1953 Philippine presidential election

The 1953 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections were held on November 10, 1953.[1] Former Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay was elected President of the Philippines, defeating Incumbent Elpidio Quirino in his run for a second full term. His running mate Senator Carlos P. Garcia defeated Quirino's running mate Senator José Yulo. Incumbent Vice President Fernando Lopez did not run for re-election. With Magsaysay's election as president, he became the first elected president that did not come from the Senate.

1953 Philippine presidential election

← 1949 November 10, 1953 1957 →
 
Nominee Ramon Magsaysay Elpidio Quirino
Party Nacionalista Liberal
Running mate Carlos P. Garcia José Yulo
Popular vote 2,912,992 1,313,991
Percentage 68.90% 31.08%

Election results per province/city.

President before election

Elpidio Quirino
Liberal

Elected President

Ramon Magsaysay
Nacionalista

1953 Philippine vice presidential election

← 1949 November 10, 1953 1957 →
 
Candidate Carlos P. Garcia José Yulo
Party Nacionalista Liberal
Popular vote 2,515,265 1,483,802
Percentage 62.90% 37.10%

Election results per province/city.

Vice President before election

Fernando Lopez
Democratic

Elected Vice President

Carlos P. Garcia
Nacionalista

Summary

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After seven years of Liberal rule, the Nacionalista Party lacked a strong presidential candidate to end the regime.[2]

Former President and then-Senator Jose P. Laurel initially had intentions to seek the NP's nomination for president in 1953 but did not go through with it. He then proposed to endorse Secretary of National Defense Ramon Magsaysay, whose successful anti-insurgency and anti-communist initiatives had strained his relations with President Quirino and the LP.

Senate President Camilo Osías sought the presidential nomination but ultimately lost to Magsaysay. Senator Carlos P. Garcia of Bohol was picked to be his running-mate.

 
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Carlos P. Romulo

The Liberal Party renominated President Elpidio Quirino and former House Speaker and Liberal Party President José Yulo for president and vice-president respectively.

Following the nomination, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Carlos P. Romulo and his men walked out of the LP convention and formed the Democratic Party. The DP then nominated Romulo for the presidency and supported the re-election of Vice President Fernando Lopez.

What was supposed to be a three-way race was reduced to a battle between the ruling Liberals against the Nacionalistas after the DP withdrew in support of Magsaysay, resulting in the Nacionalista-Democratic coalition.

Results

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President

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Magsaysay carried most of the provinces except Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu and Abra in which Ilocos Sur is a bailiwick and home province of President Quirino.

CandidatePartyVotes%
Ramon MagsaysayNacionalista Party2,912,99268.90
Elpidio QuirinoLiberal Party1,313,99131.08
Gaudencio BuenoIndependent7360.02
Total4,227,719100.00
Valid votes4,227,71997.71
Invalid/blank votes98,9872.29
Total votes4,326,706100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,603,23177.22
Source: Nohlen, Grotz, Hartmann, Hasall and Santos[3]
Popular vote
Magsaysay
68.90%
Quirino
31.08%
Others
0.02%

Vice-President

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Garcia also carried the provinces who voted for Magsaysay except for Isabela, Capiz and Sulu who voted for Yulo. The provinces who voted for President Quirino also voted for Yulo.

CandidatePartyVotes%
Carlos P. GarciaNacionalista Party2,515,26562.90
José YuloLiberal Party1,483,80237.10
Total3,999,067100.00
Valid votes3,999,06792.43
Invalid/blank votes327,6397.57
Total votes4,326,706100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,603,23177.22
Source: Nohlen, Grotz, Hartmann, Hasall and Santos[4]
Popular vote
Garcia
62.90%
Yulo
37.10%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Gosnell, Harold F. (1954). "An Interpretation of the Philippine Election of 1953". American Political Science Review. 48 (4): 1128–1138. doi:10.2307/1951015. ISSN 0003-0554.
  2. ^ Philippine Electoral Almanac. The Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. 2013. p. 28. Archived from the original on 2014-04-09.
  3. ^ Dieter Nohlen; Florian Grotz; Christof Hartmann; Graham Hassall; Soliman M. Santos.
    Elections in Asia and the Pacific: A Data Handbook: Volume II: South East Asia, East Asia, and the South Pacific
    .
  4. ^ Dieter Nohlen; Florian Grotz; Christof Hartmann; Graham Hassall; Soliman M. Santos.
    Elections in Asia and the Pacific: A Data Handbook: Volume II: South East Asia, East Asia, and the South Pacific
    .
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