American Cultural Influence on the Philippines

American dominion over all facets of life in the Philippines consequently resulted in
the assimilation of their values into our culture and identity. On one hand, the United States
delivered refinement to the nation’s economy, introduced their system of governance which
enriched our own and augmented various sectors of societal institutions. On the other hand,
their rule planted the seed of “colonial mentality” whose tree still bears distasteful fruit
until the current era.

On the field of education, one of the lasting hallmarks of American tutelage over the islands
was the supplementation of the public education system which was enforced prior by the
Spanish. Act No. 74 of the Taft Commission was responsible for the expansion of the
public school system to reaches unprecedented prior. To satisfy the immense demand of
educators the United States assigned and sent tenured teachers to the new territory. August
23, 1901, marked the arrival of a group of 600 teachers from the United States on board the
transport ship Thomas: the famed Thomasites. However, they were not the first. Weeks
prior a smaller assembly of 48 instructors arrived on board the USAT Sheridan. Overall, the
widespread accessibility of public institutions led to the incremental increase of the
Filipinos’ literacy rate. A survey conducted shortly after the establishment of the Insular
government found that the literacy rate averaged at 44.2%, when a subsequent census was
facilitated in 1918, it was found that the figure rose dramatically to a staggering 49.2. A
testament to the brand of effective teaching American tutors possessed and practiced.

With regards to the great halls of the academe, the The oldest university founded under the
auspice of American supervision was Siliman University which was originally inaugurated
as the Silliman Institute by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions on August 28,
1901. Succeeding this by the Central Philippine University which opened its doors to
students on the 1st of October 1905 in Iloilo City. The prestigious University of the
Philippines was then established in 1908 on Calle Isaac Peral, Manila whose appellation is
now the United Nations Avenue.

It is an irrefutable fact that the education during the American period progressed rapidly
and unparalleled by any other colonial power.

In relation to academics, the English language was mandated by President McKinley as the
official mode of instruction. As a result, by the Commonwealth years many Filipino writers
in English distinguished themselves in poetry, short stories, and essays. A number wrote
dramas and novels. Some of the poems and short stories of Filipino writers in English were
even published beyond the Pacific in the U.S. Furthermore, the English vocabulary was
integrated into our language system, thereby conceiving TagLish which today is a widely
utilized tongue. Words like putbol (football), basketbol (basketball), pawl (foul), boksing
(boxing), bistik (beefsteak), kendi (candy) and the like became commonplace.

On the Commercial and Industrial sector, the nation enjoyed a prosperous boom of revenue.
Philippine exports amounted to 60.9 million pesos. In 1910-1914, it rose to 94.7 million
pesos. In 1914-1918, the amount of exports further increased to 177.3 million pesos, and in
1925-1930, the exports amounted to 297.9 million pesos. Judging by these numbers, one
could certify that lifeblood of the colonial economy was heavily reliant on export.
Philippine foreign trade enjoyed trade circumstances conducive to a trade boom, except
during the tumultuous era of the First World War (1914-1918). The landscape of commerce
also prospered under the guidance of the Americans. Coconut oil mills, cigar and cigarette
factories, rope factories, fishing and fish canning, alcohol distilleries, and sugar refineries
were the lifeblood of the Filipino industrial machine. In 1929, gold mining produced almost
7 million pesos worth of gold. In 1935, the year of the Commonwealth, it produced almost
thirty-two million pesos worth gold. As a matter of fact, the Philippines earned the
distinction as the most affluent gold producer in the region and in world terms, second only
to California at that specific point in time.

Health was also subjected to sweeping reforms and developments during the American
reign. In 1901, the Americans inaugurated the Board of Public Health for the Philippine
Islands, which later on became a bureau. Among the main objectives of the office were to
promote proper hygiene and physical care to the general populace as well as expose the
fraudulence of the rife superstitious beliefs and the people’s ignorance. which they
considered as the primary adversary of medicine and holistic health. In all institutions
scattered across the islands, Nutrition was lent emphasis and balanced diet consisting of
essential vitamins and minerals was stressed. Consequently, the Filipinos became healthier
and even an increase in height was observed. It was estimated that the height of the average
Filipino in the early 1900s was five feet and three or four inches but come 1920, the mean
measures topped at five feet and six inches. Proof of the encompassing regime that the
Americans enforced thoroughly.

Another factor wherein the Americans contributed profoundly was the modernization of the
country’s infrastructure. The railway network benefited as well from sweeping
infrastructural reforms.cDuring the early years of American occupation there only existed
less than 200 km of tracks. By 1935 the total distance of the network web rose to more than
1,000 km. The Manila-Dagupan Railway, founded during the Spanish period, was acquired
by the government and became the Manila Railroad Company.cThe line was extended to
the provinces of Northern and Southern Luzon, thereby bringing them closer than before.
Automobiles and Electric street cars (Tranvia) became common sights around metropolitan
areas and were steadily superseding the once reputable horse drawn carriage. Long
durations of travel were made brief by the advent of the commercial airlines Pier 7 at the
time held the distinction as the largest sea port in Asia. Manila became the central hub of
air travel in the continent with company’s such as the Philippine Air Taxi Company, now
the venerable and globally acclaimed Philippine Airlines, spearheading long-distance travel
innovation.

Communication and media also benefited from refinements. Filipinos were privileged to
avail themselves of the convenience afforded by the latest technological innovations at the
time in the communication and sector such as the telegraph, radio and mainstream motion
picture/movies. Although film was not an alien form of entertainment as movies were
previously screened during the waning days of the Spanish Era, the American period saw
its rise to mainstream attention. A noteworthy trivia, the first indigenous Filipino film was
titled “Dalagang Bukid” directed and produced by Jose Nepumuceno, an adaptation of the
theatrical play authored by Hermogenes Ilagan and León Ignacio.

On the rather dynamic and turbulent political scene, the respectable as well as the
deplorable characteristics of the political party system in United States were adopted by the
Filipinos as they learned and emulated the examples of their American superiors. From
these political allegiances, the elite class of Filipinos who were either political aspirants or
at the time were seated on public offices were given the opportunity to amplify their
competence in overseeing state affairs. This kind of politics, ironically, was deepened
during the time of Governor General Harrison when more Filipinos came to control the
lawmaking body and entered into the fray of government bureaucracy.

Despite the gifts bestowed upon by the occupiers as dictated by the principled and ideals of
“White Man’s Burden”, negative implications nonetheless were rampant forever morphing
the Filipino mindset. The Philippines became dependent exclusively on the United States to
continue prosper economically. There was no real industrialization in the hands of Filipino
capital. Our own delicacies and heroes are no longer appreciated. Filipino people focus
about American culture Materialistic view of life has weakened the Filipino’s communal
spirit towards an individualistic and consumerist way of life.