History 11

CHAPTER 11
PREPARATION FOR THE PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH

GOVERNMENT
This chapter focuses on assistance of the United
States of America to the Philippines to achieve
self-governance. The arrival of different
commissions sent by the President of US helped to
monitor the situation of our country.
MAIN POINTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
 The Cooper Act of the Philippine Organic Act of

1902
 The Jones Law
 The National Socialist Party
Conquest of the Philippines by the United
States
After bringing independence from Spain, Filipino thought

that finally we were free from the oppressors, but they
were wrong. Another series of colonization once again
happened in the Philippine history. Americans may not
be strict as Spaniards but still they controlled the
archipelago. But unlike Spaniards, they did not fully
express their intention to make Philippines a colony.
According to the proclamation of McKinley (US
President, 1899) “The Philippines is ours, not to
exploit, but to develop, to civilize, to educate, to
train in the science of self- government.” Known as
the Benevolent Assimilation Policy, President McKinley
said that the Filipinos would be trained and prepared
for self-rule while the Americans are in the
Philippines.
The Philippine Commissions
To observe the military government in the

Philippines, McKinley sent a commission to find
out whether the policies implemented were
getting positive outcomes.
US President appointed Schurman Commission

on January 20, 1899.
Based on the observation, the commission headed by
Jacob Schurman recommended the following:
1. Establishment of a territorial government with

legislative branches
2. Removal of military government in the pacifies
areas
3. Opening of free elementary schools
4. Establishment of independent local government
5. Conservation and preservation of the natural
resources
The second commission brought by the US
Government was the Taft Commission headed by
William Howard Taft, this was established by the
United States President William McKinley on March
16, 1900, using presidential war powers while the
U.S. was engaged in the Philippine-American war.
The Taft Commission acted as the legislative branch

of military government (The said commission
assumed some legislative posts in the government).
Some Filipinos like Cayetano Arellano, Dr. Pardo
Paz de Tavera and Pedro Paterno supported their
projects like constructions of roads and bridges
as they also spearheaded the founding of Federal
Party in 1900. It promoted the restoration of
peace.
Americans continued bringing vicissitudes in the
country especially when the Congress passed an
amendment indicated that the US president is
given the authority to create the civil
government in the Philippines.
Several changes happened in the governance for

many Filipinos were given chance to hold high
positions.
Recommendations of Taft Commission
Specific recommendations included the establishment

of civil government as rapidly as possible (The
American chief executive in the islands at that time
was the military governor), including establishment of
 bicameral legislature
 autonomous governments on the provincial
 municipal levels
 a system of free.
Cayetano Arellano – 1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Gregorio Araneta - Secretary of Finance and Justice
Members of the Philippine Commission

Dr. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera
Benito Legarda Sr.
Jose Luzuriaga
The Cooper Act or more known the Philippine Organic
Act 1902 provided for the creation of an elected
Philippine Assembly.
The bill proposed the creation and administration of a

civil government in the Philipppines. President
Theodore Roosevelt signed it into law in July 2, 1902.
Year after the institution of the civil government,

Theodore Roosevelt (US President) declared the
official end of Philippine - American War.
Several laws passed and enacted such as
Jones Law, Hare-Haws-Cutting Law and
Tydings-McDuffie Law.
Jones law
The law was enacted by the 64th United States Congress

on August 29, 1916, and contained the first formal and
official declaration of the United States federal
government’s commitment to grant independence to the
Philippines.
To ‘withdraw their sovereignty over the Philippine Island

as soon as a stable government can be stablish therein.”
The U.S. had acquired the Philippines in 1898 as a result
of the Spanish-American war.
Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law
Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act (January 17, 1933) passed to

authors Congress Butler B. Hare, Senator Harry B. Hawes
and Senator Bronson M. Cutting.
Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act was the first US law passed

setting process and a date for the Philippines to gain
independence from the United States. It was result of
the OsRox Mission led by Sergio Osmena and Manuel
Roxas
Tydings-McDuffie Law
Tydings-McDuffie Act, also called Philippine

Commonwealth and Independence Act, (1934), to
provide for the complete independence of the
Philippine islands, to provide the adoption of a
constitution and a form of government for the
Philippine islands, and for other purposes, to take
effect on July 4, 1946, after a 10-year transitional
period of Commonwealth government.
To fulfill the mandate of Tydings-McDuffie Law, a
Philippine general election was the first election of
the commonwealth of the Philippines. It was
time that the country is given recognition of
independence as a separate self-governing
nation.
On September 16, 1935, The Filipino voters went
to the polls to elect the first set of officials of
the Philippine Commonwealth government as
provided for in the 1935 constitution signed by
United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt on
March 23, 1935. Three from political parties and
one independent candidate ran for presidency.
Senate President Manuel Luis Quezon won a
lopsided victory against former President Emilio
Aguinaldo
Developments under the American Rule
As compared to the Spanish period, it can be

noted that during the American period, The
Philippines experience greater development
especially in economy. Some programs were the
development of agriculture sector,
implementation of the trade, and the
establishment of several industries.
The ideals of democracy were considered the
greatest legacy of the Americans to the Filipinos.
As American gave chance to us to assume
positions in the government and participate
in political affairs.

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CHAPTER 11

PREPARATION FOR THE PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH

 The Cooper Act of the Philippine Organic Act of

After bringing independence from Spain, Filipino thought

To observe the military government in the

US President appointed Schurman Commission

1. Establishment of a territorial government with

The Taft Commission acted as the legislative branch

Several changes happened in the governance for

Specific recommendations included the establishment

Members of the Philippine Commission

The bill proposed the creation and administration of a

Year after the institution of the civil government,

The law was enacted by the 64th United States Congress

To ‘withdraw their sovereignty over the Philippine Island

Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act (January 17, 1933) passed to

Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act was the first US law passed

Tydings-McDuffie Act, also called Philippine

As compared to the Spanish period, it can be

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