PRESENTED BY:ESCOBAR, KAMILA

BUCCAT, RIA

PHILIPPINE RECONSTRUCTION ERA(AFTER THE CIVIL WAR)

Don Sergio Osmeña, Sr. was born on the 9th of September, 1878 in Cebu City. He had his first schooling at the defunct Seminary of San Carlos of this City taking Humanities at the age of 11 years.

In 1894, he graduated in his studies as a valedictorian on the same year. The young student was granted the title of Bachelor of Arts in the Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

BIOGRAPHY

Sergio Osmeña y Suico was a Filipino politician who served as the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was the Vice-President under Manuel L. Quezon and rose to the presidency upon Quezon's death in 1944, being the oldest president to hold the office at the age of 65. He was the founder of Nacionalista Party and the first Visayan President.

Sergio Osmeña y Suico

Before, Osmeña served as the Governor fo Cebu, Member and Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives, and Senator from the 10th Senatorial District for thirteen years, in capacity he served as Senate President pro tempore.

Osmeña is the patriarch of the prominent Osmeña family, which includes his son Sergio Osmeña, Jr. and his grandsons who were Sergio Osmeña III and John Henry Osmeña.

DOMESTIC POLICIES

The city of Manila was liberated, General of the army who is Douglas MacArthur turned over the reins of the government of the Philippines to Commonwealth President.

President Osmeña thanked the United States through General MacArthur, announced that the restoration of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and work out the salvation of the Philippines from the ravages of war.

RESTORATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH

President Osmeña proceed with the immediate reorganization of the government and its diverse dependencies.

On 8 April 1445, he formed his Cabinet, administering the oath of office to its component members. Government offices and bureaus were gradually reestablished. Also restored were the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the inferior courts.

Slowly but steadily, as the liberating forces freed the other portions of the country, provincial and municipal governments were established by the Commonwealth to take over from the military authorities.

GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION

FOREIGN POLICIES

President Osmeña sent the Philippine delegation which was headed by Carlos P. Romulo gathering for the promulgation of the Charter of the United Nations on 26 June 1945. The other members of the delegation were Maximo Kalaw, Pedro Lopez, Francisco Delegado, Urbano Zafra, Alejandro Melchor and Vicente Sinco.

The 28th signatory nation of the United Nations, the Philippines was one of the fifty-one nations that drafted the UN Charter.

UNITED NATIONS CHARTER

To prepare for the forthcoming independent status of the Philippines, President Osmeña created the Office of Foreign Relations. Vicente Sinco was appointed as its first Commissioner.

In this connection, President Osmeña also entered into an agreement with the United States Government to sent five Filipino trainees to the US State Department to prepare themselves for diplomatic service.

They were sent by US State Department to the United States embassies in Moscow and Mexico City and consulates in Saigon and Singapore.

FOREIGN RELATIONS OFFICE

On 30 April 1946, the United States Congress at last approved the Bell Act, as early as 20 January had been reported to the Ways and Means Committee of the lower house, having been passed by the Senate. President Osmena and Resident Comissioner, Ramulo had urged the passage of this bill, with United States High Commissioner, Paul V. McNutt.

The Act gave the Philippines eight years of free trade with the United States, then twenty years during the tariffs would be upped gradually until they were in line with the rest of the American tariff policy.

BELL TRADE ACT