Benigno Ramos
Encyclopedia
Benigno Ramos was an advocate for the independence of the Philippines
from the United States
who collaborated with Japan
.
Educated in Bulacan
, he went to work there as a teacher. Later, whilst based in Manila
, he entered the civil service and by 1928 had risen to a high position with the Senate
Staff. He became a member of the Nacionalista Party
and a close associate of Manuel L. Quezon
but this came to an end in 1930 when he joined a wildcat strike by teachers in the capital, causing Quezon to demand his resignation. Ramos did so but became a figure of anti-Quezon agitation, setting up a Tagalog language
newspaper Sakdal which gained a wide circulation in rural areas.
Ramos reconstituted his followers as the Sakdalista
movement. Gaining as many as 20,000 members the group launched an attempted uprising in May 1935 but this was quickly crushed and Ramos went into exile in Japan
.
Ramos returned to Manila on August 28, 1938 on board the German
passenger ship Gneisenau
. He became leader of the Ganap Party
which contested the 1941 elections
(although Ramos himself was imprisoned during the vote). During the Japanese occupation this group became part of the KALIBAPI
governing coalition, whilst Ramos formed the Makapili
, a militant youth movement that aimed to limit the power of José P. Laurel
and to provide soldiers for Japan. The followers of Ramos and his ally Artemio Ricarte
were eventually armed by the Japanese in December 1944 by which time the Americans had already landed.
Accounts differ on what happened to Ramos after the fall of the Philippines; some claim that he was killed in an airplane crash in Baguio along with the retreating Japanese.
As well as his political activism, Ramos was also noted as a writer of poetry
with a collection Mga Agam-agam at Iba Pang Tula due for publication.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who collaborated with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Educated in Bulacan
Bulacan
Bulacan , officially called the Province of Bulacan or simply Bulacan Province, is a first class province of the Republic of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Region in the island of Luzon, north of Manila , and part of the Metro...
, he went to work there as a teacher. Later, whilst based in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, he entered the civil service and by 1928 had risen to a high position with the Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
Staff. He became a member of the Nacionalista Party
Nacionalista Party
The Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
and a close associate of Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines...
but this came to an end in 1930 when he joined a wildcat strike by teachers in the capital, causing Quezon to demand his resignation. Ramos did so but became a figure of anti-Quezon agitation, setting up a Tagalog language
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
newspaper Sakdal which gained a wide circulation in rural areas.
Ramos reconstituted his followers as the Sakdalista
Sakdalista
The Sakdalista movement was founded in 1930 by a right wing leader, Benigno Ramos, a writer and discontented former government clerk...
movement. Gaining as many as 20,000 members the group launched an attempted uprising in May 1935 but this was quickly crushed and Ramos went into exile in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Ramos returned to Manila on August 28, 1938 on board the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
passenger ship Gneisenau
Gneisenau (1935)
The Gneisenau was a passenger ship of the Norddeutscher Lloyd, which began its duty as an East Asia liner in 1935. Like several other German ships, the Gneisenau was named after August Neidhardt von Gneisenau, a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall and military reformer.-Literature:* Claus Rothe: Deutsche...
. He became leader of the Ganap Party
Ganap Party
The Ganap Party was a Filipino political party that grew from the Sakdalista movement. Benigno Ramos, who served as its leader, was also the founder of the Sakdalista movement...
which contested the 1941 elections
Philippine general election, 1941
Presidential, legislative and local elections were held on November 11, 1941 in the Philippines. Incumbent President Manuel Luis Quezon won an unprecedented second partial term as President of the Philippines via a landslide. His running mate, Vice President Sergio Osmeña also won via landslide...
(although Ramos himself was imprisoned during the vote). During the Japanese occupation this group became part of the KALIBAPI
KALIBAPI
The Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas , or KALIBAPI, was a Filipino political party that served as the sole party of state during the Japanese occupation...
governing coalition, whilst Ramos formed the Makapili
Makapili
Makapili was a militant group formed in the Philippines during World War II to give military aid to Japan. Organised by Benigno Ramos and Artemio Ricarte, they were born out of José P. Laurel's refusal to conscript Filipinos for Japan...
, a militant youth movement that aimed to limit the power of José P. Laurel
Jose P. Laurel
José Paciano Laurel y García was the president of the Republic of the Philippines, a Japanese-sponsored administration during World War II, from 1943 to 1945...
and to provide soldiers for Japan. The followers of Ramos and his ally Artemio Ricarte
Artemio Ricarte
Artemio Ricarte y Garcia was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War. He is considered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the "Father of the Philippine Army"...
were eventually armed by the Japanese in December 1944 by which time the Americans had already landed.
Accounts differ on what happened to Ramos after the fall of the Philippines; some claim that he was killed in an airplane crash in Baguio along with the retreating Japanese.
As well as his political activism, Ramos was also noted as a writer of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
with a collection Mga Agam-agam at Iba Pang Tula due for publication.