Progressive Party (Philippines)
Encyclopedia
The Progressive Party of the Philippines (PPP), also known as the Party for Philippine Progress, was a reformist political party that existed in the late 1950s and the 1960s. It is considered to be the earliest form of a genuine alternative party to the then-dominant political pair of the Nacionalista Party
and the Liberal Party
. The party ceased to exist by 1969.
and Raul Manglapus
, both of whom had served as key members of the administration of President
Ramon Magsaysay before his untimely death earlier that year. The formation came as a result of the dissatisfaction of members of the Nacionalista Party over the "cold treatment" given to them by allies of newly-installed President Carlos P. Garcia
.
In the 1957 general election
held later that year, Manahan ran as the standard-bearer of the new party while Vicente Araneta served as his runningmate. The party also fielded a complete slate of eight senatorial candidates, among them being Manglapus.
Manahan launched a campaign similar to that of the deceased but still popular Magsaysay, thus allowing him to become popular with the masses and pose a credible threat to President Garcia and Jose Yulo
of the Liberal Party. In the end, Manahan only ranked third behind President Garcia, managing to acquire 20.90 percent of the vote. Araneta, on the other hand, lost to Diosdado Macapagal
of the Liberal Party, garnering 7.97 percent of the vote. None of the senatorial candidates in the party won seats in the Senate
.
In the 1959 midterm election
, the party allied itself with defectors of the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party to form the Grand Alliance
.Tubangui, Helen R., Bauzon, Leslie E., Foronda, Marcelino Jr. A., Ausejo, Luz U. The Filipino Nation: A Concise History of the Philippines. Grolier International, 1982. During the campaign, the Grand Alliance highlighted the graft and corruption taking place under the Garcia administration. Eventually, the Alliance was successful in diminishing the Senate majority of the Nacionalista Party.
and Emmanuel Pelaez
of the Progressive Party as his runningmate. Progressives Manglapus and Manahan also ran as guest senatorial candidates of the Liberal Party, with both of them managing to win seats in the Senate.
By 1965, members of the Grand Alliance separated themselves from the Liberal Party due to their dissatisfaction with the Macapagal administration for not fulfilling their expectations. Soon, the Progressive Party was renamed as the Party for Philippine Progress. It fielded Manglapus as its presidential candidate for the general election
held later that year, and Manahan ran as its vice-presidential candidate. The rejunvenated party also fielded its own senatorial slate, though it was incomplete.
Widely known as the Third Force, the Party for Philippine Progress was seen as a genuine alternative to President Macapagal and Senator Ferdinand Marcos
of the Nacionalista Party. Manglapus, in particular, showed surprising strength in the larger cities and the young voters. But unlike the 1957 election in which Manahan was seen as a viable contender, Manglapus was not seen as having a good chance of winning the election. In the end, Manglapus lost to Marcos with 5.17 percent of the vote, while Manahan lost to Fernando Lopez
, the runningmate of Marcos, with 3.40 percent of the vote.
The party continued to exist until it quietly disbanded in 1969.
Notes
Elements of progressive political philosophy are also believed to have been passed on to later politicians no matter what part of the political spectrum they may belong to, such as former senator Raul Roco.
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 the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Philippines)
The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
. The party ceased to exist by 1969.
1950s
The party was founded in 1957 by Manuel ManahanManuel Manahan
Manuel P. Manahan was a Filipino statesman, journalist, businessman, and rural development advocate. He was a key government official during the administration of President Ramon Magsaysay, best known for his stint as the head of the Presidential Complaints and Action Commission...
and Raul Manglapus
Raul Manglapus
Raúl Sevilla Manglapus was a prominent post-World War II Filipino politician. He co-founded the reformist Progressive Party of the Philippines and the Christian Democratic Socialist Movement in 1968 .He was appointed as the Philippines' youngest-ever foreign minister in 1957,...
, both of whom had served as key members of the administration of President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Ramon Magsaysay before his untimely death earlier that year. The formation came as a result of the dissatisfaction of members of the Nacionalista Party over the "cold treatment" given to them by allies of newly-installed President Carlos P. Garcia
Carlos P. Garcia
Carlos Polistico García was a Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political economist and guerrilla leader...
.
In the 1957 general election
Philippine general election, 1957
Senatorial elections were held on November 12, 1957 in the Philippines. The Nacionalista Party, despite losing two seats to the Liberal Party still held the Senate with twenty seats. The Liberals who won were actor Rogelio de la Rosa and former basketball player Ambrosio Padilla.-See...
held later that year, Manahan ran as the standard-bearer of the new party while Vicente Araneta served as his runningmate. The party also fielded a complete slate of eight senatorial candidates, among them being Manglapus.
Manahan launched a campaign similar to that of the deceased but still popular Magsaysay, thus allowing him to become popular with the masses and pose a credible threat to President Garcia and Jose Yulo
Jose Yulo
José Yulo was the Chief Justice of the Philippines during the Japanese Occupation and was Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives from 1939 until the World War II started in 1941.-Career:...
of the Liberal Party. In the end, Manahan only ranked third behind President Garcia, managing to acquire 20.90 percent of the vote. Araneta, on the other hand, lost to Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Pangan Macapagal was the ninth President of the Philippines, serving from 1961 to 1965, and the sixth Vice President, serving from 1957 to 1961. He also served as a member of the House of Representatives, and headed the Constitutional Convention of 1970...
of the Liberal Party, garnering 7.97 percent of the vote. None of the senatorial candidates in the party won seats in 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...
