POLITICAL CARTOON’S ALFRED

MCCOY’S PHILIPPINE
CARTOONS: POLITICAL
CARICATURE OF THE
AMERICAN ERA (1900-1941)
GROUP 3
NORBEN MARUQUIN
JOHN KENNETH LAFORTEZA
STEVEN JHON YANIT
POLITICAL CARICATURE
 A political cartoon, also known as an editorial cartoon, is a
cartoon graphic with caricatures of public figures,
expressing the artist’s opinion. An artist who writes and
draws such images is known as an editorial cartoonist.
They typically combine artistic skill, hyperbole and satire
in order to either question authority or draw attention to
corruption, political violence and other social ills.
ALFRED
WILLIAM
MCCOY
JUNE 8, 1945, CONCORD,
MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A

• Alfred W. McCoy is a
professor of History at the
University of Wisconsin
where he also served as
Director of Center foro
Southeast Asian Studies –
specialized in Philippine
Political History and Global
Opium Trafficking.
BACKGROUND OF THE
AUTHOR
 McCoy has spent the past thirty years writing about Southeast Asian history
and politics. His publications include Philippine Cartoons (1985), Anarchy of
Families (1994), Closer Than Brothers: Manhood at the Philippine Military
Academy (2000) and Lives at the Margin (2001).
 After earning a Ph.D. in Southeast Asian history at Yale, the writings of
McCoy on this region has focused on two topics Philippine political history
and global opium trafficking. The Philippines remains the major focus of his
research. His teaching interests include: Modern Philippine social and political
history; U.S. foreign policy; colonial empires in Southeast Asia; global illicit
drug trafficking; and CIA covert operations.
 BACKGROUND OF THE
DOCUMENT
1990-1941

Philippine political cartoons gained full

expression during the American Era.
Filipino artist recorded national attitudes
towards the coming of the Americans as
well as the changing mores and times.

Philippine political caricatures gained full

expression during the American colonial
period.

The caricatures are a graphic description of

the events that went on under the American
colonial period: all the challenges, scandals
and influence brought to the Filipino by the
Americans. Those pre-war caricatures that
were seen on the book entitled “Philippine
Cartoons: Political Caricature of the
American Era 1990- 1940” made a history
that will never be forgotten by many.
A blown up police
officer was at the
screen saying that
couples are not
allowed to neck and
make love in the
theatre. Two
youngsters horrified
while an older
couple seemed
amused.
A FLAMING YOUTH
 McCoy called the “sexual revolution” that occurred 1930s. Young
people, as early as that period, disturbed the conservative Filipino
mind-set. We can see how that period was the meeting point
between the conservative past and the liberated future of the
Philippines.
DEATH CAR
Angered by two recent
road accidents, the Free
Press denounces the
proliferation of illegal
taxis, called
COLORUMS.
The example shown
above was published in
The Independent on May
20, 1916. The cartoon
shows a politician from
Tondo, named Dr. Santos,
passing his crown to his
brother-in-law, Dr.
Barcelona. A Filipino guy
(as depicted wearing
salakot and barong
tagalog) was trying to
stop Santos, telling the
latter to stop giving
Barcelona the crown
because it is not his to
begin with.
A PUBLIC POST IS NOT
HERIDATARY CROWN
 It seemed that Filipino politicians at the time did not understand well enough the essence of
democracy and accompanying democratic institutions and processes. This can be seen in the
rising dynastic politics in Tondo as depicted in the cartoon published by The Independent.
Patronage also became influential and powerful, not only between clients and patrons but also
between the newly formed political parties composed of the elite and the United States. This
was depicted in the cartoon where the United States, represented by Uncle Sam, provided dole
outs for members of the Federalista while the Nationalista politicians looked on and waited for
their turn. Thus, the essence of competing political parties enforce choices among the voters
was cancelled out. The problem continues up to the present where politicians transfer from one
party to another depending on which party was powerful in specific periods of time.
CONTRIBUTION AND
RELEVANCE
 Editorial Cartoons play an important role in understanding the Filipinos’
sentiments concerning the transition of governance from Spain to the
Americans. Pressing issues are clearly illustrated in the caricature of characters
and satirized situations in the Philippine Society during the American era.
Indeed, artists’ works are relevant in the study of Philippine History. Artists’
free expression of thoughts through their cartoons or caricatures somehow
influenced the Filipinos at that particular period.
CONTENT ANALYSIS
THE PRESENTATION OF THE CARTOONS VARIES FROM RACIAL TO
CONSERVATIVE, VIVID AND WORDY TO EXPRESS THE
CARTOONIST’S VIEWS AND LANGUAGES USED ARE EITHER IN
ENGLISH OR SPANISH.
THE VICTIMS ARE PRESENTED IN A BAD AND SORRY STATE TO
CONVEY SYMPATHY FROM THE READERS.
THE CHARACTERS TO EMPHASIZE ON THE “GOOD SIDE” ARE
SHOWN IN NORMAL FEATURES WHILE THE “BAD” EMACIATED,
LEERING, LAUGHING CREATURES, MORE ON ANIMAL FEATURES
THAN HUMAN, E.G. CHINESE MEN IN THE CARTOON EDITORIAL “IS
THE POLICE FORCE BRIBED?”
 THE ARTISTS, USING THEIR CARTOONS, ILLUSTRATED NOT JUST