Preparation For Self-Government: The Jones
Preparation For Self-Government: The Jones
Preparation For Self-Government: The Jones
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:
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