PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION: 2nd Shifting
Continuation of the Revolt o Brutalities committed by the Spanish government
Biak-na-Bato (1897-1898)
• Arrival at Biak-na-Bato (June 24, 1897)
• Provisional Constitution of the Philippines (November 1,
1897) - Intended to be effective for two years.
o Based on Cuban Constitution (Jimaguayu
Constitution).
o AIM: Separation of the Philippines from Spanish
Monarchy and formation of an independent state.
o Isabel Artacho and Felix Ferrer wrote the provisional
constitution.
o Officials were inaugurated:
President: Emilio Aguinaldo
Vice President: Mariano Trias
Secretary-Interior: Isabelo Artacho
Secretary-Foreign Affairs: Antonio Montenegro
Secretary-Treasury: Baldomero Aguinaldo
Secretary-War: Emiliano Riego de Dios
• Pedro Paterno was sent by Gov-Gen. de Rivera for peaceful
negotiations with the revolutionaries.
o Known as Pack of Biak-na-Bato.
§ Voluntary exile of Aguinaldo and his men to
Hong Kong.
1. Program (December 14, 1897)
§ Gov. de Rivera paid 800K pesos to those in
arms and would let Aguinaldo to retire in
exile.
2. Act of Agreement (December 14, 1897)
§ Amnesty to those who would lay down their
arms and privilege to move freely in the
Philippines and abroad.
3. Indemnity (December 15, 1897)
§ Spain paid ~1.7 M pesos.
§ 800K from #1 and 900K for the damages.
• On, December 25, 1897, Aguinaldo with Paterno went to
Lingayen, Pangasinan where a Spanish merchant steamer took
them to Hong Kong.
o Uranus – sailed to Hong Kong.
o Gen. Ricarte stayed behind to supervise surrended of
arms by the revolutionaries.
• Peace Pact (January 23, 1898)
o Spaniards announced the end of hostilities.
o Amnesty was declared.
o After the peace pact, neither sides fully complied.
• Makabulos Constitution (April 17, 1898)
o Written by Gen. Makabulos.
o To continue in force until a general government for the
Republic was established.
• Feliciano Jocson in Malabon, Bulacan incited patriots in Manila
to continue the fight against the Spaniards.
• Aguinaldo went into exile but did not end the fight to win
independence against the Spaniards.
• Pact of Biak-na-Bato (February 19, 1898)
o To let the Filipino revolutionists rest and regain lost
strength and return to combat.
Spanish-American War (1898)
• Factors that contributed to the United States’ decision to open
hostilities to Spain:
o Cuban struggle for independence;
o American influence to be extended overseas;
o Sinking of the U.S. warship Maine.
• Cuban Revolt in 1895 – headed by Jose Marti.
o Cuban rebels rejected Spain’s offer of autonomy,
instead of complete independence.
in Cuba:
§ Rounding up of peasant population;
§ Placing them in concentration camps all to
suppress local rebellion.
§ Thousands died due to illnesses.
o New York Journal and New York World.
§ Gave rise to Manifest Destiny.
• US divinely ordained duty to help
troubled countries.
• America’s Open Support for the Cuban Revolution
o Investments in Cuba’s sugar industry led involvement
in this Spanish colony.
• U.S. Maine in Havana, Cuba (February 18, 1898)
o Blowing up of U.S. battleship Maine.
o US Maine was sent to protect the American citizens
and their properties.
o Death of 266 officers and men.
o American authorities viewed the assault in Havana as
an act of treachery.
• April 19, 1898 – U.S. Congress demanded the pull out of
Spanish forces in Cuba.
• April 24, 1898 – Spain declared war against the U.S.
• April 25, 1898 – U.S. Congress declared war on Spain.
o Commodore George Dewey – Commander of the
Asiatic Squadron to proceed against the Spanish fleet
anchored in Manila Bay.
• Question: Why send a U.S. naval squadron to the Philippines to
end Spanish rule in Cuba?
o American imperialism induced by supporters of
Manifest Destiny.
• Conclusion: Victory of Americans; end of the Spanish colonial
rule; rise of the U.S. as a global power.
Filipino-American Collaboration
• Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was in Singapore having negotiations
with the American consul general, Mr. E. Spencer Pratt.
o Americans to support the country against the
Spaniards.
o U.S. will recognize Philippine independence.
