Grand Alliance (Philippines)

Not to be confused with Grand Alliance for Democracy.

The Grand Alliance (GA) was a political multi-party electoral alliance in the Philippines that existed from 1959 to 1965. It was composed of members of the Progressive Party and defectors from the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party.^[1]

Grand Alliance
Leader	Raul Manglapus
Founded	1959
Dissolved	1965
Coalition members	Progressive Liberal[a] Nacionalista[a]
Politics of the Philippines Political parties Elections

History

Formation

In 1959, the Liberals, led by Vice-president Diosdado Macapagal and Senate President Ferdinand Marcos, negotiated with Progressives for a possible alliance with the two parties. Under the terms of the negotiation, Manuel Manahan and Raul Manglapus would be included in the senatorial slate of the Liberal Party for the 1959 senatorial elections. According to Macapagal, Manahan initially agreed to the coalition.^[2]

However, the Progressive camp wanted Senator Emmanuel Pelaez and former Defense Secretary Jesus Vargas. This eventually found the support of the Liberal Senator Ambrosio Padilla. Due to a disagreement with the terms, the proposed coalition broke down. According to Manglapus, this also resulted in Padilla being ousted as Liberal.^[2][3]

With negotiations with the Liberals failing to move forward, the Progressives and defectors of both the Nacionalistas and Liberals formed the Grand Alliance (GA).

1959 election

The GA put up its own six-man slate for the 1959 senatorial elections. Manahan, Manglapus, and Vargas represented the Progressive wing of the alliance. Pelaez represented the Nacionalista wing, while Narciso Pimentel Jr. and Osmundo Mondoñedo represented the Liberal wing.^[4]

By the end of the election, none of them were successful in acquiring a Senate seat.

Members

The following had served as members of the Grand Alliance:^[5]

• Vicente Araneta
• Rogelio de la Rosa
• Manuel Manahan
• Raul Manglapus
• Osmundo Mondoñedo
• Ambrosio Padilla
• Emmanuel Pelaez
• Rodrigo Perez
• Narciso Pimentel Jr.
• Francisco Soc Rodrigo
• Jesus Vargas

Notes

1. Defectors' wing only