Elpidio Rivera Quirino (; November 16, 1890 – February 29, 1956) was the sixth president of the Philippines, serving from 1948 to 1953. As the second vice president from 1946 to 1948, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Manuel Roxas in 1948.

A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur's first district from 1919 to 1922. He was then elected as a senator from 1925 to 1935. In 1934, he became a member of the Philippine Independence Commission that was sent to Washington, D.C., which secured the passage of Tydings–McDuffie Act to the United States Congress. In 1935, he was also elected to the 1935 Constitutional Convention that drafted the 1935 Philippine Constitution for the newly established Philippine Commonwealth. In the new government, he served as secretary of the interior and finance under the cabinet of President Manuel L. Quezon.

After World War II, Quirino was elected vice-president in the April 1946 presidential election, consequently the second and last for the Commonwealth and first for the Third Republic. He won a full term under the Liberal Party ticket, defeating Nacionalista former president José P. Laurel as well as fellow Liberalista and former Senate President José Dira Avelino. The Quirino administration was generally challenged by the Hukbalahap, who ransacked towns and barrios. Quirino ran for president again in November 1953 but was defeated by Ramon Magsaysay in a landslide.

Early life and education

thumb|left|Quirino, Sabino Padilla, and [[Jose P. Laurel, part of UP Class 1915, photographed in 1924]]

Elpidio Quirino y Rivera was born on November 16, 1890, at the Vigan Provincial Jail in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. He was the third child of Mariano Quirino y Quebral of Caoayan, Ilocos Sur and Gregoria Rivera y Mendoza of Agoo, La Union. A Chinese mestizo descendant, Quirino was baptized on November 19, 1890.

Quirino first attended secondary education at Vigan High School, during which he also worked as a teacher in barrio Caparia-an, Caoayan, Ilocos Sur. He later transferred to Manila High School in Intramuros, Manila, after earning enough finances. He later studied law at the University of the Philippines. He was one of the topnotchers of the 1915 Philippine Bar Examinations.

Congressional career

House of Representatives

thumb|left|Elpidio Quirino as member of the House of Representatives,

Quirino was engaged in private law practice of until he was elected as member of the Philippine House of Representatives for Ilocos Sur's 1st congressional district from 1919 to 1922, succeeding Alberto Reyes. He served for only one term and was succeeded by Vicente Singson Pablo in 1922.

Senate

thumb|left|Quirino as a delegate to the Philippine Constitutional Convention, published by Benipayo Press ()

Quirino was first elected as a senator from the 1st senatorial district in 1925. He was re-elected in 1931 and served until the bicameral Congress was abolished in favor of the unicameral National Assembly of the Philippines. due to Quezon, senate majority leader Benigno Aquino Sr., and Sergio Osmeña went on leave and made trips to the United States. These were to protect the proposed Hare–Hawes–Cutting bill in U.S. Congress and to amend the bill because of opposition from the Philippine Legislature. In the senate, Quirino also became chairman of a joint committee on taxation.

Secretary of finance (1934 – 1936)

In a memorandum to Governor General Frank Murphy on January 13, 1935, Quirino, quoting former acting finance secretary Vicente Singson Encarnacion, proposed that the Philippines create its own currency system based on the gold standard. He supported this idea due to the country's gold production and simpler economic structure compared to the US and Europe. Quirino also agreed with Encarnacion on the need to devalue the peso, suggesting a reduction aligned with previous currency changes in 1934. He recommended forming a central bank to stabilize prices and promote the national economy, over which he emphasized its role in lowering interest rates and expanding credit. However, Quirino's proposals, like those of his predecessor, were not adopted. The Philippine Insular government enacted Act No. 4199 on March 16, 1935, fixing the peso to the US dollar, marking the official introduction of the dollar exchange standard.