• Battle of Manila Bay (May 1, 1898 at 5:40 AM until noon)
o Admiral Patricio Montojo of the Spanish forces
incurred heavy casualties.
§ 160 killed, 210 wounded.
§ 12 ships with Reina Castilla were subdued.
o U.S. naval squadron had no fatal casualties.
o Commodore Dewey was made an instant hero.
§ Ships from Britain, France, Japan and
Germany began to arrive in Manila Bay area.
o Gen. Aguinaldo left Hong Kong on board the
McCullough, Dewey’s dispatch vessel.
§ Arrived in Cavite on May 19, 1898.
§ Proclamation of Aguinaldo upon his return to
rise with the Americans against the Spaniards
on May 21, 1898.
o Gen. Aguinaldo established a dictatorial government
on May 24, 1898.
§ Established a new government to revoke the
authority of the Biak-na-Bato Republic.
• Battle of Alapan (May 28, 1898)
o Consultative Assembly met for the first time.
o The Philippine Flag (The Sun and Stars Flag) was first
unfurled at the battle.
• Capture of Manila – principal objective of Gen. Aguinaldo.
o Spaniards were trapped within the city walls without
food and water supply.
D
 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION: 2nd Shifting
The Birth of a Nation
Proclamation of the Philippine Independence
• Kawit, Cavite (June 12, 1898)
o After 333 years of Spanish domination, the Philippines
obtained her freedom.
o The Sun and Stars flag was officially unfurled as the
Philippine National March was played in public.
• Philippine National Flag by Doña Marcela Mariño Agoncillo
and daughter Lorenza, and Mrs. Delfina Herbosa de Natividad.
o Designed by Gen. Aguinaldo.
• Marcha Nacional Filipina – composed by Julian Felipe.
o Republic Act 8491 provided the rules and guidelines
on proper display and use of the Philippine flag and the
singing of the National Anthem.
• Julian Nakpil’s Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan was
favored by Andres Bonifacio in 1896.
• Anthem remained without words. Filipinas, poem in Spanish,
was written by Jose Palma and was adopted as the lyrics.
• The Act of Declaration of Philippine Independence was
written and read by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista.
o Declaration was signed by 98 people.
• Apolinario Mabini – adviser of Gen. Aguinaldo.
o Gen. Aguinaldo as the President of the Revolutionary
Government.
• First convention of municipal presidents (August 1, 1898) –
Bacoor, Cavite as the capital of the revolutionary government.
The Incredulous Battle of Manila
• Gen. Fermin Jaudenes succeeded Gen. Basilio Augustin as
governor general of the Philippines.
• Battle of Manila (August 13, 1898)
o Naval gun bombarded Fort San Antonio Abad.
o 11:20 AM, white flag was raised by the Spaniards.
o Americans did not allow the Filipinos to enter the city
and its suburbs; Spaniards insisted on the exclusion of
the Filipinos in the capitulation area.
• Establishment of a military government in the Philippines.
o Philippines was ruled by the U.S. President; ended on
March 2, 1901 when the U.S. Congress enacted the
Army Appropriations Act.
• Spooner Amendment – removed the U.S. President’s authority
to govern; power exercised by the U.S. Congress.
• Fall of Manila; Gen. Diego delos Rios – last Spanish governor
general of the Philippines.
• Treaty of Paris (December 10, 1898)
• Teller Amendment – prevented the U.S. form taking Cuba.
• U.S. paid $20M to Spain for Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico.
o Handed by U.S. Secretary of State John Hay to the
Spanish commission member Jules Cambon.
• Gen. Aguinaldo persuaded foreign countries to recognize
Philippine independence by sending Felipe Agoncillo and Sixto
Lopez to Paris, France.
o Agoncillo was not permitted to attend the conference
in Paris; worked against the ratification of the treaty in
Washington; finally ratified on February 6, 1899.
The Malolos Republic
• Transfer of the government’s seat of power from Bacoor,
Cavite to Malolos, Bulacan (August 22, 1898)
o Malolos Cathedral – Palacio Presidencial.
• Aguinaldo refused to acknowledge foreign control in the
country; already preparing the foundation of a republican state.
