During the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
, he was an '' aide-de-camp'' to
Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
.Office of History and Preservation, United States Congress. (n.d.). Quezon, Manuel Luis, (1878–1944). ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''. Retrieved 30 September 2010. Quezon became a major, and fought in the Bataan sector. After surrendering in 1900, he returned to university and passed the bar examination in 1903. Quezon worked for a time as a clerk and surveyor, entering government service as treasurer for Mindoro and (later) Tayabas. He became a municipal councilor of Lucena, and was elected governor of Tayabas in 1906.


Congressional career


House of Representatives (1907–1916)

Quezon was elected in 1907 to represent Tayabas's
1st district The Innere Stadt (; Central Bavarian: ''Innare Stod'') is the 1st municipal district of Vienna () located in the center of the Austrian capital. The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Until the city boundaries were expanded in 1850, the Inn ...
in the first Philippine Assembly (which later became the House of Representatives) during the
1st Philippine Legislature The First Philippine Legislature was the first session of the Philippine Legislature, the first representative legislature of the Philippines. Then known as the Philippine Islands, the Philippines under the sovereign control of the United States ...
, where he was majority floor leader and chairman of the committees on rules and appropriations. Quezon told the
U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
during a 1914 discussion of the Jones Bill that he received most of his primary education at the village school established by the Spanish government as part of the Philippines' free public-education system. Months before his term ended, he gave up his seat at the Philippine Assembly upon being appointed as one of the Philippines' two resident commissioners. Serving two terms from 1909 to 1916, he lobbied for the passage of the Philippine Autonomy Act (the Jones Law).


Senate (1916–1935)

Quezon returned to Manila in 1916, and was elected senator from the Fifth Senatorial District. He was later elected
Senate President President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the speaker in some other assemblies. The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for ex ...
and served continuously until 1935 (19 years), the longest tenure in history until Senator Lorenzo Tañada's four consecutive terms (24 years, from 1947 to 1972). Quezon headed the first independent mission to the U.S. Congress in 1919, and secured passage of the Tydings–McDuffie Act in 1934. In 1922, he became leader of the
Nacionalista Party The Nacionalista Party (Filipino and Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; ) is the oldest political party in both the Philippines and in Southeast Asia in general. It is responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th ce ...
alliance Partido Nacionalista-Colectivista.


Presidency (1935–1944)


Administration and cabinet


First term (1935–1941)

In 1935, Quezon won the Philippines' first national presidential election under the
Nacionalista Party The Nacionalista Party (Filipino and Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; ) is the oldest political party in both the Philippines and in Southeast Asia in general. It is responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th ce ...
. He received nearly 68 percent of the vote against his two main rivals,
Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
and Gregorio Aglipay. Quezon, inaugurated on November 15, 1935, is recognized as the second President of the Philippines. In January 2008, however, House Representative Rodolfo Valencia ( Oriental Mindoro1st) filed a bill seeking to declare General
Miguel Malvar Miguel Malvar y Carpio (September 27, 1865 – October 13, 1911) was a Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and, subsequently, during the Philippine–American War. He assumed command of the Philippine revolutionary force ...
the second Philippine President; Malvar succeeded Aguinaldo in 1901.


Supreme Court appointments

Under the Reorganization Act, Quezon was given the power to appoint the first all-Filipino cabinet in 1935. From 1901 to 1935, a Filipino was chief justice but most Supreme Court justices were Americans. Complete Filipinization was achieved with the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935. Claro M. Recto and José P. Laurel were among Quezon's first appointees to replace the American justices. Membership in the Supreme Court increased to 11: a chief justice and ten associate justices, who sat ''en banc'' or in two divisions of five members each. *
Ramón Avanceña Ramón Avanceña y Quiosay (April 13, 1872 – June 12, 1957) was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He served from 1925 to 1941, when he resigned at the beginning of the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during Wor ...
 – 1935 ( Chief Justice) – 1935–1941 * José Abad Santos – 1935 * Claro M. Recto – 1935–1936 *
José P. Laurel José Paciano Laurel y García (; March 9, 1891 – November 6, 1959) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, and judge, who served as the president of the Japanese-occupied Second Philippine Republic, a puppet state during World War II, from 1943 ...
 – 1935 * José Abad Santos (Chief Justice) – 1941–1942


