Lansdale became friends with Ramon Magsaysay, then the secretary of national defense, and with his help Magsaysay eventually became President of the Philippines on December 30, 1953. Lansdale is said to have run Magsaysay's campaign for the CIA in the 1953 Philippines General Election.Tharoor, Ishaan (13 October 2016). "The long history of the U.S. interfering with elections elsewhere". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 May 2019. Lansdale helped the Philippine Armed Forces develop psychological operations, civic actions, and the rehabilitation of Hukbalahap prisoners.
