Lesson 4

Chapter 4

THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION

Overview

The revolution of 1896 was the first national armed uprising for independence. It
was a bloody revolution which began in the historic battle of Mactan, where lapu-lapu
was considered the first freedom fighter against the foreign invaders.

At first it was a war of independence against Spain which began in1896 and ended only
in 1901.

After the discovery of the katipunan, Bonifacio gathered his men in the hills of
balintawak. August 26, 1896, the fiery Bonifacio stopped all the talking. “There is no
other way,” he told them, “enough is enough!”- The Revolution Begins

Discovery of the Katipunan and Bonifacio’s call for revolution

CAUSES OF REVOLUTION

1. Filipinos desire to regain their independence 2. Persecution of Filipino leaders

who defended the rights of their fellow countrymen
2. The abuses of Spanish officials and priests

The greatest victory in battle of the Filipino was won by Emilio Aguinaldo in the battle of
Binakayan, Cavite on November 9 to 11, 1896 The Filipinos freedom fighters fought
with crude weapons; bolos, clubs, stones, bamboo spears, old muskets, and
homemade guns (paltik).-Aguinaldo and Filipinos victory

EMILIO AGUINALDO

At 17 years old, he was elected barangay head (cabeza de barangay) At 26 years old
he became the captain (municipal mayor) of Kawit, like his late father He was also
elected as a President of the first Revolutionary Government by the Tejeros Assembly

On November 1, 1897, Aguinaldo was again elected President of the Biak-na bato
Republic. On June 23, 1898 to January 23, 1899 he became president of the second
revolutionary Government. January 23, 1899 he became president of the first Philippine
Republic President Aguinaldo was captured by the Americans at Palawan, Isabela on
March 23, 1901.He surrendered and the Philippine became a colony of the United
States

Hilaria Del Rosario-The first wife of Aguinaldo. They had seven children. After his first
wife died, he married Maria Agoncillo. President Aguinaldo died at the Veterans
Hospital in Quezon City on February 6, 1964, at the age of 95. His mansion at Kawit,
Cavite is now a national shrine.

MAGDALO AND MAGDIWANG

Magdalo supported Aguinaldo as leader because he won his battles while Bonifacio lost
all his battles. Madiwangs supported Bonifacio as leader because he started the
revolution

Tejeros Assembly Both rival groups decided to meet at Tejeros, Cavite on March 22,
1897. They wanted to settle the controversy on leadership because a revolution must
have only one leader. They decided to elect the officers of the Revolutionary
Government.

Aguinaldo was again elected as President of the biak na bato Republic - Lasted only a
short time, from November 1 to December 30, 1897. The Biak na bato Republic After
the death of Bonifacio, the revolutionary went from bad to worse for the Filipinos.

KATIPUNAN BEFORE THE REVOLUTION

Establishment of the Katipunan

On July 7, 1892, the same date Rizal was exiled to Dapitan, Andres Bonifacio, Valentin
Diaz, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, Deodato Arellano, and a few others, met secretly at
a house on Azcarraga (now Claro M. Recto Avenue).

Establishment of the Katipunan

They founded an association called Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng

mga Anak ng Bayan (KKk), or Katipunan for short

Aims of Katipunan

To unite the Filipinos into a solid nation

To win Philippine independence by means of revolution

Recruitment of the katipunan

They first used the triangle method on recruiting members

Later on, since the triangle method was slow, Bonifacio allowed them to recruit as many
members as possible

The First Edition of Kalayaan (the Katipunan newspaper) also helped a lot in recruiting
more members.

Membership of the katipunan

There were 3 grades of membership in the katipunan

Katipon – lowest class (password: ANAK NG BAYAN)
Recruitment of more members will turn him into a Kawal.
Kawal – middle class (password: GOMBURZA)
If elected as an officer, he becomes a Bayani
Bayani – highest class (password: Rizal)

Factions of the katipunan

The 2 factions of the Katipunan are MAGDALO and MAGDIWANG.