• Revolutionary Congress (September 15, 1898)
o Outside Barasoain Church.
o Congress adopted the parliamentary rules of the
Spanish Cortes.
o Election of Officers:
President – Pedro Paterno
Vice President – Benito Legarda
Secretary – Gregorio Araneta
Secretary – Pablo Tecson (replaced Araneta)
Secretary – Pablo Ocampo
o 93 representatives took part in the congress.
§ 35 directly elected; holders of academic
degrees from universities in Europe.
§ Pedro Paterno – bachelor of laws from the
University of Salamanca; doctorate degree
from the Universidad Central de Madrid.
o Congress was a mere consultative body. It did not
possess legislative powers (Mabini, 1898).
§ Felipe C. Calderon – necessary to show that
the Philippines as a State to strengthen its
claim to recognition of sovereign status.
• Constitutional Drafts – 19 members; Calderon as the chairman.
o Mabini Plan – Constitutional Program of the
Philippine Republic; reject due to its basis on Statutes
of Universal Masonry; advocating for women’s rights.
o Paterno Plan – Spanish Constitution of 1868.
o Calderon Plan – constitutions on France, Belgium,
Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Brazil.
• Draft Constitutions until November 29, 1898.
o Article 5, Title III – most debatable; refers to religion
and the separation of Church and State.
o Malolos Congress formally separated church and state.
• Malolos Constitution (January 21, 1899)
o Fundamental law of the land; provided the executive,
legislative and judicial branch of government.
• First Philippine Republic (January 23, 1899) – inaugurated at
the Barasoain Church; also known as the Malolos Republic.
o Casa Real in Malolos became the National Treasury
and National Printing Press.
o El Heraldo de la Revolucion – official organ; first issue
on September 29, 1898
o Al Heroes Nacional (To the National Hero) – poem
composed by Don Cecilio Apostol.
o Memorial Day (December 30) to honor Dr. Jose Rizal
and many other Filipinos who suffered martyrdom.
• Malolos Congress also had set up educational institutions.
o Burgos Institute – college for boys established under
Enrique Mendiola; Bachelor of Arts.
o Girls learned lessons at home under private tutors.
o Universidad Literaria de Filipinas established with
Joaquin Gonzales; replaced by Dr. Leon Ma. Guerrero.
§ Offered courses in law, medicine, pharmacy
and notary public.
o Military Academy of Malolos – Major Manuel Sityar
as the director.
• Declaration of Philippine Republic (January 17, 1899)
o Butuan, Mindanao.
o Four flags were hoisted:
§ Tricolor flag of the Philippine Revolution.
§ White flag of surrender.
§ National flag of Spain.
§ Pontifical flag.
• Malolos Republic was the first republic in Asia.
o Manifested the capability of the Filipinos to govern in
the midst of turbulent times.
• “At a time when most of Asia was still under colonial power,
the Philippines stood out as a beam of hope.”
o Guys, I felt that.
D
 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION: 2nd Shifting
The American Rule
War of Philippine Independence from the United States
• Filipino-American relations deteriorated as the American
military authorities took over Manila in August 1898.
o Signing of the Treaty of Paris without consulting the
Filipinos heightened the tension.
• Supporters of Manifest Destiny believed that the U.S. had the
God-given right to help oppressed countries and build
democratic nations.
• Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation (December 21, 1898)
o Issued by U.S. President William McKinley.
o U.S. shall exercise sovereignty over the country and
must educate and uplift the conditions of Filipinos.
§ Abused and rationalized by Americans.
• Counter-proclamation (January 5, 1899)
o Issued by President Aguinaldo; forces were prepared
to fight any attempt to take over – guerrilla warfare.
• First Philippine Commission (January 20, 1899)
o Appointed by U.S. President McKinley to make
recommendations in the administration of the country.
o Headed by Dr. Jacob Schurman; declared the
establishment of American sovereignty in the
Philippines on April 4, 1899.
• The Philippine-American War (February 4, 1899)
o First shot by Private Robert Willie Grayson.
§ Philippine Insurrection by the Americans.
o Site: Silencio corner Sociego St., Sta. Mesa, Manila.
o February 5, 1899 – Gen. Arthur McArthur advanced
against the Filipino troops without investigating the
incident; Aguinaldo tried to avoid war.
§ Gov. Gen. Elwell Otis told Aguinaldo that the
incident must go on to the grim end.