Vice presidency (1946–1948)

thumb|left|upright=0.8|Photograph from the Blue Book: First Anniversary of the Republic of the Philippines, published 1947

thumb|President Elpidio Quirino weeps beside the coffin of his predecessor, Manuel Roxas during the latter's wake in 1948|left|200px

Soon after the reconstitution of the Commonwealth government in 1945, Senators Manuel Roxas, Quirino and their allies called for an early national election to choose the president and vice president of the Philippines and members of the Congress. In December 1945, the House Insular Affairs of the United States Congress approved the joint resolution setting the date of the election on not later than April 30, 1946.

Prompted by this congressional action, President Sergio Osmeña called the Philippine Congress to a three-day special session. Congress enacted Commonwealth Act No. 725, setting the date of the election on April 23, 1946. The act was signed by President Osmeña on January 5, 1946.

Quirino was nominated as Senate President Manuel Roxas's running mate. The tandem won the election. As Vice President, Quirino was appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

Presidency (1948–1953)

thumb|upright=0.8|Official Malacañan Palace portrait of Quirino, by [[Fernando Amorsolo]]

Quirino's five years as president were marked by notable postwar reconstruction, general economic gains and increased economic aid from the United States.

Administration and cabinet

First term (1948–1949)

Accession

thumb|right|Vice President Quirino taking the oath of office as inaugurated as President of the Philippines at the Council of State Room, Executive Building, [[Malacañang Palace.]]

Quirino assumed the presidency on April 17, 1948, taking his oath of office two days after the death of Manuel Roxas two days earlier of a heart attack after delivering a speech at Clark Air Base in Pampanga. The inauguration took place at the Council of State Room of the Malacañang Palace in Manila as the second non-scheduled extraordinary presidential inauguration. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ricardo Paras administered the oath of office. On the same day, Quirino delivered his short, 47-word inaugural remarks at the same room.

His first official act as the President was the proclamation of a state mourning throughout the country for Roxas's death. Since Quirino was a widower, his surviving daughter, Victoria, would serve as the official hostess and perform the functions traditionally ascribed to the First Lady.

New capital city

On July 17, 1948, Congress approved Republic Act No. 333, amending Commonwealth Act No. 502, declaring Quezon City as the new capital of the Philippines, replacing Manila. Nevertheless, pending the official transfer of the government offices to the new capital site, Manila remained to be such for all effective purposes. with violence and fraud taking place. Opponents of Quirino were beaten or murdered by his supporters or the police and the election continues to be seen as corrupt.

Second term (1949–1953)

Quirino's second inauguration took place on Friday, December 30, 1949, at the Independence Grandstand in Manila. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Manuel Moran administered the oath of office.thumb|President Elpidio Quirino taking the oath of office for his first full term as President of the Philippines at the Independence Grandstand (now [[Quirino Grandstand) in Manila.]]

Regional conference

In May 1950, upon the invitation of President Quirino and through the insistent suggestion of United Nations General Assembly President Romulo, official representatives of India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Thailand, Indonesia, and Australia met in Baguio for a regional conference sponsored by the Philippines.

Intelligence sources reported that the plot was directed by Co Pak, a businessman who had been arrested

1951 midterm election

After a sweep by the Liberals in 1949, many Filipinos doubted the election result. This brought a sweep by the Nacionalistas in the 1951 elections. There was a special election for the vacated Senate seat of Fernando Lopez, who won as vice president in 1949. The Liberals won no seats in the Senate.

1953 presidential election

Quirino ran for re-election to the presidency with José Yulo as his running mate in 1953 despite his ill health. His Secretary of National Defense, Ramon Magsaysay, resigned from office and joined the Nacionalista Party. Other prominent Liberals including Vice President Fernando Lopez, Ambassador Carlos Romulo, and Senators Tomás Cabili and Juan Sumulong also bolted Quirino's party.

On August 22, 1953, the Nacionalista and Democratic Parties formed a coalition to ensure Quirino's full defeat. On Election Day, Quirino was defeated by Magsaysay with a landslide vote margin of 1.5 million.

Quirino was accused of a Golden arinola scandal which led him to losing the 1953 Philippine presidential election.

