Ramon Magsaysay

Born Aug. 31, 1907, in Iba, Zambales Province, on the island of Luzon; died Mar. 17, 1957, in an airplane crash. Philippine politician and statesman.

In 1946, Magsaysay became a deputy to Congress from the Liberal Party. From 1950 to 1953, he was minister of defense and directed military actions against the insurgent forces. In 1953 he switched over to the Nacionalista Party, and as their candidate he was elected president. President from 1954 to 1957, Magsaysay followed a line in foreign affairs that was contradictory to the interests of the Philippines (for example, signing the 1954 SEATO pact), and he limited democratic freedoms within the country. At the same time he adopted a number of measures to protect national capital and was the initiator of laws that satisfied some demands of the popular masses (trade union legislation in 1953 and social security in 1954, as well as the land laws in 1954-55).