1946 Philippine general election

The Elections for the President, Vice-President, Members of the Senate, Members of the House of Representatives and Local Positions held on April 23, 1946 (pursuant to Commonwealth Act No. 725).

Background

Soon after the reconstitution of the Commonwealth Government in 1945, Senators Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino and their allies called for an early national election to choose the president and vice president of the Philippines and members of the Congress. In December 1945, the House Insular Affairs Committee of the United States Congress approved the joint resolution setting the date of the election on not later than April 30, 1946.

Prompted by this congressional action, President Sergio Osmeña called the Philippine Congress to a three-day special session. Congress enacted Commonwealth Act No. 725, setting the date of the election on April 23, 1946. The act was signed by President Osmeña on January 5, 1946.

Candidates

Three parties presented their respective candidates for the different national elective positions. These were the Nacionalista Party – Conservative (Osmeña) Wing, the Liberal Wing of the Nacionalista Party, and the Partido Modernista. The Nacionalistas had Osmeña and Senator Eulogio Rodriguez as their candidates for president and vice president, respectively. The Modernistas chose Hilario Camino Moncado and Luis Salvador for the same positions. The standard bearers of the Liberals were Senators Manuel Roxas and Elpidio Quirino.

On January 3, 1946 President Osmeña announced candidacy for President. On January 22, 1946 Eulogio Rodriguez was nominated as Osmeña's running mate for Vice President, in a convention held at Ciro's Club in Manila. According to the Manila Chronicle:

The convention opened at 10:15 in the morning when the acting secretary of the party, Vicente Farmoso, called the confab to order.

Congressman Jose C. Romero, who delivered the keynote speech accused Senate President Manuel Roxas and his followers of fanning the flames of discontent among the people, of capitalizing on the people's hardship, and of minimizing the accomplishment of the [Osmeña] Administration. These men with the Messiah complex have been the bane of the country and of the world. This is the mentality that produces Hitlers and the Mussolinis, and their desire to climb to power. they even want to destroy the party which placed them where they are today.

Senator Carlos P. Garcia, who delivered the nomination speech for President Sergio Osmeña, made a long recital of Osmeña's achievements, his virtues as public official and as private citizen.

Entering the convention hall at about 7:30 p.m, President Osmeña, accompanied by the committee on notification, was greeted with rounds of cheer and applause as he ascended the platform. President Osmeña delivered his speech which was a general outline of his future plans once elected. He emphasized that as far as his party is concerned, independence is a close issue. It is definitely coming on July 4, 1946[1]

On January 19, 1946, Senator Roxas announced his candidacy for President in a convention held in Santa Ana Cabaret in Manila. According to Manila Chronicle:

...more than three thousand (by conservative estimate there were only 1,000 plus) delegates, party members and hero worshipers jammed into suburban, well known Santa Ana Cabaret (biggest in the world) to acclaim ex-katipunero and Bagong Katipunan organizer Manuel Acuña Roxas as the guidon bearer of the Nacionalista Party's Liberal Wing.

The delegates, who came from all over the Islands, met in formal convention from 10:50 am and did not break up till about 5:30 pm.

They elected 1. Mariano J. Cuenco, professional Osmeñaphobe, as temporary chairman; 2. Jose Avelino and ex-pharmacist Antonio Zacarias permanent chairman and secretary, respectively; 3. nominated forty-four candidates for senators; 4. heard the generalissimo himself deliver an oratorical masterpiece consisting of 50 per cent attacks against the (Osmeña) Administration, 50 per cent promises, pledges. Rabid Roxasites greeted the Roxas acceptance speech with hysterical applause.[2]

President Osmeña tried to prevent the split in the Nacionalista Party by offering Senator Roxas the position of Philippine Regent Commissioner to the United States but the latter turned down the offer.

As a result of the split among the members of the Nacionalista Party, owing to marked differenced of opinion on certain vital issues of which no settlement had been reached, a new political organization was born and named the Liberal Wing of the Nacionalista Party, which would later become the Liberal Party.