• Wow. Grim end. Pride netong mga ‘to talaga eh. Haysz.
o Seven-year Philippine-American War (1899-1906).
o Bates Treaty – signed by John Bates and Sultan
Jamalul Kiram II of Sulu and three datus; provided that
their rights and dignities shall be respected.
§ Panglima Hasan led a rebellion against
Americans; ended on March 4, 1904.
o February 5, 1899 – bombarding of the fort north of San
Juan del Monte.
o Gen. Antonio Luna prepared for a plan for the
recapture of Manila by burning American occupied
houses in Tondo and Binondo (February 22, 1899).
o Col. Harry O. Egbert died in action.
o March 30, 1899 – American army was in Malolos.
§ Aguinaldo has established the government
headquarters in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija.
o March 31, 1899 – capture of Malolos.
o April 23, 1899 – American cavalry under Major Bell
suffered heavy loss under Gen. Gregorio del Pilar.
§ Col. John Stotsenberg was killed.
o April 25, 1899 – Calumpit fell into American hands.
o March 6, 1899 – Apolinario Mabini met with the
Schurman Commission and requested for a temporary
cease-fire but was refused.
§ San Isidro, Nueva Ecija (April 15, 1899) – a
manifesto was issued urging Filipinos to
continue the struggle for independence.
o Mabini resigned from his post as the President of the
Cabinet; replaced by Pedro Paterno.
o Peace Cabinet – Paterno Cabinet; committee to
negotiate peace with Americans which was headed by
Felipe Buencamino.
§
Gen. Luna opposed attempts of peace talks
with colonizers; temper won him enemies.
§ Gen. Luna received a telegram from
Aguinaldo in early June 1899.
• Pedrong Kastila drew his bolo and
hacked him; more than 40 wounds
were found.
• Col. Francisco Roman was also
killed; Luna was buried in full
military honors. the audacity of this president what the f?
o Severino de las Alas – Secretary of the Interior
informed the provincial chiefs of Luna’s death:
§ Luna’s insulting and assaulting of the
President’s bodyguards;
§ Plan of Luna to take over the presidency.
o November 12, 1899 – regular army was dissolved.
o Capture of Aguinaldo – priority of the Americans.
o Battle of Tirad Pass – passageway to Cordillera;
possible shield for the Filipino troops.
§ Del Pilar with 60 riflemen were given the
mission of the defending the pass.
§ December 2, 1899 – Major Peyton G. March
and ~300 American troopers were repulsed by
Del Pilar’s men (Huh. Weakshits.).
§ Gen. del Pilar was hit with a bullet that passed
through his neck (I cried, friends).
o Cecilio Segismundo, Aguinaldo’s messenger, fell into
the hands of Gen. Frederick Funston.
§ Funston employed 80 Macabebe scouts, two
former officers of Aguinaldo (Lazaro Segovia
and Hilario Tal Placido), three Tagalog
natives and four other American officers for
the capture of Aguinaldo.
o Aguinaldo was arrested and taken aboard the
Vicksburg and brought to Manila.
§ April 19, 1901 – Aguinaldo took oath of
allegiance to the U.S. and appealed to accept
U.S. sovereignty (gigil ako nito. So para saan pa ‘yung
pagkamatay nila Gen. Luna and Goyo? Joke time, ganon.)
.
o Pacifados led by Pedro Paterno and Felipe
Buencamino founded Asociacion de Paz.
§ December 23, 1900 – renamed the league for
peace the Partido Federal; Trinidad Pardo de
Tavera as elected president.
• Federalistas – were called pro-
Americans by the Nationalists.
• End of Philippine-American War as declared by President
Theodore Roosevelt on July 4, 1902.
A Government Under America
• Second Philippine (Taft) Commission (March 16, 1900)
o Appointed by President McKinley.
§ Legislative and executive authority to put up
a civilian government.
o July 4, 1901 – American civil government was
proclaimed with Judge William Howard Taft as the
first civil governor.
§ Policy: The Philippines for the Filipinos laid
the foundation of a democratic government.
o High school system in the country.
o The U.S. government paid the Vatican $7.2M for the
friar lands held by religious orders.
