WEEK 4: THE GOVERNMENT

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION: (PART 1)

A. CLASSIFICATIONS OF GOVERNMENTS

Attempts to produce a classification of political institutions can be dated back to the beginnings of the study of
political science. Aristotle made one of the earliest attempts to classify government structures. He distinguished
between states ruled by one person, by the few and the many- monarchy, aristocracy and mixed government. His
intention was not only to describe but to evaluate and thus he extended his classification scheme to their 'perverted'
forms, which he labelled tyranny, oligarchy and democracy. He realized, however, that these types did not exist in
their pure forms, thus noting that classification in political science is a search for 'ideal' types.

Charles baron de Montesquieu, a French philosopher of the eighteenth century, produced one of the most famous
schemes of classifying governments: 'There are three species of government: republican, monarchical and
despotic.' Montesquieu's classification differed from Aristotle's in that aristocracy and democracy were part of his
republican type of government, but his categorization was firmly in the classical mold since the type of government
depended on the number of people holding power. Republican government divides power between the many or
the few, 'the more an aristocracy border on democracy the nearer it approaches perfection: and in proportion as it
draws towards monarchy, the more it is imperfect'. Monarchy is a system of government in which power, although
in the hands of a single person, is regulated by fundamental laws and by the power of other groups in the society.
Despotism is the worst form of government since power is in the hands of one man. There is in Montesquieu the
important recognition of the relationship between the type of government and the type of society. Education,
morals, patriotism and the level of economic equality all help to determine the type of government, and a most
important variable is the extent of the state's territory: 'A large empire supposes a despotic authority in the person
who governs', a monarchical state possesses moderate territory, but 'It is natural for a republic to have only a small
territory otherwise it cannot long subsist.'

Purpose and Necessity of Government.

Government exists and should continue to exist for the benefit- of the people governed. It is necessary for the
protection of society and its members, the security of persons and property, the administration of justice, the
preservation of the state from external danger, and the advancement of the physical, economic, social and cultural
well-being of the people.

Government exists to do these things which by their very nature, it is better equipped to administer for the public
welfare than any private individual or group of individuals. It is obvious that without an organized structure of
government, anarchy and disorder, and a general feeling of fear and insecurity will prevail in society, progress and
development will not be possible, and values taken for granted in a free modern society such as truth, freedom,
justice, equality, rule of law, and human dignity can never be enjoyed. The need for government is so apparent
that even the most primitive societies, history shows, had some form of it.

1. As to The Number of Persons Exercising Sovereign Power

WHO RULES?
NONE ONE FEW ALL
Anarchy Monarchy Aristocracy Democracy
Tyranny Oligarchy Direct
Dictatorship Representative

• Monarchy is a government in which supreme and final authority is in the hands of a single person.
a) Absolute Monarchy is a government in which the ruler rules by divine right
b) Limited Monarchy is a government in which the ruler rules in accordance with the Constitution
• Tyranny is an autocratic form of rule in which one individual exercises power without any legal
restraint
• Dictatorship is an authoritarian type of government where there is absolute control by one person.
• Aristocracy is a government in which political power is exercised by few privileged classes which is known
as aristocracy or oligarchy. In an oligarchy, a small group of people has all the power in the government.
• Democracy is a government in which political power is exercised by a majority of the people.
a) Direct or pure democracy is a government in which the will of the state is formulated or expressed directly
and immediately through the people in a mass meeting or primary assembly.
 b) Indirect, representative or republican democracy is a government in which the will of the state is
formulated and expressed through a relatively small and select body of persons chosen by the people to
act as their representatives.

2. As to Extent of Powers Exercised by The Central or National Government

• Unitary Government is a government in which the control of national and local affairs is exercised by the
central or national government.
• Federal government is a government in which the powers of government are divided between the national
and local governments

3. As to the Relationship Between the Executive and Legislative Branches of Government

• Parliamentary government is a government in which the state confers upon the legislature the power to
terminate the tenure of office of the real executive. Legislatures called parliaments operate under
a parliamentary system of government in which the executive is constitutionally answerable to the
parliament. Parliaments usually consist of chambers or houses, and are usually either bicameral or
unicameral.
• Presidential government is a government in which the state makes the executive constitutionally
independent of the legislature as regards to tenure to a large extent. A presidential system is a system of
government where an executive branch is led by a president who serves as both head of state and head of
government. In such a system, this branch exists separately from the legislature, to which it is
not responsible and which it cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss.

B. FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

1. Anarchy is the state of having no government.

2. Adhocracy is a type of organization that operates in opposite fashion to a bureaucracy; government in
unstructured fashion
3. Androcracy or andrarchy is a form of government in which the government rulers are male.
4. Atheocracy is a government where religion is forbidden
5. Autarchy is a government by an absolute ruler
6. Bureaucracy is a government by civil servants
7. Confederacy is a union of sovereign states
8. Dyarchy is a government by two; dual monarchy
9. Ethnocracy is a form of government by a particular ethnic group
10. Geniocracy is a government of intelligent people
11. Gynarchy is a government by women; gynocracy
12. Heptarchy is a government by seven people
13. Judiciocracy is a government by judges
14. Kakistocracy is a government by the worst
15. Kleptocracy is a government by thieves
16. Malarchy is a government by bad leaders
17. Matriarchy is a form of government by women or mothers
18. Meritocracy is a government by those with merit
19. Minarchy is a government with the smallest possible size
20. Nomocracy is a government through established laws
21. Ochlocracy is a government by mobs
22. Particracy is a government by political parties
23. Patriarchy is a government by fathers
24. Plutocracy is a government by the wealthy
25. Polyarchy is a government by many people
26. Republic is a government by elected officials
27. Robocracy is a government by robots
28. Stratocracy is a government by armed forces
29. Technocracy is a government by technical experts
30. Tetrarchy is a government by four people
31. Theocracy is a government by a deity through the clergy or by religious law (ex. Frailocracy)
32. Timocracy is a government by the propertied class
33. Triumvirate is a government by three people
C. POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES:

MEANING OF IDEOLOGY

Ideology is a comprehensive set of normative beliefs, conscious and unconscious ideas, that an individual, group
or society has. An ideology is less encompassing than the ideas expressed in concepts such as worldview,
imaginary and ontology.

Political ideologies can be proposed by the dominant class of society such as the elite to all members of society
as suggested in some Marxist and critical-theory accounts. In societies that distinguish between public and private
life, every political or economic tendency entails ideology, whether or not it is propounded as an explicit system of
thought.

Louis Althusser’s Ideological State Apparatuses (2010) in essence define ideology as “the imaginary relation to
the real conditions of existence”.

1. LIBERALISM VS CONSERVATISM

LIBERALISM

In the early modern age of the Western world (beginning roughly in the early 1500s and running for about 200
years), a number of changes occurred that led to new ideologies: The European discovery of the Americas, the
rise of Protestantism, the beginnings of the free-market economy, and the early stages of the scientific revolution
fundamentally altered Europe. People began developing different ways of thinking to take account of these
changes.

Perhaps the most important of the new ideas is liberalism (also known as classical liberalism). This type of
liberalism, which began in England in the 1600s, differs from American liberalism. Classical liberalism developed
when such thinkers as John Locke (in his Second Treatise of Government in 1690) rethought the relationship
between the individual and society, as well theorized about the rights and responsibilities of the individual. These
ideas formed the foundation for many political systems still operating today. Liberalism emphasizes:

• Individualism - The individual takes priority over society;

• Freedom - Individuals have the right to make choices for themselves. This freedom is not absolute, and
some behaviors, such as murder, are prohibited. Freedom of religion is a particularly important freedom to
come out of liberalism because so many governments at the time were very closely tied to a particular
religious creed;
• Equality - No person is morally or politically superior to others. Hierarchies are rejected;
• Rationalism - Humans are capable of thinking logically and rationally. Logic and reason help us solve
problems;
• Progress - Traditions should not be kept unless they have value. New ideas are helpful because they can
lead to progress in the sciences, the economy, and society;
• The free market - Liberalism and capitalism go hand in hand. Liberals like the free market because it more
easily creates wealth, as opposed to traditional economies, which often have extensive regulations and limits
on which occupations people can hold.