Results

The election was generally peaceful and orderly except in some places where passions ran high, especially in the province of Pampanga. According to the controversial decision of the Electoral Tribunal of the House of Representatives on Meliton Soliman vs. Luis Taruc, Pampanga was under the terroristic clutches and control of the Hukbalahaps.So terrorized were the people of Arayat, at one time, 200 persons abandoned their homes, their work, and their food, all their belongings in a mass evacuation to the poblacion due to fear and terror.

A total of 2,218,847 voters went to the polls to elect their President and Vice President who were to be the Commonwealth's last and the Republic's first.

Four days after election day, the Liberal candidates were proclaimed victors. Roxas registered an overwhelming majority of votes in 34 provinces and nine cities: Abra, Agusan, Albay, Antique, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Capiz, Cavite, Cotabato, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Laguna, La Union, Leyte, Marinduque, Mindoro, Misamis Oriental, Negros Occidental, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pangasinan, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sorsogon, Sulu, Surigao, Tayabas, Zambales, Manila, Quezon City, Bacolod (Negros Occidental), Iloilo City (Iloilo), Baguio (Mountain Province), Zamboanga City (Zamboanga), Tagaytay City (Cavite), Cavite City (Cavite) and San Pablo City (Laguna)

Likewise, the Liberals won nine out of 16 contested senatorial seats.

In the House of Representatives, the Liberals won an overwhelming majority with 50 seats while the Nacionalistas and the Democratic Alliance only got 33 and six seats, respectively.

President

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Manuel Roxas	Nacionalista Party (Liberal wing)	1,333,006	53.93
	Sergio Osmeña	Nacionalista Party	1,129,994	45.72
	Hilario Moncado	Modernist Party	8,538	0.35
Total			2,471,538	100.00
Valid votes			2,471,538	95.17
Invalid/blank votes			125,342	4.83
Total votes			2,596,880	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			2,898,604	89.59
Source: 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.

Presidential Canvass (by Province)

Province	Moncado (Partido Modernista)	Osmeña Nacionalista Party (Conservative Wing)	Roxas Nacionalista Party (Liberal Party)
Abra	18	3,813	6,750
Agusan (now Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur	26	9,219	9,357
Albay	13	24,344	25,940
Antique	19	12,952	18,271
Bataan	4	8,309	9,468
Batanes	20	705	1,326
Batangas
Bohol	308	40,258	30,592
Bukidnon	150	2,451	3,011
Bulacan	38	38,549	39,799
Cagayan	365	25,605	15,514
Camarines Norte	4	5,482	10,471
Camarines Sur	21	24,214	33,267
Capiz (including Aklan^2	14	18,161	41,844
Catanduanes	4	8,698	5,477
Cavite^3	19	11,196	38,111
Cebu^4	792	98,700	53,848
Cotabato ^5	66	16,490	17,826
Davao ^6	1,536	19,229	11,896
Ilocos Norte	243	12,097	25,464
Ilocos Sur	34	16,530	30,322
Iloilo	25	43,522	79,136
Isabela	437	9,220	17,431
Laguna	26	22,246	36,527
Lanao ^7	991	37,101	17,212
La Union	157	14,844	22,444

^2 Aklan only became a province on November 8, 1956 by virtue of Republic Act No. 1414.

^3 Including the cities of Tagaytay and Cavite.

^4 Including Cebu City. In Cebu City, Sergio Osmeña got 15,569 votes while Roxas only got 8,759 votes.

^5 The present-day provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan and Sultan Kudarat were part of the then province of Cotabato.

^6 The then province of Lanao was divided in 1959 into two provinces: Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.

Vice-President

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Elpidio Quirino	Nacionalista Party (Liberal wing)	1,161,725	52.36
	Eulogio Rodriguez	Nacionalista Party	1,051,243	47.38
	Luis Salvador	Modernist Party	5,879	0.26
Total			2,218,847	100.00
Valid votes			2,218,847	85.44
Invalid/blank votes			378,033	14.56
Total votes			2,596,880	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			2,898,604	89.59
Source: 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.

