List of Presidents of the Philippines and
Their Achievements and Contributions:
1. Emilio Aguinaldo (January 23, 1899 – March 23,
1901)
Emilio Aguinaldo was the first president of the Philippines First Republic (also known as the
Malolos Republic). He was inaugurated on January 23, 1899, at the Barasoain Church,
Malolos, Bulacan. He led the proclamation of the Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898,
in his ancestral home in Kawit, Cavite.
Contributions and Achievements of Emilio Aguinaldo:
● He waved the Philippine flag in declaring the independence of the
Philippines in 1898
● He was the first (and only) president of the First Republic
(Malolos Republic)
● The youngest Filipino president, taking office at age 28
● The longest-lived president of the Philippines, passing away at
age 94
● Featured in the front and back of the Philippine 5-peso bill (not
circulated anymore)
● He led the country in the Spanish-Philippine War and the
American-Philippine War
● He led the proclamation of the Philippine Independence
● Known as the President of the Revolutionary Government
● Signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, creating a truce between the
Spanish and Philippine revolutionaries
● He was a well-known entrepreneur, soldier, and politician
● Emilio Aguinaldo had Bachelor of Arts (college preparatory) at the
Colegio de San Juan de Letran in 1880
2. Manuel L. Quezon (1935-1944)
Manuel L. Quezon was the 2nd president of the Philippines and the first
president of the Philippine Commonwealth established under the USA. He
was inaugurated on December 30, 1941, in Corregidor Island. He’s known as
the “Father of National Language” (Ama ng Wikang Pambansa). He died of
tuberculosis in Saranac Lake, New York.
Contributions and Achievements of Manuel L. Quezon:
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First President elected through a national election
First Senate President elected as President of the Philippines
The first president of the Philippines under the Commonwealth
Initiated women’s suffrage in the Philippines during the
Commonwealth
Manuel L. Quezon created the National Council of Education
He approved Filipino as the national language of the
Philippines
Studied Bachelor of Arts at Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Studied Bachelor of Law at the University of Sto. Tomas
Ranked 4th in the Philippine Bar Exam (1903)
A province, a city, a bridge, and a university in Manila are named
after him
He fought for the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act (1934)
His body rests peacefully inside the special monument on Quezon
Memorial Circle
Featured in the 20-peso bill, for the Declaration of Filipino as the
national language
First Filipino featured on the cover of TIME Magazine
3. Jose P. Laurel (October 14, 1943 – August 17,
1945)
Photo Credit: Presidential Museum and Library of the Philippines
Jose P. Laurel was the 3rd president of the Philippines and the president of
the Second Philippine Republic. His inauguration was on October 14, 1943, in
the Legislative Building, now National Museum. He served president of the
Philippines during the Japanese occupation during World War II.
Contributions and Achievements of Jose P. Laurel:
● Jose P. Laurel is the only Philippine president who served the
three branches of government – he became a senatorcongressman, associate justice, and president
● Since the early 1960s, Laurel was recognized as a legitimate
president of the Philippines
● Organized KALIBAPI (Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong
Pilipinas, or Association for Service to the New Philippines), a
provisional government during the Japanese occupation
● Laurel declared Martial Law and war between the Philippines and
the US/United Kingdom in 1944
● He’s the Founder of the Lyceum of the Philippines
● He’s a Law genius, ranked 2nd in the Philippine Bar Exam in
1915
● Earned a Doctorate in Civil Law from Yale University in 1920
● Received Honoris Causa from Tokyo Imperial University in
1938
● He was assassinated twice, but he survived and recovered
4. Sergio Osmeña Sr. (August 1, 1944 – May 28,
1946)
Sergio Osmeña Sr. was the 4th president of the Philippines and the 2nd
president of the Commonwealth. He was inaugurated on August 1, 1944, in
Washington DC. He succeeded the presidency after the death of then
president Manuel L. Quezon. During his administration, the Philippines joined
the International Monetary Fund.
Contributions and Achievements of Sergio Osmena:
● Sergio Osmeña was the first Visayan to become president, born
in Cebu City
● He joined with U.S. Gen. Douglas McArthur in Leyte on October
20, 1944, to begin restoration of Philippine freedom after
Japanese occupation
● Founder of the Nacionalista Party
● Philippine National Bank was rehabilitated, and the country
joined the International Monetary Fund during his presidency
● The U.S. Congress approved the Bell Trade Act during his
presidency
● He was 2nd placer in the 1903 Philippine Bar Exam
● Founder and Editor of a Spanish newspaper, El Nuevo Dia, in
Cebu City
● Had Bachelor of Arts from Colegio de San Juan de Letran (1894)
● Had Bachelor of Law from the University of Santo Tomas (1903)
● Featured in the 50-peso bill, First Philippine Assembly, Leyte
Landing
5. Manuel A. Roxas (May 28, 1946 – April 15, 1948)
Manuel Roxas was the 5th president of the Philippines, the 3rd (and last)
president under the Commonwealth, and the first president of the Third
Republic of the Philippines. He was inaugurated on May 28, 1946, at the
National Museum building. He held office for only one year, 10 months, and
18 days.
