Civics and Culture Project 6

Civics and Culture Project 6

Information form:
park.org/Philippines/government/presidents.htm
www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_presidents
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_Philippines
and also from the Philippine Geography, History and Civics and Culture






Created by :Enrique Jaime Hilario
Howard Murphy Ang
Luke Henry Ching

Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo

Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo

Birth:April 5, 1947

Place:San Juan, Philippines

She is the second female president of the Philippines, after President Corazon Cojuanco Aquino and the first female vice-president of the country. She is the daughter of former Philippine president Diosdado Macapagal and his second wife, Evangelina Macapagal.

Economic achievement of the Arroyo Administration

A controversial expanded value added tax law, considered the centerpiece of the Arroyo administration's economic reform agenda, was implemented in November 2005, aiming to complement revenue-raising efforts that could plug the country's large budget deficit. The country aims to balance the national budget by 2010. The tax measure boosted confidence in the government's fiscal capacity and helped to strengthen the Philippine peso, making it East Asia's best performing currency in 2005-06. The peso strengthened by nearly 20% in 2007, making it by far Asia's best performing currency for the year, a fact attributed to a combination of increased remittances from overseas filipino workers and a strong domestic economy.
Annual inflation reached the 17-year high of 12.5 percent in August 2008, up from a record low of 2.8 percent registered in 2007. It eased to 8.8 percent in December 2008 as fuel and energy prices went down.

She strengthened economic relation with the United States and Japan. Uplift the economy through information and communication technology. She developed the agricultural sector, through the acceptance of farmlands as loan collateral. Adopted a long term structural program through Build-operate-and-Transfer Law

Joseph Ejercito Estrada Marcelo

Joseph Ejercito Estrada Marcelo

Third President of the Fifth Republic of the Philippines

Birthdate: April 19,1937

Term: 1998 - 2001

A Filipino film actor and director, later politician. He resigned after the impeachment trial against him collapsed. He was accused of accepting over eight million dollars in bribes to protect the continuation of an illegal lottery game operating throughout the Philippines. As a result of the impeachment, a general strike was held throughout the Philippines calling for Estrada's resignation. . Estrada was then accused of plunder and corruption; on September 12, 2007, he was found guilty and sentenced to "Reclusion Perpetua." A month later, he was granted clemency by President Macapagal-Arroyo and released from prison, upon promising not to run for any position.

Economic Program of the Estrada Aministration:


The Estrada administration is said to have a strong economic team, however the latter's administration failed to capitalize on the gains of the previous administration. Foreign investors' confidence was damaged during the BW resources scandal when Estrada was accused of exerting influence in an investigation of a friend's involvement in stock market manipulation. Economic performance was hurt by the Asian Financial Crisis and climatic disturbance that caused extremes of dry and wet weather. Toward the end of Estrada's administration, the fiscal deficit had doubled to more than P100 billion from a low of P49 billion in 1998. Despite such setbacks, the rate of GNP in 1999 increased to 3.6 percent from 0.1 percent in 1998, and the GDP posted a 4.0 percent growth rate, up from a low of -0.5 percent in 1998. Debt reached P2.1 trillion in 1999. The inflation rate came down from 11 percent in January 1999 to just a little over 3 percent by November of the same year. This was in part due to the agricultural program Agrikulturang Maka Masa, through which it achieved an output growth of 6 percent, a record high at the time. However a major bank failure in April 2000 and the impeachment and subsequent departure of President Estrada in the beginning of 2001 led to lower growth.

To improve the economic status in rural areas. He implemented the Comprehensive Agrarian reformed program. Farmers were given alternative income generating activities. Small and medium enterprises were develop to help the rural folks compete globally. Develop program to attract foreign investors and organized 16 regional centers for business.

