Manuel Roxas
The first president of an independent postwar Philippines, who navigated the immense task of rebuilding a nation shattered by war.
1892–1948 (age 56)·President of the Philippines from 1946 to 1948·Birthday: January 1·The Lost Generation
Biography
Manuel Roxas was a political scion who rose through the ranks of the American colonial administration, becoming a leading figure in the quest for Philippine independence. His career was nearly cut short during World War II when he survived capture by the Japanese and later served in the guerrilla resistance. After the war, he emerged as the American choice to lead the Commonwealth's transition to full sovereignty. On July 4, 1946, he became the inaugural president of the Third Philippine Republic, inheriting a country in ruins. His short presidency was defined by the Herculean challenges of economic reconstruction, securing vital U.S. aid through the Bell Trade Act, and confronting a growing communist insurgency. His sudden death from a heart attack in 1948 left his ambitious agenda for national recovery unfinished.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Manuel was born in 1892, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Manuel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1892
Manuel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1892Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1897Started school
President: William McKinley
1905Became a teenager
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could drive
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Could vote
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1913Turned 21
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 30
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 40
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 50
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1948Died at 56
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
Key Achievements
- Served as the first president of the independent Third Philippine Republic after U.S. sovereignty ended.
- Secured critical postwar rehabilitation funds from the United States through the Philippine Rehabilitation Act and Bell Trade Act.
- Served as the last president of the Philippine Commonwealth, overseeing the peaceful transfer to independence.
Did You Know?
He was the grandfather of former Philippine Senator Mar Roxas.
During World War II, he was sentenced to death by the Japanese but the order was never carried out.
Before politics, he was a successful lawyer and served as a captain in the Philippine National Guard.
“Our independence will be meaningless unless we can establish a stable government and a sound economy.”