Contributions and Achievements of Manuel Roxas:
● Manuel Roxas was inaugurated as the first president of the New
Republic after World War II
● Reconstruction from war damage and life without foreign rule
began during his presidency
● Congress accepted the Philippine Rehabilitation Act and
Philippine Trade Act laws under his term
● Ranked 1st Place in the Philippine Bar Exam (1913)
● Featured in the 100-peso bill, Old Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
building in Intramuros, Manila, Inauguration of the Third Philippine
Republic
6. Elpidio R. Quirino (April 17, 1948 – December
30, 1953)
Photo Credit: Presidential Museum and Library of the Philippines
Elpidio Quirino was the 6th president of the Philippines and the 2nd president
of the Third Republic. He succeeded presidency after incumbent president
Manuel Roxas died in 1948. Quirino was 57 years old when he was
inaugurated as president on April 17, 1948, at the Malacañang Palace.
Contributions and Achievements of Elpidio Quirino:
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Hukbalahap Guerrilla movement was active during his presidency
He created the Social Security Commission
He created the Integrity Board to monitor graft and corruption
During his term, Quezon City became capital of the Philippines in
1948
● Completed Bachelor of Law at the University of the Philippines in
1915
● Dean of the College of Law at the Adamson University (19411946)
● Ranked 2nd placer in the Philippine Bar Exam in 1915
7. Ramon Magsaysay Sr. (December 30, 1953 –
March 17, 1957)
Photo Credit: Presidential Museum and Library of the Philippines
Ramon Magsaysay was the 7th president of the Philippines and the 3rd
president of the Third Republic. He was the first president who sworn into the
office wearing Barong Tagalog during the inauguration. He died in an aircraft
disaster while boarding the presidential plane.
Contributions and Achievements of Ramon Magsaysay:
● He led to defeat the Hukbalahap movement
● Chairman of the Committee on Guerrilla Affairs
● His presidency was referred to as the Philippines’ “Golden Years”
for its lack of corruption
● The Philippines was ranked second in Asia’s clean and wellgoverned countries during his presidency
● He established the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation
Administration (NARRA) among other agrarian reforms
● He made the Philippine a member of the Southeast Asia Treaty
Organization
8. Carlos P. Garcia (March 18, 1957 – December
30, 1961)
Carlos P. Garcia is the 8th president of the Philippines and fourth president of
the Third Republic. This Bohol native was a lawyer, poet, and professor and
served as a guerrilla leader during the Pacific War. Garcia served as vice
president under Ramon Magsaysay and as secretary of Foreign Affairs for
four years. He became president when Magsaysay died in a plane crash in
1957.
Contributions and Achievements of Carlos P. Garcia:
● Carlos P. Garcia was known for promoting “Filipino First Policy,”
which favored Filipino businesses over foreign investors
● He established the Austerity Program focusing on Filipino trade
and commerce
● He became a famous poet and known as the “Prince of Visayan
Poets” and the “Bard from Bohol.”
● Cultural arts was revived during his term
● He was the first president to have his remains buried at the
Libingan ng mga Bayani
● He achieved 7th placer in the Philippine Bar Exam in 1923
9. Diosdado P. Macapagal (December 30, 1961 –
December 30, 1965)
Diosdado P. Macapagal was the 9th president of the Philippines. He was a
lawyer and economist, born in Lubao, Pampanga. He was inaugurated on
December 30, 1961, at the Quirino Grandstand. His daughter, Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo, followed his path and became president, too.
Contributions and Achievements of Diosdado
Macapagal:
● Topped the Bar Exam, 1st place in 1936
● Took a Master of Law in 1941 and Doctor of Civil Law in 1947, and
a Ph.D. in Economics in 1957
● Diosdado Macapagal was a great economist, he established the
first Land Reform Law, allowing for the purchase of private
farmland to be distributed in inexpensive, small lots to the landless
● He placed the Philippine peso on the free currency exchange
market and encouraged exports
● The Philippine representative to the United Nations General
Assembly three times
● He signed the Minimum Wage Law
● Diosdado Macapagal signed the law to create the Philippine
Veteran’s Bank
● Featured in the 200-peso bill
10. Ferdinand E. Marcos (December 30, 1965 –
February 25, 1986)
Ferdinand Marcos was the tenth president of the Philippines and the last
president of the Third Republic. He was one of the most controversial leaders
of the 20th century. He ruled the Philippines for 21 years and was removed
from office after the People Power Revolution.
