Quirino: The Architect of Post-War Philippine recovery and Development
Elpidio Quirino was the sixth President of the Republic of the Philippines, leading the state from 1948 till 1953. As an influential leader, Quirino played an important influence role in the reconstruction stage that his country took at its end during the immediate post-WWII time. He was born to a good family on 16th November 1890; Elpidio Rivera Quirino hails from the town of Vigan in the province of Ilocos Sur. He attended the University of the Philippines College of Law and graduated in 1915 and took the bar exams in the same year.
He joined public service immediately after getting a degree as a lawyer, from where he began working for the Department of Finance. He worked his way up, eventually becoming the member of the House of Representatives in 1919. In 1925 he became a senator and earned quite a reputation as a hard-working public servant.
He served in various key positions in the government during the Commonwealth period (1935–1946), among them Secretary of the Department of Finance, Secretary of the Interior, and Vice President under President Sergio Osmeña from 1946 until he assumed the presidency in 1948.
Quirino prospered as president when President Manuel Roxas died suddenly in 1948. Reconstruction work of the country was left to Quirino as the Philippines had not yet regained its economy during World War II. His government could draw huge American aid when it signed the Philippine Rehabilitation Act that granted loans as well as cash to start rebuilding infrastructures, reestablish industries, and resume war damages. This laid down a foundation for the recuperation of the country in the following years.
The Philippine economy began to stabilize under Quirino. Growth in agriculture, infrastructure, and industry was moderate. Quirino tried to do his best on strengthening national security. That was achieved by looking at the threat of the Hukbalahap insurgency, a communist guerrilla group that had started surfacing during the post-war period. Social reforms initiated were in accord with military action to weaken the Huks.
Apart from his concern in economic and security matters, Quirino also provided social reforms. He developed land reforms to make the economic status of the poor people of the country, mostly peasants, better and made improvements in education, health, and more housing. Quirino maintained good foreign relations relationships, especially with the United States, so that the country would stay strategically aligned under the Cold War. Stronger ties with Asian and neighboring countries were established and maintained so that the country could be on solid ground among regional diplomacy. He stayed as president even when he experienced personal tragedies such as the death of his wife, Alicia, and three of his children in a plane crash in 1949. His strength in the face of personal loss and his commitment to public service have become etched in the history of the nation. After his presidency, Quirino retired from active politics but continued pushing for the development of the country. He died on February 29, 1956. All of Quirino's contributions to rebuilding the Philippines, his efforts at overcoming economic and security challenges, and his diplomatic efforts can be considered central within his legacy as a paramount figure in Philippine history.
Very Nice Blog! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post!
ReplyDelete