CHAPTER 16
AMERICAN COLONIAL RULE: POLICY AND GOVERNANCE
(1899-1907)
INTRODUCTION
Winning the war did not guarantee that the Filipinos
were willing to accept American colonial rule. From the very
start, American policymakers and authorities realized that
winning the hearts and mind of a conquered people was
more important and certainly not easy to accomplish.
The United States intended to occupy the Philippines
with the least violence and to govern the country with
much regard for interest and welfare of the Filipinos. It
took them almost a decade to completely calm the Filipinos
after resorting to brutal measures which cost hundreds of
thousands of death that weighed heavily on the Filipino side.
THE MILITARY RULE
After Manila fell into the hand of the Americans the
country was administered by McKinley, the President of the
United States, through military rule.
 Gen. Wesley Merritt
- He was the first military
governor ordered by the
US President to establish a
military government.
- On 29th August 1898, he
was ordered to go to Paris
to testify before the peace
commissioner regarding
the condition in the
Philippines.
 Gen. Elwell Otis
- He succeeded Merritt as military governor
- Otis remained in his post up to May 1901.
 Gen. Arthur McArthur
- He succeeded Otis and governed until May 1901.
 Military Governor
- He is the representative of the president in the
Philippines.
- Exercised wide powers such as executive,
legislative and judicial but in 1899, military
governor was divest of his judicial powers which
were transferred to the judiciary. In 1900, his
legislative powers were transferred to the
Philippine Commission. In 1901, his executive
powers were finally given to the Civil Governor,
when local government was established.
- Military governor’s duties include;
- Pacification of the provinces which had not
yet recognized the authority of the U.S.
- Maintenance of peace and order in areas that
were already pacified.
- In latter case, he ordered the organization of
town and provincial government.
- And also, the introduction of Public School
system with some soldiers as teachers.
 Baliwag, Bulacan – first town under American colonial
rule to hold local election on May 7, 1898.
AMERICAN POLICY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Toward the end of the treaty of 1898, even before the
conclusion of the Treaty of Paris, American policy regarding
the Philippines was already clear.
 What was McKinley’s intention?
– Philippines for the United States. McKinley
wanted the entire Philippines for the United
States.
– In order for him to formulate this policy, McKinley
created what is now known as the first Philippine
Commission, The Schurman Commission.
– The commission directly told the Filipinos about
America’s “just and benevolent” intentions.
 The Schurman Commission
– It is named after its
chairman, Dr. Jacob
Gould Schurman, who
was the President of
Cornell University in
New York.
– McKinley issued his
"instruction" to guide
the commission, these
instructions clearly
indicated that:
– The authority of the United States should be
extended all over the Philippines in a
peaceful manner.
– To "secure, with the least possible delay, the
benefits of wise and generous protection of
life and property."
– To respect the customs and traditions of the
Filipinos.
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AMERICAN COLONIAL RULE: POLICY AND GOVERNANCE
– 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.
– A month after its arrival, the commission issued
the following recommendations to implement
American rule:
(1) the enforcement of American sovereignty
over entire Philippines
(2) training for self-government of the Filipinos
compatible with the maintenance of order
and with a wise, just and economical
administration of public affairs
(3) protection of the civil rights of the Filipinos
(4) the promotion of the welfare of the
Filipinos
– With the Schurman Commission’s work finished,
they returned to the United States and McKinley
appointed a second commission, known as the
Taft Commission.
 The Taft Commission
– Named after its chairman
William Howard Taft, this
commission was instructed
by McKinley to establish a
Filipino government in
accordance with the
customs and traditions of
the people.
– A highly centralized public school system was
installed in 1901.
– Free primary education was to be introduced by
the Commission and that English language is
used as a medium of instruction.
– To summarize the American policy with regard to
the Philippines, it was based on President
McKinley's instructions to the Schurman and Taft
Commissions that his policy consist the principle
that “the Americans came to the Philippines not
as Conquerors but as a Friends, whose aim was to
work for the benefit and welfare of the Filipino
people”.
Judy Ann Alcedo
THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT
Unlike the fact-finding Schurman Commission, the
Taft Commission can be described as an organizing
commission and it also never left the Philippines but stayed
on to organize the civil government.
 The 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.
– It became the basis of the civil government in the
Philippines.
 Establishment of Civil Government
– July 4, 1901, the civil government was inaugurated
with William Howard Taft as the first Civil
Governor.
– Being the chairman of the Philippines Commission,
the first lawmaking body of the Philippines under
the Americans, Governor Taft exercised legislative
powers.
 Resistance to Taft’s Policy
– Taft realized the extent of his problems, that the
consequences of the resistance were;
- 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.
- Patriots harassing the Americans in Luzon and
Visayas
- Newly elected officials aiding the guerillas w/
food, supplies and information
- Famine
 Agriculture was neglected during the war
and rinderpest killing 90% of the carabaos.
 Scarce food supply caused hunger and
malnutrition.
 Sanitary conditions caused diseases in the
reconcentration camps.
- Not enough money to reconstruct and
rehabilitate the devastated country.
– Taft studied these problems and tried to minimize
their effect but without success. It resulted to Taft’s
passage of repressive laws like;
 Reconcentration Act of 1903 - This repressive
law provided for the zoning of the inhabitants
of a town known to have “thieves” and
“outlaws”.
December 20, 1900 – martial law was declared
to “interrupt, and if possible, completely
destroy the system by which supplies and
information are sent to insurrectos from
occupied towns”.
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AMERICAN COLONIAL RULE: POLICY AND GOVERNANCE Judy Ann Alcedo

