The third president of the Republic. Most popular of all Philippine Presidents, he was very close
to the people and instituted many social reforms. During the Japanese
invasion, he was a guerilla fighter in Zambales. After the liberation, General Douglas
MacArthur promoted him to major. In 1946 and 1949, he was elected twice as a
representative in Zambales. In 1950, he was appointed the secretary of national
defense. In 1953, he won by a landslide for presidency. He opened the Malacanang Palace to the
people. He was instrumental in acquiring land settlements for the people, lowering the price of
consumer goods, and breaking up the big landed estates. At 50, he died in a plane crash on
Mount Manunggal in Cebu.