CONSERVATISM

Conservatism (also known as classical conservatism) began as a reaction against the liberal ideas taking hold of
Europe during the French Revolution in the late eighteenth century. This type of conservatism differs from
American conservatism. Edmund Burke, a British Member of Parliament, observed the early stages of the French
Revolution with great distress and predicted the violence and terror that would ensue. His book, Reflections on the
Revolution in France (1790), is one of the founding texts of classical conservatism.

Burke and other conservatives attacked liberalism for many reasons. They argued that liberalism destroyed
tradition. In its rush to overturn the old and bring in the new, liberalism and capitalism ruthlessly attacked traditional
institutions and beliefs. Conservatism emphasizes:

• Stability - Stability is a precious thing, and change must be made gradually in order to preserve it.
Undermining stability is very dangerous because societies can easily fall into chaos and violence.
• Concreteness - Liberalism is too abstract. It focuses on freedom and equality, not on the concrete way
people live every day, which is the focus of conservatism.
 • Human fallibility - Liberalism overestimates human beings. Humans are frequently ignorant, prejudiced,
and irrational. By ignoring these defects, liberalism becomes unrealistic.
• Unique circumstances - There is no universal answer to the problems of society; the circumstances are
unique in each country.

2. CAPITALISM VS SOCIALISM

CAPITALISM

Capitalism is a political and economic ideology which states that individuals are free. They are free to make money,
own businesses, sell goods and services and crucially own private property. Emphasis within capitalist countries
is on the role of individuals rather than the state.

Capitalism is often thought of as an economic system in which private actors own and control property in accord
with their interests, and demand and supply freely set prices in markets in a way that can serve the best interests
of society.

The essential feature of capitalism is the motive to make a profit. As Adam Smith, the 18th century philosopher
and father of modern economics, said: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that
we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” Both parties to a voluntary exchange transaction
have their own interest in the outcome, but neither can obtain what he or she wants without addressing what the
other wants. It is this rational self-interest that can lead to economic prosperity.

In a capitalist economy, capital assets—such as factories, mines, and railroads—can be privately owned and
controlled, labor is purchased for money wages, capital gains accrue to private owners, and prices allocate capital
and labor between competing uses.

Although some form of capitalism is the basis for nearly all economies today, for much of the last century it was
but one of two major approaches to economic organization. In the other, socialism, the state owns the means of
production, and state-owned enterprises seek to maximize social good rather than profits.

Pillars of Capitalism

Capitalism is founded on the following pillars:

• private property, which allows people to own tangible assets such as land and houses and intangible assets
such as stocks and bonds;
• self-interest, through which people act in pursuit of their own good, without regard for sociopolitical
pressure. Nonetheless, these uncoordinated individuals end up benefiting society as if, in the words of Smith’s
(1776) Wealth of Nations, they were guided by an invisible hand;
• competition, through firms’ freedom to enter and exit markets, maximizes social welfare, that is, the joint
welfare of both producers and consumers;
• a market mechanism that determines prices in a decentralized manner through interactions between buyers
and sellers—prices, in return, allocate resources, which naturally seek the highest reward, not only for goods
and services but for wages as well;
• freedom to choose with respect to consumption, production, and investment—dissatisfied customers can
buy different products, investors can pursue more lucrative ventures, workers can leave their jobs for better
pay; and
• limited role of government, to protect the rights of private citizens and maintain an orderly environment that
facilitates proper functioning of markets.

The Ideology of State Capitalism

All ruling classes defend their power and privileges with an ideology. Similarly, all aspiring ruling classes justify
their pursuit of power with an ideology. The ideology of state capitalism initially was fashioned during the nineteenth
century as groups in various European countries advanced plans for reorganizing society along state capitalist
lines and for raising their own social status in the process.

Since the nineteenth century, some of these groups (for instance, the Russian Bolsheviks) have fulfilled both these
ambitions, with the result that state capitalist ideology has been transformed by them from sets of ideas which
challenge existing social arrangements into doctrines which celebrate the status quo and attempt to maintain it.
Although some varieties of state capitalist ideology have thus been transformed into conservative creeds and even
quasi-religious dogmas, we shall argue that there is an essential continuity between the nineteenth-century and
early twentieth-century ideological formulations of political radicals such as Kautsky and Lenin and the subsequent
records of state capitalist groups in government in different parts of the world.

