# Nacionalista Party

The Nacionalista Party (Filipino and Spanish: Partido Nacionalista; lit. 'Nationalist Party') is a political party in the Philippines and the oldest in the country and in Southeast Asia. It is responsible for leading the country throughout most of the 20th century since its founding in 1907; it was the ruling party from 1935 to 1946 (under Presidents Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña), 1953–1961 (under Presidents Ramon Magsaysay and Carlos P. Garcia) and 1965–1978 (under President Ferdinand Marcos).

## Ideology

The Nacionalista Party was initially created as a Filipino nationalist party that supported Philippine independence until 1946 when the United States granted independence to the country. Since then, many scholarly articles that dealt with the history of political parties during the Third Republic agreed that the party has been increasingly populist, although some have argued they have conservative tendencies because of their opposition to the Liberal Party and the Progressive Party.

## History
### American Insular to Commonwealth era

The party was organized as a vehicle for Philippine independence, advocating self-rule; and espousing this advocacy through representation in the Philippine Assembly of 1907–1916, and in the succeeding Philippine Legislature of 1916–1935. The ranks of Nationalist politicians rose to prominence through the Commonwealth of the Philippines spanning 1935–1941, ending when political parties were replaced by a singular and monolithic KALIBAPI Party during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

### Third Republic era
#### Break-away of the "Liberal" wing and 1946 elections

Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino and their allies called for an early general elections which elect the president, vice president and members of the Congress, and lobbied it to their allies in the United States Congress. In December 1945, the House Insular Affairs Committee of the US Congress approved the joint resolution, setting the election date by April 23, 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 election date on April 23, 1946. President Osmeña signed the act on January 5, 1946.
Nacionalista was divided into two, the Conservative wing or the pro-Osmeña wing, and the Liberal wing led by Roxas and Quirino. On January 3, 1946, Osmeña announced his re-election bid. But the Liberal wing became as the Liberal Party and was officially founded on January 19, 1946, with its leaders Roxas and Quirino as party nominees for president and vice president respectively.
On January 22, 1946, former Rizal congressman and Senator Eulogio "Amang" Rodriguez was nominated as Osmeña's running mate for vice president, in a convention held at Ciro's Club in Manila. But the tandem of Osmeña and Rodriguez was defeated by Roxas and Quirino of the Liberal Party.

#### Opposition to the Roxas and Quirino Administrations

After the victory of the Liberal Party, Nacionalista only won 1 of 8 seats in the 1947 Senate election, by Camilo Osias. In 1949 presidential elections, Nacionalista fielded former "collaborator" and political veteran Jose P. Laurel, with former Senator and Supreme Court Associate Justice Manuel Briones as his running-mate. Even though the Nacionalista have advantage of Liberal's divide, as Quirino running for his own full term and Senator José Avelino ran with another wing, Quirino prevailed against Laurel. Former general and future diplomat Carlos P. Romulo and Marvin M. Gray considered 1949 edition as the dirtiest election in Philippine electoral history. In the senate election of the same year, anti-American Claro M. Recto only managed to win after an election protest.

#### Recruitment of Magsaysay vs. Quirino

1953 Nacionalista Convention :
| Candidate | | |
| Name | Ramon Magsaysay | Camilo Osías |
| Votes | 702 | 49 |
Former President and then-Senator Jose P. Laurel initially had intentions to seek Nacionalista's nomination for president in 1953 but did not go through with it. He then proposed to endorse then-Secretary of National Defense Ramon Magsaysay, whose successful anti-insurgency and anti-communist initiatives had strained his relations with President Quirino and the Liberal Party. But Senate President Camilo Osías sought the presidential nomination but ultimately lost to Magsaysay. This prompted Osias to jump to Liberal. In the convention, Senator Carlos P. Garcia of Bohol was picked to be his running-mate, defeating Jose Zulueta (who also jumped to Liberal with Osias). Also, country's ambassador to United Nations Carlos Romulo and incumbent Vice President Fernando Lopez, who founded the Democratic Party from Liberal and originally intended to run for president, and vice president respectively withdrew and Lopez seek for a place in Senate. The tandem of Magsaysay and Garcia won the election in 1953. In 1953 senate elections, only Lorenzo Tañada was the one who won from different party beside Nacionalista and Democratic, and in 1955, Nacionalistas swept the eight candidates.

