DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

December 30, 1961 – December 30, 1965

 SHORT BIOGRAPHY
• Born on September 28, 1910, in Lubao, Pampanga
• He was the second of four children in a poor family
• His parents were Urbano Macapagal (a poet) and Romana
Pangan Macapagal (a school teacher)
• He was a distant descendant of Don Juan Macapagal, a prince
of Tondo, who was a great-grand son of the last reigning Rajah
of Selurong, Rajah Lakandula
• Because of his roots in poverty, he was known as the “Poor boy
from Lubao”
 SHORT BIOGRAPHY
• Macapagal excelled in his studies at local public schools,
graduating valedictorian at Lubao Elementary School, and
salutatorian at Pampanga High School
• He finished his pre-law course at the University of the
Philippines, then enrolled at Philippine Law School in 1932
• While in law school, he gained prominence as an orator and
debater
• Returning to Pampanga, he joined boyhood friend Rogelio dela
Rosa in producing and starring in Tagalog operettas patterned
after classic Spanish zarzuelas
 SHORT BIOGRAPHY
• In 1938, he married Purita dela Rosa with whom he had two
children: Cielo and Arturo
• Macapagal was able to raise enough money to continue his
studies at the University of Santo Tomas
• In 1936, he topped the bar with a passing score of 89.95%
• He earned his Master of Laws degree in 1941, a Doctor of Civil
Law degree in 1947, and a PhD in Economics in 1957
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

FIRST FAMILY
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

EARLY CAREER
 EARLY CAREER
• After passing the bar examination, Macapagal was invited to join
an American law firm as a practicing attorney, a particular honor
for a Filipino at the time
• He was assigned as a legal assistant to President Manuel L.
Quezon in Malacañang Palace.
• During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War
II, Macapagal continued working in Malacañan Palace as an
assistant to President Jose P. Laurel.
• After the war, Macapagal worked as an assistant attorney with
one of the largest law firms in the country, Ross, Lawrence,
Selph and Carrascoso.
 EARLY CAREER
• In 1946, President Roxas appointed him to the Dept. of Foreign
Affairs as the head of its legal division
• In 1948, President Quirino appointed Macapagal as chief
negotiator in the successful transfer of the Turtle Islands in the
Sulu Sea from the United Kingdom to the Philippines
• That same year, he was assigned as second secretary to the
Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.
• In 1949, he was elevated to the position of Counselor on Legal
Affairs and Treaties, at the time the fourth highest post in the
Philippine Foreign Office
 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
• President Quirino recalled Macapagal from his position in
Washington to run for a seat in the House of Representatives
representing the 1st District of Pampanga
• He won a landslide victory in the 1949 election
• He also won re-election in the 1953 election, and served as
Representative in the 2nd and 3rd Congress
• He was consistently selected by the Congressional Press Club
as one of the Ten Outstanding Congressmen during his tenure
• In his second term, he was named Most Outstanding law maker
of the 3rd Congress
Pieces of legislation which Macapagal promoted were:
 VICE-PRESIDENCY
• President Quirino recalled Macapagal from his position in
Washington to run for a seat in the House of Representatives
representing the 1st District of Pampanga
• He won a landslide victory in the 1949 election
• He also won re-election in the 1953 election, and served as
Representative in the 2nd and 3rd Congress
• He was consistently selected by the Congressional Press Club
as one of the Ten Outstanding Congressmen during his tenure
• In his second term, he was named Most Outstanding law maker
of the 3rd Congress
 DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

PRESIDENCY, 1961-’65
 DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL
PROMISES DURING ELECTION AND
INAUGURATION
 HIS PROMISES
• Macapagal promised a program for the socio-economic aspect
of society wherein he would return free and private enterprises
• He declared that he would be the president of both the rich and
the poor. He promised to erase that line between the wealthy
and the unfortunate. Mostly by elevating the poor’s status to
have a more copious life

“I shall be president not only of the rich but more so of the poor.
We must help bridge the wide gap between the poor man and the
man of wealth, not by pulling down the rich to his level as
Communism desires, but by raising the poor towards the more
abundant life.”
 HIS PROMISES
• The Malacanang Palace is to be opened to the public
• Restoration of morality to the public by alleviating the stature of
the masses
• Promised to end corruption, and establish anti-terrorism
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

THE CABINET
CABINET
CABINET
 • Low living standards of the masses
• Lack of economic stability
• Unemployment
• Devaluation of the Philippine Peso
• Revocation of 350 midnight appointments from the Garcia
administration
Garcia appointed 350 people into certain positions before he stepped down
aspresident (A FEW HOURS BEFORE) Most controversial position was the
central bank governor. This act was against the Saligang Batas

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

PRIMARY PROBLEMS
 • Opened Malacanang to the Public; how ever it didn’t last long
because people started to only loft around
• Dismissed corruption in the government
• Changed date of Philippine Independence to June 12
• Agricultural Land Reform Code of 1963
• Abolished shared tendency on rice and corn farm lands and
establishment of a lease hold system

