MAGSAYSAY'S PROSPECTS AS AN ASIAN LEADER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A000200020026-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 16, 1999
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: December 19, 1953
• Content Type: BRIEF

Approved For Release 2000/08/29 : CIA-RDP79R00890A000~~020026-5
XAGSAYSAY'S 1 0SPRCTS AS AN AS I ' LEADER
Ramon Magsaysay, to be inaugurated as Phil
poseible leader of an anti-Communist Asian coalition.
sident on 30 December, already being assessed an
eetary, be demonstrated capac
.ngsa done despite great obstacles.
C. Most Aauricxn officials in Manila and Washington
are "sold" on 1agsaae ay, but some remain skeptical
because of his inexperience in broader governmental
field, let alone International field.
Already Hbeee and Chiang have been secretly extend
nucleus of aay coalition and exert behind--the--
scones control.
alliance, They riaould, of course, hope-to form the
fo*lers in b18. direction to lead on Asian defense
it Seems probable that at least for the short term
$agsaysay'se popularity ham reached its peak, and may
decline. There is almost certain to be some dis-
illusionment an he 'wrestles with problems inssoluable
on short-term basis.
Land tenure problems, basis of Huk appeal, defied
ssolutioc during American rule,
popular appeal, at least In the Philipp ! nesa ,
ady proven.
Roal attac
itrong roe
on the problem will meet
*nc? of Iacioualista old-guard,
y will, inherit almost empty treasury.
IDA aid this year is $16 1/2 million; YOA
proposed 16 million for coning year, and
State UP,pnd this figure to 25 million. The
Budget Bureau Is now thinking in terms of
only 10 million.
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spioymeut has been growing in Manila as result
of decline in value of exports, reduced US aid.
afssay may have to face a further reduction in
aid.
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0890A000200020026-5
If wagnuaysay ffetsi less Qa aid than iirin
did, it would be a heavy blow to his prestige.
Governmental corruption has become endemic and
cannot be immediately eliminated simply by a
change at the top.
probably take his a minimum of sin
establish his capacity to meet domestic pro
assuming he has it.
A. To branch into wider
0. he must have
support of his reactionary party colleagues.
1. In the past they have shown little interest
international cooperation, have even
shown a streak of anti--Americanism.
the international plane, he will be
competing with Rorulo, who regards him-
se,lf ass the only Filipino capable in such
matters; *mulo might take his Democratic
supporters into opposition, thus complicating
achievsstent of I agsayssay'su domestic progra
Of Asian leaders, apparently only Rbee and Chiang are
gnaysay for leadership.
A. Association with these two would queer any appeal
that r.gsayssay has for Burmese and Indonesians.
Latter already reported to regard talk of gsayssay
as Asian leader as presumptuous.
Fact is, in eyes of Burmese and Indonesia
any Filipino in suspected to American
puppet .
Would seen
would be to
Y's label as "American candidate" did
to alleviate suspicion.
hauee for .gsayssay as Asian leader
lowly.
A. It he caa establish Philippines as truly independent
concern in Southeast Asian eyes, Suspicious
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first moves toward coalition should pro b
economic and cultural, rather than military.
uaily, ties of this nature night learn to
airs alliance.
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 Approved For Release 2000/Q811-96
~0890A000200020026-5
was born the son of a school teacher of little
means in 1907. As a youth, he studied engineering
for 4 years at the University of the Philippines.
After school, during the depression, he became a
a chanic in a bus company. By 1941 he had risen to
become the company's manager.
When the Japanese took over, be became a
leader with several thousand troops under him.
McArthur appointed him military governor of Zambales
province when the war ended.
In 1946, he was elected to the Philippine House as
a Liberal party representative. Later he beaded the
committee on M#attonal Defense and visited the U8 twi.a+e,
Ti uirino appointed him secretary of defense in 1950.
it was as secretary of defense that Bagsaysay rose to
fame.
With US advice and equipment he forged an
effective Philippine combat force and broke
the backs of the Communist 61luks.,
Be also gained such prestige by a resettlement
project on Mindanao for defeated Auks.
disgusted with the corrup
exhausting campaign which won the
the youth and peasants of the Pb.ilippl
ig
by about
ded as completely honest and a tre:wh
blunt and appeals to the 'little man.
A. Be shows keen interest in estabiishirg democracy
and social welfare in his country. Although
lacking in experience in governmental affairs,
he has a quick grasp of complicated problems
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'iuo's regime and resigned last Febru
n of
7*
April this year he accepted a gacionalista Pa
to run as its candidate for president.
oveeber he defeated tau
 Approved For Release 2 29 . 79R0089OA000200020026-5
30 is extremely pro-American and anti-Communist
and is mere interested in results than methods.
C. N neither smokes nor drinks., saayia he has been
too busy. all his liter to acquire "theseoder*n
habits."
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