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.Tubangui, Helen R., Bauzon, Leslie E., Foronda, Marcelino Jr. A., Ausejo, Luz U. The Filipino Nation: A Concise History of the Philippines. Grolier International, 1982.
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.Macapagal, Diosdado P. From nipa hut to presidential palace: autobiography of Diosdado P. Macapagal. Philippine Academy for Continuing Education and Research, 2002.
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.Manglapus, Raul S. Revolt against tradition: the challenge of change and the Filipino's drive to greatness. Manila, 1964.
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.Constantino, Renato and Constantino, Letizia R. The Philippines: the continuing past. The Foundation for Nationalist Studies, 1978. As candidates, Manahan, Manglapus, Vargas and Pelaez were backed by the United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), with CIA operative Joseph Burkholder Smith having been assigned to oversee an influence campaign to help the GA win in the elections.
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:Manglapus, Raul S. Faith in the Filipino: The Ripening Revolution. Regal Publishing, 1961. Jose S. Andres Vicente Araneta Abdulwahid Bidin Osmundo S. de Guzman Rogelio de la Rosa Manuel Manahan Raul Manglapus Osmundo Mondoñedo Ambrosio Padilla Emmanuel Pelaez Rodrigo Perez Narciso Pimentel Jr. Francisco Soc Rodrigo Murphy Sangkula Jesus Vargas
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