COMING OF THE AMERICANS

American Designs in the Philippines

1. Naval and Military
- The Americans wanted to expand their navy and military Philippines. They wanted to
establish in the Philippines their first defense line along the Pacific.
2. Economic
- The Americans wanted to make the Philippines as a market for their products and a source
of raw materials.
3. Religious
- The Americans wanted to make the Philippines as a base of all their missionary operations in
southeast Asia.
4. Capitalism and Democracy
- The Americans wanted to make the Philippines as a stepping stone in spreading Capitalism
and Democracy in the other parts of Asia.

The Americans imperialists had to make American Spanish relations deteriorate to justify the
declaration of war against Spain.
> Dupuy De Lome
- The Spanish ambassador in USA who wrote a secret letter of personal criticism against US
president William McKinley
> Main incident (February 5 1898)
- American battleship Maine, Havana, Cuba and 246 of its crew members died.
> April 21 1898
- USA formally declared war against Spain
> Treaty of Paris (December 10 1898)
- The Philippines was sold to USA by the Spaniards with an amount of 20 million Mexican
dollars.
> Eugenio Montero Rios
- He was the president of the Spanish Commission. In his letter to American commissioner
William R. Day dated on November 23 1898. He clearly wrote; “Spain reserving to the south
of this sea of Mindanao and Sulu has never formed a part of the Philippine archipelago
proper”

McKinley's Benevolent assimilation Proclamation (1899)

> “The Philippine is not ours to exploit, but to develops, to civilize, to educate to train in the science
of self-government. This is the path we must follow or be recreant to a mighty trust committed to us”.
> “White Man’s Burden” and Manifest Destiny”
- American ethnocentrism and American syndrome characteristics made by them justification
and bases to acquire more colonies. Americans believe their ways are better and must be
imposed whether non-whites agree or not.

MORO PROBLEM
> this was coined by the American colonial government which means how to succeed effectively and
meaningfully in integrating, controlling, assimilating and incorporating the Moros and their
governments into the Philippines political system.
THE EVOLUTION OF AMERICAN POLICIES TWORDS THE MOROS
> this was the effective period of the American Mandate in Moroland or the period when the
American authorities were in direct charge of shaping and implementing policies in Moroland that
extended from May 1899 (when the first US army contingents landed in Jolo) until May 1920 (when
the Department of Mindanao and Sulu was abolishes as governmental unit). This evolution of
Americans policies towards the Moros developed in three successive periods namely:
I. MILITARY PERIOD (1899-19030/Military Pacification of the Moros
- If ever Americans succeeded in incorporating the Moros this was because of a combined
military approach and its policy of attraction.
- Military, there was the occupation/appearance of US forces in Moroland, and then, because
of the desires/interests of the American war being fought in northern luzon, to keep them
peaceful, etc. And more important, to win Moro friendship and neutrality by diplomacy
through the implementation of “none interference policy”, the Americans, represented by
General John Bates, negotiated and entered into treaty with the Sulu Sultan Jamal ul-Kiram
on August 20, 1899 known as Kiram-Bates Treaty. Agreements were made also with other
Datus in Mindanao.
KIRAM-BATES TREATY (August 20, 1899)
- The treaty was signed on August 20 1899 between Sultan Jamalul Kiram II of the Sulu
Sultanate and Brig. Gem. John C. Bates, representing the United States. The sultan signed the
treaty in the firm belief that it signaled the safety of the homeland and the expulsion of the
American colonialist. The Americans had a different motive in mind. They made use of treaty
to usher in eventual occupation of the Bangsamoro Land. It was chiefly used by the Americans
to prevent the opening of another battle front in Mindanao and Sulu while they were battling
the forces Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in Luzon.
What the Treaty achieved was the cooperation of the Sulu Sultanate because according to the Treaty;
1. The Moros seemingly acknowledged the US sovereignty.
2. The Moros agreed to help the US suppress piracy and apprehended charged with crimes
against non-Moros.
And on the side of the Americans;
1. The Americans agreed to respect the dignity and authority of the Sulu Sultan and other Datus.
2. The Americans agreed to pay certain salaries to the Sulu Sultan and his principal chiefs, and
most importantly,
3. The Americans agreed not to interfere with the Moro religion.
The Moros were made to believe that this treaty had kept the Americans out of their internal affairs
and guaranteed their way of life, from 1899 to 1903;
1. There was a period of place as far as Moro-American relations are concerned
2. The Americans were given enough time to settle themselves military (like building strong
fortifications).
3. The Americans were given enough to explore the riches of Moroland.