Vice Presidential Canvass (by Province)

Province	Quirino Nacionalista Party (Liberal Party)	Rodriguez Nacionalista Party (Conservative Wing)	Salvador Partido Modernista
Abra	6,894	3,092	7
Agusan	8,540	8,131	11
Albay	23,445	21,696	12
Antique	16,749	12,026	55
Bataan	6,424	8,245	17
Batanes	1,466	221	6
Batangas	32,185	22,195	111
Bohol	26,290	34,296	167
Bukidnon	2,899	2,138	99
Bulacan	29,277	38,881	50
Cagayan	21,826	17,226	238
Camarines Norte	10,013	4,894	4
Camarines Sur	31,282	23,052	24
Capiz	36,845	17,494	11
Catanduanes	5,164	8,645	4
Cavite	22,688	17,882	28
Cebu	50,495	92,253	524
Cotabato	17,366	11,718	68
Davao	12,015	17,629	1,090
Ilocos Norte	26,727	9,672	109
Ilocos Sur	36,158	9,460	12
Iloilo	68,520	40,343	42
Isabela	19,800	5,786	208
Laguna	17,724	30,552	26
Lanao	12,638	26,787	594
La Union	29,126	6,860	104
Leyte	55,873	43,776	139
Manila	67,228	43,197	139
Marinduque	6,405	4,181	27
Masbate	8,378	10,006	32
Mindoro	12,370	7,423	7
Misamis Occidental	8,835	15,046	334
Misamis Oriental	12,245	10,172	132
Mountain Province (including Baguio)	11,340	6,530	221
Negros Occidental	56,527	47,011	63
Negros Oriental	11,869	23,000	63
Nueva Ecija	27,949	38,690	46
Nueva Vizcaya	7,095	3,486	21
Palawan	6,291	4,691	7
Pampanga	9,291	64,556	119
Pangasinan	84,775	56,806	45
Tayabas	39,338	15,966	35
Rizal	35,512	54,896	50
Romblon	7,482	3,060	24
Samar	34,920	124,586	140
Sorsogon	19,445	15,980	10
Sulu	5,953	7,640	5
Surigao	13,800	11,768	56
Tarlac	17,523	22,813	50
Zambales	15,370	4,298	39
Zamboanga	13,317	18,426	433
Culion Leper Colony	100	329	1

Senate

The first eight Senators would serve until 1951, and the second eight until 1949:

