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=Political History of the Philippines 1850-1990=

Spanish Rule
The Spanish first invaded the Philippines as conquistadors, administrators, and missionaries due to their view of the natives as pagan and barbaric. The natives were not prepared for the invasion and fell to the Spanish “world power”. The Spanish brought with them government, views of gender roles, values, and class structure. This, in the end, created a lasting tension between the Spanish and the natives. The Spanish solidified local leadership and dependence in native colonizes by a head tax on commoners, which was established after warfare, and catholic doctrines. Through these strong Catholic influences the Spanish were able to construct a new Filipino ideology and social life that was structured on Divine authority whose messenger was the Spanish. However, the church influences on the natives were corrupt and Filipinos couldn’t represent themselves in Spanish courts or become priest due to the Spanish views of Filipinos as inferiors. From this class separation, a large peasant Filipino class was created. The peasant class, with the development in cash cropping for sugar, tobacco, rubber, and crops, started to gain financial and political power. This new Filipino elite class started to shape popular ideas and opinions in the lower class masses against their Spanish oppressor and the Philippine Independence movement from colonial rule emerged.

The Church and The Decree
In 1826 the Spanish declared a royal decree ordering that all of the secular parishes would be restored to friars orders under Spanish rule, as soon as the positions become vacant due to death or incumbent removal. Many felt the secular clergy could not politically manage these parishes, which forced the decree in place. In areas outside Manila there was a lack of clergy priests available to manage the parishes, which showed an essential need for reinforcements. In 1841, Apolinario de la Cruz, of Lucban, Tayabas (a Spanish colony at the time) organized a religious brotherhood. After being denied a religious space by the Spanish government, la Cruz’s brotherhood secretly met and was discovered. Due to this rebellious discovery, the Spanish monarchy argued against granting Filipino priests parishes stating it was “the only bond of union between Spain the Philippines” (Benitez 250). This being their only bond, giving the Filipinos political power would be a mistake.

With many priests angered by the news of potentially losing their parishes, action and grievances were brought to the archbishop. The Archbishop tried to divide overlarge parishes, giving partial control to the secular clergy due to a lack of friars. Unfortunately, the government ignored his attempt and on March 9, 1850 the Spaniards gave three parishes to the Recoletos on the island of Negros and four to the Dominicans. After this decree, priests Mariano Gomez and Pedro Pelaez wrote a reverent exposition to the Queen asking for either the order to be revoked or compensation in the form of more parishes to establish a stronger power over their rivals. However, after drafting this exposition fear began to take hold of the clergy and Filipinos in general. Rumors began circulating of a conspiracy toward Filipino independence headed by the clergy. With these rumors, the exposition was never presented to the government.

The Cavit Revolt and GOMBURZA
On January 20, 1872 the District of Sampaloc celebrated the feast of the Virgin of Loreto. During this celebration 200 men, headed by Sergeant Lamadrid, attacked Spanish officers. News of the mutiny reached General Izquierdo, who immediately ordered reinforcements of Spanish troops to sedate the revolt in Cavite. After two days the mutiny was completely dissolved and Sergeant Lamadrid was killed by Spanish troops. It is speculated that the mutiny began because of the Spanish’s abolition of Cavite workers’ privileges, particularly those workers of the arsenal. The abolished privileges included “exemption from force labor and non-payment of tributes.” However the Spanish Revolution was also a key reason for this mutiny, not only giving Filipinos the notion of a revolution, but more specifically the overthrow of the secular thrown. Reportly, the Central Government in Madrid “announced its intention to deprive the friars of all powers of intervention in matters of civil government and the direction and management of education institutions.” Because of this overthrow and decree, the native clergy became enraged, conspiring and supporting the rebel mutinies. Three priests where considered the head of this clergy conspiracy, Father Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jocinto Zamora, creating the famed GOMBURZA group. On February 17, 1872 General Izquierdo order the execution of the GOMBURZA, awakening a sense of Filipino nationalism and anger toward the Spanish monarchy that eventually lead to the Philippine Revolution of 1896.

The Propaganda Movement
After the death of the GOMBURZA The Propaganda Movement began to develop in the Philippines. Within The Propaganda Movement, the Filipino never sought direct independence from the Spanish, only a hope that they would see the Filipino struggle and aid their province. There were many Filipinos living in Europe that were active this movement toward reform. These Filipinos were either exiled after the mutiny, illustrados, or general feeling do to Spanish rule. Some of the most famous Propagandists were Jose Rizal, Granciano Lopez Jaena, and Marcelo H. del Pilar. These men were great writers, spreading the word of reform through their written work in newspapers, poems, etc. These “writings inspired Andres Bonifacio and other radicals to establish the Katipunan” (http://www.philippine-history.org/gomburza.htm), a catalos group for the Philippine Revolution.

