AMERICAN COLONIZATION IN THE

PHILIPPINES
( 1898 – 1946 )
The American settlement in
the Philippines began with
the outbreak of
the Spanish–American
War in April 1898.
After its defeat in the Spanish-
American War of
1898, Spain ceded its
longstanding colony of
the Philippines to the United
States.
On December 10, 1898, The Treaty of Paris
was signed. It stated that Spain would turn
over the Philippines to the United States in
exchange of $20M.
 “The Philippines are
ours not to exploit, but
to develop, civilize,
educate and to train in
the science of self-
government”
- William McKinley
Military Government

Is the first government that was

established by Americans on August 1898
– July 1901. It started when they captured
the city of Manila in the month of April
1898.
Executive
Legislative
Judicial Power
The highest authority in the land is the
Military Governor:

Gen. Wesley Gen. Elwell Gen. Arthur

Merritt Otis McArthur
Military Governor

He is the representative
of the president in the
Philippines.
Military Governor

Exercised wide powers such

as executive,
legislative and judicial.
Military Governor

But in 1899, military

governor was divest of his judicial
powers which
were transferred to the judiciary.
Military Governor

In 1900, his
legislative powers were transferred
to the
Philippine Commission.
Military Governor

In 1901, his executive

powers were finally given to the
Civil Governor,
when local government was
established.
Military Governor’s duties:

Pacification of the provinces

which had not
yet recognized the authority of
the U.S.
Military Governor’s duties:

Maintenance of peace and order

in areas that
were already pacified.
Military Governor’s duties:

In latter case, he ordered the

organization of
town and provincial
government.
Military Governor’s duties:

And also, the introduction of

Public School
system with some soldiers as
teachers.
The Schurman Commission

•first commission
•named after its chairman, Dr. Jacob
Gould Schurman
•McKinley issued his "instruction“, these
instructions clearly indicated that:
The Schurman Commission

1. The authority of the United States

should be extended all over the
Philippines in a peaceful manner.
The Schurman Commission

2. To "secure, with the least

possible delay, the benefits of
wise and generous protection
of life and property."
The Schurman Commission

3. To respect the customs and

traditions of the Filipinos.
The Schurman Commission

Arrived in Manila on
March 1899 and immediately, it
conducted an investigation into the
condition of the country by
interviewing the highly-educated and
wealthy Filipinos, the Illustrados.
The Schurman Commission

The commission issued

the following recommendations to
implement
American rule:
The Schurman Commission

 the enforcement of American

sovereignty over entire
Philippines
The Schurman Commission

 training for self-government

of the Filipinos compatible
with the maintenance of order
and with a wise, just and
economical administration of
public affairs
The Schurman Commission

 protection of the civil rights of the

Filipinos
The Schurman Commission

 the promotion of the welfare of the

Filipinos
The Taft Commission

• created on March 16, 1900

• The Second Philippine Commission
• headed by Judge William Howard
Taft
The Taft Commission

 establish a Filipino government in

accordance with the customs and
traditions of the people.
The Taft Commission

 a highly centralized public school

system was installed in 1901.
The Taft Commission

 free primary education was

introduced and English language is
used as a medium of instruction.
Spooner Amendment

Sen. John Spooner of Wisconsin inserted

an amendment in the Army
Appropriations Act, passed by the
Congress of the United States early in
March 1901, which authorized the
President of the United States to establish
a civil government in the Philippines.
 Civil Government

 July 4, 1901, the civil government

was inaugurated

 William Howard Taft as the first

Civil Governor
Resistance to Taft’s Policy

 The peace and order situation of the

country.
 Not all the provinces of the Philippines
were pacified.
 Guerrilla fighting continued and
reached its peak in 1899 to 1900.
Resistance to Taft’s Policy

 Patriots harassing the Americans in

Luzon and Visayas
 Newly elected officials aiding the
guerillas w/ food, supplies and
information
 Famine
Resistance to Taft’s Policy

Taft appealed to the American Congress to

appropriate sufficient funds to give
economic relief to
the suffering Filipinos. Taft’s petition was
listened and gave P6,000,000 to help
Filipinos to start a new
life.
Resistance to Taft’s Policy

Gov. Taft is remembered for his principle:

“the Philippines for the Filipinos.” And on
February 1903 in Iloilo City, he announced
that American and foreigners should leave
the Philippines at once if they
“found fault with the way the government
was being run.”
 Banishments of the
Patriots

 Americans decided to banish

Filipino leaders who refused to
collaborate with them.