Social Democracy
Social Democracy is a political movement which emerged in the latter half of the nineteenth century and grew to
mass proportions in a number of European countries. Despite the Social Democrats' habitual use of the vocabulary
of socialism, the primary aim of their movement was to reorganize capitalism in such a way that state corporations
would replace private capitalists. In many countries, parliamentary democracy did not exist when Social Democratic
parties were formed. Accordingly, a second objective of Social Democracy was to democratize the political systems
found in such countries. Thirdly, Social Democracy sought to improve the position of the working class, both by
raising wage levels and by means of various welfare schemes to be administered by the state. Fourthly, although
it was never frankly acknowledged, another key aim of Social Democracy was to raise the Social Democratic
politicians and the trade union leaders to the ruling position within society. In effect, these new rulers were expected
to administer the system of wages and capital accumulation in such a way that it would supposedly operate in the
interest of the working class.

SOCIALISM

Socialism is an economic system in which the factors of production are valued in relationship to their usefulness
to people. Socialists take into account both individual needs and greater social needs. They allocate resources
using central planning, as in a command economy.

Examples of greater social needs include transportation, defense, education, health care, and preservation of
natural resources.1 Some also define the common good as caring for those who can't directly contribute to
production. Examples include the elderly, children, and their caretakers.

A mantra of socialism is, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his contribution."2

Everyone in society receives a share of the production based on how much each has contributed. This system
motivates them to work long hours if they want to receive more. Workers receive their share of production after a
percentage has been deducted for the common good.

Principal Characteristics of Socialism

• Collectivism - Human beings are social by nature, and society should respect this. Individualism is
poisonous
• Public ownership - Society, not individuals, should own the property
• Central economic planning - The government plans the economy; there is no free market
• Economic equality - All citizens have roughly the same level of prosperity.

Differences Between Socialism, Capitalism, Communism, and Fascism

Attribute Socialism Capitalism Communism Fascism

Factors of
Individuals
Production are Everyone Individuals Everyone
owned by:
Factors of
Usefulness to Usefulness to
Production are Profit Nation building
people people
valued for:
Allocation decided Demand and
Central plan Central plan Central plan
by: Supply
From each
Ability Market decides Ability Value to the nation
according to their:
To each according
Contribution Wealth Need Value to the nation
to their:

Class Warfare/Struggle

According to socialists, liberalism fails to live up to its promises of freedom and equality. Socialists blame the free
market for liberalism’s failings. Under a capitalist system, money and means of production are the measures of
power. The haves (the bourgeoisie, in Marx’s terms) and the have-nots (whom Marx calls the proletariat) are locked
into a fight that Marx called class warfare.

The Evolution of Socialism

Socialism evolved in a variety of ways. Communism and democratic socialism are the two most prominent
evolutions of socialism.

COMMUNISM

Communism is an authoritarian and revolutionary approach to achieving socialism. As an ideology, communism

emphasizes a classless society in which all members jointly share the means and output of production.

The regimes of the Soviet Union and communist China embody this ideology. Communists such as Vladimir Lenin,
who became the first premier of the Soviet Union in 1917, argued that people can and must make the transition to
socialism quickly rather than waiting for it to evolve. Authoritarian and violent measures are often required because
the defenders of capitalism will fight ferociously to stop socialism from coming into being.

Communist systems possessed five common features which, taken together, distinguished them from other
authoritarian regimes and, still more fundamentally, from socialism of a social democratic type:

• the monopoly of power (‘leading role’) of the Communist Party;

• intra-party relations which were highly centralized and strictly disciplined (‘democratic centralism’);
• state, rather than private, ownership of the means of production;
• the building of communism as the ultimate, legitimizing goal; and
• a sense of belonging to an international Communist movement.

WEEK 4: THE GOVERNMENT

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION: (PART 2)
LESSON V: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT

A. THE BARANGAY AND THE SULTANATE

In early Philippine history, the barangay was a complex sociopolitical unit which scholars have historically
considered the dominant organizational pattern among the various peoples of the Philippine archipelago. The term,
barangay, refers to both a house on land and a boat on water; containing families, friends and dependents and is
currently the basic political unit of the Philippines.

