On July 4, 1946, Manuel Roxas became the first president of the Philippines Republic when independene was granted.

In a contested election in November, 1949, the elevated vice president, Elpidio Quirino defeated Jose Laurel in the election, after the sudden death of President Roxas.

in November, 1953, Quirino was defeated by Ramon Magsaysay. As president of the country, Magsaysay had promised economic changes, and he did make progress in land reform, opening new settlements outside crowded Luzon Island.

Ramon's airplane crash causing his death in March, 1957, was a very serious blow to national morale to win a four-year term of his own.

Ramon's vice president, Carlos P. Garcia, won a full term as president in the elections in November, 1957.

In June, 1959, the union of Liberal and Progressive parties, led by Vice President, Diosdado Macapagal suceeded as the next president against Garcia in the 1961 elections.

In the 1965 elections, Ferdinand E. Marcos defeated Macapagal for the presidency of the Philippines.

Ferdinand inherited the territorial dispute over Sabah, and approved a congressional bill annexing Sabah to the Philippines in 1968.

 Manuel Roxas (1st president of the Philippines) 

Elpidio Quirino (2nd president of the    Philippines) 

Carlos P. Garcia (3rd president of the Philippines) 

Ferdinand Marcos (4th president of the Philippines)