American Occupation

A group presentation to be presented in Law Enforcement

Administration and Organization
 American Colonial Policy
• American Colonial Policy in the Philippines was unique in the world of
colonialism because of the following reasons:
1. The Americans said they would go as soon as the Filipinos could stand
on their own as a free nation.
2. The Americans shared power with the Filipinos in the Government
3. The Filipinos adopted American Ways very well. No other former colony
like its other country as much as Filipinos liked the US
 American Colonial Government

• The Philippines was ruled by the Americans in the

following ways:
1. Military Government (August 14, 1898 – July 4, 1901)
2. Civil Government (July 4, 1901 to August, 1902)
 Military Government in the Philippines
• The Military Government is the first government that was established by
the Americans. When they captured the city of Manila in the month of
April year 1898, the Military rule was started. The Military government
was established because of the existence of war. This government had
executive, legislative as well as judicial powers. The highest authority in
the land is the Military Governor; the Military Governors who serve in
this government are Gen. Wesley Meritt, Gen. Elwell Otis and Gen. Arthur
McArthur.
 The Civil Government in the Philippines
• The former Military Government was ended by the Spooner Amendment; giving
the way to the new Civil Government that was inaugurated in the 4th day of July,
year 1901. The highest authority in this government is the Civil Governor which
was later change to the title of Governor-general on the 6th day of February, year
1905. Judge H. William Taft became the first Civil-Governor; he was followed by
Luke F. Wright who became the first American to have the title of Philippine
Governor-General. Wright was followed by Governor-General Frank Murphy;
Murphy also became the first High Commissioner of the United States to the
Philippines upon the inauguration of the Commonwealth Government.
 Commonwealth Government

• The Commonwealth Government serves as a transition

government in the preparation for the Philippine
Independence. The Tydings-McDuffie Law provided a
transition of about ten years for the Commonwealth
Government to exercise political power until in the
4th day of July year 1946, when the independence of the
Philippines would be proclaimed.
Transition of Governments
in the Philippines
 Philippine Bill of 1902
• This act was established on July 2, 1902. It is also known as the Philippine
Bill of 1902 or the Cooper Act for it was named after Henry A. Cooper, a
member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
• The lower house established as the Philippine Assembly was elected by
popular vote. The upper house, the Philippine Commission shared legislative
powers with the lower house; however, they alone passed law relating to the
Moros and other non-Christian peoples. In other words, the United States’
government wanted to maintain some type of political American influence
and control in the Philippines.
 What are the benefits of the Organic Law
• The Philippine Bill of 1902 is one of the most important
decrees enacted by the American government in the
Philippines. Entitled “An Act Temporarily to Provide for the
Administration of the Affairs of Civil Government in the
Philippine Islands, and for Other Purposes,” this law
contained two important provisions that strengthen both the
civil and human rights of the Filipino people, and bestowed
on them the privilege of legislation.
 What are the benefits of the Organic Law

• Also known as Cooper Act, it provided a Bill of Rights

for the Filipinos that protected their rights: to live, to
acquire property, to practice their religion, to be subjected
to due process, to exercise their obligations, to enjoy
compensations due to them, and freedom of expression.
 Philippine Assembly
It was the inauguration of the First Philippine Assembly in 1907
that paved the way for the country’s independence from American
rule as it provided the Filipino legislators to have hands-on in the
local political affairs. This event was very significant in the history
of Philippine politics while this event also witnessed the first
national election in our country through popular votes.
 Philippine Assembly
The major contribution of the First Philippine
Assembly was its effort to revive the issue of
independence with the cooperation of the
Philippine Commission.
 Jones Law

• Jones Law was the first American formal and official

commitment to grant independence to the Philippines
• “to withdraw their sovereignty over the Philippine Islands
and to recognize their independence as soon as a stable
government can be established therein.”
 Jones Law
• Jones Law became the virtual constitutional compact between the
Americans and the Filipinos. The Filipinos accepted the
autonomous, though temporary government under American
sovereignty by the people of the United States” would not be
impaired.
 OSROX
• One delegation, however, that met with partial success was the Os-Rox Mission, so called
because it was headed by Sergio Osmeña and Manuel Roxas. The Os-Rox group went to the
United States in 1931 and was able to influence the U.S. Congress to pass a pro-
independence bill by Representative Butter Hare, Senator Henry Hawes, and Senator Bronso
Cutting. The Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law provided for a 10-year transition period before
the United States would recognize Philippine independence. U.S. President Herbert
Hoover did not sign the bill; but both Houses of Congress ratified it. When the Os-Rox
Mission presented the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law to the Philippine Legislature, it was rejected
by a the American High Commissioner representing the US president in the country and the
Philippine Senate, specifically the provision that gave the U.S. president the right to maintain
land and other properties reserved for military use. Manuel Quezon was tasked to head
another independence mission to the united States.
 Hare-Hawes-Cutting act
• Hare–Hawes–Cutting Act, (1933), the first law setting a specific
date for Philippine independence from the United States.
• It provided for Philippine Independence and also tax-free
exportation of Philippine products such as sugar, coconut oil, and
cordage to the United States and the diplomatic negotiation of
the military bases issue.
• The Philippines was granted independence on July 4, 1946
 The Tydings-McDuffie Law
• In December 1933, Manuel L. Quezon returned to the Philippines from the
United States with a slightly amended version of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting
bill authored by Senator Milliard Tydings and representative McDuffie.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the new U.S. president, signed it into
law on March 24, 1934. The Tydings-McDuffie Act (officially the Philippine
Independence Act of the United States Congress; Public Law 73-127) or
more popularly known as the The Tydings-McDuffie Law provided for the
establishment of the Commonwealth government for a period of ten years
preparatory to the granting of Independence
 The Philippine Commonwealth

• The Commonwealth era is the 10 year transitional period

in Philippine history from 1935 to 1945 in preparation
for independence from the United States as provided for
under the Philippine Independence Act or more
popularly known as the Tydings-McDuffie Law
 The Philippine Commonwealth
• The Commonwealth era was interrupted when the Japanese
occupied the Philippines in January 2, 1942. The Commonwealth
government, lead by Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio S. Osmeña
went into exile in the U.S., Quezon died of tuberculosis while in
exile and Osmeña took over as president. At the same time, the
Japanese forces installed a puppet government in Manila headed
by Jose P. Laurel as president
 The Philippine Commonwealth

• This government is known as the Second Philippine

Republic. On October 20, 1944, the Allied forces led by
Gen. Douglas MacArthur landed on the island of Leyte
to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese. Japan
formally surrendered in September 2, 1945.