II. MORO PROVINCE (1903-1913)

- This was ten year transition period from military to civil rule from where the Moros are being
prepared for civil administration and consequently their eventual integration into the
national body politics. This was a military government run or led by veteran US army officers
 in the America’s Indian campaign, such as (these were the three successive governors of the
Moro province);
1. Gen. Leonard Wood (1903-1906)
2. Gen. Tasker Bliss (1906-1909)
3. Gen. John Pershing (1909-1913)
- There are other reasons and factors that had influenced the decision of the American to
abandon the “policy of non-interference" and adopt the “policy of direct rule”.
1. The insistence of Filipino nationalists that Moroland was inseparable from the Philippine
nation.
2. Both the Americans and Filipinos had fully realized the importance of natural resources of
Mindanao and Sulu to the economic future of the country.
3. Mindanao could be a market of American goods, a source of Philippine export goods, a source
of investment and capital etc.
- Anyway, the Moro province offered more opportunities to implement the American mandate.
What the American did to those features of Moro society “not worth preserving” were the
following;
1. Slavery was illegalized but consequently threatened the politico-economic structure of the
traditional society.
2. The common people were protected from the tyrannies of their traditional leaders. From the
depredations od lawless persons and unscrupulous traders.
3. American laws and concept of justice were introduced. But, as a consequence again,
bypassing Moro courts and the refusal to recognize the customary judicial functions of the
datus offended the Moro sensibilities.
4. Payment of taxes was imposed but this was disliked because the payment was made to
foreign and infidel government.
5. The concept of separation of state and religion was introduced. But the Americans failed to
realize that among Muslims, there was no separation between the state and religion.
6. Abolition of sultanate system and the scrapping of traditional titles. The Americans regarded
the sultan as outside the system and their police as well as judicial powers were
grabbed/usurped from them by the Americans.
7. Introduction of American System of Education. It was disliked by the Moros because it meant
the inculcation of Christian teachings and values which were believed to alienate from their
religion and traditional way of life.
8. Introduction of new concept and land ownership system. The issuance of capitalistic land
laws which were all legal props used by the Americans to dispossess the Moros and other
indigenous settlers if Mindanao from their lands, in favor private capitalistsnao from their
lands, in favor private capitalists.
Examples of Capitalistic Land Laws and Policies;
1. Land Registration Act No.496 (November 1902). That required the registration of lands
occupied by private persons or corporations; application for registration of titlle shall be in
writing, signed and sworn to by applicant.
2. Public Land Act No.718 (April 4 1903). This made void land grants from Moro sultans or datus
or non-christian tribes, when made without government authority of consent.
3. Public Lanc Act No.926 (October 1903). This declared as public (government) land, all lands
not registered under Act No.496
 4. Mining Law (1905). This declared all public lands in the Philippines as free, open for
exploitation, occupation and purchase by citizens of Philippines and the US.
5. Cadastral Act of 1907. This allowed the educated native (indios and non indios), bureaucrats,
American land speculator who were more familiar with bureaucratic process to legalize
claims usurped through fraudulent surveys.
Consequences and Result
- All these policies were resented and disliked by the Moros and had caused them to resist the
American Rule. The period of Moro Province was spent in fighting the Moro groups.
 III. DEPARTMENT OF MINDANAO AND SULU (1914 TO 1920)
- This was the six year period when the process of bringing Mindanao and Sulu into the general
governmental framework of the Philippines was accelerated. The administrative control over
Moro affairs was also rapidly transferred to civilian American, with Frank Carpenter as the
first American civilian governor of the Department, assisted by Christian Filipinos who
occupied important administrative responsibilities including the vice-governor post.
Reasons for the Establishment of Department of Mindanao and Sulu
> Jones Law of 1916
- The implemented by US president Woodrow Wilson, in which states that “the Philippine
independence would be granted as soon as stable government could be established”.
> Filipinization Policy
- This was the policy implemented by the American governor general in the Philippines,
Francis B. Harrison, which means for the Christian Filipinos in north Philippines (meaning
according to their own context) “the gradual transfer of civil administration of the Philippine
government from the hands of the Americans to the hands on the Christoan Filipinos”
> Indioization
- Filipinization Policy for the Moros in the context of the Moros, means Indioization, that is,
“the gradual transfer of Moro affairs and government from the hands of the Americans to the
ahnds of the Indios or Christian Filipinos” which was accelerated and implemented during
the Department of Mindanao and Sulu.
> Amerian Policies/Programs
- During this period the American government encouraged both American and Christian
Filipino settlers to migrate to Moroland. It was also during this period when the Americans
declared Mindanao as “land of promise”
- A land which promised solutions to some of the economic, social, and political problems in
the northern Philippines.