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

LAWS AND PROGRAMS

• Initial beatification of Rizal Park;
• Development of “Miracle” (IR-8 variety) rice by the International
Rice Research Institute in 1964;
• Commencement of construction of South Expressway;
• Construction of tenement buildings for the poor;
• Sale of houses to AFP enlisted men and officers;
• The filing ofclaims to Sabah on June 22, 1962;
• Elected President of 1971-1972 Constitutional Convention

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
 • Graft and Corruption (STONEHILL SCANDAL)
• Rise in consumer goods prices
• Peace and order issues
• Macapagal’s privileged subjects in congress and business
paraded their lavish wealth in conspicuous parties and
anomalous deals

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES

 The Administration's campaign against corruption was tested by
Harry Stonehill, an American expatriate with a $50-million
business empire in the Philippines. Macapagal's Secretary of
Justice, Jose W. Diokno investigated Stonehill on charges of tax
evasion, smuggling, misdeclaration of imports, and corruption of
public officials. Diokno's investigation revealed Stonehill's ties to
corruption within the government. Macapagal, however, prevented
Diokno from prosecuting Stonehill by deporting the American
instead, then dismissing Diokno from the cabinet. Diokno
questioned Macapagal's actions, saying,
"How can the government now prosecute the corrupted when it
has allowed the corrupter to go?"

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

STONEHILL CONTROVERSY
 Under pressure from the US Government and international
financial institutions, Macapagal reversed Garcia-era economic
policies with economic liberalization policies.
Lifting of foreign exchange controls: Under Garcia, foreign (mostly
American) companies in the Philippines had been prohibited from
taking their profits back to the US. Macapagal lifted the controls,
allowing foreign businesses to send their profits home. This
resulted in a shortage of foreign exchange. The government was
then forced to seek foreign loans to avoid a exchange crisis.

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

RISE IN CONSUMER GOODS

Under Garcia, the Peso had a fixed exchange rate, to keep low
prices for domestically-produced goods and food. Macapagal
allowed the Peso to “float” on currency exchange markets, causing
a nearly-100% devaluation of the Peso, leading to increased
consumer prices, hurting Filipino consumers.
Lifting of import controls: Under Garcia, foreign imports were
limited, to encourage domestic production by Philippine
businesses. Macapagal lifted these limits, with the result that
foreign imports flooded in, hurting domestic industries and
agriculture. But US businesses were happy.

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

FLOATING PESO
 DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

FOREIGN POLICIES
• Republic Act No. 3512–An act creating A fisheries commission defining its powers, duties and
functions, and appropriating funds therefore
• Republic Act No. 3518–An act creating the Philippine Veterans‘ Bank, and for other purposes
• Republic Act No. 3844–An act to ordain the agricultural land reform code and to institute land
reforms in the Philippines, including the abolition of tenancy and the channeling of capital into
industry, provide for the necessary implementing agencies, appropriate funds there for and for other
purposes
• Republic Act No. 4166–An act changing the date of Philippine Independence day from July 4 to
June 12, and declaring July 4 as Philippine Republic Day, further amending for the purpose section
twenty-nine of the revised administrative code.
• RepublicActNo.4180–An act amending republic act numbered six hundred two, otherwise known as
the minimum wage law, by raising the minimum wage for certain workers, and for other purposes

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

MAJOR LEGISLATION SIGNED

 DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

1965 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

 1965 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

• Towards the end of his term, Macapagal decided to seek re-

election to continue seeking reforms which hec laimed were
stifled by a "dominant and uncooperative opposition“ in
Congress
• With Senate President Ferdinand Marcos, a fellow member of
the Liberal Party, unable to win his party's nomination due to
Macapagal's re-election bid, Marcos switched allegiance to the
rival Nacionalista Party to oppose Macapagal
• Macapagal was defeated by Marcos in the November 1965 polls
Diosdado Macapagal was chosen by the people of the
Philippines to be their president in 1961 and his term ended in
1965. Considered to be incorruptible by most during the time, he
may have served as an inspiration to his people. That’s why he
included the need for the country to have a good grasp of good
morals and ethics. He also wanted to end corruption, poverty,
homelessness, and other various problems that plagued the
common man. During his entire term however, none of what he
promised or wanted was really achieved. This makes him look
quite bad as a leader of the country contrary to what he was
supposed to be seen as. He’s the type of person who’s more on
talk rather than action.

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

CONCLUSION
The devaluation of the Philippine Peso started during his term which
makes him, in the eyes of some, the root of a lot of today’s problems in
the country. Other than that, here turned free trade and free enterprise
to the country which crushed local goods and businesses which
continue to suffer up to today. When it came to his promises to the
common man, the farmers in particular. He was unable to give them the
land they needed because aside from having no specific timetable as to
when they were to receive the land, the government didn’t have the
money to purchase the land from the hacienderos which was to be
distributed to the farmers in the first place. Basically, he made really
good speeches and the country didn’t “die” when he was in power but
he wasn’t able to do anything great that problems were removed.

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

CONCLUSION
His economic policy was called decontrol, which described the
administration of Macapagal. It was called decontrol because he
allowed the foreign products to enter freely in our country. He also
established the Land Bank of the Philippines. Unfortunately, his term
and his leadership are now seen as either unproductive to the country
or were the root causes of the continuing fall of the Philippine economy
today. That is why he is rated just high enough to pass but not high
enough to be considered a good president.

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL

CONCLUSION