Government reorganization

To meet the demands of the newly-established government and comply with the Tydings-McDuffie Act and the Constitution, Quezon, true to his pledge of "more government and less politics,"initiated a reorganization of the government. He established a Government Survey Board to study existing institutions and, in light of changed circumstances, make necessary recommendations. Early results were seen with the revamping of the executive department; offices and bureaus were merged or abolished, and others were created. Quezon ordered the transfer of the Philippine Constabulary from the
Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...
to the
Department of Finance A ministry of finance is a part of the government in most countries that is responsible for matters related to the finance. Lists of current ministries of finance Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Finance (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Finance and Ec ...
. Other changes were made to the National Defense, Agriculture and Commerce, Public Works and Communications, and Health and Public Welfare departments. New offices and boards were created by executive order or legislation. Among these were the Council of National Defense, the Board of National Relief, the Mindanao and Sulu Commission, and the
Civil Service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
Board of Appeals.


Social-justice program

Pledging to improve the conditions of the Philippine working class and inspired by the social doctrines of Pope Leo XIII and
Pope Pius XI Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...
and treatises by the world's leading sociologists, Quezon began a program of social justice introduced with executive measures and legislation by the National Assembly. A court for industrial relations was established to mediate disputes, minimizing the impact of strikes and lockouts. A minimum-wage law was enacted, as well as a law providing an eight-hour workday and a tenancy law for Filipino farmers. The position of public defender was created to assist the poor. Commonwealth Act No. 20 enabled Quezon to acquire large, occupied estates to re-appropriate their lots and homes at a nominal cost and under terms affordable by their residents; one example was the Buenavista estate. He also began a cooperative system of agriculture among owners of the subdivided estates to increase their income. Quezon desired to follow the constitutional mandate on the promotion of social justice.


Economy

When the Commonwealth was created, its economy was stable and promising. With foreign trade peaking at , the upward trend in business resembled a boom. Export crops were generally good and, except for tobacco, were in high demand. The value of Philippine exports reached , the highest since 1929. Government revenue in 1936 was , compared to the 1935 revenue of . Government companies, except for the Manila Railroad Company, earned profits. Gold production increased about 37 percent, iron nearly doubled, and cement production increased by about 14 percent. The government had to address some economic problems, however, and the National Economic Council was created. It advised the government about economic and financial questions, including the promotion of industries, diversification of crops and enterprises, tariffs, taxation, and formulating an economic program in preparation for eventual independence. The National Development Company was reorganized by law, and the National Rice and Corn Company (NARIC) was created with a budget. Upon the recommendation of the National Economic Council, agricultural colonies were established in Koronadal, Malig, and other locations in Mindanao. The government encouraged migration and settlement in the colonies. The Agricultural and Industrial Bank was established to aid small farmers with convenient loans and affordable terms. Attention was paid to soil surveying and the disposition of public land.


Land reform

When the commonwealth government was established, Quezon implemented the Rice Share Tenancy Act of 1933 to regulate share-tenancy contracts by establishing minimum standards. The act provided a better tenant-landlord relationship, a 50–50 sharing of the crop, regulation of interest at 10 percent per agricultural year, and protected against arbitrary dismissal by the landlord. Because of a major flaw in the act, however, no petition to apply it was ever presented. The flaw was that it could be used only when the majority of municipal councils in a province petitioned for it. Since landowners usually controlled such councils, no province ever asked that the law be applied. Quezon ordered that the act be mandatory in all Central Luzon provinces. However, contracts were good for only one year; by refusing to renew their contract, landlords could eject tenants. Peasant organizations clamored in vain for a law which would make a contract automatically renewable as long as tenants fulfilled their obligations. The act was amended to eliminate this loophole in 1936, but it was never carried out; by 1939, thousands of peasants in Central Luzon were threatened with eviction. Quezon's desire to placate both landlords and tenants pleased neither. Thousands of tenants in Central Luzon were evicted from their farmlands by the early 1940s, and the rural conflict was more acute than ever. During the Commonwealth period, agrarian problems persisted. This motivated the government to incorporate a social-justice principle into the 1935 Constitution. Dictated by the government's social-justice program, expropriation of estates and other landholdings began. The National Land Settlement Administration (NLSA) began an orderly settlement of public agricultural lands. At the outbreak of the Second World War, settlement areas covering over had been established.


