Quirino, Elpidio

Quirino, Elpidio (ĕlpē`thyō kērē`nō), 1890–1956, Filipino statesman, b. Ilocos Sur prov., Luzon. After he was admitted (1915) to the bar he became a law clerk in the Philippine senate. For many years he was Manual Quezon's political aide. Quirino was elected (1919) to the Philippine house of representatives, and as senator (1925–35, 1941) he devoted himself to problems of finance. After the Japanese invasion in World War II he became a leader of the underground and was captured and imprisoned; his wife and three of his five children were killed by the conquerors. After the liberation (1945) of the Philippines, Quirino became president pro tempore of the senate and was elected (1946) first vice president of the independent Philippine republic. When President Manuel Roxas died (1948), Quirino succeeded to the presidency and was elected to that office in 1949. His administration was plagued by the Hukbalahap insurrection. Although ill, Quirino ran for reelection (1953), but he was overwhelmingly defeated by Ramon Magsaysay.

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Quirino, Elpidio

(born Nov. 16, 1890, Vigan, Phil.—died Feb. 28, 1956, Novaliches) Second president of the independent Republic of the Philippines. Quirino served in numerous elected and appointed posts in the Philippines prior to independence. In 1934 he accompanied Manuel Quezon to the U.S. to secure passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which set a date for Philippine independence. He became vice president to Manuel Roxas after independence, succeeding to the presidency on Roxas's death in 1948. Quirino's presidency (1948–53) was one of notable postwar reconstruction and economic gains, but social problems remained unsolved (leading to the Hukbalahap Rebellion), and government corruption was widespread.