These sociopolitical units were sometimes also referred to as barangay states, but are more properly referred to
using the technical term "polity", rather than "state", so they are usually simply called "barangays", but evidence
suggests a considerable degree of independence as a type of "city states" ruled by datus, rajahs and lakans and
sultans. Some barangays were well-organized independent villages, consisting of thirty to a hundred households.
Other barangays - most notably those in Maynila, Tondo, Panay, Pangasinan, Cebu, Bohol, Butuan, Cotabato,
and Sulu- were integrated into large cosmopolitan polities.

The ancient Filipinos who lived in barangays were ruled by a chieftain called datu, who were addressed either as
Raja or Lakan. The datu exercised all powers of government. He was the chief executive, the lawmaker, and the
judge, so much so that he became very powerful and influential. He obtained his position either by inheritance,
strength, bravery or wisdom. The Datu promulgated laws with the help of the elders or advisers consisting of former
datus. Once a law was made, a towncrier called Umalohokan, would go around the village and announce to the
people the new law. Violators were punished by fines, swimming for long hours, exposure to ants, death or slavery.

Anthropologist F. Landa Jocano defines this period of the barangay states' dominance - approximately the 14th to
the 16th centuries - as the "Baranganic Phase" of early Philippine history. The Baranganic Phase of Philippine
history can be noted for its highly mobile nature, with barangays transforming from being settlements and turning
into towns and cities, with the mode constantly re-purposed according to the situation. Historical barangays should
not be confused with present-day Philippine barrios, which were officially renamed barangays by the Philippine
Local Government Code of 1991 as a reference to historical barangays.
B. THE SPANISH AND AMERICAN COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS

1. Spanish Era (1565-1898)

The Philippines was a crown colony ruled by Spain through Mexico from 1565 to1821, as such, Spain ruled the
Philippines with the help of the Council of the Indies, created in 1524, which was an overseas ministry governing
the colonies of Spain. The head of the council was the Viceroy of Mexico. Laws in the Philippines were from Spain
and consisted of royal decrees issued by the king. The laws were compiled to become the colonial code entitled
“Recopilacion de las Leyes de Indias,” or the Laws of Indies.

Part of the Spanish rule was the institution of systems adopted by all the colonies. Among these was the Polo, the
forced labor rendered by Filipinos and the falla, the exemption fee for forced labor. Another was the paying of the
tribute, or the tax called tributo, which was replaced by the cedula tax. Bandala was also a system that oppressed
the Filipinos wherein farm produce were sold compulsory to the government.

The chief executive of the Philippines was the governor general. He was the king’s official representative to the
colony. He possessed tremendous powers with executive, legislative and judicial powers under his control. As
chief executive he enforced the Spanish laws and royal decrees in the Philippines. He appointed all subordinate
officials including the “alcalde mayor” (provincial governor). For his legislative power, he enacted and issued laws,
regulations and decrees. For his judicial power, he was the president or presiding officer of the “Royal Audiencia”,
the supreme court of the Philippines during the Spanish era. He was also the commander in chief of the armed
forces. The governor also had ecclesiastic powers, the power to recommend priests for appointment and intervene
in controversies within the Church. During the encomienda period, he was in full control of the operations of the
church.

From 1565–1898, a total of 122 governor-generals served in the Philippines. Accordingly, there were more
undesirable governors who only exploited the Filipinos than serve them. There were, however, a few good men
who truly served well and are remembered by Filipinos. One was Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who was the first
governor general, from 1565–1572.and is remembered for his diplomacy with the natives. At a time of rigid racism,
Legazpi worked on for the Spaniards and native Filipinos to live together as one community. He is remembered
for founding the cities of Manila and Cebu.

Another outstanding governor was Jose Basco y Vargas (1778-1787) for his agricultural contributions, and
economic programs that made Philippines financially independent from Mexico. He established the “Economic
Society of the Friends of the Country,” to help in the development of agriculture, and in 1782, established the
tobacco monopoly. The most liberal minded governor general was Carlos Ma. De la Torre (1869-1871). His liberal
policies included the abolition of press censorship and the encouragement of liberal discussions. He encouraged
movements calling for reforms and sympathized with the Filipinos aspirations for freedom and change.