The Ilustrados
The Ilustrados were considered the educated elite and a very influential group during this time. This meant those who were fluent in Spanish, had familiarity with western intellect, and material culture interpreted through Spain. Many of the Ilustrados and Propagandists saw a growing group of Filipinos as the “ilustrado class.” Particularly Rizal, who saw this group as the “the brains of the nation” (Cullinane 30). This caused discontent among Spaniards, fearing revolution. Wealth was also another major similarity between Ilustrados. Because education was more accessible to the wealthier class, those that fit into the educated elite were most likely wealthy (Cullinane 31). And with this wealth and power, came influence. So Ilustrados and Propagandists began to inspire and influence Spain and the Philippines, pushing a new way of thinking about government rule and Philippine global importance.

Below is a video of a Jose Rizal poem being read aloud: ZmbPB8szaA0

Below is a painting by Felix Hidalgo, an Filipano artist during the revolution era and friend and inspiration of Rizal.

The Hall of the Masters http://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/nationalmuseumbeta/Museums%20and%20Branches/masters1.jpg

KKK
Andres Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, also known as the KKK. Bonifacio saw revolution as the only way for the Philippines to gain its independence. And thus the KKK was born. The goals of the KKK were to seek complete separation from Spain and teach the Filipinos how to help themselves and defend the poor oppressed. The KKK took extreme measure at points, gathering weapons preparing for the inevitable battle. The KKK remained a secret organization and until a member, Teodoro Patino informed his sister of its existence. Patino’s sister’s confession lead to the arrest of hundreds of KKK in 1896.

The KKK flag: http://www.philippine-history.org/Philippine_Flag5.jpg

The Revolution
On August 26, 1896 General Emilio Aguinaldo started to rise as a new Philippine leader that would eventually replace Bonifacio after the revolution became strong in the Cavite province. The Filipinos outnumbered the Spanish but they only had blades and rifles to fight with. The Filipinos depended on gorilla warfare and the fighting lasted for 52 days. Prisoners of War capture by the Spanish were tortured and sent to the Spanish penal colony in Africa. In an attempt to create fear, the Spanish terrorized the locals to subdue the rebellion. Prisons became overcrowded. One particular famous incident was the suffocation of 54 prisoners. On a rainy night, a solder plugged the air hole into a cellar housing 54 POWs. Afterwards, the Spanish authorities arrested Jose Rizal for aiding the resistance. Rizal was later executed on December 30, 1896, which ignited the revolution even more. In late 1897, Pedro Alejandro Paterno y de Ygnacio negotiated a cease fire between Aguinaldo and Fernando Primo de Rivera. Primo de Rivera attempted to punish all rebels who surrendered peacefully and Aguinaldo agreed that fire arms would be would be relinquished. However, the Spanish did not follow the agreement. Men that surrendered their weapons were incarcerated, tortured, and executed.

This is a short biography on Andres Bonifacio p-BUiO6gPV4

This is a movie trailer for a bio film on Emilio Aguinaldo 6uMXYbsoVGA

U.S. and Philippine Relations
The US and Spain declared war on each other on April 25, 1898 after the destruction of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in February of 1898. The US believed that the Spanish were held responsible for not insuring the full safety of the ship and endorsed the ship’s destruction. After the sinking, US’s commodore Dewy created an offensive strategy that said the America supported the Filipino fight for independence. America’s new involvement prompted more Filipinos to join the resistance against the Spanish. The US succeeded in destroying the fleet in Cavite and officially arrived in the Philippines on May 19, 1898. Once invaded, the American’s captured Manila with the help of Filipinos surrounding the city. The Spanish troops surrendered, which the US troops interpreted that the Philippines were now at their disposal. Contrary to the US’s belief, the rest of the country, except for Cavite, was already rewarded freedom by the Filipino revolutionaries.

The USS Maine after its destruction: http://www.americaslibrary.gov/assets/jb/progress/jb_progress_maine_2_e.jpg Over time the relationship between America and the Philippines grew progressively worse. The Filipinos realized America’s betrayal on the Philippine’s commander Aguinaldo force’s tried to take the country back and establish a government outside Manila. On June 12, 1898 the Filipino Revolutionary Congress proclaimed a provisional republic where laws and a new government was shaped and yearned for international recognition. The new Filipino Congress approved the first Philippine constitution and republic on November 29, 1898 and by Aguinaldo, who was elected president on December 23. On February 4, 1899 war broke out between Filipino and American troops in Manila after a US soldier, Private Robert W. Grayson, was shot and killed. Afterwards, Americans argued for and against colonization of the Philippines. Many American’s were against colonization including the Anti-Imperialist League, an organization that Mark Twain was strongly active in, argued that colonization went against the constitution. In the end, President William McKinley decreed that America would occupy and control the Philippines. The Philippine people were torn between siding either with the radicals that favored independence and the opposition that favored a cease fighting and collaboration with American colonizers. However, after the death and assassination of the leaders in favor of independence and the capture of Filipino President Aguinaldo, the revolution ultimately failed. After the US gained control of the country, Civil Governor William Howard Taft was installed to monitor relations. The official end of the Philippine republic was after the surrender of Samar on April 16, 1902. In the end it took 70,000 troops to help pacify natives after the republic demise. The American invasion into the Philippines is considered one of the “bloodiest colonial invasions in history” (Nadeau 45). The final reason for the Americans getting involved in the Philippines was to insure their connection with the rest of Asia. By occupying control in the Philippines, American was able to expand their foreign trade. During the treaty in Paris, America legitimized their control over the islands by buying them from Spain. Colonization was then enforced in 1901.