 Summary of the April 23, 1946 Philippine Senate election result

Rank	Candidate	Party		Votes	%
1	Vicente Francisco		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	735,671	28.6%
2	Vicente Sotto		Popular Front	717,225	27.9%
3	José Avelino		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	708,420	27.6%
4	Melecio Arranz		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	666,700	25.9%
5	Ramon Torres		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	640,477	24.9%
6	Tomas Confesor		Nacionalista	627,354	24.4%
7	Mariano Jesus Cuenco		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	623,650	24.3%
8	Carlos P. Garcia		Nacionalista	617,542	24.0%
9	Olegario Clarin		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	611,227	23.8%
10	Alejo Mabanag		Nacionalista	608,902	23.7%
11	Enrique B. Magalona		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	591,796	23.0%
12	Tomas Cabili		Nacionalista	589,762	22.9%
13	Jose O. Vera		Nacionalista	588,993	22.9%
14	Ramon Diokno		Nacionalista	583,598	22.7%
15	Jose Romero^1		Nacionalista	563,816	21.9%
16	Salipada Pendatun		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	557,156	21.7%
17	Prospero Sanidad		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	556,772	21.7%
18	Vicente dela Cruz		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	544,621	21.2%
19	Servillano dela Cruz		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	536,995	20.9%
20	Pedro Magsalin		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	516,127	20.1%
21	Antonio Paguia		Laborite	505,770	19.7%
22	Santiago Fonacier		Nacionalista	499,565	19.4%
23	Antonio Araneta		Nacionalista	491,054	19.1%
24	Emilio Javier		Popular Front	481,913	18.8%
25	Eduardo Cojuangco		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	481,683	18.7%
26	Pedro S. Reyes		Nacionalista	465,987	18.1%
27	Jose Altavas		Nacionalista	461,014	17.9%
28	Rafael Martinez		Nacionalista	449,534	17.5%
29	Vicente Lava		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	431,842	16.8%
30	Mariano Garchitorena		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	423,828	16.5%
31	Pedro Insua		Nacionalista	403,561	15.7%
32	Pascual Azanza		Nacionalista	397,835	15.5%
33	Carlos Padilla		Modernist	75,066	2.9%
34	D. Gutierrez		Nacionalista	49,037	1.9%
35	Francisco Zandueta		Nacionalista (Independent)	47,802	1.9%
36	Ramon Lopez		Democratic Alliance	44,718	1.7%
37	Vicente Ocampo		Modernist	43,872	1.7%
38	Jose C. Soto		Modernist	35,408	1.4%
39	Asa-ad Usman		Nacionalista	28,924	1.1%
40	Timoteo Consing		Nacionalista	27,597	1.1%
41	Emilia T. del Rosario		Modernist	25,586	1.0%
42	Manuel Silos		Modernist	23,344	0.9%
43	Miguel Anzures		Modernist	20,441	0.8%
44	Jose Climaco		Modernist	20,231	0.8%
45	Ismael Golez		National Welfare Service	17,069	0.7%
46	Dominador Santiago		Modernist	16,553	0.6%
47	Casiano Rosales		Modernist	14,949	0.6%
48	Carlos V. Tolosa		Modernist	13,527	0.5%
49	Paul Verzosa		National Welfare Service	12,094	0.5%
50	Godofredo Calub		Modernist	11,498	0.4%
51	Jesus Infante		Modernist	10,487	0.4%
52	Melchor Lagasca		National Welfare Service	10,323	0.4%
53	Felix E. Rey		Modernist	9,787	0.4%
54	Rosendo Zaldarriaga		Democrat (Osmeña)	9,656	0.4%
55	Pasto Lavadia		Nacionalista (Liberal wing)	7,864	0.3%
56	Constancio P. Cecilio		Modernist	7,807	0.3%
57	Marcelino Josue		Modernist	4,604	0.2%
Total turnout				2,569,880	89.6%
Total votes				18,081,774	N/A
Registered voters				2,898,604	100.0%
				Source:[3]

^1 Replaced by Prospero Sanidad as a result of an election protest.

House of Representatives

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Nacionalista Party	1,069,971	45.78	35	−60
	Nacionalista Party (Liberal wing)	908,740	38.89	49	New
	Democratic Alliance	152,410	6.52	6	New
	Popular Front	62,286	2.67	1	+1
	Young Philippines	31,222	1.34	1	+1
	Popular Democratic Party	20,089	0.86	1	+1
	Laborite Party	3,324	0.14	0	0
	Modernist Party	570	0.02	0	0
	Republican Party	516	0.02	0	0
	Philippine Masses Party	56	0.00	0	0
	Independent	87,770	3.76	5	+2
Total		2,336,954	100.00	98	0
Registered voters/turnout		2,898,604	–
Source: 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. & Julio Teehankee. "Electoral Politics in the Philippines" (PDF). quezon.ph.

See also

• Commission on Elections
• Politics of the Philippines
• Philippine elections
• President of the Philippines
• 1st Congress of the Philippines

References

1. Celso G. Cabrera. "Rodriguez is Nominated as Osmeña's Running-Mate," Manila Chronicle, January 22, 1946 p. 2
2. "Conventions Climax Hectic Week," Manila Chronicle This week, January 27, 1946, p. 3
3. Christof Hartmann; Graham Hassall; Soliman M. Santos, Jr. (2001). Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz and Christof Hartmann (ed.). Elections in Asia and the Pacific Vol. II. Oxford University Press. pp. 185–230. ISBN 0199249598.

External links

• The Philippine Presidency Project
• Official website of the Commission on Elections