When the war broke out they made flags different from each other.

They also had an argument that led to the Tejeros Convention.

Women’s Chapter of the Katipunan

They were limited to only the wives, daughters, or relatives of the members of the
Katipunan. They served as the watch during meetings of the Katipunan.

Prominent women were Josefa Rizal: President,

Gregoria de Jesus: Vice President,

Marina Dizon: Secretary,

Angelica Rizal Lopez: Fiscal.

Josefa Rizal Gregoria de Jesus were the prominent members of the katipunan.

Secrecy of the katipunan

In order to remain secret, they made different codes and countersigns

Codes of the katipunan

Countersigns: When two members meet on the road, one member will put his right palm
on his chest and the other member will close his hand such that the index finger and
thumb touch each other.

Rizal and the Katipunan

The Katipunan was founded on the day Dr. Rizal was exiled

Bonifacio sent Dr. Pio Valenzuela to Dapitan to ask for Dr. Rizal’s opinion about the
Revolution

Dr. Pio Valenzuela

Rizal’s answer Rizal and the Revolution

Rizal said that a revolution without sufficient arms should not be started against an
armed nation. He suggested that they should find a way so that the elite of those times
will join the Katipunan.

But Dr. Pio Valenzuela reasoned out that it would be difficult to make the elites join the
poor. This was one problem Rizal was not able to find a solution.

Katipunan led the Revolution

The Cry of Pugadlawin

News about the discovery of the Katipunan spread to Manila and nearby suburbs,
and Andres Bonifacio immediately called for a general meeting. Various wings of the
Katipunan gathered at the house of Juan Ramos in Pugadlawin on August 23, 1896.
Ramos was the son of MELCHORA AQUINO, also known as “TANDANG SORA” and
was later acknowledged as the Mother of the Katipunan."

Bonifacio asked his men whether they were willing to fight to the bitter end. Everyone
shouted their approval, except for Teodoro Plata, who though that it was too soon for a
revolution. Heartened by his men’s response, Bonifacio then asked them to tear their
cedulas (residence certificates) to pieces, as a sign of their defiance and determination
to rise against the Spaniards. The men immediately tore up their cedulas, shouting,
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas (long live the Philippines) -known as the Cry of PUGADLAWIN.

The Katipunan in Cavite

Cavite soon became the center of the Revolution, and the Katipuneros there divided
themselves into the Magdalo and Magdiwang factions. Baldomero Aguinaldo, brother of
Emilio Aguinaldo, headed the Magdalo group, which was stationed in Kawit. General
Mariano Alvarez led the Magdiwang group, which was stationed in Noveleta.
The two groups fought in separate battles. EMILIO AGUINALDO overran Kawit on
August 31, 1896, while Alvarez attacked Noveleta. In Bacoor, Aguinaldo tried to
intercept Spanish reinforcements coming from Manila; but he was repulsed and forced
to retreat to nearby Imus. Here, on the morning of September 5, he defeated the
Spanish troops under the command of General Aguirre. A hundred Spaniards were
killed and 60 weapons were confiscated. Aguinaldo was hailed as a hero. The adoring
Caviteños referred to him as “General Miong” and no longer “Kapitan Miong.”
General Aguinaldo’s numerous victories in the battlefield made him the acknowledged
revolutionary leader in Cavite. He issued a proclamation on October 31, 1896 enjoining
the people to take courage and continue fighting for Philippine independence.

Owing to the defeat of the Spaniards in Cavite, Camilo de Polavieja replaced Ramon
Blanco as governor general on December 13, 1896. Polavieja was more successful
than his predecessor and slowly regained one-third of the province.

