Political Caricature During

the American Period

PRESENTED BY:
Amistad Ellar Francisco Mendoza Pimping
 During the American occupation, the Filipinos made use of media to express
their sentiments about different issues. Caricature was a powerful instrument
they used to criticize and to enlighten the minds of the readers. According to
encyclopedia Britannica, caricature is the distorted presentation of a person,
type, or action. Commonly, a salient feature or characteristic of the subject is
seized upon and exaggerated, features of animals, birds, and vegetables are
substituted for parts of the human being, or an analogy is made to animal
actions. Generally, one thinks of caricature as being a line drawing and meant for
publication for the amusement of people to whom the original is known; the
personal trait is usually present.
ANALYSIS ON THE
POLITICAL
CARICATURES
 HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND
OF THE DOCUMENT
 Philippine Cartoons is a collection of 377 editorial cartoons and caricatures created by
various Filipino artists that address the situation in the Philippines during the American
occupation. From 1900 to 1941, each caricature captured national attitudes toward the arrival
of Americans as well as changing mores and times. Some of the cartoons depicted the plight
of Filipino farmers at the hands of American tenants who self-owned the laborers' lands and
imposed extravagant and unjust taxes on them. The cartoons also compared a Filipino's and
an American's job situations by depicting unequal salaries despite having the same nature of
work, highlighting racial discrimination in terms of work conditions, wages, job opportunities,
and career positions.
 Aside from that, the caricatures depicted Americans as controlling and enslaving people by
taking over the insular civil service and forcing Filipinos to do the majority of the work for
their own benefit, paying off authorities for their personal security, and demanding the
highest respect from the Filipinos. From there, it was demonstrated that growing corruption
was taking over the political processes in the Philippines. Furthermore, they exemplified
American imperialism as the primary cause of the war in Mindanao between Muslim and
Christian Filipinos, as well as other feuds among Filipinos who should have been fighting
alongside one another to reclaim their independence from the Americans. McCoy was able
to provide a comprehensive background for each caricature to give readers details of the
turbulent period the Filipinos have experienced under the hands of the Americans.
BACKGROUND
OF THE AUTHOR
 ALFRED WILLIAM MCCOY
Date of Birth: June 8, 1945
Education: BA European History (Columbia University), MA
Asian Studies (UC Berkeley), Doctor of Philosophy in
Southeast Asian History (Yale University)
Publications: Political Caricature of the American Era (1985),
Policing America’s Empire: The United States, the Philippines
and the Rise of the Surveillance State (2009)
Job Titles: Historian and Harrington Professor of History
(University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Teaching Interests: Modern Philippine Social and Political
history, US foreign policy, colonial empires in Southeast Asia,
global illicit drug trafficking, and CIA covert operations.
CARICATURISTS OF THE
AMERICAN ERA
 FERNANDO
AMORSOLO
National Artist of the Philippines for Painting
May 30, 1892 - April 24, 1972
Education: Liceo de Manila, UP School of Fine
Arts, Escuela de San Fernando Madrid
Work Experiences: part-time instructor (UP),
Chief Cartoonist (The Independent), Director of
College of Fine Arts (UP), Painter
Paintings: Water Maiden (1935), Bombing of
Intendencia (1942), and Under the Mango Tree
(1952)
 JORGE PINEDA
July 26, 1879 - September 12, 1946
Education: Ateneo de Manila, the Academia de
Dibujo
Work Experiences: Commercial and Advertising
Artist, Caricaturist (The Independent,
Renacimiento Filipino and Lipang Kalabaw),
Painter
Paintings: Las Buyeras (1904), Chonka (1933),
Magpaparol (1933, 1945, nd)

No photo available
(Sample of Artwork: Las Buyeras)
 JOSE PEREIRA
1901 - 1954
Education: UP School of Fine Arts
Work Experiences: Chief Artist (Philippines Free
Press), Painter
Paintings: Planting Rice (1943), Harvest (1945),
Village by Mayon Volcano (1948)

No photo available
(Sample of Artwork: Village by Mayon Volcano)
 CONTRIBUTION AND RELEVANCE
OF THE DOCUMENT IN
UNDERSTANDING THE GRAND
NARRATIVE OF PHILIPPINE HISTORY
The document contributed as a foundation to better understand visually the origin of the
conflicts and issues that were present more than a century ago.
It can also be seen in this document how Filipinos are very particular about press freedom
in fighting for what is right.
They fight for their rights and engage in empowering the abused Filipinos in the hands of
the Americans for many years through the use of political caricatures.
It also contributed as a way to understand the foundation of the political caricatures here
in the Philippines that are still relevant today.
Moreover, it is critical to understand through visual representations the history that
Americans have been longing for power to dominate the world since then.
 The document is generally about the unjust treatment to the Filipinos during the American
occupation. It has contributed largely in Philippine history because as we all know, Americans
have been dominating other countries most especially those with the least power among
other nations. Its significance is that it made us Filipinos aware of the social and political issues
that Americans engraved on us during their occupation through visual representations made
by various artists.
 Shown in the first caricature, “Is
the Police Force Bribed?” is a
representation of the corrupt
Filipino policemen that were
allegedly bribed by the Chinese
nationals in exchange of
protecting the gambling clubs that
the Chinese had been operating
here in the Philippines instead of
eradicating these suspicious clubs
during the American period. It is
extremely relevant in our history
because we have been up to
discovering the roots of these
corrupt officers and politicians.
Another example of the mentioned
caricature, shows the unfair
treatment to the Filipino educators
and workers during the American
period. American teachers and
workers were more favored than the
Filipinos. The difference between
the salary and the working condition
of Americans and Filipinos is very
noticeable. It depicts the injustices
that the Filipinos experience both as
a worker and as an individual since
then.
The last caricature shows how the
Americans greatly influence the
division and war of Christian-
Muslim which is evidently present
since the Spanish period in the
Philippines. It helps us to better
understand how the Americans
contributed further in the division
present between Christians and
Muslims.
RELEVANCE OF THE DOCUMENT
IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES/THE
GEN Z COMMUNITY
 ON POLICE BRIBERY:

If we look at the events in the past years, we will see that not all police
work for the law. Those who work for higher-ups like superior
government officials or private upperclassmen will violate it.

SIMILAR TO PRESENT: EJK

ON THE PROPERTY OF CHURCH:

There is no clear balance or boundary between the state and the church.
This still persists until the present. Some of our laws are governed or are
based on the beliefs of the Church. There are also times where the
government put these beliefs first before the rights of the people.

SIMILAR TO PRESENT: RH Bill, discussions on Divorce Bill

 ON UNEQUAL PAY:

Filipinos still experience income inequality, wage gaps, and also

opportunity gaps in the workplace, may be it in our own country or in
another

SIMILAR TO PRESENT: BPO Outsourcing

ON IMPERIALISM:
This tension clearly continues to be present in various political, social, and
economic matters. But in recent years, peace talks were exchanged and
carried out between governments (Bangsamoro Organic Law). So it is
worth noting that this subject is more progressive than others.
It gives the Filipino perspective on issues during the American Colonization.
We learn that Filipinos and the Philippines continued to be exploited during
the American Colonization.
We became independent of the Americans yet we are still chained to the
issues and problems they brought into our country and onto our
countrymen.
As Gen-Z’s, we can call those issues out. We can learn from this document,
that is part of history, and make change.
As long as we have these editorials today, we can understand, learn, and
pursue development for our future.
 THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING