Filipino hell, Quezon’s dream fulfilled
President Manuel L. Quezon’s final resting place is in a special area in the Quezon Memorial Circle, which is a landmark in the city named after him.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANALY LABOR AND Hulton-Deutsch Collection FOR DAILY TRIBUNE
Inauguration of Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon was held on the steps of the Legislative Building in Manila on 15 November 1935.
LAST photograph of President Manuel L. Quezon was taken in March 1944 while he was bedridden at his residence in Miami, Florida, USA. During this time, he presented the Congressional Medal of Valor of the Philippine Army to Major Emigdio Cruz.
The President stands with his son, Manuel Jr. (left), his wife, Doña Aurora (second from left), and his daughter, Maria (right).
Quezon Day, observed on 19 August to honor Manuel L. Quezon, the first President of the Philippine Commonwealth, serves as a reminder to Filipinos that the former leader played a significant role in the chaos plaguing the government.
His famous, or rather infamous, quip, “I would rather have a government run like hell by Filipinos than a government run like heaven by Americans,” has been fulfilled.
With corruption scandals popping up like fruitcakes during Christmas dinner, Quezon’s wish for self-rule over a polished American colonial setup got the better of most Filipinos.
Fast-forward to 2025, and it feels like we’ve leaned hard into the “run like hell” part of his boast.
The Philippines ranked 115 out of 180 in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, and recent headlines scream about pork barrel and crooked contracts, nepotism, and public funds vanishing into thin air, literally.
Quezon Day 2025 also reminds voters they’ve got the power to vote out the clowns in the circus of corruption.
Quezon also railed against the “caciques,” or political elites hogging the wealth under American rule, who are no different from the opportunists in barong who are on the top tiers of government.
It’s like the divine powers heard him and made those in government give Filipinos an extra hellish existence.
Today, many worry about foreign players, particularly neighbors targeting the West Philippine Sea, exploiting government officials’ vulnerability to corruption.
Quezon Day could fire up the nationalist spirit, reminding us to lock the door and block officials from selling the furniture.
The mystique of the late statesman and leader was made into a biopic aptly titled Quezon.
Quezon is the third installment of the critically-acclaimed “Bayaniverse” film series and will play in cinemas starting 15 October.
