Manuel Roxas - Fifth President

First President of the Independent Third Republic of the Philippines

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. His reign as Philippine president is also the shortest; 1 year 10 months and 18 days.
When the Congress of the Philippines was convened in 1945, the legislators elected in 1941 chose Roxas as Senate President. In the Philippine national elections 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 Osme�a, 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 the Philippines gained independence from the United States on July 4, 1946, he became the first president of the new republic. 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. Manuel Roxas married Trinidad R. de Leon of Bulacan. They had two (2) children - Ma. Rosario "Ruby", married to Vicente Roxas; and Gerardo "Gerry" who married Judy Araneta.

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