CONTEXT ANALYSIS OF PHILIPPINE CARICATURES

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
After 333 years, the Philippines is finally free from the colonization of the
Spaniards. This, however, does not mean total freedom. In 1898, when the
Spanish-American War ended, Spain sold the archipelago of the Philippines to the
United States of America for $20 million. The Philippines has a new colonial
ruler, the Americans. This led to the Philippine-American War due to the
resistance of the Filipino Muslims who were still angry about the Spanish
takeover. This war was declared to be over a year after when Aguinaldo allied
with the US. America’s President McKinley implemented a policy of benevolent
assimilation, where the US would control the country until it develops its self-rule
and independence.

AMERICAN COLONIZATION ECONOMIC CARICATURE

The American Colonial Rule was
said to be the Philippines’ transition
to independence. Filipinos were
represented in the Assembly, there
was Filipinization in the government,
there were also campaign for
Philippine Independence, and the
commonwealth was established. But,
with the Americans influence in the
Philippines’ economy, educational
system, public health, transportation,
communication, and the government
in general, negative effects weren’t
absent.
Unlike in the Spanish period, the
freedom was more exercised, through
ways such as speech and press. This
PHILIPPINE CARTOONS
We may not be living in the
past, but we are not devoid in
understanding history
because historical caricatures
bring us to the past and
provide us a rich, dynamic,
and contextual source of
depicting events and realities.
In the present time,
caricatures are still powerful
tools that illustrate the rage of
today and express the
problems and sentiments of
the present context. It is still
the means to trigger
awareness concerning diverse
issues we, people, are dealing
with.
HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
INFORMATION
The problem of It presents the
homesteading and US- oppressed condition of
style tenancy during the farmers during the
the American colonial American colonial
government. period.
POLITICAL CARICATURE
HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
freedom, though, was not INFORMATION
used well. There are a number
of effects to be mentioned Passage of law The editorial
(see in *continuation), but the authorizing legislators depicts the superiority
to bear firearms. of the legislators.
focus of this text is the use of
cartoons to seek reforms.
SOCIO-CULTURAL CARICATURE
AMERICAN COLONIZATION (*cont.) HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
• US government sued the press through libel INFORMATION
charges
• The Chinese were still discriminated The Americans It depicts gender
• The friars were attacked in the press
introduced a free and a both equality and
• Filipino politicians were the new illustrados
• Police were corrupt and rural poverty rises more democratic accessibility in and of
• Prostitutions and gambling were rampant educational system in the education because
• Sanitation was poor, less hospitals for the the Philippines. of American Education
population system.
• Cartoons were used to seek reforms
for economic caricature for political caricature for socio-cultural caricature