Andres Bonifacio's Execution

While Aguinaldo was recognized as leader by the MAGDALO FACTION, Bonifacio was
recognized as the leader of the Katipunan by the MAGDIWANG FACTION.
An assembly was held in Imus, Cavite on December 31, 1897 to settle the leadership
issue but was not successful. Then on March 22, another assembly was held at Tejeros
(known as the Tejeros Convention) to elect officers of the revolutionary government.
Aguinaldo won as president while Bonifacio was relegated as the Director of the Interior.
Bonifacio rejected the elections and declared it void. Bonifacio later formed the Naic
Military Agreement, essentially creating a government contending Aguinaldo's. Soon
after, Bonifacio was captured, stood trial, and was sentenced to death by a War Council
of Aguinaldo's government. Aguinaldo initially commuted the sentence to deportation
but later reversed the commutation upon pressure from Pio Del Pilar and other officers.
On orders from General Mariano Noriel, Andres Bonifacio was executed at the foothills
of Mt. Buntis by Major LAZARO MAKAPAGALon May 10, 1897.

The Revolution Continues

Bonifacio’s death did not deter the Filipinos from fighting for their freedom. The Spanish
government, for its part, doubled its efforts in trying to control Cavite, which was
considered the seat of the Revolution. When Governor General Primo de Rivera
replaced Camilo Polavieja on April 27, 1897, he immediately marched to Naic, Cavite to
persuade the Filipinos to surrender. The rebels, however, stood their ground.

Aguinaldo realized that Cavite was no longer safe for his men. They moved to
Batangas, where they temporarily set up camp in the town of Talisay. However, Spanish
soldiers were able to pursue them there. Thus, they retreated to Morong on June 10,
1897 and proceeded to Biak-na-Bato in Bulacan.

The Biak-na Bato Republic

Emilio Aguinaldo established his headquarters in Biak-na-Bato in Bulacan province. The

news immediately spread throughout the country, and the revolutionaries were once
more in high spirits. General llanera, who was in Nueva Ecija, declared his support for
Aguinaldo. In July 1897, Aguinaldo established the Biak-na-Bato Republic and issued a
proclamation stating the following demands:
▪ Expulsion of the friars and the return of the friar lands to the Filipinos
▪ Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes
▪ Freedom of the press and of religion
▪ Abolition of the government’s power to banish Filipinos
▪ Equality for all before the law.

A charter based on the Cuban Constitution was also drafted by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo
Artacho. It was signed on November 1, 1897. The Biak-na-Bato Constitution provided
for the establishment of a Supreme council that would serve as the highest governing
body of the Republic. It also outlined certain basic human rights, such as freedom of
religion, freedom of the press, and the right to education. Emilio Aguinaldo and Mariano
Trias were elected Supreme Council president and vice president, respectively.

The Pact of Biak-na-Bato

PEDRO PATERNO, a Spaniard born in the Philippines volunteered to act as negotiator
between Aguinaldo and Gov. Primo de Rivera in order to end the clashes. Paterno’s
effort paid off when on, December 15, 1897, the Pact he sign as the representative of
the revolutionaries, and de Rivera as the representative of the Spanish government.
The Leaders are: Emilio Aguinaldo-President, Mariano Trias-Vice President, Antonio
Montenegro-Secretary, Baldomero Aguinaldo-Treasurer, and Emilio Riego de Dios.

On December 23, 1897, Generals Celestino Tejero and Ricardo Monet of the Spanish
army arrived in Biak-na-Bato and became hostages of the rebels. A ceasefire
was declared by both camps and an agreement between Aguinaldo and the Spanish
forces was made -that the Spanish government will grant self-rule to the Philippines in 3
years if Aguinaldo went to exile and surrender his arms. In exchange, Aguinaldo will
receive P800, 000 (Mexican Pesos) as remuneration to the revolutionaries and
an amnesty. After receiving a partial payment of P400, 000, Aguinaldo left for Hong
Kong on December 27, 1897. Some Filipino generals, however, did not believe in the
sincerity of the Spaniards. They refused to surrender their arms. Nevertheless, the Te
Deum was still sung on January 23, 1898.

