Preparation For Self-Government: The Jones

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 3

CHAPTER13

Preparation for Self-Government

he enistence of ptact and order led fo the eontinuanau of the Amer ican policy to prepare
he Filipinos for self-government This chapter focusts on the saveral stips of the United Stats
in
preparing the Philippines for self-government:

Campaign for Independence


One of the main responsiblities of the resident commissioner was to provide the
U.S. s with relevant information about the true conditions in the Philippines in
order to enact beneficial lawsfor the Filipinos. In other words, the resident commissioner
spearheaded the campaigrn for Philippine independence. Indeed, the most competent
resident commissioner was Manuel Quezon. He stayed in the U.S. for five months.
On his arrival in Washington in 1910together with Benito Legarda, Quezon began
campaigning for immediate complete independence for the Philippines. He succeeded
in winning sympathy for his diplomacy. He traveled in various States to speak about
the true conditions of the Filipinos, yet he was careful not to antagonize the American
Congress. Together with the Democratic President Woodrow Wilson in 1913, the
Philippines finally received the presidential message assuring the Filipino people of
their independence.

TheJones Law of 1916


Due to the tireless effort of
Quezon, a very significant step towards self-government
was passed through Philippine Autonomy Act. Also called the Jones Law of 1916,
the act was sponsored by William Atkinson Jones and signed by President Wilson on
August 29, 1916.
This was the first law that the U.S. had guaranteed to fulfill the
granting of Philippine
independence. As stated in the Preamble, the U.S. would grant independence "as soon
as a stable
government" would be established. As a result of Quezon's campaign for
independence, he was elected as the Senate President in the Philippine Legislature.

The Independence Missions


The assurance of the United States inspired the Flipinos to take a more active
campaign for independence. On November 7, 1918, the Nacionalista Party passed
a resolution providing for the creation of a Commission of Independence "for
purpose of studying all matters related to the negotiation and organization of Philippine
Independence." The commission was made up of 11 senators and 40 congressmen, with
the presiding officer headed by Senate President Manuel Quezon and House Speaker
Sergio Osmeña.
1919 to 1933, Philippine independence missions were sent to the United
From
t was the OsRox mission-so called becausc it was hcaded by Sergio Osmena
bil.
STManuel Roxas-that succeeded in securing the passage of an independent
of a ten
a as the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act, which provided for the establishment of
Commonwealth to serve as a transition government before the proclamation
cpendence in 1946.
The OsRox Mission was facilitated by American sugar and palm oil lobby groups

favoredgranting of Philippine independence so that Philippine coconut and sugar


who with American
tariff minimize
duties and competition
Dorts would stop enjoying free
expo

farm products. the


Roxas returned, the Philippines legislature did not accept
When Osmeña and
opposed the provision of establishing naval and military
bill. Senate PresidentQuezon of American sovereignty. Other
bases in
the Philippines even after the withdrawal relations between the
for rejecting the bill included provisions affecting trade
reasons immigration
at the end of the transition period; impertinent
U.S. and the Phihppines
commissioner.
clause; and indefinite powers of the high favored the Hare-Hawes
This occurrence divided into two factions: the pros, who
antis who it. In 1933, Quezon
went to United the
Cutting Act the
and opposed obtained in 1934 the
He
better independence bill for the country.
States to obtain a Act.
had similar provisions with the Hare-Hawes Cutting
Tydings-McDufhe Act which and naval had changed; bases
the provision for U.S. military
In the latter, however, as to naval bases
and fueling stations.
substituted with "ultimate settlement,"
it was the Philippine legislature.
was unanimously accepted by
The Tydings-McDuffie Act
(Boncan Celestina, 1999).

The 1935 Constitution


for the framing of a constitution for the
The Tydings-McDuffie Act provided constitutional
the election of the
Commonwealth government. Following its provisions, Convention was inaugurated
The Constitutional
held on July 10, 1934.
convention was
(Agoncillo, 2010).
with Claro M. Recto as president
on July 30, 1934

Basic features established in the


of 1935 held the basic pattern
Constitution
The Philippine These were explained
departed in certain important aspects.
after recognition of Philippine
but
several organic acts was toreseen to operate
the constitution constitutions of
by the fact that On the other hand, the convention had considered the
independence. constitution.
American
was the
but the main model Republican State. There was
various countries the Philippines to be a
First, the
constitutionstated The representative
nature of governmental
sovereignty. of the
explicit recognition ot popular
lt was also stressed
that the s o u r c e of authority
Constitution
authority was emphasized. from these, the 1935

government would come


from the people. Apart
several organic acts. A
Bill of Rights
the pattern established in the established on
conformed to The government was
freedom.
would guarantee the basic individual
wherein the executive power being
in the hands
government,
the three branches of vested on a National Assembly"later
changed to
the legislative power Court
the President, the judicial power
entrusted to the Supreme

Congress of the Philippines, and


c o u r t s as
established by law.
and other
It also stressed the principle of separation of powers. The president would be chosen
by popular vote for a fixed term. He would be irremovable during such term, excepr
through impeachment proceedings. To succeed, the implementation of impeachments
required very high percentages of voting by the two houses of the legislative body. The
executive then was independent of the legislative body. In other words, the cxecutive
had no legal control over the legislative body (Fernandez et al, 1974).
After U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had approved the 1935 Constitution in
March 1935, it was submitted to the Filipino peopleinaplebiscite. With the adoption of
the constitution, the legal basis for the Commonwealth government became complete

Developments under American Period

The Civil Service


In 1900, the Philippine Commission passed the Civil Service Act. According to this
law, all government employees shall be supervised under the Bureau of Civil Service
headed by Governor- General. All those interested to work in the government would
have to take the competitive examination to minimize the political pull in government
service. It also introduced the merit system in which an individual who possesses good
qualities can be promoted.

Commerce and Labor

To promote commerce and trade, the government adopted the gold standard for
Philippine currency. The United States Congress passed the Philippine Currency Act
on March 3, 1903. It established the money system based on the recommendations
submitted by Charles A. Conant. For this reason the local money was called the Conant
peso. The value was fixed at one peso per half a dollar. Melecio Figueroa served as the
engraver and designer of the new coins. In 1901, American Bank was established to make
the island a profitable source of revenue. Moreover, in 1902, the Bureau of Agriculture
was established. Founded by Charles M. Swift, the Manila Electric Railroad and Light
Company (MERALCO) started operating in 1903 with the purchase of the Spanish
horse-drawn street cars in Manila.
Meanwhile, the Union Obrera Democratica Filipina (The Philippine Democratic
Labor Union) was organized by Isabelo de los Reyes. It was considered the first genuine
labor union in Manila.lt was later on replaced by the Union del
Trabajo de Filipinas
(Labor Union of the Philippines), which, however, did not lead a prosperous life.
On the religious front, the Americans introduced Protestantism in the country. The
Americans tried to win the people to their faith by means of good examples and friendly
persuasion. Aside from propagating the Protestant taith, the missionaries carried out
humanitarian works as evidenced by their establishment of school, hospital, and churches.
The Protestant sects that came to the country during the early years of American rule
were thefollowing: Presbyterians (1899), Baptist (1900), Disciples of Christ (1905) and
Methodist Episcopalians (1 8). Another important religious development that took place
during the American period was the establishment ofthe Iglesia Filipina Independiente
(Philippine Independent Church) on August 3, 1902 by Isabelo de los Reyes, Gregorio
Aglipay and a few others. Established to be a church free of colonial influences, it is a
nationalist church and now the second largest Christian denomination in the country. It
is more popularly known as Aglipayan Church--after its first Obispo Maximo Gregorio
Aglipay. 98

You might also like