Educational reforms

With his Executive Order No. 19, dated 19 February 1936, Quezon created the National Council of Education. Rafael Palma, former president of the University of the Philippines, was its first chairman. Funds from the early Residence Certificate Law were devoted to maintaining public schools throughout the country and opening many more. There were 6,511 primary schools, 1,039 intermediate schools, 133 secondary and special schools, and five junior colleges by this time. Total enrollment was 1,262,353, with 28,485 teachers. The 1936 appropriation was . Private schools taught over 97,000 students, and the Office of Adult Education was created.


Women's suffrage

Quezon initiated women's suffrage during the Commonwealth era. As a result of prolonged debate between proponents and opponents of women's suffrage, the constitution provided that the issue be resolved by women in a plebiscite. If at least 300,000 women voted for the right to vote, it would be granted. The plebiscite was held on 30 April 1937; there were 447,725 affirmative votes, and 44,307 opposition votes.


National language

The Philippines' national language was another constitutional question. After a one-year study, the Institute of National Language recommended that
Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...
be the basis for a national language. The proposal was well-received, despite the fact that director
Jaime C. de Veyra Jaime Carlos Diaz de Veyra (November 4, 1873 – March 7, 1963) was a Resident Commissioner to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Philippine Islands from 1917 to 1923 and the 1st Governor of Leyte from 1906 to 1907. Early life He was ...
was
Waray Waray may refer to: * Waray people of the Philippines * Waray language, the fifth most spoken native language of the Philippines, spoken by the Waray people * Waray literature * Warray language Warray (Waray) was an Australian language spoken ...
, this is because Baler, Quezon's birthplace, is a native Tagalog-speaking area. In December 1937, Quezon issued a proclamation approving the institute's recommendation and declaring that the national language would become effective in two years. With presidential approval, the INL began work on a Tagalog grammar text and dictionary.


Visits to Japan (1937–1938)

As Imperial Japan encroached on the Philippines, Quezon antagonized neither the American nor the Japanese officials. He travelled twice to Japan as president, from 31 January to 2 February 1937 and from 29 June to 10 July 1938, to meet with government officials. Quezon emphasized that he would remain loyal to the United States, assuring protection of the rights of the Japanese who resided in the Philippines. Quezon's visits may have signalled the Philippines' inclination to remain neutral in the event of a Japanese-American conflict if the U.S. disregarded the country's concerns.


Council of State expansion

In 1938, Quezon expanded the Council of State in Executive Order No. 144. This highest of advisory bodies to the president would be composed of the President, Vice President,
Senate President President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the speaker in some other assemblies. The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for ex ...
,
House Speaker The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerfo ...
, Senate President pro tempore, House Speaker pro tempore, the majority floor leaders of both chambers of Congress, former presidents, and three to five prominent citizens.


1938 midterm election

The elections for the Second National Assembly were held on 8 November 1938 under a new law which allowed block voting and favored the governing
Nacionalista Party The Nacionalista Party (Filipino and Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; ) is the oldest political party in both the Philippines and in Southeast Asia in general. It is responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th ce ...
. As expected, all 98 assembly seats went to the Nacionalistas. José Yulo, Quezon's Secretary of Justice from 1934 to 1938, was elected speaker. The Second National Assembly intended to pass legislation strengthening the economy, but the Second World War clouded the horizon; laws passed by the First National Assembly were modified or repealed to meet existing realities. A controversial
immigration law Immigration law refers to the national statutes, regulations Regulation is the management of complex systems according to a set of rules and trends. In systems theory, these types of rules exist in various fields of biology and society, but the ...
which set an annual limit of 50 immigrants per country, primarily affecting Chinese and Japanese nationals escaping the Sino-Japanese War, was passed in 1940. Since the law affected foreign relations, it required the approval of the U.S. president. When the 1939 census was published, the National Assembly updated the apportionment of legislative districts; this became the basis for the 1941 elections.


1939 plebiscite

On 7 August 1939, the United States Congress enacted a law in accordance with the recommendations of the Joint Preparatory Commission on Philippine Affairs. Because the new law required an amendment of the Ordinance appended to the Constitution, a plebiscite was held on 24 August 1939. The amendment received 1,339,453 votes in favor, and 49,633 against.


Third official language

] Quezon had established the Institute of National Language (INL) to create a national language for the country. On 30 December 1937, i
Executive Order No. 134
he declared
Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...
the Philippines' national language; it was taught in schools during the 1940–1941 academic year. The National Assembly later enacted Law No. 570, making the Filipino language, national language an official language with English and Spanish; this became effective on 4 July 1946, with the establishment of the Philippine Republic.