From 1835-1898, Spain experienced series of political changes. Wars and revolutions led to frequent changes in
the government and leadership of Spain as well as in the Philippines.

The Judicial powers of the government were exercised by the Royal Audiencia and the lower courts. The Royal
Audiencia was the supreme court that time. Its president was the Governor General. The first was Santiago de
Vera.

Spain instituted the centralized form of government. The barangays became part of the unitary government.
Philippines was divided into provinces of two types: 1) the pacified provinces called alcaldia mayor headed by the
alcalde mayor and, 2) the unpacified provinces called corregimentos, each under a corregidor. The provinces were
divided into towns or pueblos, administered by a gobernadorcillo (petty governor). Another town official was the
teniente mayor (chief lieutenant) who was in charge of peace and order. A pueblo was divided into barrios or
barangays under a cabesa. Both the gobernadorcillo and cabesa served without salary. Large towns were
organized into cities. The city government was called ayuntamiento. The council that governed the city was the
cabildo composed of the alcalde regidores, alguacil mayor and the escribano.

Under the Patronato Real, in the case of Spain, the Church was placed under the care of the royal government.
The Diocese of Manila, with its bishop, was at the top of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in the colony. The bishop was
appointed by the pope upon the recommendation of the king of Spain. The other early dioceses established were
Cebu, Nueva Caceres (Naga) and Nueva Segovia (Vigan), all in 1595 the Diocese of Jaro (Iloilo) was created on
May 27, 1865. The four regular orders assigned to Christianize the natives, were the Augustinians, who came with
Legazpi, the Discalced Franciscans (1578), the Jesuits (1581), and the Dominican friars (1587).

Part of the process on how Spain governed was through the “encomienda system”, the first governmental system
where lands were politically divided to those given grants, a reward for persons who have rendered valuable
services to the king of Spain. Those who were given were called “encomenderos.” The grant of encomienda, by
the Spanish Crown was one that of a trusteeship. The first to benefit were men of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the
first Spanish Governor-General, who colonized Cebu. The three classes of encomienda were the royal,
ecclesiastical and private. Those that were set aside for the king were “royal”; those assigned to the religious order
were: “ecclesiastical encomiendas”; and for those who helped in the conquest and colonization were “private
encomiendas” or repartimientos.

2. American Colonization of the Philippines (1898-1946)

The Spanish-American war which started in Cuba, changed the history of the Philippines. On May 1, 1898, the
Americans led by U.S. Navy Admiral George Dewey, in participation of Emilio Aguinaldo, attacked the Spanish
Navy in Manila Bay. Faced with defeat, the Philippines was ceded to the United States by Spain in 1898 after a
payment of US$ 20 million to Spain in accordance with the "Treaty of Paris" ending the Spanish-American War.

On June 12, 1898, Filipinos led by Emilio Aguinaldo declare independence. This declaration was opposed by the
U.S. who had plans of taking over the colony. And this led to a guerrilla war against the Americans.

The Philippine-American War.

Hostilities broke out on February 4,1899, after two American privates on patrol killed three Filipino soldiers in San
Juan, a Manila suburb. This incident sparked the Philippine-American War, which would cost far more money and
took far more lives than the Spanish–American War.

Some 126,000 American soldiers would be committed to the conflict; 4,234 Americans died, as did 16,000 Filipino
soldiers who were part of a nationwide guerrilla movement of indeterminate numbers. At least 34,000Filipinos lost
their lives as a direct result of the war, and as many as 200,000may have died as a result of the cholera epidemic
at the war's end. Atrocities were committed by both sides.

Aguinaldo dissolved the regular army in November 1899 and ordered the establishment of decentralized guerrilla
commands in each of several military zones. The revolution was effectively ended with the capture (1901) of
Aguinaldo by Gen. Frederick Funston at Palanan, Isabela on March 23, 1901 and was brought to Manila.