• Cooper Act – The Philippine Organic Act of 1902.
o Provided the extension of the U.S. Bill of Rights to the
Filipinos; also guaranteed the establishment of an
elective Philippine Assembly.
D
 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION: 2nd Shifting
• Census Day (March 2, 1903) – total population of 7,635,426.
• Political Party in 1901: Partida Conservador; recognized
American sovereignty under the Treaty of Paris.
• Political Parties in 1902: Partida Nacionalista, Partido
Independista, and Partido Democrata.
• Balangiga Massacre, Samar (September 28, 1901)
o Gen. Vicente Lukban ambushed American soldiers.
o 6:30 AM, the bells of Balangiga Church were rung,
signaling the attack of ~400 men.
o Gen. Jacob Smith ordered the massacre of all men and
children above ten years of age (seriously guys, ang
scary sa area na ‘to swear. Feel na feel ‘yung sufferings
tuwing nadaan kami doon.)
§ “Howling wilderness.”
§ Smith was court-martialed for the cruelties by
his troops and found guilty.
o American forces took the church bells and a rare 1557
cannon as war booty and transported them to
Wyoming.
• Gen. Miguel Malvar continued the fight for independence.
o Constitution of Resistance to the American
occupation dated July 31, 1901.
o Gen. Franklin Bell used a zone of reconcentration.
• Anti-nationalist laws imposed on local inhabitants:
o Sedition Law, Brigandage Act, Reconcentration Act,
and the Flag Law.
o Flag Law of 1907 prohibited the display of the
Philippine flag used by the resistance against the U.S.
• Sedition Law on November 4, 1901 imposed death penalty or
a long prison term on anyone who advocated separation from
the U.S. even by peaceful means.
o Tanikalagan Guinto (Gold Chains) by Juan Abad was
closed after its performance on May 10, 1903.
§ Sentenced to two years imprisonment and a
fine of $2,000.
o Hindi Aco Patay (I Am Not Dead) by Juan Matapang
Cruz was also closed on May 8, 1903.
§ Red sun on a Katipunan flag rose behind the
stage caused a riot inside the theater.
§ Cruz was arrested and later imprisoned.
o Kahapon, Bukas at Ngayon (Yesterday, Today and
Tomorrow) by Aurelio Tolentino was also regarded as
seditious; last show on May 14, 1903.
§ Life imprisonment in 1905; pardoned in 1912.
• Brigandage Act on November 12, 1902 punished with death or
with a prison term of not less than 20 years for members of an
armed band.
• Reconcentration Act on June 1, 1903 gave the governor
general the power to authorize any provincial governor to
reconcentrate residents if outlaws were operated in some areas.
• Gen. Lucian San Miguel – supreme military commander in
September of 1902.
o Faustino Guillermo assumed leadership of the New
Katipunan movement in Rizal and Bulacan.
§ Was arrested as a prisoner and turned over to
Capt. Keithley.
• Tagalog Republic in CALABARZON – continuation of
Bonifacio’s Katipunan led by Macario Sakay, Julian Montalan
and Cornelio Felizardo.
o Cooper Act of 1902 – peace and order.
o Sakay and his men were trapped in a party and were
charged with ladronism, robbery, rape, kidnapping and
murder.
o Gen. Macario L. Sakay and Col. Lucio de Vega was
sentenced to die by public hanging.
o Julian Montalan and Leon Villafuerte were given
executive clemency.
o Sakay’s resistance became the final chapter in the
Philippine-American war.
• First Philippine Assembly (July 30, 1907)
o Partido Federal ➝ Partido Nacional Progresista
o Partido Nacionalista won a landslide majority due to
its advocacy on immediate and absolute independence.
o Inaugurated at the Grand Opera House, Manila on
October 16, 1907.
§ Sergio Osmeña was chosen Speaker of the
Assembly; Manuel L. Quezon became the
majority floor leader.
o Gabaldon Law – first bill passed by the assembly.
§ One million pesos for barrio schools.
• Benito Legarda and Pablo Ocampo represented the Philippines
in the U.S. Congress; were not given the privilege to vote.
• Jones Law (August 19, 1916)
o Signed by President Woodrow Wilson.
o Upper House – the House of Senate (24 members).
o Lower House – the House of Representatives (93
members).
o Preamble declaring that independence would be
granted to the Filipino people as soon as a stable
government could be established.
o Inaugurated on October 26, 1916.