1940 plebiscites

With the 1940 local elections, plebiscites were held for proposed amendments to the constitution about a bicameral legislature, the presidential term (four years, with one re-election, and the establishment of an independent Commission on Elections. The amendments were overwhelmingly ratified. Speaker José Yulo and Assemblyman Dominador Tan traveled to the United States to obtain President Franklin D. Roosevelt's approval, which they received on 2 December 1940. Two days later, Quezon proclaimed the amendments.


1941 presidential election

Quezon was originally barred by the Philippine constitution from seeking re-election. In 1940, however, a constitutional amendment was ratified which allowed him to serve a second term ending in 1943. In the 1941 presidential election, Quezon was re-elected over former
Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
Juan Sumulong with nearly 82 percent of the vote. He was inaugurated on December 30, 1941 at the Malinta Tunnel in
Corregidor Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historically b ...
. The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines José Abad Santos. Corregidor was chosen as the venue of the inauguration and temporary seat of the government in-exile to take refuge from the uninterrupted Japanese bombing raids during the Japanese invasion.


Second term (1941–1944)


Pre-war activity

As crises mounted in the Pacific, the Philippines prepared for war. Youth military training under General
Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
was intensified. The first blackout practice was held on the night of 10 July 1941 in Manila. First aid was taught in all schools and social clubs. Quezon established the Civilian Emergency Administration (CEA) on 1 April 1941, with branches in provinces and towns. Air-raid drills were also held.


Jewish refugees

In cooperation with U.S. High Commissioner
Paul V. McNutt Paul Vories McNutt (July 19, 1891 – March 24, 1955) was an American diplomat and politician who served as the 34th governor of Indiana, high commissioner to the Philippines, administrator of the Federal Security Agency, chairman of the ...
, Quezon facilitated the entry into the Philippines of Jewish refugees fleeing fascist regimes in Europe and took on critics who were convinced by propaganda that Jewish settlement was a threat to the country. Quezon and McNutt proposed 30,000 refugee families on Mindanao and 30,000-40,000 refugees on Polillo. Quezon made a 10-year loan to Manila's Jewish Refugee Committee of land adjacent to his family home in Marikina to house homeless refugees in Marikina Hall (the present-day
Philippine School of Business Administration The Philippine School of Business Administration is a college located in Quezon City in Metro Manila, Philippines. The college was established in 1963. Academic programs Undergraduate studies *Bachelor of Science in Accountancy *Bachelor of Sc ...
), which was dedicated on 23 April 1940.


Government in exile

After the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II, Quezon evacuated to
Corregidor Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historically b ...
(where he was inaugurated for his second term) and then to the Visayas and Mindanao. At the invitation of the U.S. government, he was evacuated to Australia, and then to the United States. Quezon established the Commonwealth government in exile, with its headquarters in Washington, D.C. He was a member of the
Pacific War Council The Pacific War Council was an inter-governmental body established in 1942 and intended to control the Allied war effort in the Pacific and Asian campaigns of World War II. Following the establishment of the short-lived American-British-Dutch- ...
, signed the United Nations declaration against the Axis powers and wrote ''The Good Fight'', his autobiography. To conduct government business in exile, Quezon hired the entire floor of one wing of the
Shoreham Hotel The Omni Shoreham Hotel is a historic resort and convention hotel in Northwest Washington, D.C., built in 1930 and owned by Omni Hotels. It is located one block west of the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Calvert Street. The hotel is known ...
to accommodate his family and his office. Government offices were established at the quarters of Philippine Resident Commissioner Joaquin Elizalde, who became a member of Quezon's wartime cabinet. Other cabinet appointees were Brigadier-General
Carlos P. Romulo Carlos Peña Romulo Sr. (January 14, 1898 – December 15, 1985) was a Filipino diplomat, statesman, soldier, journalist and author. He was a reporter at the age of 16, a newspaper editor by 20, and a publisher at 32. He was a co-founder of t ...
as Secretary of the Department of Information and Public Relations and Jaime Hernandez as Auditor General. Sitting under a canvas canopy outside the Malinta Tunnel on 22 January 1942, Quezon heard a
fireside chat The fireside chats were a series of evening radio addresses given by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, between 1933 and 1944. Roosevelt spoke with familiarity to millions of Americans about recovery from the Great De ...
during which President Roosevelt said that the Allied forces were determined to defeat Berlin and Rome, followed by Tokyo. Quezon was infuriated, summoned General MacArthur and asked him if the U.S. would support the Philippines; if not, Quezon would return to Manila and allow himself to become a prisoner of war. MacArthur replied that if the Filipinos fighting the Japanese learned that he returned to Manila and became a Japanese puppet, they would consider him a turncoat. Quezon then heard another broadcast by former president Emilio Aguinaldo urging him and his fellow Filipino officials to yield to superior Japanese forces. Quezon wrote a message to Roosevelt saying that he and his people had been abandoned by the U.S. and it was Quezon's duty as president to stop fighting. MacArthur learned about the message, and ordered Major General Richard Marshall to counterbalance it with American propaganda whose purpose was the "glorification of Filipino loyalty and heroism".
On 2 June 1942, Quezon addressed
the United States House of Representatives about the necessity of relieving the Philippine front. He did the same to the Senate, urging the senators to adopt the slogan "Remember Bataan". Despite his declining health, Quezon traveled across the U.S. to remind the American people about the Philippine war.