 Sedition Law – passed in 1901, provided that  The Census of 1903

any Filipino advocating independence or
– Governor Taft recommended to President Theodore
separation from the US will be severely
Roosevelt to proclaim peace and order in the
punished by death or imprisonment.
Philippines officially.
 Brigandage Act – passed in 1902, provided
– March 2, 1903 was declared as Census Day. This was
severe penalty to those found in the company,
the first scientific census ever to be taken in the
or were members, of armed groups who were
Philippines.
stealing carabaos
– On the said day, the population in the Philippines
– Guerillas were forced to surrender soon after. And
showed 7,635,426.
peace and order improved.
 Political Parties
– Taft appealed to the American Congress to
appropriate sufficient funds to give economic relief to – They were permitted to form a Political Parties.
the suffering Filipinos. Taft’s petition was listened For as long as their Platform was not based on the
and gave P6,000,000 to help Filipinos to start a new independence.
life.
– Federal Party
– Gov. Taft is remembered for his principle: “the
 Founded by Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera.
Philippines for the Filipinos.” And on February 1903
 First officially recognized political party in the
in Iloilo City, he announced that American and
Philippines.
foreigners should leave the Philippines at once if they
 It favored the American rule and its platform was
“found fault with the way the government was being
about the annexation of the Philippines to US.
run.”
 Later, they changed their name to Progresista
 Banishments of the Patriots Party.
– As there were many wealthy and educated Filipinos, – Nacionalista Party (1901)
like Buencamino and Arellano, who were already
collaborating with the enemy, there were also  The first Nacionalista Party were founded by
patriots who refused to collaborate w/ the enemy. Filipinos who opposed the Federal Party’s
These people rather suffered than prospered under platform and campaigned for immediate
the colonizers. independence.
– Americans decided to banish Filipino leaders who – Liberal Party (1902) and Democrata Party (1902)
refused to collaborate with them.  Parties formed by Filipinos who favored in step-
– Apolinario Mabini: The most opposing of all, was by-step grant of independence.
exiled to Guam – Nacionalista Party (1907)
– Along with Mabini, Artemio Ricarte, Maximo Hizon,  This second Nacionalista Party were the union of
Julian Gerona, Pablo Ocampo, Melchora Aquino and the Liberal and Democrata Party.
many others were also banished to Guam.  It was led by young lawyers Sergio Osmeña of
Cebu and Manuel L. Quezon of Tayabas.
 The Philippine Bill of 1902
– known as the Philippine Organic Act of 1902 or the  The Election of 1907
Cooper Law, after its author Henry A. Cooper, that – In accordance w/ the Cooper Act, the Filipinos could
was passed in 1902 by the US Congress. elect delegates to the Philippine Assembly.
– This law: – The issue presented before the people was whether
 approved all the acts of the President relative to or not they wanted immediate independence
the Philippines; (Nacionalista) or eventual independence
 boosted the Taft administration; (Progresista).
 provided a bill of rights w/c guaranteed the – In the election of July 30, 1907, the people voted:
Filipinos the right to speech, free press and the
freedom to petition for the redress of  Nacionalista won an overwhelming 59 seats,
grievances; Progresista won 16 seats and Independents won
 provided Executive departments; 5 seats,
 gave the right to send Two Filipino
representatives were also given access to
represent the Philippines in the US, these
people were the Resident Commissioner.
– 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.

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AMERICAN COLONIAL RULE: POLICY AND GOVERNANCE
THE FIRST PHILIPPINE ASSEMBLY
– It became the Lower House of the Legislative body of
the country, and the Philippines Commission being
the Upper House.
– It was inaugurated in the old Manila Grand Opera
House at Rizal Avenue on October 16, 1907.
– Sergio Osmeña was elected by the Assembly to be
the Speaker.
– Manuel L. Quezon was elected as Majority Floor
Leader and Vicente Singson as the Minority Floor
Leader.
– The delegates to the Assembly were mostly young
men who adopted the rules of the American
Congress to guide them in their deliberation.
 The Work of the Assembly
– 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.
 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
 Construction of School houses, roads, bridges, and
the irrigation canals.
 Creation of Bureau of Labor for the protection of
the laboring class.
 Establishment of the School of Fine Arts of the
University of the Philippines
 Establishment of the National Library.
 The Resident Commissioner
– The Philippines Assembly elected two resident
commissioners to the US Congress, in compliance
with the provisions of the Philippines Act of 1902.
– The first resident commissioners were Pablo
Ocampo (1907 – 1909) and Benito Legarda (1907 –
1912).
– 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.
– Manuel L. Quezon, then Majority Floor Leader, was
elected resident commissioners in 1909 to replace
Ocampo. In 1912, Manuel Earnshaw replaced
Legarda.
Judy Ann Alcedo
– The other resident commissioners were:
 Teodoro R. Yangco (1917-1920)
 Jaime C. de Veyra (1917-1923)
 Isauro Gabalbon (1920-1928)
 Pedro Guevarra (1923-1935)
 Camilio Osias (1929-1934)
 Francisco Delgado (1934-1935)
 The Public School System
– American system of education is better, because it is
democratic unlike the Spain’s education policy w/c
was good in paper but selective in practice.
– After the Battle of Manila Bay, the Americans
established the first school in Corregidor. After the
mock Battle of Manila, schools were established.
– 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.
– After 4 years in college, they came back to our
country as teachers, lawyers, engineers and mostly as
civil servants in the bureaucracy.
– Pensionados were most qualified persons to hold
government positions including from upper class
families, and some talented students from lower
class families.
– Some examples of these successful Filipino scholars
were Judge José Abad Santos, Francisco Benitez,
Dr. Honoria Sison and Francisco Delgado.
 The Position of Women
– During the Spanish period, the position of women
was relegated to the status of mere housewives
whose duties were to rear children and serve the
husband.
– 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.