§ Quezon as President of Senate.
§ Osmeña as Speaker of the House.
§ Nacionalistas dominated both houses.
• Leonard Wood – governor general in October 5, 1921 in
replacement of Francis Burton-Harrison.
• Cabinet Crisis of 1923
o Filipino cabinet members resigned in protest of Gov.
Wood’s handling of the Ray Conley case.
• Gov. Wood abolished the Board of Control – oversee and
manage the ownership of stocks of government-owned and
controlled corporations.
o Manila Railroad Company, Manila Hotel and the
Philippine National Bank.
• National Supreme Council was formed.
• Os-Rox Mission (December 1931) brought home the Hare-
Hawes Cutting Act which divided the Philippine Congress into
the Antis, led by Senate President Quezon, and the Pros, led by
Senator Osmeña and Speaker Roxas.
o HHC Act – granting of Philippine independence but
reserving military and naval bases for the U.S.
• Tydings-McDuffie Law (March 24, 1934) was passed and
signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
o 10-year transition period under the Commonwealth of
the Philippines.
o Absolute and complete independence on July 4, 1946.
o Annual quota of 50 Filipino immigrants to America;
o Control of currency, coinage, foreign trade and
relations by America; and
o Representation of one Filipino resident commissioner
in America and vice versa.
• First election of the 1953 Constitution (September 17, 1935)
o Candidates for President and Vice-President:
§ Coalition Party: Manuel L. Quezon and
Sergio Osmeña (WON).
§ National Socialist Party: Gen. Emilio
Aguinaldo and Raymundo Melliza.
§ Republican Party: Bishop Gregorio Aglipay
and Norberto Nabong.
D
 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION: 2nd Shifting
The American Legacy
• General Elwell Otis and General Henry W. Lawton.
• Thomasites – American soldiers that helped in building roads
and staffed the American public schools.
• Bounding Billow – first American newspaper in the Philippines.
• American Soldier – first American daily newspaper to be
published in Manila.
• Philippine Herald – first Filipino weekly paper in English
founded by Senate President Manuel L. Quezon in 1902.
• El Renacimiento – Teodoro M. Kalaw as the editor of the
newspaper.
• Carlos P. Romulo won Pulitzer Prize for international reporting
in 1942 and Jose Garcia Villa was listed among the top writers
in America in 1932.
• Nicanor Abelardo – Filipino composer of kundimans, waltzes,
marches and sonatas for piano and violin.
o Francisco Santiago, Jovita Fuentes and Naty Arellano.
o Santiago was known for his Anak Dalita and Madaling
Araw.
• Protestant Christianity was introduced in the country.
o Bishop James M. Thoburn delivered the first Protestant
sermon in the country.
• Iglesia ni Cristo was founded in 1914 by Felix Manalo.
• Seventh-Day Adventists bears the Christian Old Testament of
worshipping on the Sabbath (Saturday).
• Jehovah’s Witnesses rejected the concept of the Trinity.
• Filipinos were permitted to honor and celebrate the
anniversaries of the Filipino national heroes.
o Bonifacio Day (November 30)
o Rizal Day (December 30)
• Americans also added some holidays.
o Valentine’s Day (February 14)
o Washington Day (February 22)
o Glorious Fourth (July 4)
o Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday of November)
• MERALCO – established by Charles M. Swift.
• Act No. 3436 in 1928 – Philippine Long Distance Telephone.
• Philippine Constabulary School (Febuary 17, 1905).
o Became the Philippine Military Academy.
• Philippine General Hospital (1910) was established.
• American Era also marked the improvement of infrastructure,
transport and communication facilities and community services.
• Guillermo Tolentino known for his masterpiece, the Bonifacio
Monument.
• The Americans used their stay in the Philippines to teach their
way of life and the principles of democracy.
o Organized the civil courts.
o Superem Court with Cayetano Arellano as the first
Filipino Chief Justice.
Philippine Independent Church
• Iglesia Filipina Independencia – campaigned by Isabelo de los
Reyes in early 1901; breakaway from the Catholic Church;
established in August 1902; Aglipayan Church.
• Union Obrera Democratica (July 1902) also by de los Reyes.
• Fr. Francisco Foradad exerted efforts to win back Aglipay to the
Catholic fold but failed.