#### Garcia administration and the Pro-Magsaysay faction

After Magsaysay's plane crashed to Mt. Manunggal riding a Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Carlos Garcia assumed the presidency for the last months of Magsaysay's unfinished term. He won a re-election in 1957, but for the first time in electoral history of the Philippines, Garcia have a vice president did not have the same party or his opponent's running-mate as Garcia's running mate, Jose P. Laurel's son and former House Speaker Pepito Laurel defeated by Kapampangan Congressman Diosdado Macapagal.
Juan Pajo, the then-governor of Bohol, held the Bible which Garcia took oath on, breaking the tradition wherein it is held by presidential spouses. A faction led by Manuel Manahan and Raul Manglapus formed a faction of pro-Magsaysay due to dissatisfaction of members of the Nacionalista Party over the "cold treatment" given to them by allies of Garcia. The faction later become Progressive Party.

#### 1961 elections

In 1961, Incumbent president Garcia lost his opportunity for a second full term as president of the Philippines to Vice President Diosdado Macapagal. Also, Senator Gil Puyat, Garcia's running-mate lost to Emmanuel Pelaez, and behind of Serging Osmeña, the son of the party's founder. Jose Roy and Lorenzo Sumulong are those Nacionalistas to manage to gain seats.

#### 1965 elections: Rise of Ferdinand Marcos

In April 1964, Senate President Ferdinand Marcos resigned from the Liberal Party, and joined Nacionalista ship. He cited President Macapagal's unfulfilled promise of not running for re-election as the main reason of leaving his former party. Before quitting his former party, Marcos served its party president. With selecting Quirino's former Vice President Fernando Lopez as his running mate, Marcos defeated Macapagal in a three-way 1965 elections.

#### 1969 elections: Marcos retained

Ninoy Aquino, a former Nacionalista under Ramon Magsaysay, became a Liberal in 1959, and won senate seat in 1967. Aquino became a vocal opponent of Marcos for next decade.
Ramon Magsaysay's brother Genaro was recruited by Liberal from Nacionalista to be Serging Osmeña's running mate. Magsaysay won a senate seat as Nacionalista in 1965. Marcos was reelected for a second term. He was the first and last Filipino president and Nacionalista president to win a second full term. His running mate, incumbent Vice President Lopez was also elected to a third full term as Vice President of the Philippines.
But Marcos's second term was characterized by social unrest, beginning with the 1969 Philippine balance of payments crisis, which was already underway during the second inauguration. Opposition groups began to form, with "moderate" groups calling for political reform and "radical" groups who espoused a more radical-left ideology.

#### 1971: The Plaza Miranda bombing

After what happened to Plaza Miranda bombing, Liberal won five seats, and Nacionalista won three seats by Eva Estrada Kalaw (also Liberal's guest candidate), Ernie Maceda, and Alejandro Almendras.
In 1971, Marcos' State of the Nation Address, there is a sign on his speech that if the country's condition worse, it is time to declare Martial Law.
   So I come to speak of a society that is sick, so sick that it must either be cured and cured now or buried in a deluge of reforms.
Marcos also suspended the writ of habeas corpus by virtue of Proclamation No. 889, through which he assumed emergency powers.
Marcos's second term effectively ended a little under two years and nine months later, when Marcos announced on September 23, 1972, that he had placed the Philippines under martial law.

### Martial law and Fourth Republic
#### 1978 elections

For the incomning 1978 parliamentary elections, some Nacionalista members joined the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, a regime-controlled coalition, akin to the Japanese occupation's KALIBAPI. With many preferring not to be involved, the Nacionalistas went to hibernation.

#### 1981: Alejo Santos

With the lifing of Martial Law by Proclamation 2045, on January 17, 1981, Jose Roy, was asked by Marcos to find an opponent against him, as Lakas ng Bayan and United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) declared a boycott on the election as early as April. As the opposition, UNIDO, the main opposition umbrella group, wanted to clean the voters' list, a revamping of the Commission on Elections, a campaign to be held nationwide and that UNIDO accredited as a minority party. Marcos did not accept the demands which led UNIDO to call for a boycott. This caused for Marcos to be reportedly dismayed as he could not legitimize the election without a viable opposition candidate.
The Nacionalista Party chose former Defense Secretary and Bulacan governor Alejo Santos as their standard bearer. Santos, who was appointed by Marcos as chairman of the board of the Philippine Veterans Bank, had Francisco Tatad, Marcos' former information minister, as his campaign manager. Ultimately, Marcos won in a landslide.

#### 1983: Together with UNIDO

After the assassination of their former member Ninoy Aquino, former Marcos loyalist and son of Jose P. Laurel, Salvador "Doy" Laurel led the Nacionalista to joining UNIDO, thus became the main opposition against the dictatorship. Marcos called a snap election in 1986, thus giving Laurel a chance to be the face of the opposition to match Marcos. In the UNIDO convention with a jampacked 25,000 delegates, Laurel have UNIDO's support, but unfortunately for him, Ninoy's spouse Cory ran under her own campaign. Due to Manila Archbishop Jaime Sin's please of sliding down for Laurel agreed and the two teamed up.