Contributions and Achievements of Ferdinand Marcos:
● The first president to win a second term
● The longest-ruling president of the Philippines, he ruled for 21
years
● He declared Martial Law on Sept. 22, 1972
● He increased the size of Philippine military and armed forces
● By 1980, the Philippine GNP was four times greater than 1972
● Marcos built more schools, roads, bridges, hospitals, and other
infrastructure than all former presidents combined
● He topped 1st place in the Bar Exam in 1939
● The only president whose remains were interred inside a
refrigerated crypt
11. Corazon C. Aquino (February 25, 1986 – June
30, 1992)
Corazon Aquino was the first woman president of the Philippines and the first
woman to become president of an Asian country. She was the 11th president
and a democracy icon, one of the 100 Women Who Shaped World History
and 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century.
Contributions and Achievements of Corazon Aquino:
● The first woman to be president of the Philippines or any
Asian country
● She signed the Family Code of 1987, a major civil law reform,
and 1191 Local Government Code, which reorganized the
structure of the executive branch of government
● She initiated charitable and social activities helping the poor and
the needy
● Was named “Woman of the Year” in 1986 by TIME magazine
● She was featured on the new 500-peso bill together with her
husband, Benigno Aquino Jr.
● Among the 100 Women Who Shaped World History
● One of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century
● One of TIME Magazine’s 65 Asian Heroes
● Received Honorary Doctorates from international universities
including Boston University, Eastern University in Pennsylvania,
Fordham University in New York, Waseda University in Tokyo
12. Fidel V. Ramos (June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1998)
Fidel Ramos is the 12th president of the Philippines and the oldest living
former presidents of the country. FVR is now 92 years old. He’s one of the
most admired presidents because, during his presidency, he restored
economic growth and stability in the country.
Contributions and Achievements of Fidel V. Ramos:
● FVR was widely credited as the most effective president
because he led the Philippines to economic growth
● He promoted family-planning practices to help to solve the
country’s growing population
● Hosted the 4th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leader’s
Summit in the Philippines in 1996
● He presided over celebrations of Philippine Independence
Centennial in 1998
● Ramos reached out peace talks with the rebels such as the Moro
National Liberation Front and New People’s Army
● FVR received British Knighthood from Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and
St. George)
● The Philippine Stock Exchange became an international favorite
during his presidency
● Ranked 8th Place in the Philippine Civil Engineering Licensure
Exam (1953)
● The death penalty was reinstated while he was in office
● FVR is the only military officer who reached the rank of five-star
general/admiral de jure who rose from second lieutenant up to
commander-in-chief of the armed forces
● Has 29 Honorary Doctorate Degrees
13. Joseph E. Estrada (June 30, 1998 – January
20, 2001)
Joseph Estrada is the 13th president of the Philippines and the first film actor
to become a president in the country. During his years in office, economic
growth was slow, and he faced impeachment proceedings. He became the
first president in Asia to be impeached from an executive role. He was ousted
from the presidency in 2001.
Contributions and Achievements of Joseph Estrada:
● He starred in over 100 films in the Philippines and received
numerous Best Actor awards
● Moro Islamic Liberation Front headquarters and camps were
captured during his presidency
● Cited as one of the Three Outstanding Senators in 1989
● He became a Mayor of the City of Manila, the county’s capital
● He won every mayor election in San Juan from 1969 to 1984
● Erap was among the “Magnificent 12” who voted to terminate the
agreement that allows for U.S. control of Clark Airbase and Subic
Naval Base
● He was credited with the passage of, among other pieces of
legislation, the bills on irrigation project and the protection of
carabaos
14. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (January 20, 2001 –
June 30, 2010)
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the 14th president of the Philippines, the 2nd
female president, and the first Filipino president whose parent was a former
president. She’s also an economist like her father, ex-president Diosdado
Macapagal. Having a master’s degree and doctorate in economics, Gloria put
the Philippine economy back in shape.
Annual economic growth in the Philippines averaged 4.5% during her
administration, expanding every quarter of her presidency. That is higher than
in the administrations of her three immediate predecessors. The peso
strengthened by nearly 20% in making it the best-performing currency of the
year in 2007.