 Apolinario Mabini
The Philippine Bill of 1902

Known as the Philippine Organic

Act of 1902 or the
Cooper Law, after its author
Henry A. Cooper, that
was passed in 1902 by the US
Congress.
The Philippine Bill of 1902

One of the most important provisions

of Cooper Act was the establishment
of a Philippine Assembly to be run
by Filipinos two years after the peace
and order had been proclaimed
throughout the Philippines by the US
President.
 The Census of 1903

o March 2, 1903 was declared as

Census Day.
o This was the first scientific census
ever to be taken in the Philippines.
o The population in the Philippines
showed 7,635,426.
 Political Parties

 Federal Party
 Nacionalista Party (1901)
 Liberal Party (1902) and
Democrata Party (1902)
 Nacionalista Party (1907)
The Election of 1907

In accordance w/ the Cooper

Act,
the Filipinos could elect
delegates to the Philippine
Assembly.
The Election of 1907
In the election of July 30, 1907, the
people voted:
 Nacionalista won an overwhelming
59 seats
 Progresista won 16 seats
 Independents won 5 seats
THE FIRST PHILIPPINE ASSEMBLY

It became the Lower House of the

Legislative body of
the country, and the Philippines
Commission being
the Upper House.
THE FIRST PHILIPPINE ASSEMBLY

Manila Grand Opera House at

Rizal Avenue on October 16, 1907
THE FIRST PHILIPPINE ASSEMBLY

Sergio Osmena
(Speaker)
Manuel L. Quezon
(Majority Floor Leader)
Vicente Singson
(Minority Floor
Leader)
Goals of the Assembly:

 Cooperating with the United

States on the basis of mutual
respect.

 Making the Assembly an

instrument in achieving the
autonomy of the Philippines.
Goals of the Assembly:
 Passing of laws intended to
hasten the economic, social, and
political development of the
people.
 Substituting the oppressive
policy of the past with the
progressive policies.
 Achievements of the
Assembly:

 Establishment of agricultural
bank.

 Construction of new railway

lines the installation of
telegraph and telephone Lines.
 Achievements of the
Assembly:
 Construction of School houses,
roads, bridges, and the
irrigation canals.

 Creation of Bureau of Labor for

the protection of the laboring
class.
 Achievements of the
Assembly:

 Establishment of the School of

Fine Arts of the University of
the Philippines.

 Establishment of the National

Library.
 The Resident
Commissioner

Pablo Ocampo Benito Legarda

(1907-1909) (1907-1912)
The Resident Commissioner

Resident Commissioners worked for laws

that were beneficial for the Philippines, they
also fought for the rejection of bills
presented to Congress which were
detrimental to the Filipinos.
The Resident Commissioner

Manuel L. Quezon, then Majority Floor

Leader, was elected resident commissioners
in 1909 to replace
Ocampo. In 1912, Manuel Earnshaw
replaced Legarda.
Commonwealth Government

- pursuant to the act of the congress of

the United States on the 24th day of
March year 1934; also known as the
Tydings-McDuffie Law.
Commonwealth Government

- was the administrative body that

governed the Philippines from 1935 to
1946.
Commonwealth Government

- serves as a transition government in

the preparation for the Philippine
Independence.
Commonwealth Government

-
 Department of Public
Instruction
was established in 1901 alongside
the establishment of normal,
art and trade schools.
 “Thomasites” were American
teachers that were
brought to the Philippines to teach
the English
language to Filipino children in
different provinces.
 English is the compulsory
language used, as the
medium of instruction which
resulted to
the increase of literacy in the
Philippines.
Pensionado Program

• It was inaugurated in 1903.

• This program sent Filipino

students to the US for higher
education as government
scholars or pensionados.
Pensionado Program
Pensionados were most qualified
persons to
hold government positions
including from
upper class families, and some
talented students
from lower class families.
Education
Education

Silliman University (1901)

Education

Centro Escolar University (1907)

Founded by Librada Avelino and Carmen de Luna
Education

Philippine Women’s University (1919)

Established by Francisca T. Benitez
During American rule, few Filipino women
were highly educated. They were allowed
to enroll in colleges and universities
established by them.
Many women became teachers, lawyers,
pharmacist, dentist, physicians, and
scientist.
 Their liberation from the work of
household gave them the opportunity not
only to help their husbands, but also to
contribute their expertise and
knowledge to benefit their families and
countrymen.
By 1935, women were allowed to vote and
run for
public offices.