Wartime

Quezon broadcast a radio message to Philippine residents in Hawaii, who purchased worth of war bonds, for his first birthday celebration in the United States. Indicating the Philippine government's cooperation with the war effort, he offered the U.S. Army a Philippine infantry regiment which was authorized by the War Department to train in California. Quezon had the Philippine government acquire Elizalde's yacht; renamed ''Bataan'' and crewed by Philippine officers and sailors, it was donated to the United States for use in the war. In early November 1942, Quezon conferred with Roosevelt on a plan for a joint commission to study the post-war Philippine economy. Eighteen months later, the United States Congress passed an act creating the Philippine Rehabilitation Commission.


Quezon-Osmeña impasse

By 1943, the Philippine government in exile was faced with a crisis. According to the 1935 constitution, Quezon's term would expire on 30 December 1943 and Vice-President Sergio Osmeña would succeed him as president. Osmeña wrote to Quezon advising him of this, and Quezon issued a press release and wrote to Osmeña that a change in leadership would be unwise at that time. Osmeña then requested the opinion of
U.S. Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...
Homer Cummings Homer Stille Cummings (April 30, 1870 – September 10, 1956) was an American lawyer and politician who was the United States Attorney General from 1933 to 1939. He also was elected mayor of Stamford, Connecticut, three times before founding the ...
, who upheld Osmeña's view as consistent with the law. Quezon remained adamant, and sought President Roosevelt's decision. Roosevelt remained aloof from the controversy, suggesting that the Philippine officials resolve the impasse. Quezon convened a cabinet meeting with Osmeña, Resident Commissioner Joaquín Elizalde, Brigadier General
Carlos P. Romulo Carlos Peña Romulo Sr. (January 14, 1898 – December 15, 1985) was a Filipino diplomat, statesman, soldier, journalist and author. He was a reporter at the age of 16, a newspaper editor by 20, and a publisher at 32. He was a co-founder of t ...
and his cabinet secretaries, Andrés Soriano and Jaime Hernandez. After a discussion, the cabinet supported Elizalde's position in favor of the constitution, and Quezon announced his plan to retire in California. After the meeting, Osmeña approached Quezon and broached his plan to ask the United States Congress to suspend the constitutional provisions for presidential succession until after the Philippines had been liberated; this legal way out was agreeable to Quezon and his cabinet, and steps were taken to carry out the proposal. Sponsored by Senator Tydings and Congressman Bell, the resolution was unanimously approved by the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
on a voice vote and passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 181 to 107 on 10 November 1943. He was inaugurated for the third time on November 15, 1943 in Washington, D.C. The oath of office was administered by US Associate Justice Felix Frankfurter.


Death and burial

Quezon had developed tuberculosis and spent his last years in hospitals, including a Miami Beach Army hospital in April 1944. That summer, he was at a cure cottage in Saranac Lake, New York. Quezon died there at 10:05 a.m. ET on 1 August 1944, at age 65. His remains were initially buried in Arlington National Cemetery, but his body was brought by former
Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
and High Commissioner Frank Murphy aboard the and re-interred in the Manila North Cemetery on 17 July 1946. Those were then moved to a miniature copy of Napoleon's tomb at the Quezon Memorial Shrine in Quezon City, on 1 August 1979.


Electoral history


Personal life

Quezon was married to his first cousin, Aurora Aragón Quezon, on 17 December 1918. They had four children: María Aurora "Baby" Quezon (23 September 1919 – 28 April 1949), María Zenaida "Nini" Quezon-Avanceña (9 April 1921 – 12 July 2021), Luisa Corazón Paz "Nenita" Quezon (17 February – 14 December 1924) and Manuel L. "Nonong" Quezon, Jr. (23 June 1926 – 18 September 1998). His grandson, Manuel L. "Manolo" Quezon III (born 30 May 1970), a writer and former undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office, was named after him.


Awards and honors

''The Foreign Orders, Medals and Decorations of President Manuel L. Quezon:'' *Foreign Awards **: : , Officer **: : Order of the Aztec Eagle, Collar **: : Order of the Crown, Grand Cross ** Spain: :
Orden de la República Española The Order of the Spanish Republic (Spanish: "Orden de la República Española") was founded in 1932 in the Second Spanish Republic for civil and military merit to the state. It replaced the orders of merit of the former Spanish Monarchy and had ...
, Grand Cross **: : Order of Brilliant Jade, Grand Cordon *National Honors **: Order of the Golden Heart, Grand Collar (''Maringal na Kuwintas'') - 19 August 1960 **: Order of the Knights of Rizal, Knight Grand Cross of Rizal (KGCR) File:The Foreign Orders and Decorations of President Manuel L. Quezon.jpg, Foreign Orders and Decorations of Quezon displayed in the Presidential Museum and Library File:Quezon Inauguration Swearing In.jpg, Quezon taking the
Oath of Office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before assuming the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. Such ...
at his
Inauguration In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inaugu ...
at the Legislative Building on November 15, 1935 File:Quezon Inauguration Speech.jpg, Quezon delivering hi
Inaugural Address
at the Legislative Building on November 15, 1935 in Manila


Legacy

Quezon City, the province of Quezon,
Quezon Bridge Quezon Bridge is a combined arch and prestressed concrete girder bridge crossing the Pasig River between Quezon Boulevard in Quiapo and Padre Burgos Avenue in Ermita in Manila, Philippines. Quezon Bridge was built to take the much greater and ...
in Manila,
Manuel L. Quezon University The Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU) is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational basic and higher education institution in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. It is named after the second president of the Philippine Manuel L. Quezon. History ...
, and many streets are named after him. The Quezon Service Cross is the Philippines' highest honor. Quezon is memorialized on Philippine currency, appearing on the Philippine twenty-peso note and two commemorative 1936 one-peso coins: one with Frank Murphy and another with
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
. Open Doors, a Holocaust memorial in
Rishon LeZion Rishon LeZion ( he, רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן , ''lit.'' First to Zion, Arabic: راشون لتسيون) is a city in Israel, located along the central Israeli coastal plain south of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan ar ...
, Israel, is a sculpture designed by Filipino artist Luis Lee Jr. It was erected in honor of Quezon and the Filipinos who saved over 1,200 Jews from Nazi Germany. Municipalities in six provinces are named after Quezon: Quezon, Bukidnon;
Quezon, Isabela Quezon, officially the Municipality of Quezon ( ibg, Ili nat Quezon; ilo, Ili ti Quezon; tl, Bayan ng Quezon), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 27,037 p ...
;
Quezon, Nueva Ecija Quezon, officially the Municipality of Quezon ( pag, Baley na Quezon; ilo, Ili ti Quezon; tl, Bayan ng Quezon; es, Municipio de Quezon), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines that was named from the 2nd presid ...
;
Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya Quezon, officially the Municipality of Quezon ( gad, Ili na Quezon; ilo, Ili ti Quezon; tl, Bayan ng Quezon), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 24,055 ...
; Quezon, Palawan; and
Quezon, Quezon Quezon, officially the Municipality of Quezon ( tgl, Bayan ng Quezon), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 15,886 people. The municipality was named after Ma ...
. The ''Presidential Papers of Manuel L. Quezon'' was inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2011. Quezon Island is the most developed island in the Hundred Islands National Park. Annually on 19 August, Manuel L. Quezon Day is celebrated throughout the Philippines as a special working holiday, except for the provinces of Quezon (including Lucena) and Aurora and Quezon City, where it is a non-working holiday. File:QSCMedal.jpg, alt=A medal in a case, The Quezon Service Cross, the Philippines' highest civilian honor File:QuezonMonumentjf7744 03.JPG, alt=Outdoor monument of a standing Quezon, Monument in Lucena File:Manuel L. Quezon-TIME-1935.jpg, alt=See caption, '' Time'' cover, 1935 File:Manuel L. Quezón 1978 stamp of the Philippines.jpg, alt=See caption, 1978 birth-centenary stamp File:1878-1978 MANUEL L QUEZON commemorative.jpg, Commemorative coin released in 1978 File:20 peso Coin Philippines font.png, ₱20 coin introduced in 2019 File:PHP200 English series bill.jpg, alt=Picture of Quezon on a green banknote, English series banknote File:Presidential Car of Manuel Luis Quezon.jpg, The 1935 Cadillac V-16 car of President Quezon displayed at the
Presidential Car Museum The Presidential Car Museum ( fil, Museo ng Pampangulong Sasakyan) is a museum within the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The museum displays cars used by the former Philippine Presidents. History The National His ...


