Colonial Society and Politics

Colonial Society and Politics (Part 2)

Progress of Filipinization

• Philippine Commission was Filipinized and later supplanted, under Jones Law of 1916

• Filipinization in the executive branch was slower – Americans were in control until 1913

• Cabinet was Filipinizes during the term of Governor Francis Burton Harrison

• In 1921 all executive bureaus were headed by Filipinos – except Bureaus of Education, Prisons, Forestry, Science, the Mint, the Quarantine Service, the Coast and Geodetic Survey and the Metropolitan Water District

Roots of Philippine Politics

• Elections 1907 - 80 elected representatives, 55 were Nacionalistas, 16 were Progresistas, others from smaller parties

• Nacionalist party’s platform calling for immediate independence; Federalistas recognized themselves as Patrido Nacional Progresista with platform calling for “eventual” independence

• Federalists-turned-Progressives were trounced in the election

• Americans virtually limited the electorate to the “Filipinos of the better class” – thus excluding the real backbone of the struggle for freedom

Caught in the Middle

• Basic factors to determine characteristics of Philippine colonial politics:

o Colonial power that gave its wards a semblance of democratic power but kept for itself the substance of that power

o People still resolute in their desire for independence

• New set of leaders emerging – still predominantly of the same social stratum as the old but with a scattering of middle class elements

• State of affairs had two effects

o Assembly became a debating society where pro-independence rhetoric was the basis for recognition and future re-election

o Speaker Sergio Osmena of Cebu, took almost sole charge of dealing with the American governor general regarding the bills that should be passed

Imperatives of Party Life

• Parties that contended for control of the Assembly has no real...