Domestic policies

Economy

Upon assuming the reins of government, Quirino announced two main objectives of his administration: first, the economic reconstruction of the nation and second, the restoration of the faith and confidence of the people in the government. In connection to the first agenda, he created the President's Action Committee on Social Amelioration (PACSA) to mitigate the sufferings of indigent families, the Labor Management Advisory Board to advise him on labor matters, the Agricultural Credit Cooperatives Financing Administration (ACCFA) to help the farmers market their crops and save them from loan sharks, and the Rural Banks of the Philippines to facilitate credit utilities in rural areas.

The Import and Exchange Control Act of 1948 was fully implemented only after Quirino won. During his term, Congress also created the Central Bank of the Philippines to control currency, banking, and credit. Before implementing controls, the Bell Trade Act required approval from the U. S. President. President Harry S. Truman agreed to the controls if the Philippines accepted an all-American economic mission called the Bell Mission, led by Daniel Bell, which surveyed the country’s economy in July 1950. The mission reported the harsh economic conditions of the Philippines. Its findings led to the Romulo-Snyder Agreement and the Quirino-Foster Agreement, including a $70 million loan proposal from Central Bank Governor Miguel Cuaderno.

Social programs

Enhancing President Manuel Roxas' policy of social justice to alleviate the lot of the common mass, President Quirino, almost immediately after assuming office, started a series of steps calculated to effectively ameliorate the economic condition of the people.

Integrity board

Following calls for government improvement from Vice President Fernando Lopez, President Quirino created the Integrity Board to probe into reports of graft and corruption in high government positions.

In 1951, the Philippines signed the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States to deter the threat of communism that existed during the Cold War. The military alliance remains to this day a key pillar of American foreign policy in Asia that also includes defense pacts with Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Australia.

In an apparent show of genuine forgiveness and an attempt to improve public relations with Japan, Quirino granted amnesty to all Japanese war criminals and Filipino collaborators who were serving time or on death row in the Philippines. Quirino had lost his own wife and three children to the Japanese, along with five other members of his family. Despite this great personal loss, he said, "I do not want my children and my people to inherit from me hate for people who might yet be our friends, for the permanent interest of the country." Due to the high anti-Japanese sentiment at the time, many observers considered his actions to be political suicide. All of the convicts were released by December 1953. They had been tried by the American-operated Philippine War Crimes Commission or Filipino civil courts. The pardons contributed to the reconciliation between the Philippines and Japan which eventually led to a friendly relationship.

Korean War

thumb|His daughter [[Victoria Quirino-Gonzalez|Victoria served as the First Lady during his presidency]]

On June 25, 1950, the world was astonished to hear the North Korean aggression against the independent South Korea. The United Nations immediately took up this challenge to the security of this part of the world. Carlos Romulo soon stood out as the most effective spokesman for the South Korean cause.

  • Failure of the government to check the Huk threat that made travel in the provinces unsafe, as evidenced by the killing of former First Lady Aurora Quezon and her companions on April 28, 1949, by the Huks on the Bongabong-Baler Road in Baler, Tayabas (now part of Aurora);
  • Economic distress of the times, aggravated by rising unemployment rate, soaring prices of commodities, and unfavorable balance of trade.

Executive clemency to Japanese war criminals

On July 4, 1953, during the final year of his presidency, Quirino made a historic and controversial act of clemency by granting pardons to 114 Japanese prisoners of war who had been convicted for atrocities committed during the Second World War, including acts perpetrated during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Many of these prisoners had been held at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

Quirino, whose own wife, three of his children, and several relatives had been killed by Japanese forces during the Battle of Manila, explained that his decision was driven by a desire for reconciliation and peace in the region. He stated that he bore no personal hatred and hoped the gesture would promote healing and foster improved relations between the Philippines and Japan.

Alongside the clemency for Japanese war criminals, President Quirino also granted amnesty to 323 Filipinos who had been convicted of collaboration with the Japanese during the occupation. These collaborators had either held positions in the wartime Second Philippine Republic or had supported Japanese military operations in various capacities.