The Biak-na-Bato Pact Fails

The Filipino’s and the Spaniards did not trust each other. As a result, periodic clashes
between the two groups still took place even after Aguinaldo’s departure from the
country. The Spanish did not pay the entire agreed amount.
 Lesson 5
Chapter 5
The Spanish-American War

Overview

The Spanish-American war broke out in 1898 and gradually proceeded to the
Philippines when the Americans defeated the Spanish squadron in the battle of Manila
bay. It was the Americans who brought democracy to the Philippines, it was made a
commonwealth country in 1935. The Philippines was to attain independence but it did
not come as World War II broke out & Japan invaded the Philippines. Independence
came on July 4, 1946.

The US Helps Cuba

One year before the historic Cry of Pugad Lawin, a revolution broke out in Cuba -
another Spanish Colony that rose against the rampant abuses of the Spaniards. It
became independent in 1898 after three years of revolt, with the help of United States.
The Americans were supportive of the Cubans for various reasons:

▪ First- the US is a free country and Advocated democracy and freedom.

▪ 2nd- the US wants to protect its huge economic interest in Cuba, in the amount of
$50,000,000.
▪ 3rd- a lot of stories reached the United States about Spanish maltreatment of
Americans living in Cuba and this greatly angered the US citizens.

▪ Finally, since Cuba was located very near the US it was deemed covered by the
protective mantle of the Monroe Doctrine.

The US interest in the Philippines

At that time, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt, wanted a war to
erupt between the US and Spain so he could strengthen and expand the US Navy, he
immediately put his plan into place. On February 25, 1896, he ordered
Commodore George Dewey to make Hong Kong the headquarters of the American
Asiatic Squadron. He also directed Dewey to attack Manila Bay and destroy the
Spanish fleet, the moment hostilities between Spain and US break out.

The Spanish-American War

Spain did not relish American intervention in its affairs. However, with the Philippine and
Cuban revolutions going on, it could not afford to add the Americans to its enemy list,
especially since the United States had more advanced technology and weaponry. In the
face of Spain’s declining power, it tried to repair its rift with the US in order to avoid a
disastrous war. On February 15, 1898, however a fateful event accrued in Cuba. The
American warship Maine was blown up in Havana harbor, resulting in the death of its
260 officers and crewmembers. Although it was not proven that the Spaniards had sunk
the Maine, the Americans called for war against Spain. Roosevelt was one of many US
officials who considered the destruction of the Maine as act of treason and supported
the declaration of war.

Spain declared war on the United States on April 23, 1898. The United Sates declared
war against Spain on April 25, 1898. On May 1, 1898, the United States Navy lead by
Commodore George Dewey crushed the Spanish squadron in Manila Bay and the
Spanish naval base at Sangley Point in Cavite. By June, 1898, the American had
control of portions of the Philippine islands. The Spanish-American War ended with the
Treaty of Paris signed on December 10, 1898. The treaty conferred ownership of the
Spanish colonies of Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the United States. In turn,
the U.S. paid Spain US$ 20 million.

The Battle of Manila Bay

GEORGE DEWEY, then a Commodore United States Navy’s Asiatic Squadron was
waiting in Hong Kong when He received a cable from the then secretary of
Navy, Theodore Roosevelt, stating that the war had begun between the US and Spain.
Dewey sailed from Hong Kong on board his flagship Olympia with six other heavily
armed ships. He brought with him a report on the location of the Spanish ships in
Corregidor and Manila at dawn of May 1, 1898. Dewey entered Manila Bay almost
undetected. When he saw the Spanish ships, which were under the command of
General Patricio Montoya, he ordered his men to fire. The battle began at 5:41 in the
morning and by 12:30 of the same day, the Spaniards were raising the white flag in
surrender. Although The Spanish ships outnumbered those of the Americans;
the weapons of the Americans were far more superior to those of the Spaniards.
The battle proved to be too costly for the Spaniards, who lost 167 men and had 214
others wounded. As for the Americans, no ships were destroyed, and no soldier was
killed or injured. The Battle of Manila Bay is considered one of the easiest encounters
ever won in world history.