Contributions and Achievements of Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo:
● Second female president of the country
● First president to take oath outside Luzon
● Gloria Arroyo oversaw higher economic growth than the past
three presidents before her
● Philippine Peso became the best-performing currency of the
year in Asia in 2007 during her term
● eVAT Law was implemented under her term
● She supported to bring back Spanish language in the Philippines
during her 9-year presidency
● She took up International Trade at Georgetown University in
Washington D.C. with Bill Clinton
● Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Assumption College in 1968
● Arroyo earned a Master’s Degree in Economics from Ateneo de
Manila University in 1978
● Obtained Doctorate in Economics from the University of the
Philippines in 1986
● Numerous Honorary Degrees granted by prominent international
universities
● TIME Magazine’s People Who Mattered list for 2005
● Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (2004 – 2009)
● Currently featured on the 200-peso bill
15. Benigno Aquino III (June 30, 2010 – June 30,
2016)
Benigno Aquino III was the 15th president of the Philippines. He was the first
bachelor president. A son of ex-president Corazon Aquino, he was also called
as Noynoy or PNoy. Noynoy finished his Economics degree from Ateneo de
Manila University. He was one of the students of a former economics
professor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the president before him.
Contributions and Achievements of Benigno Aquino III:
● He created the no “wang-wang” (street siren) policy
● Noynoy initiated shifting to K-12 education in the Philippines
● Peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in
October 2012
● Oversaw 7.1% growth of the Philippine economy in 2012
● TIME named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the
World in 2013
16. Rodrigo Roa Duterte (June 30, 2016 – present)
Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the 16th president of the Philippines. He’s one of the
most loved presidents. He’s earned a massive fanbase after transforming one
of the most dangerous cities (Davao) into one of the world’s safest when he
was a mayor. At age 71, he became the oldest Filipino ever elected to the
presidency.
Contributions and Achievements of Rodrigo Duterte:
● He earned Political Science Degree from Lyceum of the
Philippines in 1968
● Obtained Law Degree from San Beda College in 1972
● He initiated decongesting the Ninoy Aquino International
Airport in Manila, the country’s main gateway
● Signed the Freedom of Information Order
● Duterte launched a 24-hour complaint hotline, 8888
● He signed an order for Smoking Ban in public places
● Boracay Island was rehabilitated during his term
● Launched the Build! Build! Build! Infrastructure Program
● Duterte signed the TRAIN Law and Comprehensive Tax Reform
Program
● One of Forbes list of World’s Most Powerful People in 2016
● Duterte has been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine
Amazing Facts About the Presidents of the
Philippines:
● Manuel L. Quezon was the first Filipino to grace the cover of
TIME Magazine on November 25, 1935. If you’re featured on the
cover of TIME magazine, it means you are a notable international
figure
● Three from the presidents of the Philippines were Top 1 in the
Philippine Bar Exam
○ Manuel A. Roxas (1913 Bar Exam with a grade of 92)
○ Diosdado P. Macapagal (1936 Bar Exam with a grade of
89.85)
○ Ferdinand E. Marcos (1939 Bar Exam with a grade of
92.35)
● Three from the presidents of the Philippines were Top 2 in the
Philippine Bar Exam
○ Sergio S. Osmeña
○ Jose P. Laurel
○ Elpidio R. Quirino
● Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña were classmates and
were both top-notchers in the Bar Exam in 1903. Osmeña was 2nd
placer, Quezon was 4th placer. Nevertheless, Quezon became
president before him.
● During Ramon Magsaysay’s presidency, the Philippines had its
“Golden Years” for its lack of corruption. The country was also
ranked second in Asia’s clean and well-governed countries.
● Ferdinand Marcos had an extraordinary memory, which allowed
him to memorize complicated texts and recite them forward or
backward quickly. He aced the Philippine Bar exam with scores so
high he was accused of cheating. Upon an oral re-examination by
the Supreme Court, Marcos scored even higher with his
remarkable memory.
● Fidel V. Ramos was known as the most-effective president
because he boosted a positive financial outlook on the economy.
The Philippine Stock Exchange was one of the best in the world,
and he received the top honor for World Peace Price for his
achievement in realizing economic growth, political stability, and
democratic freedom in Philippines and Asia Pacific region, as well
as his promotion for World Peace
● Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was consistently on the Dean’s List at
Georgetown University in Washington D.C., where she started
a friendship with then-future President Bill Clinton. Arroyo was
also a former Economics professor at the Ateneo de Manila
University, where her eventual successor, President Benigno
Aquino III, was one of her students.
● Rodrigo Duterte launched the Build! Build! Build! Program
which aims for the “Golden Age of Infrastructure” in the
Philippines. This project will boost the economy, accelerate
transportation, increase job opportunities, and produce more
income. This project includes a Tokyo-style Railway in Manila,
NLEX-SLEX connector road, Cebu Bus Transit, Clark
International Airport Expansion, Subic-Clark Railway Project,
Mactan International Airport project, Binondo-Intramuros Bridge
and many more.