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Front: Manuel Quezon (1878-1944), 2nd President of the Philippines 1935-1944

Back: Malakanyang Palace

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Front: Sergio Osmeña (1878-1961), 4th President of the Philippines 1944-1946

Back: Legislative building

Front

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Front: Manuel A. Roxas (1892-1948), 5th President of the Philippines 1946-1948; raising of the Philippine flag and lowering of the American flag during the declaration of Independence in July 4, 1946

Back: New Central Bank Complex along Roxas Boulevard with an inset image of the former Central Bank Building

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Front: Diosdado Macapagal (1910-1997), 9th President of the Philippines 1961-1965; Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite at lower right

Back: Diosdado's daughter, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (1947-), being sworn in as the 14th President by Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. in January 2001

Philippines, an archipelago in the western Pacific 500 miles from the southeast coast of Asia, was discovered by Spanish explorers in 1521.

The first permanent Spanish settlement was establish in 1565. Spain held the Philippines amid a growing movement of Filipino nationalism until 1898 when they were ceded to the United States at the end of the Spanish-American War.

The Filipinos then fought unsuccessfully against the United States to maintain their independent republic proclaimed by Emilio Aguinaldo. The country became a self-governing Commonwealth of the United States in 1935, occupied by Japan during WWII, and attained full independence in 1946.

For a more detailed country profile, see CIA World Factbook on Philippines.