NARAG, MICHELLE MARIZ G.

BS GEOLOGY 2-1
READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Critical Analysis on Alfred McCoy’s Philippine Cartoons:

Political Caricature of the American Era

A political cartoon or caricature is a drawing made for the purpose of conveying editorial
commentary on politics, politicians, current events and any issues that involve a political nation. In a
society where democracy prevails, caricatures play an important role in its political discourse utilizing
the freedom of speech and of the press. The Spanish Colonial era transitioning to American Occupation

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deals a lot of changes in the country that shapes its culture, society and most significantly, politics.

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Dr. Alfred W. McCoy is a professor of the Southeast Asian History at the University of Wisconsin at

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Madison where he also serves as director of the Center for SE Asian Studies. He's spent the past quarter-

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century writing about the politics & history of the opium trade. McCoy has spent the past thirty years
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writing about Southeast Asian history and politics. His publications include Philippine Cartoons in
1985. After earning a Ph.D. in Southeast Asian history at Yale, his writings on the the region has focused
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on two topics which is the Philippine political history and global opium trafficking. The Philippines
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remains the major focus of his research which includes Modern Philippine social and political history,
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U.S. foreign policy, colonial empires in Southeast Asia, global illicit drug trafficking, and even CIA
covert operations. Incorporating his studies about the country through the portrayal of caricatures, it
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conveys more the message that he wanted to deliver to a large audience. Even though he’s American,
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the audience he got includes the Filipino locals who do not use the same language as he is but through
the caricatures, they were able to understand what he wanted to emphasize.
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The Political Caricature of the American Era was made in 1895. It contains a total of 377 cartoons
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each depicting different kind of issues the country has been facing during that time. It received a lot of
remarkable awards including the Philippine Catholic Mass Media Award, Best Book of the Year for
1985, Philippine National Book Award for History in 1986, Gintong Aklat Award (Manila) and the
Special Citation for History in 1987. McCoy’s extensive research on the Philippines and American
archives provide comprehensive background not only for the cartoon but also for the disruptive period
at that time.
These prewar political cartoons are an evocative record of a half-forgotten history. The scandals,
struggles and social changes that the American Occupation has given gain an immediate apprehension
on these graphic images. For the artists who drew these images and published it, these political cartoons

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 serves as a mirror of their society’s colonial condition, an act of protest and a weapon in the struggle of
reform.
In retrospect, after the Philippines had gained independence from the Spanish colonization, the
country had already made developments in their cities, thriving export agriculture, and strong church
and state structures. That is because of the influence of the Spanish colonizers not because of the
American occupation. That is why it is not clear whether the influences made by the Americans are the
catalyst of social change for the country or just a mere coincidence given the fact that they were there
and they lend a hand to the Philippines in gaining independence from the Spaniards.
Even though that is the case, in the Philippine press and media, the influences of the American
occupation is very evident. The widespread usage of English language, mass public education and
secular state university system, all of these were products of the official colonial policy.
After a decade of American invasion, the Philippine media and press has established itself. It was a
time of remarkable upheaval and cultural creativity. The brutal American conquest stroked an outrage

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within the Filipino nationalist and they use media and the press as a medium of expression. The reason

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why the press has been working during that time is because unlike during the Spanish colonization

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where they banned any form of publication but only focused on the employment of individuals for their