Policy of Attraction
After the United States decided to enforce colonization on the Philippines, the Filipinos, under Aguinaldo’s rule, still established the Independent Philippine Republic. So with this governmental pull President William Taft drafted the Pacification Campaign designed to win over Filipinos not in line with Aguinaldo’s plans for the Philippines future. With this Policy of Attraction, The Philippines were granted large self-government, social reforms and economic development abilities. In 1907, the Philippines had its first elected assembly and in 1916 the Jones Act promised the national eventual independence, although no date was set.

Steps to Independence
In 1932 the American Congress passed the Hare-Hawes Cutting Act providing the islands with complete independence by 1945, after 10 years of supervised self-government. However with the threat of an American naval base still in the Philippines, Maual L. Quezon, head of the dominant Nationalist party, opposed the Act. So in 1934 the Tydings-McDuffie Independence Act was drafted, eliminating the potential of American base and future corrections of past “inequalities and imperfections” http://history.state.gov/milestones/1899-1913/War.

After drafting a constitution, Quezon became the Philippines first president on November 15, 1935, establishing the Commonwealth of the Philippines the same day. But even with this newfound independence, the Philippines still sought military aid from the United States, including Gen. Douglas MacArthur becoming marshal of the army.

An old news broadcast of the Philippines gaining independence, with General MacArthur making a speech to the Filipinos

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World War II
The Japanese attacked the Philippines without warning on Dec 7, 1941 (Pearl Harbor Day). The Japanese began occupying Manila on January 2, 1942. And eventually, in the summer of 1942, the occupation reached full surrender by the Philippine government once the United States-Filipino army crumbled. In April, the surrendered troops were forced to walk from Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga, which became known as the Bataan Death March because an estimated 10,000 soldiers were killed during the march.

Under Japanese control, a faux Philippine government was established to try and gain Filipino loyalty. The Japanese established a “Philippine Republic” headed by Jose P. Laurel as president. However, seen as an obvious puppet government, little support or loyalty was given to this Republic. Meanwhile, former leader Quezon, set up a government-in exile in Washington D.C., and for three months D.C. was the official capital of the Philippines. This provided constant communication between the United States and Philippines. However, Quezon passed away in August 1944.

Now with a new President, former Vice-President Sergio Osmena, the Philippine government worked even closer with the United States to fight against the Japanese and take back control of their islands. The Filipino and American troops returned to the islands on Oct. 20th, 1944. Troops landed in Tacioban, Leyte declaring the area the new, temporary capital of the Philippines. On Oct. 23rd troops engaged in the historical battle of Leyte Gulf. This battle destroyed the Japanese navy and allowed the Filipino army time to recovery the islands. By September 1945, Japan had surrendered and the Philippines had been rightfully reclaimed.

However, with the remains of a war-torn, impoverished commonwealth, political action and leadership was challenged and a new president was elected to office in April 1946.

Manuel Roxas became President of the new Republic of the Philippines when they finally received their official independence on July 4, 1946. In March 1947 the Philippines signed a military assistance pact giving the United States a lease on designated military, naval, and air bases. Suddenly in April 1948 President Roxas died and Vice President Elpidio Quirino and won his own presidency in 1949.

A video by the American Military on the Japanese Invasion of Manila

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The Huk Rebellion
During the 1930s unrest began among peasants in the rice and sugar producing plain of Central Luzon. Conditions were harsh and with a rising population compared with food production, many starved. The unrest developed into a full rebellion between 1946 through the early 1950s. These peasants became known as Huk guerillas and rose violently, attempting to take control of the Philippines after the war. They changed their name to the People’s Liberation Army and demanded political respect. But with Philippine armed forces backed by the United States and better trained and equipped, the Huks began to fall.

With the help of new president Ramon Magsaysay, elected in 1953 under the Nationalist Party, Magsaysay worked toward reforms for tenant farmers and the capture of remaining Huk Leaders. Eventually his work quelled the movement by 1954. Though today, pockets of rebel peasants can be found in certain areas of the Philippines.

