Filipino Grievances Against

Governor Wood
(PETITION LETTER)
Approved by the Commission On
Independence
On November 17, 1926
Background of the author
• Filipino historian, author, politician from town of
Pagsanjan, Laguna

• Born: May 25, 1907

• Died: October 31,1988

Education
• Studied in the University of the Philippines (M.A. 1931)
And University of Santo Tomas (B.A. and PhD of
Philosopy in 1934)
Work Experience
• Work at the University of the Philippines, University of
Santo Tomas, San Beda College, University of Manila, Far
Eastern University, and University of Hawaii.

• Became the first professor emeritus of History at the Far

Eastern University after he retired in 1964.
Analysis of Document
• Issuance of Executive Order No. 37

• Wood attempted to nullify laws creating the Board of

control and assumed functions of that body.
Arbitrary Facts
1. He has refused his assent to laws which were the most wholesome & necessary heads of
department.

2. He has set at naught both the legal authority and responsibility for the Philippine heads of
departments.

3. He has substituted his constitutional advisers for a group of military attaches without legal
standing in the government and not responsible to the people.

4. He has reversed the policy of Filipinizing the service of the government by appointing
Americans even when Filipinos of proven capacity were available.
Arbitrary Facts
5. He has obstructed the carrying out of national economic policies duty adopted by the
Legislature, merely because they are in conflict with his personal views.

6. He has rendered merely perfunctory the power of the Legislature to pass the annual
appropriation law by reviving items in the law of the preceding year, after vetoing the
corresponding items of the current appropriation act, in the flagrant violation for Organic
Law.

7. He has made appointments to positions and authorized the payment of salaries therefor
after having vetoed the appropriations of such salaries.

8. He has used certain public funds to grant additional compensation to public officials in clear
violation law.
Arbitrary Facts
9. He has arrogated unto himself the right of exercising the powers granted by law to the
Emergency Board after abolishing said board on the ground that its powers involved an
unlawful delegation of legislative authority.

10. He has unduly interfered in the administration of justice.

11. He has refused to obtain the advice of the Senate in making appointments where such
advice is required by the Organic Act.

12. He has refused to submit the Senate appointment for vacancies occurring during the recess
of the Legislature in contravention of the Organic Act.
Arbitrary Facts
13. He has continued in office nominees whose appointments had been rejected by the Senate.

14. He has usurped legislative powers by imposing conditions on legislative measures approved by him.

15. He has, in the administration of affairs in Mindanao, brought about a condition which has given rise
to discord and dissension between certain groups of Christian and Mohammedan Filipinos.

16. He has by his policies created strained relations between resident Americans and Filipinos.
Arbitrary Facts
17. He has endeavored, on the pretext of getting the government out of business, to dispose of all the
companies capitalized by the government worth many millions of the people's money to powerful
America interests.

18. He has sanctioned the campaign of insidious propaganda in the United States against Filipino people
and their aspirations.

19. He has attempted to close the Philippine National Bank so necessary to the economic development of
the country.

20. He has adopted the practice of intervening in, and controlling directly, to its minute details, the
affairs of the Philippine Government both insular and local, in violation of self-government.

21. He has insistently sought the amendment of our laws approved by the Congress of the United Stated,
which amendment would open up the resources of our country to exploitation by predatory interests.
Contribution to the Grand Scheme of Philippine
History
• The document as a form of protest
(Zaide writes for the constitutional
representatives of the Filipino people)

• The document served as an

impeachment request for Governor
Wood

• The document was approved by the

Commission on Independence on
November 17, 1926 (Appointed:
October 14, 1921 until August 7, 1927)

• A year after this document was

approved, Governor Leonard Wood
died due to surgery failure.
Relevance to the Present time
• The document is an eyewitness account which serves as enough proof to
show the real happenings and events during those time

• It showed that the Philippines was under (indirectly) the US and that we
were fooled by false promises.

• It serves as a reminder that we must learn to stand in our own feet and be
independent. We must learn to not easily trust people because we do not
know their real intentions.
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/416173012/Filipino-
Grievances-Against-Governor-Wood