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own press, the American occupation was more flexible. Still, the punishment for the editors, writers and
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artists who published offensive materials are still harsh but the general climate was still sufficiently
liberal and allows the flowering of the Philippine press.
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In the context of the caricatures within the document, only the remarkable ones will be given
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analysis on this paper. The first example published by The Independent on May 20, 1916, shows a
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politician from Tondo, named Dr. Santos, passing his own crown to his brothers-in-law. It also have a
Filipino character dressed in a salakot and barong as a symbolism for any Filipinos who was trying to
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stop Dr. Santos into giving the crown because it was ot his in the first place. In this cartoon, it depicts
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about the irresponsible use of democracy and the lack of knowledge of those in position about the
democratic process and institutions. These problems sparks issues like political dynasty which violates
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the mere essence of democracy in which the people of the country must choose who will be the leader.
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The passing down of position in only the current’s person in charge’s decision is an example of an
abusive use of power in which at this point in time was not practice but because of election but the
concept of political dynasty still prevails.
The second cartoon was also published by The Independent on June 16, 1917 which was drawn by
Fernando Amorsolo. The cartoon was intended to commemorate the workings of the Manila police
during that time. In was shown in the cartoon how a manila police is going after a child who stole a
skinny chicken because he has nothing to eat and another character in salakot and barong who is
grabbing the police and attempting to stop him and telling him to let the child go and instead go for the
great thieves, pointing to the warehouses containing bulks of rice, milk and grocery products. In this
caricature it portrays the unjust realization of the justice system. It shows how blind the authorities are
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 when it comes to who should they reprimand. It just shows how powerful those in the higher position
are and it greatly affects its constituents. The people are starving because they cannot afford even the
basic necessities for it was greatly capitalize by the government. In other words, this whole picture
depicts how capitalism hurts the country and how it was utilized by those in the position in enforcing
the power they had until it was already abused.
The third cartoon was published by the Philippine Free Press which displays the colorum
automobiles in the streets and how it greatly contributes to road accidents during that time. Colorum
vehicles are public transport vehicles operating without a franchise. Often, these automobiles have
reckless drivers because of sometimes getting away from the authorities. They worsen traffic since they
add up to the registered ones and they also affect the lives of those drivers who do their living legally
since they could steal the passengers that supposed to be for others with legal background. this type of
problem mirrors the inadequacy in implementing laws and policy during that time. This has become a
direct consequence of the drastic urbanization in the country with the influence of the American

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Occupation.

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The fourth cartoon displays a setting in a cinema where an advisory is being flashed on the screen

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reminding couples in the room about restriction in public display of affection. It also shows difference

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in the reaction of two generations, the younger ones being shocked while the adults seemed amused.
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This caricature depicts how the Philippines known for being conservative is shifting into a more
liberated one. It also depicts how liberation affects a large mass of population that even the younger
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generation are exposed to it. This is one of the influences of the American Occupation knowing that
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American culture is liberated in many aspects including sexual expression. This phenomenon poses
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threat to the tradition and culture that the Philippines is preserving that also shapes and gives identity to
the country.
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The fifth caricature was published by The Independent on November 27, 1915. The caricature
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displays a picture of Uncle Sam riding a chariot pulled by a group of Filipino boys holding American
objects like baseball bats, whiskey and boxing gloves. This caricature was based on an event in 1907
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when William Howard Taft was brought to the Manila pier riding a chariot pulled by the students of
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Liceo de Manila in which at that time was greatly condemned by the nationalists. This caricature depicts
the power of the Americans over the Filipinos and how they got to control the Filipino people by
handling them American objects, controlling their mentality and consciousness. This also portrays the
extent of the ignorance of the Filipinos and how the Americans take it as an advantage in gaining power
over them. This phenomenon still has an effect to us today which is evident on the products that we use
everyday. Most of us prefer to use imported products because we are used to believed that the imported
ones have better quality than the local ones. This also poses threat to the culture and tradition of the
Philippines in terms of local products in which these local products made by local Filipinos sometimes
hold or symbolizes the cultutre that a certain group is upholding.

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 Lastly, the next caricature was published by Lipang Kalabaw on August 24, 1907 in which it
illustrates a picture of Uncle Sam giving food for the Propagandista Party or also known as Federalists
Party while the Nationalists Party was at the side waiting for their turn. This caricature depicts the
condescending attitude of political figures who always side with the powerful in order to remain the
power and the position they have. It tramples the government since its goal is to always serve the desires
of the higher ups in order to gain incentives from them rather than to accommodate the needs of their
constituents. Until this present time, this phenomenon is still evident having politicians frequently
changing political parties to where the powerful people are. It invalidates the essence of election since
the government in which during that time was controlled by the Americans, already favored a certain
party which composed of the elites. The Filipinos cannot exercise to its full potential their right to vote
since they have no decent choice.
The caricature serves as the mirror of the current situations of the society they have before. It allows
the people to express their opinions in an illustrative way. Most of the issues portrayed in the caricatures

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were still evident and are re-recurring in our time. This implies that the American Occupation is very

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influential in terms of shaping the country undergoing modernization. Some of its influences may have

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contributed to the development and progress of the country into what it is today but it greatly made

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significant damage in our culture and tradition because people are slowly shifting and neglecting the
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cultures and traditions that once gave an identity to us. The people in the past may have been fooled a
lot by the Americans through blinding gifts and promises but the generation today must use the
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opportunity of modernization and industrialization that has been the product of American colonization
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in reviving and enforcing the practice of our own culture and tradition and spreading it to the rest of the
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world how these cultures must shape the country.

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