The Liberal Party
Hagsaysay brought much needed change to the post war, politically torn country. But with his unexpected plane crash death in March 1957, the country was again devastated and lacking morale. Vice President Carlos P. Garcia succeeded Hagsaysay and eventually won a full term in November 1957. During Garcia’s presidency, issues began to arise regarding the 1947 military assistance pact and America’s perceived rights. These issues lead to a general anti-American sentiment across the country, which foster a new party, the Liberal Party.

Garcia, in his time in office, wanted to take back the local economy for the Filipino people. He sparked industrialization by bringing in Filipino investors. This angered American and Chinese businesses, however by 1960 industries flourished and there was a rapid expansion of urban settings, particularly Manila and Cebu. In 1961, Garcia ran for reelection but was defeated by Diosado Macapagal of the Liberal party.

Macapagal
Macapagal was a scholar who wanted to open the Philippines to a free enterprise market without fraud and corruption. The Chinese and Americans businesses supported the idea of a free market. Macapagal started the Program Implementation Agency, which was a new design for national development that would counteract the corrupted National Economic Council. The Program Implementation Agency was a way to open the Philippines to an open market economy with increased exportation of goods. However, congress tried to take control of Macapagal’s bills by either not passing them of manipulating them with amendments. However, the Land Reform Code was passed in 1963, which installed a leasing system that would resolve the peasant problem. This angered the elite class who in turn infiltrated the House of Representatives and Senate to cripple Macapagal’s reforms and term in office. In November 1965, Macapagal lost his office to the new president, Ferdinand Marcos, due to connections with Filipino elite families.

Marcos Dictatorship
Macros was apart of the Nationalista party and started many different public work projects, which sparked the country’s economic prosperity through the 1970’s. During this time, cities became overcrowded and unemployment increased due to the surplus of urbanization. Due to the Philippines as being a stepping-stone for the US to get into Vietnam, the US had to pay fees to have bases in the Philippines. This added money to the economy as well as a transfer of military equipment and training. With the addition of a stronger military as well as money, the Marcos family and regime became corrupt and powerful. Macros achieved a second term in 1969 because of the access money and time he was able to put into his campaign. In the corrupted legislator and his control over congress, Marcos was able to manipulate money spending and distributed money to whom he perceived as “loyal” and withholding from the people deemed “disloyal”. Over time, there was a slow down of economic prosperity and an increase in crime and corruption. In 1971, Marcos had to suspend the writ of Habeas corpus for a year due an explosion during the Liberal Party’s proclamation rally. Force was starting to become a trend to keep civilians at bay and in 1971, Marcos staged multiple bombings around the country including a famous one at the center of the Liberal Party rally at the Miranda Plaza, which caused a wave of public disgust for Marcos. In the end, martial law had to be installed by Marcos’ government in 1972 to keep crime at a minimum and helped create an authoritarian government instead of a democracy. A curfew was instated as well as exile of oppositions. A new constitution was created and put into effect in 1973, which created a parliament instead of the previous system. Despite a new constitution, economic growth, and martial law, the government became increasingly corrupt.

Still being influenced by the Catholic Church and because of civil unrest displayed by people associated with the Church, Marcos was under pressure to take away martial law and did so on January 17, 1981. Due to corruption in government and the power struggle between classes, civil unrest became prevalent throughout the country. The economic growth rapidly weakened, but despite the weakening, Marcos won the 1981 elections. In 1983 the political opposition leader that strived for peace, Benigno Aquino, who also helped with the boycott of the 1981 presidential elections, was assassinated at the Manila International Airport during his return into the country from exile. This sparked a national uprising as well as international unrest that pushed for another presidential election to take play in February of 1986. During this election, there was tampering with the polls and the official results of Marcos as winner was denounced. Ronald Regan, at the time, expressed continuing support for Marcos’ campaign. Once tampering and fraud was released to the public, the people banned together for create the People Power Revolution, a combination of civilians and military personal that forced the corrupt Marcos out of the country. Once Marcos was expelled from the Philippines Corazon Aquino, the opposition leader’s wife, was inaugurated on February 25, 1986.

Photos from the 1986 Revolution:

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~guing22f/classweb/The1986PeoplePowerRevolution/page11/timeline%20of%20events/files/therevolution_article4_imagegallery7.jpeg

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~guing22f/classweb/The1986PeoplePowerRevolution/page11/timeline%20of%20events/files/edsa-people.jpeg

Short Documentary on the People Power Revolution

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Corazon Aquino reinstated democracy and created another constitution called the “Freedom Constitution” that made it difficult for the president to enact martial law as well as create a presidential form of government once again. Though her term was not strong due to a weak administration, Aquino helped create the Fifth Republic, which is still in existence today.