In popular culture

Quezon was played by Richard Gutierrez in th
2010 music video
of the Philippine national anthem produced and aired by GMA Network. Arnold Reyes played him in the musical ''MLQ: Ang Buhay ni Manuel Luis Quezon'' (2015). Quezon was played by Benjamin Alves in the film, ''
Heneral Luna ''Heneral Luna'' () is a 2015 Filipino historical biopic film depicting General Antonio Luna's leadership of the Philippine Revolutionary Army during the Philippine–American War. Directed by Jerrold Tarog and produced by Artikulo Uno Product ...
'' (2015). Alves and TJ Trinidad portrayed him in the 2018 film '' Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral'' (2018). Quezon was played by Raymond Bagatsing in the film ''
Quezon's Game ''Quezon's Game'' is a 2018 Philippine Biographical film, biographical drama film directed by Matthew Rosen. The film centers on Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon and his plan to shelter History of the Jews in Germany, German and History of th ...
'' (2019).


Speech recording

A sample of Quezon's voice is preserved in a recorded speech
"Message to My People"
which he delivered in English and Spanish. Quezon recorded it while he was
President of the Senate President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the speaker in some other assemblies. The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for e ...
"in the 1920s, when he was first diagnosed with tuberculosis and assumed he didn't have much longer to live," according to his grandson Manuel L. Quezon III.


See also

* List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress * List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress


Notes


References


Citations


Bibliography

* * *


External links


Bonnie Harris, ''Cantor Joseph Cysner: From Zbaszyn to Manila.''

Online E-book of ''Future of the Philippines : interviews with Manuel Quezon''
by Edward Price Bell, The Chicago Daily News Co., 1925
Online E-book of ''Discursos del Manuel L. Quezon, comissionado residente de Filipinas, pronunciados en la cámara de representantes de la discusión del Bill Jones (26, Septiembre-14, Octubre, 1914)''
published in Manila, 1915 *
Manuel L. Quezon on the Presidential Museum and Library
*
The Good Fight
'' autobiography, published 1946 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Quezon, Manuel L. 1878 births 1944 deaths 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Filipino city founders Colegio de San Juan de Letran alumni Exiled politicians Filipino exiles Filipino expatriates in the United States Filipino military leaders Filipino people of Spanish descent Filipino people of Chinese descent Filipino politicians of Chinese descent Filipino revolutionaries Governors of Quezon Hispanic and Latino American members of the United States Congress History of the Philippines (1898–1946) Tuberculosis deaths in New York (state) Majority leaders of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Quezon Members of the United States Congress of Filipino descent Military history of the Philippines during World War II Nacionalista Party politicians People from Aurora (province) Candidates in the 1935 Philippine presidential election Candidates in the 1941 Philippine presidential election Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia Officers of the Legion of Honour 19th-century Roman Catholics 20th-century Roman Catholics Filipino Roman Catholics People from Quezon People from Saranac Lake, New York People of the Philippine Revolution People of the Philippine–American War People who rescued Jews during the Holocaust Presidents of the Nacionalista Party Presidents of the Philippines Presidents of the Senate of the Philippines
Manuel Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name) * Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manu ...
Resident commissioners of the Philippines Secretaries of national defense of the Philippines Senators of the 5th Philippine Legislature Senators of the 6th Philippine Legislature Senators of the 7th Philippine Legislature Senators of the 8th Philippine Legislature Senators of the 9th Philippine Legislature Senators of the 10th Philippine Legislature Tagalog people University of Santo Tomas alumni World War II political leaders Filipino independence activists 20th-century presidents in Asia Members of the Senate of the Philippines from the 5th district