.
In the 1959 midterm election
Philippine general election, 1959
Senatorial elections were held on November 10, 1959. The 1959 elections were known as the 1959 Philippine midterm election as the date when the elected officials take office falls half-way through President Carlos P...
, the party allied itself with defectors of the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party to form the Grand Alliance
Grand Alliance (Philippines)
The Grand Alliance was a political coalition in the Philippines that existed from 1959 to 1965. It was composed of members of the Progressive Party and defectors from the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party.-Formation:...
.Tubangui, Helen R., Bauzon, Leslie E., Foronda, Marcelino Jr. A., Ausejo, Luz U. The Filipino Nation: A Concise History of the Philippines. Grolier International, 1982. During the campaign, the Grand Alliance highlighted the graft and corruption taking place under the Garcia administration. Eventually, the Alliance was successful in diminishing the Senate majority of the Nacionalista Party.
1960s
In 1961, the Progressive party, under the Grand Alliance, joined forces with the Liberal Party in order to prevent the re-election of President Garcia. Together, the united parties supported Vice-President Macapagal of the Liberal Party as its candidate for the 1961 presidential electionPhilippine general election, 1961
A senatorial election was held on November 14, 1961 in the Philippines. The two candidates of the Progressive Party, guest candidates of the Liberal Party, topped the election, while the Liberals themselves won four seats cutting the Nacionalista Party's majority to 13 seats in the 24-seat...
and Emmanuel Pelaez
Emmanuel Pelaez
Emmanuel Neri Pelaez was a politician and Vice-President of the Philippines.-Early life and career:Pelaez was born in Medina, Misamis Oriental to Gregorio Pelaez, Sr. and Felipa Neri. He was fourth among eight children: Rosario, Concepcion, Gregorio Jr., Emmanuel, Jose Ma., Lourdes , Antonio, and...
of the Progressive Party as his runningmate. Progressives Manglapus and Manahan also ran as guest senatorial candidates of the Liberal Party, with both of them managing to win seats in the Senate.
By 1965, members of the Grand Alliance separated themselves from the Liberal Party due to their dissatisfaction with the Macapagal administration for not fulfilling their expectations. Soon, the Progressive Party was renamed as the Party for Philippine Progress. It fielded Manglapus as its presidential candidate for the general election
Philippine general election, 1965
A senatorial election was held on November 19, 1965 in the Philippines. The Nacionalista Party wrestled back control of the Senate; originally a Liberal, Senate President Ferdinand Marcos defected to the Nacionalistas, became their presidential candidate and won this year's election...
held later that year, and Manahan ran as its vice-presidential candidate. The rejunvenated party also fielded its own senatorial slate, though it was incomplete.
Widely known as the Third Force, the Party for Philippine Progress was seen as a genuine alternative to President Macapagal and Senator Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
of the Nacionalista Party. Manglapus, in particular, showed surprising strength in the larger cities and the young voters. But unlike the 1957 election in which Manahan was seen as a viable contender, Manglapus was not seen as having a good chance of winning the election. In the end, Manglapus lost to Marcos with 5.17 percent of the vote, while Manahan lost to Fernando Lopez
Fernando Lopez
Fernando López,Sr. was a Filipino statesman. A member of the influential López Family of Iloilo, Fernando López served as Vice President for three terms, under President Elpidio Quirino for the Liberals and Ferdinand Marcos for the Nacionalistas.-Early life and career:López was born on April 13,...
, the runningmate of Marcos, with 3.40 percent of the vote.
The party continued to exist until it quietly disbanded in 1969.
Candidates
The following were members of the Progressive Party who ran as candidates in the national elections. Those highlighted in bold signify those who were able to win the position they were running for.| Year | President | Vice President | Senators |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Manuel Manahan | Vicente Araneta | Eleuterio Adevoso Jaime Ferrer Josefa Gonzales-Estrada Jose M. Hernandez Raul Manglapus Fulvio Pelaez Rodrigo Perez Jr. Norberto Romualdez Jr. |
| 1959As the Grand Alliance | NoneNo presidential election was held this year. | NoneNo vice-presidential election was held this year. | Manuel Manahan Raul Manglapus |
| 1961As the Grand Alliance and as guest members of the Liberal Party | NoneThe Progressives endorsed Diosdado Macapagal of the Liberal Party. | Emmanuel Pelaez | Manuel Manahan Raul Manglapus |
| 1965As the Party for Philippine Progress | Raul Manglapus | Manuel Manahan | Vicente Araneta Jose Feria Benjamin Gaston Dionisio Ojeda |
Notes
Legacy
Despite the decline of the party, it had considerable influence in current Philippine politics. For instance, the Lakas Kampi CMD, an active center-right political party in the country, considers the Progressive Party as its predecessor, largely because Manglapus was one of the earliest members of Lakas in the 1990s.Elements of progressive political philosophy are also believed to have been passed on to later politicians no matter what part of the political spectrum they may belong to, such as former senator Raul Roco.