Opening up of Government Subsidized Re-settlement Programs/Projects in Mindanao (the

government subsidized resettlement projects were initially called Agricultural Colonies)
- The primary motives and reason why re-settlement objects/policies were opened up, causing the
massive influx of migrant settlers to Mindanao are the following;
 1. To acquire land
2. To exploit the Mindanao’s natural resources.
3. To amalgamate (to mix/combine) or the “Filipinization” the Moros and non-Christian tribes
and consequently remove the danger of possible separation of Mindanao from Philippines.
4. The Philippine government wanted to overwhelm (to overcome completely by force of
numbers) the Moros who had been continuously resenting and resisting the Philippine
government.
5. To minoritize the Muslim population, because by increasing the number of Christian Filipinos
will cause the shrinking of Muslim population.
- The general result of this re-settlement projects/programs, dubbed as “systematic and legalized
land grabbing”, the Moros and the indigenous inhabitants of Mindanao were dispossessed, displaced,
and minoritized in their own land. This is the basis of the Moros for their rightful claim of their
ancestral domain.

IV. BUREAU OF NN-CHRISTIAN TRIBES: DOMINANCE OF CHRISTIAN FILIPINOS IN THE

GOVERNANCE OF MORO AFFAIRS
- In Many 1920, the Department of Mindanao and Sulu was abolished and the Bureau of non-
Christian Tribes was created on February 5 1920 which was under the Department of Interior
and Teofisito Guingona was the first chief director. This was practically dominated by
Christian Filipinos who were appointed to import local government positions in the Muslim
area like provincial governors and constabulary commanders.
RESETTLEMENTS DURING AMERICAN PERIOD
1913: act 2254 Agricultural Colonies Act creating agricultural colonies in Cotabato Valley (Pikit,
Pagalungan, Glan)
1914: PC Act 2280 creating agricultural colony in Momungan (Balo-I) Lanao
1919: PC Act 2206 authorizing provincial boards to manage colonies, Zamboanga opened Lamitan;
Sulu opened Tawi-Tawi; Bukidnon opened Marilog; Cotabato opened Salunayan and Maganoy.
1919-1930: Resettlement done by Interisland Migration Division of the Bureau of Labor. Opened
Kapalong, Guiangga. Tagum, Lupon and Baganga in Davao; Labangan in Zamboanga and Lamitan in
Basilan; Cabadbaran, Butuan and Buenavista in Agusan; Momingan and Kapatagan valley in Lanao.
Brought in more settlers to Pikit and Pagalungan.
Writing Letters and Petition
- the Moros asked for the granting of their own separate independence, retention under American
rule, prepare them by educating them first.
Ranao Petition of 1934
- It was petition and declaration from the ulama, qadi, imams. And datus of Lanao addressed to the
Governor General of the Philippines Frank Murphy asking for the restoration of their independence
(Mindanao and Sulu) separate from the independence of the Filipinos in Luzon and Visayas. It was
signed on Friday, July, 13 1934 and its principal signatory was Shaykh Abdulhamid Bogabong, the
Qadi of Unayan.
Dimakaling
- he was a Mranaw hero who dified and opposed the AMerican government in 1930s. He fought the
American soldiers valiantly and killed on November 19 1935 in the jungle of the municipality of
Kapay in the province of Lanao.