The American Period

After the Capture of Aguinaldo

• Campaign of propaganda by the Americans• Filipino middle and upper classes – Cayetano

Arellano, Pedro A. Paterno, Felipe Buencamino, Trinidad Pardo H. Tavera, Benito Legarda, Gregorio Araneta

• Campaign for peaceful existence under the Americans

Barbarous Acts of the Americans

• Filipinos: The Americans are imperialists disguised as “benevolent” and “altruistic”: traitors, interlopers and obstacle to their legitimate desire for freedom and independence

• This explains the Filipino brutality• American brutality: tortures, water cure, rope

cure, beating, arson

The Balanginga Massacre ( Samar, 1901-1902)

• The attack of the Filipino guerillas to the American soldiers

• Pres. Theodore Roosevelt gave orders to pacify Samar• General “Jake” Smith “I want no prisoners, kill and

burn; the more you burn and kill the better it will please me.”

• Samar “howling wilderness” for 6 months

End of the Resistance

• Thousand Filipino soldiers surrendered• General Miguel Malvar took over the leadership of the

Filipino government, he surrendered• In Samar, Gen Vicente Lukban resorted to ambushing

soldiers, he was captured• Macario Sakay continued the resistance, Tagalog

Republic with headquarters in Sierra Madre near Manila

The Continuing Resistance (1901-1913)

• Three sectoral perspectives: Christian, Muslim and tribal

• The Katipunan• Luzon:Cavite, Batangas, Bicol, Pampanga,

Tarlac and Nueva Ecija• Visayas: Samar and Leyte• Mindanao: Lanao, Cotabato, Sulu

Compromise with Colonialism

• Americans authorities offered opportunities for Filipino cooperation and participation in the colonial government

• Filipino elites, especially the illustrados• Why the Elite? They have the natural fear of losing the

security of their interests because of the growing demand of the masses for the redistribution of economic benefits and resources

• The second reason is the basic orientation of the elite which felt distrust in the integrity and character of the masses whom the elite regarded as potential trouble makers, bandits and enemies of what they represented in society. In short, the elite could not trust their interests and future in the hands of the masses.

The Campaign for Independence

• The Jones Law of 1916: In 1916 the Filipinos received the promise of independence “as soon as a stable government can be established” by them.

• Contained in the preamble of the Jones Law• By the end of 1918, the Filipinos felt that they

had established the stable government and it was time for the US to redeem its promise

• The demand had been voiced by means of formal resolutions of the Philippine Assembly (after 1916, the Phil. Legislature)

• After 1918, a more sustained effort for freedom was undertaken with the appeal by the Filipinos to Washington through parliamentary missions or legislative committees sent by the Commission of Independence

Commission of Independence

• Was created in November by the Philippine Legislature “for the purpose of studying all matters related to the negotiation and organization of the independence of the Philippines.”

• Was given full power and jurisdiction to act for the Philippine Legislature ( Senate and the House of Representatives)

Commission of Independence

• Composed of 11 senators and 40 congressmen including the presiding officers of both houses – the leadership belonged to the Nacionalista Party (majority of the members)

• MLQ, Sergio Osmena, Manuel Roxas, Lose Abad Santos, Benigno Aquino, Sr., Camilo Osias, Elpidio Quirino (NP), Claro M. Recto, Emilio Tria Tirona, Juan Sumulong, Pedro Gil, Ruperto Montinola (DP)

Controversies: Independence Missions

• OSROX Mission: Osmena-Roxas Mission• Succeeded in securing the passage of

an independence bill- (1931-1933) the controversial Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act (January 17, 1933).

HHC Act

• Provided for the establishment of a ten-year Commonwealth to serve as a transition government before the proclamation of independence on July 4, 1946.

• This was rejected by the Philippine Legislature headed by Manuel L. Quezon.

Tydings-Mcduffie Act• In Nov. 1933, MLQ left for the US to secure a

better independence bill• May 1, 1934, the Philippine Legislature

unanimously accepted the T-M Act• Constitutional convention officials: Claro M.

Recto, Ruperto Montinola, Teodoro Sandiko and Narciso Pimentel

Drafters: 7 Wise Men

• Filemon Sotto, Norberto Romualdez, Manuel Roxas, Vicente Singsong Encarnacion, Manuel Briones, Miguel Cuaderno and Conrado Benitez

• The Philippine Constitution followed the American model in structure and appearance

• CONCON approved on Feb. 8, 1935

• A plebiscite was held on May 14, 1935• September 1935, Manuel Quezon and

Sergio Osmena won as President and Vice President, respectively over Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and Bishop Gregorio Aglipay

• Nov.15, 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was inaugurated with MLQ and SO

The Sakdalista Uprising

• Headed by Benigno Ramos • Anti-Quezon and anti-nacionalista• Denounced caciquism, they called for equal or

common ownership of the land• Attacked religious orders• Peasants and labor sectors• Pulahanes and Colorums (movements aside from the

Sakdalista)

Commonwealth Acts

• CA No. 1 – the National Defense Act – headed by Gen. Douglas MacArthur as Field Marshall of the Philippine Army

• Organization of citizen army: a regular force of about 10,000 men including PC and a reserve force to number 400,000 by the end of ten years

• Training program of 21- year old able bodied men for a period of 5 ½ months

CA No. 1

• Preparatory Military Training (PMT) given in the elementary, high school and college levels

• Establishment of Philippine Navy (50-100 torpedo boats)

• Army Air Corps composed of a fleet of fast bomber planes

Other Commonwealth Acts

• The Social Justice Program : the promotion of social justice to insure the well-being and economic security of all the people should be the concern of the state.

• Labor and tenancy like CA #211 established a minimum wage for laborers employed in public works projects; the 8-hour labor law for privately and publicly employed

• CA # 213 the Court of Industrial Relations was established to settle between employers and laborers questions involving hours of labor, minimum wages, working conditions, etc.

• System of Education• A National Council of Education was

created in 1936 headed by Rafael Palma and VP Sergio Osmena

• VP Sergio Osmena headed the Department of Education

• The primary emphasis is primary education

• Provided for adult education to build a literate society

The National Language

• Article 2 of the Constitution directed the National assembly to take steps directed toward the development and adoption of a common language based on one of the existing native languages.

• Foster a national unity and national identity

• CA No. 184 for the establishment of the Institute of National Language which is tasked to study the different Philippine languages for the purpose of evolving and adopting a national language 9Nov. 9, 1937)

• December 30, 1937, Tagalog was adopted as the national language thru CA 570 it became one of the official languages

Results of American Occupation

• Progress in education : the system of education is the best contribution of the US: UP was established in 1908, increase of Filipino literacy

• Public Health and Welfare: scientific program to minimize the spread of diseases and improved the health of the people, set up quarantine service

• Decrease infant mortality and incidence of malaria, educating the people in the basic principles of hygiene and sanitation; eradication of superstition and ignorance, creation of the Board of Public health

• Trade, Commerce and Industry• Transportation and communication• Individual freedoms• Political consciousness and language &

literature

Negative Results

• Love for foreign things, cultures and ideas• Mental attitude “colonial mentality”• Filipinos excel as imitators• Many social problems of today are a result of

the growth of urban centers