He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines ( as opposed to other historical states ) , and is considered to have been the second president of the Philippines , after Emilio Aguinaldo ( 1897 -- 1901 ) .
He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines . Quezón is considered by most Filipinos to have been the second president of the Philippines , after Emilio Aguinaldo ( 1897 -- 1901 ) .