#### 1986: Snap election

As Nacionalista, Liberal, PDP-Laban united under UNIDO, they fielded Cory Aquino and Doy Laurel as their official nominees for president and vice president respectively for the 1986 election. In the said election, violence was rampant and cheating scandals and controversies arose, with COMELEC officers walked out of the PICC, the place where COMELEC transmission of data happens.
Lt. Col. Gringo Honasan and backed by former Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile had plotted a coup d'état to seize Malacañang and kill Marcos and his family. It also give way for the success of the People Power Revolution in February 25.

### Post-EDSA & Fifth Republic
#### Under first Aquino administration

Years later, in the late 1980s, the party was revived under the leadership of Laurel, who resigned as Secretary of Foreign affairs due to conflict with President Cory Aquino.

#### 1992 elections

For the 1992 elections, the party nominated Laurel for president and selected Eva Kalaw to be his running mate. But after the party nominated Laurel, a pro-Danding Cojuangco/Marcos faction broke away and established the Nationalist People's Coalition by Amang Rodriguez's son Isidro in 1991. The tandem of Laurel and Kalaw is the last-place of that election. All of Nacionalista won seats in the lower house (House of Representatives) joined Jose De Venecia's Rainbow Coalition. The party almost return in hibernation for the next years, with Valenzuela congressman Antonio Serapio as its only member in the both chambers of congress.

#### 2001 elections

Homobono Adaza, former Bureau of Immigration commissioner was running under the Nacionalista banner. The party did not join either People Power Coalition or Pwersa ng Masa. Adaza's platform was to make Marcos family liable for their 600 million wealth question. But even though Adaza lost, in the House of Representatives, Nacionalista joined de Venecia's Sunshine Coalition.

#### 2004 elections

Even though did not field any candidate in legislature and executive positions nationally, in 2004, the party, with the new leadership under its party chairman and Senator Manny Villar, the party supported then-incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, daughter of the one who defeated their 1957 vice presidential candidate and stopped Carlos Garcia's reelection bid.

#### 2007 elections

For the 2007 elections, then-Senate President Villar led the Nacionalista into joining opposition against Arroyo, the Genuine Opposition to match the administration's TEAM Unity. But their another re-electionist Ralph Recto moved away from Nacionalista and joined with the admin camp. Villar got his re-election bid pushed into victory.
Also, by 2007, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) is expected to merge with the party. KBL chairman Vicente Millora, who advocated a two-party system return, he said the KBL is willing to merge with Nacionalista if the two-party system is revived.

#### 2010 elections

In 2008, Manny Villar topped the presidential surveys, even though the issue of C-5 Road project was tackled. In same year, he declared that he has intention to run for president. Until 2009, Villar still the top in surveys fot preferred presidential bets. Due to the death of former President Cory Aquino, the surveys starting began to favor her son Senator Noynoy Aquino. At first, they have a tight race, with the popularity of Manny Villar's jingle Naging Mahirap (or Nakaligo ka na ba sa Dagat ng Basura), is which prompted to creation of internet and Facebook memes about it. He also used the slogan of Tapusin ang Kahirapan (Tagalog for "End the poverty").

##### Controversy over dominant-minority status

In the 2010 general election, the Nacionalista and the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) formed an alliance after it was approved by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on April 12, 2010. Villar choose Senator Loren Legarda who is a member of the NPC as running mate. It became the dominant minority party after a resolution passed by the COMELEC. On April 21, 2010, it was blocked by the Supreme Court after a suit filed by the rival Liberal Party. On May 6, 2010, the Supreme Court nullified the merger and therefore giving the Liberal Party to be the dominant minority party. It was based on a resolution by the COMELEC giving political parties to be accredited by August 17, 2009.
The coalition was made to help the Nacionalista Party to help boost the presidential campaign of Senator Villar and have a chance to be the dominant minority party by the COMELEC which give the rights to poll watchers during the canvassing of votes. However, it is being challenged by the Liberal Party calls the said alliance a bogus alliance and they are seeking the same party status by the COMELEC. Several local races are also being challenged from both parties, therefore causing confusion in those races.

##### Senate slate

Villar organized the Senate slate of his ticket, composed of Pia Cayetano, Bongbong Marcos (who joined Nacionalista with his family due to dispute with KBL members), Susan Ople, former Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin, former news reporter and congressman Gilbert Remulla, former military captain Ramon Mitra III, and Adel Tamano. They have also got Miriam Defensor Santiago of the People's Reform Party, Gwen Pimentel of PDP–Laban, activist Liza Maza, who is running independent, and Bayan Muna member and NDF member Satur Ocampo.