Consequences of American Occupation

Free trade, established by an act of 1909, was expanded in 1913. Influenced of the uselessness of further
resistance, he swore allegiance to the United States and issued a proclamation calling on his compatriots to lay
down their arms, officially bringing an end to the war. However, sporadic insurgent resistance continued in various
parts of the Philippines, especially in the Muslim south, until 1913

Civil government was established by the Americans in 1901, with William Howard Taft as the first American
Governor-General of the Philippines. English was declared the official language. Six hundred American teachers
were imported aboard the USS Thomas.

Also, the Catholic Church was disestablished, and a substantial amount of church land was purchased and
redistributed. Some measures of Filipino self-rule were allowed, however. An elected Filipino legislature was
established in 1907.

During the Spanish period the Spaniards had given enormous land properties to the Catholic church. One of the
first things the Americans did was to take care for the redistribution of this land properties. To do so they first had
to pay an amount of US $7.2M to the Vatican in 1904. The small farmers or tenants didn't get any land however.
The land became property of some large landowners. Most of the small farmers couldn't pay the asked price or
couldn't prove that they were the former owners of the land.
The Road Towards Philippine Independence
• Jones Law – the law was to approved by President Woodrow Wilson after it was proposed by William
Atkinson Jones, an American congressman. ◦ The law stated the right of the Filipinos to attain freedom in
the near future.
• Tydings-McDuffie Act – this law was proposed by Milliard Tydings and congressman John McDuffie of
the US. It stated the 10-year preparation for the Philippine independence through a commonwealth
government.
• In 1916, the Philippine Autonomy Act, widely known as the Jones Law, was passed by the U. S.
Congress. The law which served as the new organic act (or constitution) for the Philippines, stated in its
preamble that the ultimate independence of the Philippines would be American policy, subject to the
establishment of a stable government.
• The law placed executive power in the Governor General of the Philippines, appointed by the President of
the United States, but established a bicameral Philippine Legislature to replace the elected Philippine
Assembly (lower house) and appointive Philippine Commission (upper house) previously in place.
• The Filipino House of Representatives would be purely elected, while the new Philippine Senate would
have the majority of its member selected by senatorial district with senators representing non-Christian
areas appointed by the Governor-General.