The dual acts of clemency were received with mixed reactions—praised by some as a magnanimous step towards forgiveness and criticised by others as a betrayal of the memory of wartime suffering. Nonetheless, Quirino's actions laid a foundation for post-war diplomatic normalisation with Japan and signalled a commitment to national healing.

Post-presidency and death (1953–1956)

thumb|upright|Quirino in his mid 60s

250px|thumbnail|right|The present tomb of Elpidio Quirino at the [[Libingan ng mga Bayani.]]

Following his failed bid for re-election, Quirino retired to private life. He offered his dedication to serve the Filipino people, becoming the "Father of Foreign Service" in the Philippines.

In the evening of February 29, 1956, Quirino was preparing to attend a meeting when he suffered a massive heart attack. He died shortly thereafter at 6:35 pm, at the age of 65, at his retirement house in Novaliches, Quezon City. President Ramon Magsaysay later declared March 1 to 15 as a "period of national mourning", wherein all flags at all government establishments in the country were flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning. Quirino's remains lay in state at the Malacañang Palace from March 2 to 4. On March 5, a necrological service was held for him at the Legislative Building in Manila and his remains were later interred at the Manila South Cemetery.

right|thumb|Quirino's tomb at Manila South Cemetery.

On February 29, 2016, his remains were relocated and reinterred at a special tomb site in the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig, in time for the 60th anniversary of his death.

Personal life

thumb|Quirino's family before [[World War II]]

Quirino was married to Alicia Syquía (1903–1945) on January 16, 1921. The couple had five children: Tomás, Armando, Norma, Victoria, and Fe Angela. On February 9, 1945, his wife and three of their children (Armando, Norma and Fe Angela) were killed by Japanese troops as they fled their home during the Battle of Manila. His brother Antonio Quirino was the owner of Alto Broadcasting System, which later merged with Chronicle Broadcasting Network to form the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation.

His daughter, Victoria, became the youngest hostess of Malacañang Palace, at 16 years old, when Quirino ascended to the presidency on April 17, 1948. She married Luis M. Gonzalez in 1950, who became Philippine ambassador to Spain from 1966 to 1971.

Memorials

There are a number of memorials dedicated to Quirino. In 1964, the municipality of Angaki in Ilocos Sur was renamed to Quirino in his honor. The province of Quirino, established in 1966, was named in his memory. Newer municipalities named after him, such as Quirino, Isabela and President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat, were later established in 1967 and 1973, respectively. Streets like the Quirino Avenue in Manila and Elpidio Quirino Avenue in Parañaque are named for him. The Novaliches–Ipo Road, where his retirement home is situated, was renamed as Quirino Highway. The Independence Grandstand in Manila's Rizal Park was also renamed to Quirino Grandstand in his honor.

Once the Quirino Avenue station of MRT Line 7 and the Quirino Highway station of the Metro Manila Subway commence operations, Quirino will have three train stations named after him, including the Quirino station of LRT Line 1.

In 2016, a memorial to him was established in Hibiya Park, Tokyo, Japan.

Yearly on November 16, special holidays in commemoration of his birth are observed at his home province of Ilocos Sur and La Union, respectively.

<gallery mode="packed">

File:Elpidio Quirino memorial in Hibiya Park.jpg|A memorial to Quirino in Hibiya Park, Tokyo, Japan

File:Elpidio Quirino Monument, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, April 2023.jpg|Elpidio Quirino Monument in Vigan, Ilocos Sur

File:Elpidio Quirino Monument and Marker.jpg|Elpidio Quirino Monument in Caba, La Union

<!-- Elpidio Quirino Monument in Roxas Blvd.jpg|Elpidio Quirino Monument in Malate, Manila -->

File:09500jfElpidio Quirino Monument Grandstand Rizal Parkfvf 03.jpg|Bust of Quirino beside Quirino Grandstand, Manila

</gallery>

Notes

References

  • The Philippine Presidency Project
  • Malacañang Museum – Elpidio Quirino