The Siege of Manila

By June 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo had captured the whole of Luzon and was
ready to storm Manila with the help of Gregorio Del Pilar, Artemio Recarte, Antonio
Montenegro, Pantaleon Garcia, and many other able generals. At that time, the term
“Manila” referred to the walled city of INTRAMUROS. Aguinaldo’s men surrounded the
walls of Intramuros. Nearby areas like Tondo, Sta. Cruz, San Juan, and Caloocan were
likewise secured. The Spaniards stubbornly hoped for the arrival of reinforcements from
the Spanish mainland, but none ever came. Aguinaldo on the other hand, was firmly
convinced that it just was a matter of days before the Spaniards surrendered. Therefore,
he started planning for the declaration of Philippine independence.

The Philippine Revolutionary Government

The Malolos Congress

EMILIO AGUINALDO issued a decree on July 18, 1898 asking for the election of
delegates to the revolutionary congress, another decree was promulgated five days
later, which declared that Aguinaldo would appoint representatives of congress because
holding elections is not practical at that time. He appointed 50 delegates in all (but this
number fluctuated from time to time). In accordance with these two decrees, Aguinaldo
assembled the Revolutionary Congress at the Brasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan on
September 15, 1898.

The atmosphere was festive and the Pasig Band played the national anthem. After
Aguinaldo had read his speech congressional elections were held among the delegates
present. The following were among the most important achievements of the
Malolos Congress:
 1. In September 29, 1898,ratifiedthe declaration of Philippine independence held at
Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898
2. Passage of a law that allowed the Philippines to borrow P 20 million from banks
for government expenses
3. Establishment of theUniversidadLiteratura de Filipinas and other schools
4. Drafting of the PhilippineConstitution
5. Declaring war against theUnited Stateson June 12, 1899

Malolos Constitution

A committee headed by Felipe Calderon and aided by Cayetano Arellano, the

constitution was drafted, for the first time by representatives of the Filipino people and it
is the first republican constitution in Asia. The constitution was inspired by the
constitutions of Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil, Belgium and France. After some
minor revisions (mainly due to the objections of APOLINARIO MABINI), the final draft of
the constitution was presented to Aguinaldo. This paved the way to launching the first
Philippine Republic. It established a democratic, republication government with three
branches - the Executive, Legislative and the judicial branches. It called for the
separation of church and state. The executive powers were to be exercise by the
president of the republic with the help of his cabinet. Judicial powers were given to the
Supreme Court and other lower courts to be created by law. The Chief justice of the
Supreme Court was to be elected by the legislature with the concurrence of the
President and his Cabinet.

First Philippine Republic

The first Philippine Republic was inaugurated in Malolos, Bulacan on January 21, 1899.
After being proclaimed president, Emilio Aguinaldo took his oath of office.
The constitution was read article by article and followed by a military parade. Apolinario
Mabini was elected as a prime minister. The other cabinet secretaries were: Teodoro
Sandico, interior; Baldomero Aguinaldo, war; Gen. Mariano Trias, finance & war;
Apolinario Mabini, foreign affairs; Gracio Gonzaga for welfare, Aguedo Velarde,
public instruction; Maximo Paterno, public works & communication; and Leon María
Guerrero for agriculture, trade & commerce.
The Philippine National Anthem

Aguinaldo commissioned Julian Felipe, a composer from Cavite province was asked to
write an instrumental march for the proclamation of independence ceremony. The
original title was "Marcha Filipina Magdalo". This was later changed to "Marcha
Nacional Filipina". The lyrics were added in August 1899 based on the poem titled
"Filipinas" by Jose Palma. The original lyrics was written in Spanish, then to English
(when the Flag Law was abolished during the American period) then later, was
translated to Tagalog, which underwent another change of title to “Lupang Hinirang”, the
Philippine National Anthem.