Fidel Valdez Ramos

Fidel Valdez Ramos

12th President of the Fifth Republic of the Philippines

Vice President: Joseph Estrada

Birth: March 18, 1928

Death: He is still alive

Term: June 30, 1992 - June 30, 1998

As head of the State his administration centerpiece program is the Philippines 2000; which aim to uplift the Philippines as a newly industrialized country by the year 2000. He succeeded Corazon Aquino and governed until 1998, when he was succeeded by Joseph Estrada. He was the first, and to date the only, non-Roman Catholic president of the Philippines. During the authoritarian regime of President Ferdinand Marcos, Ramos was head of the Philippine Constabulary, implementing Marcos' declaration of martial law. In the 1986 People Power Revolution, Ramos defected from the government and was a key figure in the civilian demonstrations that forced Marcos into exile. The first half of Ramos' six-year term as President was characterized by rapid economic growth and political stability in the country despite facing communist insurgencies, an Islamic separatist movement in Mindanao, and the onslaught of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Economic Program under the Ramos Administration:

During his administration, Ramos began implementing economic reforms intended to open up the once-closed national economy, encourage private enterprise, invite more foreign and domestic investment, and reduce corruption. Ramos was also known as the most-traveled Philippine President compared to his predecessors with numerous foreign trips abroad, generating about US$ 20 billion worth of foreign investments to the Philippines. To ensure a positive financial outlook on the Philippines, Ramos led the 4th Asia Pacific Economic Corperation(APEC) Leaders' Summit in the Philippines on November 1996. He also instituted reforms in the tax system which includes a forced increase on VAT (E-VAT law) from 4% to 10% mandated by World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.[citation needed]
Under his administration, the Philippines enjoyed economic growth and stability. The Philippine Stock Exchange in the mid-1990s was one of the best in the world and his visions of 'Phillippines 2000' that led the country into a newly industrialized country in the world and the "Tiger Cub Economy in Asia".

Link:http://filipino.biz.ph/history/president

Corazon Cojuanco Aquino

Corazon Cojuanco Aquino

First President of the Fifth Republic of the Philippines and the first woman president of the Philippines


Birthdate: January 25, 1933

Term: February 25, 1986- June 301992


Political leader and the First Woman President of the Philippines. She succeeded her murdered husband, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. a popular critic of the Marcos administration, as leader of the opposition to President Ferdinand Marcos.

Economic Program of the Aquino Administration:

When Aquino became president, she inherited an economy that was bankrupt and debt-ridden as a result of twenty years of misrule and mismanagement under the Marcos regime. As president, Aquino focused her attention and energy to revitalize and rejuvenate the sagging economy.

One of her boldest moves was to dismantle the various monopolies that were perpetrated by Marcos during his stay in power. She also moved quickly to tackle the issue of the US$26 billion foreign debt incurred by her predecessor. Instead of repudiating it, Aquino chose to honor all the debts that were incurred previously under different administrations. Her decision proved to be unpopular but Aquino defended it, saying that it was the most practical move and choice to make as it was crucial for the country at that time to regain the confidence of investors and the international community in the Philippine economy. Since 1986, a portion of the national budget has been used to pay off the country's outstanding debts in order to regain good international credit ratings and attract the attention of future markets.
Further, the Aquino administration also sought to bring back fiscal discipline in order as it aimed to trim down the government's budget deficit that ballooned during Marcos' term through privatization of bad government assets and deregulation of many vital industries. It was also during Aquino's time that vital economic laws such as the Built-Operate-Transfer Law, Foreign Investments Act and the Consumer Protection and Welfare Act were enacted.
Furthermore, the economy posted a positive growth of 3.4% during her first year in office. On the overall, the economy under Aquino had an average growth of 3.8% from 1986 to 1992.
Upon her ascension into power, President Aquino envisioned agrarian and land reform as the centerpiece of her administration's social legislative agenda.

Ferdinand Edralin Marcos

Ferdinand Edralin Marcos-

Sixth and last President of the Third Republic of
the Philippines Birthdate: September 11, 1917, Died- September 28, 1989 Term:December 30, 1965- December 30, 1973


President of the Fourth Republic of the PhilippinesTerm: June 30, 1981 - February 25,1986Philippine lawyer and politician who ruled by martial law and was ousted by a peaceful People Power Revolution in 1986.