##### Cancelled alliance with KBL

On November 20, 2009, the Nacionalista forged an alliance with the KBL at the Laurel House in Mandaluyong. Bongbong Marcos was later on removed as a member by the KBL National Executive Committee on November 29. As such, the party broke its alliance with the KBL due to internal conflicts within the party, though Marcos remained part of the Nacionalista's senatorial line-up, and his family members are sworn in as members of Nacionalista.

##### 'Villaroyo' rumors

In the start of campaign for 2010, rumors speculated that Villar is a 'secret candidate' of President Arroyo, as Arroyo have -53 trust rating, thus Defense Secretary Gilbert Tedoro, the presidential nominee of then merged Lakas Kampi have low ratings in survey, thus earning a 'Villaroyo' title, with combining the surname of Villar and Arroyo. Villar denied the accusation and his rating plummeted with now Joseph Estrada placed second, surpassing him.
Also, the reopening of issue of C-5 project also affected his survey ratings, with Satur Ocampo, one of the members of his senate said that he should face senate hearings about the issue.
Villar eventually lost to Noynoy Aquino and Legarda lost to Makati mayor Jejomar Binay.

#### 2013

Nacionalista forged a coalition with Liberal Party, Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Sonny Angara's Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, Risa Hontiveros' Akbayan, and Magdalo led by Antonio Trillanes, who is also a Nacionalista member. The coalition became the Team PNoy. Nacionalista members fielded are Trillanes, Villar's wife Cynthia, and Allan Peter Cayetano. The three won seats in the senate.

#### 2016

In 2016, Alan Peter Cayetano, Bongbong Marcos and Antonio Trillanes originally ambitioned to get Nacionalista's nomination for presidency. But the three ran as vice president, and when PDP–Laban's Rodrigo Duterte substituted Martin Diño, the three seek to be selected as Duterte's running mate, with Cayetano was the one being picked. Cayetano was first, originally proposed by Mar Roxas campaign team to be its running mate. Marcos was tapped by Miriam Defensor Santiago as her running mate. Duterte won, but Cayetano only finished third.
In 2022, while campaigning for Isko Moreno, Duterte's former strategist Lito Banayo revelead that Duterte originally planned to ran under the Nacionalista banner, but due to Cayetano, Marcos, and Trillanes' ambition, he jumped to PDP–Laban, Cory Aquino's former party.

#### 2019

Nacionalista fielded re-electionist Cynthia Villar, and Bongbong's older sister Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos to be senatorial candidates, under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago. Both senators won.

#### 2022

In late 2021, Bongbong Marcos leave Nacionalista and joined Partido Federal ng Pilipinas to start his presidential bid.
In October of the same year, one of its top officials, Senator Ralph Recto endorsed Manila Mayor Isko Moreno's presidential run, as he stated that the Nacionalista members is open of endorsing any candidate, and did not have any unified endorsement.
But before May 2022, Manny Villar endorsed the tandem of Bongbong Marcos, and presidential daughter Sara Duterte. Even though, Recto sticked to support Moreno.

#### 2025

In 2024, Nacionalista forged alliance with Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) and joined the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition that composed of PFP, NPC and Nacionalista. Nacionalista will field Pia Cayetano, and Imee Marcos as candidates, but Marcos declined coalition membership and endorsement from her younger brother. In February 2025 during the Campaign for National Candidates, Sen. Imee Marcos rejoined the coalition and was reintroduced by his brother Pres. Bongbong Marcos.

## Nacionalista presidents

As of 2024, there have been a total of 5 Nacionalista presidents. Those who won presidency under other parties are not included.
| # | Name (lifespan) | Province | Presidency start date | Presidency end date | Time in office |
| 2 | Manuel Quezon (1809–1865) | Tayabas | November 15, 1935 | August 1, 1944 | 8 years, 260 days |
| 4 | Sergio Osmeña (1878–1961) | Cebu | August 1, 1944 | April 15, 1948 | 1 year, 323 days |
| 7 | Ramon Magsaysay (1907–1957) | Zambales | December 30, 1953 | March 17, 1957 | 3 years, 77 days |
| 8 | Carlos P. Garcia (1896–1971) | Bohol | March 18, 1957 | December 30, 1961 | 4 years, 316 days |
| 10 | Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989) | Ilocos Norte | December 30, 1965 | September 21, 1972 | 6 years, 286 days |