Filipino-American Hostilities

Emilio Aguinaldo agreed to hold a peace conference between Filipino and American
leaders. The conference lasted from January 9 to 29 in 1899. It ended without definite
results, because the Americans were actually just biding time, waiting for more
reinforcements to arrive from the US. Hostilities finally exploded between the Filipinos
and Americans on February 4, 1899 in San Juan. An American soldier named Robert
Grayson, saw 4 armed Filipino men on San Juan Del Mote Bridge and ordered them to
stop, but they ignored him. This prompted Grayson to fire at the men, who immediately
fired back. The following day MacArthur ordered his troops to openly engage the
Filipinos in battle. The Filipino American War was on. From San Juan, American
soldiers marched on to Pasig and nearby areas. In a matter of days, they were able to
overrun Guadalupe, Pateros, Marikina, and Caloocan.

General Antonio Luna

and his men showed great heroism when they attacked Manila on the night of February
24, 1899. They burned the living quarters of the Americans in Tondo and Binondo, and
reached as far as Azarraga Street (now Claro M. Recto Avenue), where they met by
formidable American troops. Luna was forced to retreat to Polo, Bulacan two days later.
When American reinforcements arrived in the Philippines, General Elwell Otis
immediately attacked the northern part of Manila, while General Henry Lawton went to
the south. General Arthur MacArthur, Jr. marched to Malolos, which was then the
capital of the Philippine Republic. Malolos was taken on March 31, 1899. By this time,
however, Aguinaldo had already moved his headquarters to San Fernando, Pampanga.
General Fredrick Funston crossed the Pampanga River in April 1899 and entered San
Fernando. On May 5, the Americans had gained control of Pampanga. Fortunately,
Aguinaldo was able to flee to San Isidro, Nueva Ecija.

The Death of Antonio Luna.

A significant event that greatly weakened Aguinaldo’s forces was the death of General
Antonio Luna, acknowledged as the best and most brilliant military strategist of
the Philippine Revolution. He was brave, intelligent, and well educated; but he also had
a fiery temper, and was a strict disciplinarian. His harsh and rough manner earned him
a lot of enemies, who latter plotted to kill him. In June 1899 Luna was at his command
post in Bayambang, Pangasinan when he received a telegram allegedly sent by
Aguinaldo. The telegram instructed him to proceed to Aguinaldo’s headquarters in
Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. On June 5, Luna arrived at the headquarters, a convent on
the town plaza in Cabanatuan, but was told that Aguinaldo left for Tarlac. Angry, Luna
went out of the convent and was met and killed by Captain Pedro Janolino with Kawit,
Cavite troops. General Luna was buried at the nearby churchyard. Aguinaldo's role on
his death is not clear and his killers were never charged or investigated.

Aguinaldo Flees. Philippine military strategies began to fail with the death of Antonio
Luna. The generals started to disagree among themselves, and the Filipinos began
losing battles. On November 13, 1899, General Emilio Aguinaldo fled to Calasiao,
Pangasinan with his wife, son, mother sister, and some Cabinet members. The
Americans followed in hot pursuit; but Aguinaldo still managed to elude them. However,
he soon realized that being constantly on the run put the women in his group at great
disadvantage. So, on December 25, 1899, he surrendered them to the American
Aguinaldo then continued his march from Pangasinan to Palanan, Isabela. There he
stayed for some time, since the place was mountainous and difficult to approach.
Aguinaldo’s loyal men guarded all roads leading to the area.
 Lesson 6

Chapter 7

The Philippine independence (Commonwealth era)

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 Commonwealth era was interrupted when the Japanese occupied the
Philippines in January 2, 1942. The Commonwealth government, led 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.
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.

