--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would rather have a country run like…" description: "\"I would rather have a country run like hell by Filipinos than a country run like heaven by the Americans, because however a bad Filipino government mig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/manuel-l-quezon-65890_country_i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-h_758848.jpg" --- # I would rather have a country run like hell by Filipinos… ![“I would rather have a country run like hell by Filipinos than a country run like heaven by the Americans, because however a bad Filipino government might be, we can always change it.” quote by Manuel L. Quezon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/manuel-l-quezon-65890_country_i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-h_758848.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/manuel-l-quezon-65890_country_i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-h_758848.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/manuel-l-quezon-65890_country_i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-h_758848.jpg) > “I would rather have a country run like hell by Filipinos than a country run like heaven by the Americans, because however a bad Filipino government might be, we can always change it.” Manuel L. Quezon ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Filipinos can improve their own nation despite flaws, unlike foreign rule that may be idealized but distant. **In simple terms:** Filipinos can change their country; foreign rule is idealized but Key Takeaway Empower local governance. Themes nationalism self‑determination political agency Mood proud determined Type political motivational When to use this quote - election cycles - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts democracy civic responsibility grassroots reform Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can citizens take to improve governance? - How can we balance criticism of local flaws with constructive action? A Different Perspective Change is difficult and may face entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Filipino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filipino/) [Filipinos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filipinos/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [I prefer a government run like hell by Filipinos to a government run like heaven by Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-l-quezon/i-prefer-a-government-run-like-hell-by-filipinos-to-a-government-run/) Manuel L. Quezon > [“There are more than 3.5 million Filipinos in the country, but it’s as if nobody knows we’re here.4 Most Americans have no clue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-christian-ocampo/there-are-more-than-3-5-million-filipinos-in-the-country-but-it-s-as/) Anthony Christian Ocampo > [It is ironic that many Filipinos learn to love the Philippines while abroad, not at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-ironic-that-many-filipinos-learn-to-love-the-philippines-while/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Filipinos don't wallow in what is miserable and ugly. They recycle the bad into things of beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/filipinos-don-t-wallow-in-what-is-miserable-and-ugly-they-recycle-the/) [Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/) > [Singing seems to be inherent in Filipino, just as it is in my race. That's why I have this affinity with Filipinos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/singing-seems-to-be-inherent-in-filipino-just-as-it-is-in-my-race/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [Filipinos don't realize that victory is the child of struggle, that joy blossoms from suffering, and redemption is a product of sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/filipinos-don-t-realize-that-victory-is-the-child-of-struggle-that/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [I'm really proud to be Filipino. Filipinos are really supportive, and I want to thank all of them. I love them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charice-pempengco/i-m-really-proud-to-be-filipino-filipinos-are-really-supportive-and-i/) [Charice Pempengco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charice-pempengco/) > [It’s just starting. I think it’s going to take another year and a half to get up to critical mass, but everybody loves Chinese…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-zimmern/it-s-just-starting-i-think-it-s-going-to-take-another-year-and-a-half/) [Andrew Zimmern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-zimmern/) > [Hundreds of barefoot Filipinos marched on the roads through the Philippines carrying heavy wooden crosses and whipping their backs until they bled to prepare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/hundreds-of-barefoot-filipinos-marched-on-the-roads-through-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [The fact that I am a Filipino actor playing a Filipino role is crazy. Filipinos are the second largest Asian minority in the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-santos/the-fact-that-i-am-a-filipino-actor-playing-a-filipino-role-is-crazy/) [Nico Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-santos/) > [I've always fought for my country, in my own way, showing that Filipinos are a strong people and can do anything that they put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-ve-always-fought-for-my-country-in-my-own-way-showing-that/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > ["Filipino" is the Spanish side of our history. The islands were named after King Felipe, so we became known as Filipinos. It's a brand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lav-diaz/filipino-is-the-spanish-side-of-our-history-the-islands-were-named/) [Lav Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lav-diaz/) > [ Our opponent \[Cory Aquino\] does not put on any make up. She does not have her fingernails manicured. You know gays. They are for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/our-opponent-cory-aquino-does-not-put-on-any-make-up-she-does-not/) [Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/) > [I went down on my knees and prayed to Almighty God for light and guidance and one night late it came to me this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mckinley/i-went-down-on-my-knees-and-prayed-to-almighty-god-for-light-and/) [William McKinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mckinley/) > [I came from the Philippines and Filipinos are incredibly musical. I mean the best cover bands in the world come from Manila!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-millington/i-came-from-the-philippines-and-filipinos-are-incredibly-musical-i/) [June Millington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-millington/) ## More by Manuel L. Quezon > [My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-l-quezon/my-loyalty-to-my-party-ends-where-my-loyalty-to-my-country-begins/) Manuel L. Quezon > [I want our people to be like a molave tree, strong and resilient, standing on the hillsides, unafraid of the rising tide, lighting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-l-quezon/i-want-our-people-to-be-like-a-molave-tree-strong-and-resilient/) Manuel L. Quezon > [I prefer a government run like hell by Filipinos to a government run like heaven by Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-l-quezon/i-prefer-a-government-run-like-hell-by-filipinos-to-a-government-run/) Manuel L. Quezon Explore all 4 Manuel L. Quezon quotes ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would rather have a country run like hell by Filipinos than a country run like heaven by the Americans, because however a bad Filipino government might be, we can always change it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Manuel L. Quezon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-l-quezon/i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-hell-by-filipinos-than-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-l-quezon/i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-hell-by-filipinos-than-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/manuel-l-quezon-65890_country_i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-h_758848.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/manuel-l-quezon-65890_country_i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-h_758848.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/manuel-l-quezon-65890_country_i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-h_758848.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would rather have a country run like hell by Filipinos than a country run like heaven by the Americans…” — Manuel L. Quezon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Manuel L. Quezon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-l-quezon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I would rather have a country...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-l-quezon/i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-hell-by-filipinos-than-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-l-quezon/i-would-rather-have-a-country-run-like-hell-by-filipinos-than-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```