Economic Program of the Marcos Administration:

Economic performance during the Marcos era was strong at times, but when looked at over his whole regime it was not characterized by strong economic growth. Penn World Tables report real growth in GDP per capita averaged 3.5% from 1951 to 1965, while under the Marcos regime (1966 to 1986) annual average growth was only 1.4%. To help finance a number of economic development projects, such as infrastructure, the Marcos government engaged in borrowing money. Foreign capital was invited to invest in certain industrial projects. They were offered incentives, including tax exemption privileges and the privilege of bringing out their profits in foreign currencies. One of the most important economic programs in the 1980s was the Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran (Movement for Livelihood and Progress). This program was started in September 1981. Its aim was to promote the economic development of the barangays by encouraging its residents to engage in their own livelihood projects. The government's efforts resulted in the increase of the nation's economic growth rate to an average of six percent or seven percent from 1970 to 1980. The rate was only less than 5% in the previous decade. The Gross National Product rose from P55 billion ($7.7 billion) in 1972 to P193 billion ($27 billion) in 1980. Tourism rose, contributing to the economy's growth. Most of these "tourists" were Filipino balikbayans (returnees) who came under the Ministry of Tourism's Balikbayan Program, launched in 1973.
Economic growth was largely financed, however, by U.S. economic aid and several loans made to the Marcos government as the country's foreign debts increased by over 27 billion USD when Marcos assumed the presidency. A sizable amount of this money went to Marcos family and friends in the form of behest loans. These loans were assumed by the government and still being serviced by taxpayers. Today, more than half of the country's revenues are outlaid for the payments on the interests of loans alone.
Another major source of economic growth was the remittances of overseas Filipino workers. These overseas Filipino workers not only helped ease the country's unemployment problem but also earned much-needed foreign exchange for the Philippines.
The Philippine economy suffered a great decline after the Aquino assassination in August 1983. The political troubles also hindered the entry of foreign investments, and foreign banks stopped granting loans to the Philippine government.
In an attempt to launch a national economic recovery program, Marcos negotiated with foreign creditors including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), for a restructuring of the country's foreign debts – to give the Philippines more time to pay the loans. Marcos ordered a cut in government expenditures and used a portion of the savings to finance the Sariling Sikap (Self-Reliance), a livelihood program he established in 1984.
However, the economy experienced negative economic growth from the beginning of 1984 and continued to decline despite the government's recovery efforts. The recovery program's failure was caused by civil unrest, rampant graft and corruption within the government, and Marcos's lack of credibility. The unemployment rate ballooned from 6.30% in 1972 to 12.55% in 1985.

Diosdado Pangan Macapagal

Diosdado Pangan Macapagal

The Fifth President of the Third Republic of the Philippines

Term: December 30, 1961 - December 30, 1965

Poet, politician, lawyer, diplomat, statesman, economist and intellectual,

Diosdado Macapagal was born to poverty but rose due to diligence and brilliance.

Economic Program of the Macapagal Aministration:

In his inaugural address, Macapagal promised a socio-economic program anchored on "a return to free and private enterprise", placing economic development in the hands of private entrepreneurs with minimal government interference.[4]
Twenty days after the inauguration, exchange controls were lifted and the Philippine peso was allowed to float on the free currency exchange market. The currency controls were initially adopted by the administration of Elpidio Quirino as a temporary measure, but continued to be adopted by succeeding administrations. The peso devalued from P2.64 to the US dollar, and stabilized at P3.80 to the dollar, supported by a $300 million stabilization fund from the International Monetary Fund.[4]
Further reform efforts by Macapagal were blocked by the Nacionalistas, who dominated the House of Representatives and the Senate at that time. Nonetheless, Macapagal was able to achieve steady economic progress, and annual GDP growth averaged at 5.15% for 1962-65.[4]

Among the most significant achievements of Macapagal as president were the abolition of tenancy and accompanying land reform program in the Agricultural Land Reform Code of 1963. The law was a significant advance over previous legislation, despite numerous amendments imposed by Congress, which was dominated by the rival Nacionalista Party.[4] The law abolished share tenancy on rice and corn farmlands, and established a leasehold system in which farmers paid fixed rentals to landlords, rather than a percentage of the harvest.[4]