After liberation, the Commonwealth government was restored. Congress convened in

its
First regular session on July 9, 1945. It was the first time the people’s representatives
have assembled since their election on November 11, 1941. Manuel Roxas was elected
Senate President, and Elpidio Quirino was chosen President Pro Tempore. Jose
Zulueta was speaker of the house, while Prospero Sanidad became speaker pro
Tempore. The first law of this congress, enacted as commonwealth act 672, organized
the central bank of the Philippines. The commonwealth deal also tackled the issue of
collaboration. In September 1945 the counter intelligence corps presented the people
who were accused of having collaborated with, or given aid to, the Japanese. Included
were prominent Filipinos who had been active in the puppet government that the
Japanese had been established. ”A People’s Court" was created to investigate and
decide on the issue.

Amidst this sad state of affairs, the third commonwealth elections were held on April 23,
1946. Sergio Osmeña and Manuel Roxas vied for the Presidency. Roxas won thus
becoming the last president of the Philippine Commonwealth. The Commonwealth era
formally ended when the United States granted independence to the Philippines, as
scheduled on July 4, 1946.

Important legislations and events during the American period that made the Philippines
a commonwealth of the United States:

The Philippine Bill of 1902 - Cooper Act

United States Congressman Henry Allen Cooper sponsored the Philippine Bill of 1902,
also known as the Cooper Act. The bill proposed the creation and administration of a
civil government in the Philippines. President Theodore Roosevelt signed it into law in
July 2, 1902.

Here are some of the more important provisions of the Cooper Act:
▪ Ratification of all changes introduced in the Philippine government by the president of
the U.S., such as the establishment of the Philippine Commission, the office of the civil
governor and the Supreme Court
▪ Extension of the American Bill of Rights to the Filipinos except the right of trial by jury
▪ Creation of bicameral legislative body, with the Philippine Commission as the upper
house and a still-to-be-elected Philippine Assembly as the Lower House
▪ Retention of the executive powers of the civil governor, who was also president of the
Philippine Commission
▪ Designation of the Philippine Commission as the legislating authority for non-Christian
tribes
▪ Retention of the Judicial powers of the Supreme Court and other lower courts
▪ Appointment of two Filipino resident commissioners who would represent the
Philippines in the US Congress but would not enjoy voting rights
▪ Conservation of Philippine natural resources

The bill contained 3 provisions that had to be fulfilled first before the Philippine
Assembly could be establishing these were the:

▪ Complete restoration of peace and order in the Philippines

▪ Accomplishment of a nationwide census
▪ Two years of peace and order after the publication of the census
The Philippine Assembly

The assembly was inaugurated on October 16, 1907 at the Manila Grand Opera House,
with US secretary of War William Howard Taft as guest of honor. Sergio Osmeña was
elected Speaker while Manuel Quezon was elected Majority Floor leader. The
Recognition of the Philippine Assembly paved the way for the establishment of the
bicameral Philippine Legislature. The Assembly functioned as the lower House, while
the Philippine Commission served as the upper house.

Resident Commissioners
Benito Legarda and Pablo Ocampo were the first commissioners. Other Filipinos who
occupied this position included Manuel Quezon, Jaime de Veyra, Teodoro Yangco,
Isaro Gabaldon, and Camilo Osias.
The Jones Law

To further train the Filipinos in the art of government, the U.S. Congress enacted the
Jones Law on August 29, 1916. It was the first official document that clearly promised
the Philippine independence, as stated in its preamble, as soon as a stable government
was established. The Jones Law or the Philippine Autonomy act, Replace the Philippine
bill of 1902 as the framework of the Philippine government. It provide for the creation of
the executive powers. The vice governor general, assisted by his Cabinet, would
exercise executive powers. The vice governor would act concurrently as the Secretary
of Education.

Creation of the Council of State

Upon the recommendation of Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña, Governor

General Francis Burton Harrison issued an executive order on October 16, 1981,
creating the first Council of State in the Philippines. It was the Council’s duty to advise
the governor general on matters such as the creation of policies for
administering government offices.

The Council held meetings once a week and whenever the governor general called for
one. It was composed of the governor general, the department secretaries, the speaker
of the Lower House, and the Senate president. During Harrison’s term, the executive
and legislative branches of government worked harmoniously with each other.
The Os-Rox Mission

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.

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.