C. COMMONWEALTH TO THE THIRD REPUBLIC

The Hare-Hawes Cutting Act, passed by Congress in 1932, provided for complete independence of the islands
in 1945 after 10 years of self-government under U.S. supervision. The bill had been drawn up with the aid of a
commission from the Philippines, but Manuel L. Quezon, the leader of the leading Nationalist party, opposed it,
partially because of its threat of American tariffs against Philippine products but principally because of the
provisions leaving naval bases in U.S. hands.
Under his influence, the Philippine legislature rejected the bill. The Tydings-McDuffie Independence Act (1934)
closely looks like the Hare-Hawes Cutting Act, but struck the provisions for American bases and carried a promise
of further study to correct “imperfections or inequalities.”
On May 14, 1935, an election to fill the newly created office of President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines
was won by Manuel L. Quezon (Nacionalista Party) and a Filipino government was formed on the basis of
principles apparently similar to the US Constitution.
When Quezon was inaugurated on Nov. 15, 1935, the Commonwealth was formally established in 1935, featured
a very strong executive, a unicameral National Assembly, and a Supreme Court composed entirely of Filipinos
for the first time since 1901.
The new government embarked on an ambitious agenda of establishing the basis for national defense, greater
control over the economy, reforms in education, improvement of transport, the colonization of the island of
Mindanao, and the promotion of local capital and industrialization.
The Commonwealth however, was also faced with agrarian unrest, an uncertain diplomatic and military situation
in South East Asia, and uncertainty about the level of United States commitment to the future Republic of the
Philippines.
The Philippines was controlled by the Americans from 1900-1942. In 1934 an act was established, which made
it possible that the Philippines could have a "Commonwealth of the Philippines". The first president of this
Commonwealth was Manuel Quezon. The first president was given certain power for some internal affairs.
Changes during the American Period
• Government: Democracy, the greatest legacy the Americans gave us. There were Three (3) Branches:
Executive (President), Legislative (Senate and House of Representatives), and the Judiciary
• Education: Public schools were opened up. The first teachers were called: Thomasites, because they
came on board the USS Thomas. The Medium of instruction: English. Schools established: ◦ University
of the Philippines ◦ Philippine Normal College ◦ Other agricultural schools
• Religion: Protestantism was introduced. More or less than 300,000 Filipinos became protestants. There
was a separation of the church and state. Freedom of religion was practiced.
• Infrastructure: Transportation and Communication was improved. American built roads, streets, and
bridges. The new infrastructure helped make the movement of products and services more efficient.
Boulevards, zone districts, and centers of leisure were also established. American architecture are still
present today. PNU, Manila Hotel and PGH are some examples.
 • Entertainment: Hollywood Movies became more popular. New kinds of music and dance were introduced
like rock n roll, boogie, jazz, tango, cha-cha, polka, and rhumba. Filipinos learned to watch and play games
like table tennis, basketball, volleyball, boxing, and football.
• Health and Sanitation: Filipinos learned the value of cleanliness, and healthy practices. They were taught
proper hygiene to make them healthy and be free from contagious diseases. Hospitals, clinics, and health
centers were established including public hospitals for lepers.
• Clothing: Modes of Dressings was changed. Men: Suits, Polo shirts, ties, and jeans Women: Dresses,
High-heeled shoes, and handbags
• Food: Food like ice cream, cakes, beef steak, hotdog, hamburgers, sandwiches, cookies and donuts were
introduced.
• Livelihood: Philippine Economy improved. Increased in Agricultural production. Development of new
industries.
• Attitude Filipinos became more frank, and more humorous. We developed a stronger belief in rights and
freedom. “Pagmamano” was replaced by kissing the cheeks of parents and elders as a sign of respect.
• Language: The English language was widely taught all over the country. Soon some English words
became part of our vocabulary. Filipinos adopted American names like Charlie, Anna, Francis, and
Cherry.
Negative Impacts of the American Colonization
• Americanization of Filipinos: Colonial Mentality Respectful Filipino ways of greeting were replaced by
merely saying “hi” or “hello”. Filipinos started to prefer white-collar jobs
• Traditional Filipino food like bibingka and suman were replaced by American food like hotdog and French
fries.
• Lost our sense of “bayanihan” or “community spirit”
• In summary, we seemed to have lost our own identity.
COMMONWEALTH AND WORLD WAR 2
The Japanese invasion of 1941 at the onset of World War II delayed the independence, forced the
Commonwealth government to go into exile, and subjected the country to a puppet government. Initially, the
Japanese created the Executive Commission as the collaborating government for the occupied Philippines,
created KALIBAPI which became the only political party, and Jose P. Laurel was declared president of the Second
Philippine Republic. This nationalist government espoused anti-American sentiment. I
n 1944, the Philippines was liberated with the return of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and the Allied Forces. Osmeña,
who succeeded Quezon upon the latter's death, restored the Commonwealth government.
Independence and the Third Republic
The Nacionalistas were split anew in the 1946 presidential election, with Manuel Roxas setting up the Liberal
Party. Roxas defeated Osmeña, and became the last president of the Commonwealth.
The Americans granted the Filipinos independence on July 4, 1946 and the 3rd Republic was inaugurated with
Roxas as its first president. Roxas died in 1948 and Vice President Elpidio Quirino succeeded. The presidential
election was held in 1949 with Quirino of Liberal Party defeating Jose P. Laurel. Quirino's Liberal government
was widely seen as corrupt and untrustworthy, and was easily beaten by his charismatic Defense secretary
Ramon Magsaysay in the 1953 election. Magsaysay, who achieved the surrender of the Hukbalahap rebels,
would not complete his term, dying in a plane crash in Cebu. Vice President Carlos P. Garcia succeeded him,
won the 1957 election, and implemented a "Filipino First" policy and an austerity program. Garcia was defeated
by his Vice President, Diosdado Macapagal of the Liberal Party in 1961. Macapagal initiated a return to a system
of free enterprise not seen since the Quirino administration. Macapagal's policies faced a stiff opposition in
Congress, where the Nacionalistas held the majority. Macapagal was defeated in 1965 by Senate President
Ferdinand Marcos.