• Fr. Joaquin Vilallonga of the Jesuits also supported the
Philippine Independent Church.
• January 18, 1903 – Aglipay was consecrated Supreme Bishop
by the bishops of Manila, Cavite, Nueva Ecija, Isabela,
Cagayan, Pangasinan and Abra.
• The Philippine Independent Church – Aglipayan Church.
o Philippine census of 1918 – one and a half million
Filipinos were members out of ten million.
The Colorums
• Corruption of the Latin phrase, et saecula saeculorum (world
without end) used at mass to end certain prayers.
• Colorum was used to refer to rebel organizations with mystical
characteristics – religious fanaticism, hero-worship and folk-
superstitions.
o Sociedad de la Confianza in Samar and Leyte.
o Caballeros de la Sagrada Familia in Pampanga,
Pangasinan, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.
o Jose Rizal and Apo Ipe Salvador devotees in Tarlac.
o Kapisanan Makabola Makarinag in Nueva Ecija.
§ Founded by Pedro Kabola.
o Pedro Calosa in Pangasinan – anting-antings.
Land Tenure System
• Spanish feudal system was not dismantled.
o Hacienda (estate) system kept the peasants in bondage.
• Tenants were either inquilinos (cash tenants) who paid yearly
rent; or kasamas (share tenants) who provided the labor on the
hacienda where he shared the harvest on a 50-50 basis.
• Low productivity, low standard of living.
• Free trade reinforced the feudal agrarian system of Spain.
• Rich landowners and investment capitalists took control of the
economy – limited per capita income, inflation, poverty.
• American goods increased the suffering of local producers.
First Labor Groups
• Union de Litografos e Impresores de Filipinas – first labor
union established by Isabelo delos Reyes.
o Became Union Obrera Democratica.
o La Redencion del Obrero – official organ; voiced
social demands and nationalistic feelings of workers.
• Dr. Dominador Gomez succeeded De los Reyes, led a
demonstration before Malacañang in May 1, 1903.
o Replaced by Lope K. Santos.
• May 1, 1913 – Labor Day was first officially celebrated.
• Labor leaders organized the Congreso Obrero de Filipinas.
o Eight-hour laboray day, child and women labor laws
and an employer’s liability law; nacionalista party.
• Asamblea Obrera – Vicente Sotto.
• Federacion del Trabajo – Joaquin Balmori; democractic party.
• Union ng Magsasaka in 1917. Jacinto Manahan formed his own
group of same views in 1919.
• Legionarios del Trabajo in 1919 was formed against the Manila
Electric Company.
• Partido Obrero de Filipinas in 1924 was established by
Domingo Ponce and Cirilo Bognot.
The Communist Party of the Philippines
• Katipunan ng mga Anak-pawis ng Pilipinas established by
Crisanto Evangelista and his group.
o KAP wanted unity among workers, peasants and the
exploited masses; advocated struggle against
American imperialism, etc.
• Communist Party of the Philippines (November 7, 1930)
o Officers of the KAP were elected as members of the
first Central Committee of the Philippines.
• Communism – major resources and means of production are
communally owned; equal sharing of benefits of production.
o Advocates the revolution of the working masses to
overthrow the capitalist society to achieve a classless
society.
• CPP declared an illegal organization by the Supreme Court on
October 26, 1932.
D
 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION: 2nd Shifting
Sakdalism
• Benigno Ramos – leader of the movement, Sakdal.
• Sakdal as the vehicle for bitter denunciations of the ruling
oligarchy; exposure of the discontentment of the masses.
o Also adopted that independence is not given but taken
through the united action of the people.
• Sakdalistas opposed colonial education and expressed opinion
against American culture.
• Sakdalism diminished after being disowned by their own leader.
Commonwealth Period
The Transition
• Commonwealth of the Philippines (November 5, 1935)
o Self-ruling government except in matters of treasury
and foreign affairs.
• Policy of Social Justice – refers to justice to the common tao by
improving the conditions of the marginalized society.
o Establishment of a Court of Industrial Relations;
o Promotion of social justice as shown by the Eight-
Hour Labor Act and the Minimum Wage Law.
• Commonwealth Act No. 1 – National Defense Act
o Provided for the citizens’ army.
