June 16, 1960: Pres. Eisenhower concludes state visit to the Philippines
Eisenhower arrives in the Philippines. Photo from the Library of Congress
On the evening of June 16, 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower concluded his three-day state visit to the Republic of the Philippines. He was on the first leg of a tour to the Far East. The Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Carlos Romulo, had invited President Eisenhower to visit the Philippines.
President Eisenhower arrived on June 14, 1960, at the American Clark Air Force Base in Central Luzon. After a visit at the American base, Eisenhower was flown a short distance to the airport in Manila.
Eisenhower had spent several years in the Philippines during his tenure in the United States Army. He served as the assistant to General Douglas MacArthur during 1935 to 1939 when General MacArthur was the military advisor to the Philippine Commonwealth. During this time, Eisenhower had become a close friend of President Manuel Quezon of the Philippine Commonwealth.
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Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, had many fond memories of their time in Manila. Eisenhower’s son, John, attended the Bishop Brent School in Baguio during their years in the Philippines. For President Eisenhower and many Filipinos, the state visit to the Philippines was a homecoming for the Eisenhowers.
On June 15, President Carlos Garcia greeted and received President Eisenhower at Malacañang Palace. The two world leaders then attended a ceremony at the Rizal Monument in Manila. President Eisenhower showed his respect for the Filipino hero, Jose Rizal. An estimated one million Filipinos attended and observed Eisenhower’s visit in Manila. The American president also addressed a joint session of the Philippine Senate and House.
On June 16, 1960, President Eisenhower attended an academic gathering at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. The university conferred a Doctoral of Law degree on President Eisenhower. Also, on June16, 1960, President Garcia conferred an Order of Sikatuna on Eisenhower. The prestigious award represents a person who has given exceptional service to the Republic of the Philippines.
During the evening of June 16, 1960, President Eisenhower hosted a state dinner for President Garcia. Following the state dinner, President Eisenhower boarded a US Navy launch at the docks in Manila. The launch transported him to the USS St. Paul, which was the flag ship of the 7th Fleet. The ship proceeded to Formosa (Taiwan) for the second leg of his Asia tour.
President Eisenhower’s trip to the Philippines helped cement the long-term friendship between the Philippines and the United States.
Dennis Edward Flake is the author of three books on Philippine-American history. He is a Public Historian and a park ranger in interpretation for the National Park Service at the Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, PA. He can be contacted at: [email protected]