• Joint Preparatory Committee on Philippine Affairs (JPCPA)
o Established April 14, 1937.
o Grant of political independence to the Philippines on
July 4, 1946.
• Anti-Dummy Law (May 1939)
o Punished Filipinos who would allow themselves to be
used as fronts by alien businessmen and investors.
• Philippine Immigration Law (May 1940)
o Limitation of 500 number of immigrants permitted
annually to enter the country.
• National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) and
Consumers’ Cooperative League of the Philippines
• Commonwealth Act No. 184 (1936)
o Institute of National Language was established to make
a study of the different Philippine languages for the
purpose of evolving and adopting a national language.
§ Tagalog – basis of the national language.
• Executive Order No. 134 (December 30, 1937)
o The National Language of the Philippines was based
on the Tagalog vernacular.
• Commonwealth Act No. 570 (July 4, 1946)
o National Language was declared one of the official
languages of the Philippines.
• Amendments to the 1935 Philippine Constitution
o Tenure of the office of the President and Vice-
President to four years with reelection for another term.
o Establishment of a bicameral Congress of the
Philippines.
o Creation of an independent Commission on Elections
composed of three members to supervise all elections.
Decade of Unrest
• United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE)
• Civilian Emergency Administration was organized.
• The Philippine National Red Cross.
• Peasant Organizations to realize objectives.
o Kapisanan Panahon Na (The Time Has Come)
o Dumating Na (It Has Come)
o Oras Na (It Is Time)
o Leader in Central Luzon: Pedro Abad Santos
§ Found the Socialist Party.
Entry of Japanese Imperial Forces
• World War II (1939-1945)
o Japanese assault was meant to cut America’s lines of
communication in the Pacific.
o Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941)
§ Death of 2,897 men.
o Gen. Masaharu Homma conducted air attacks in
various places in the Philippines (December 8, 1941).
§ 10 hours after the attack in Pearl Harbor.
§ Destroyed air and naval defenses.
o Lingayen, Pangasinan (December 22, 1941).
§ Arrival of the main Japanese forces under the
command of Lt. Homma.
o War Plan Orange 3 (WPO-3) or Rainbow 5
§ Withdrawal of all island forces to Bataan
peninsula – key to the defense of Manila Bay.
o 2nd Inaugural Ceremonies of the Commonwealth
§ Held outside the Corregidor tunnel on
December 30, 1941.
o Bataan Defense Force (BDF)
§ North Luzon Forces were deactivated.
§ Established the advance Command Post at
Signal Hill near Mt. Samat.
o Main Line of Resistance (MLR)
§ 20 miles from Morong to Abucay.
o President Quezon to flee to the U.S. for safety.
§ With his family aboard submarine Swordfish
on February 18, 1942 and S.S. Pres. Coolidge
on April 20, 1942.
o Deactivation of USAFFE (March 11, 1942)
§ Constituted was the United States Army
Forces in the Philippines (USAFIP).
§ Under Major. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright.
§ “I came through and I shall return.”
(McArthur, 1942).
• The Fall of Bataan (April 1942)
o Capture of Mt. Samat, Bataan (April 9, 1942)
§ Japanese forces launched final offensive
attacks on April 3, 1942 (Good Friday).
§ Resistance weakened on April 7, 1942.
§ Surrendered under Gen. Edward King.
§ Shrine of Valor – to commemorate the
historic defense of Bataan.
o Death March (April 10, 1942).
§ Bataan ➝ San Fernando, Pampanga.
§ Claimed ~10,000 lives.
§ Boxcars accommodated 50 people only but
100 were huddled in each.
§ San Fernando ➝ Capas, Tarlac.
§ Walked from Capas Tarlac ➝ Camp
O’Donnel (prison camp).
§ ~56,000 soldiers reach the camp alive on
April 15, 1942.
o Malinta Tunnel, Corregidor
§ Voice of Freedom – radio station headed by
Major Carlos P. Romulo.
• To broadcast news to men in Bataan
and in occupied areas in Manila.
o Surrender of Corregidor (May 6, 1942)
§ American flag was lowered from the pole,
replaced with the flag of surrender.
§ Surrendered by Wainwright.
§ Invalidated by Gen. McArthur after radioing
with Gen. Sharp of the Visayan and
Mindanaoan commands.