Social Life of the Filipinos During the American Occupation.

Social Life of the Filipinos During the American Occupation

Education

1903 – Bureau of Education was established to implement public education system

American soldiers – first teachers of English

Thomasites – 600 trained teachers who arrived on board the ship “Thomas” (Aug. 23, 1901)

- these teachers were dedicated, some caught disease, many stayed in the Philippines till their death

Thomasites Memorial

Public Schools

- one of the greatest legacies of the US

- elementary, secondary, normal, vocational, tertiary schools

Philippine Normal School (1901) – to train Filipinos in teaching – now the Philippine Normal University

PNU Seal

Vocational Schools

• Philippine School of Commerce (now the Polytechnic University of the Philippines)

• Philippine School of Arts and Trade (now the Technological University of the Philippines)

• Philippine Nautical School (now the Philippine Merchant Academy)

• schools of trade and agriculture

Pensionados

Young and intelligent Filipinos sent by the government to America to study there

When they returned to the Philippines, they served in education, agriculture, and other fields. They set examples of democratic and American ways of life

Early Pensionados

Universities

• Silliman University (1901) – Dumaguete, Negros Oriental

• National University (1901) – Manila• Centro Escolar University (1907) – Manila • University of the Philippines (1908) – Diliman,

Quezon City• University of Manila (1914) – Manila• Philippine Women’s University (1919) – Manila• Far Eastern University (1933) - Manila

Silliman University

Only Protestant university in the Philippines

Centro Escolar University

University of the Philippines

Premier university – many politicians, artists, scientists, professionals came from UP

Far Eastern University

Education US versus Spanish Rule

• Education open to all, not just a few (in Spanish times, mostly to the wealthy)

• Focus on English, history, civics, health and hygiene, vocational arts (in Spanish times, focus on religion)

• Focus on more practical matters (in Spanish times, focus on spiritual matters)

• Co-educational schools (in Spanish times, exclusive boys’ or girls’ schools)

• Thomasites dedicated and taught professionally (in Spanish times, la letra con sangre entra)

Education Changes Affected Filipino Ways of Life

• Filipinos became more democratic (especially through influence of pensionados)

• Filipinos learned English (required by law, through Thomasites)

• Filipinos learned a lot about America, and learned to adapt its ways

• Catholic schools from Spanish times continued to exist, side by side with new schools, so Filipinos had better education

• Intellectual ability and literacy enhanced

Changes Still Seen Today

• We remain a democracy, and we are committed to democratic values

• English is widely used throughout the country• American culture and ways are emulated and

imitated (for good or ill)• Most schools established during US occupation

still exist today (such as UP, FEU, PNU, CEU)• Bureau of Education is now Dep Ed

Educational Changes Affected Nationalism of Filipinos

• Democratic values taught in education made Filipinos work for independence and to govern themselves

• But exposure to American language, way of life, and customs made many Filipinos have colonial mentality (they wanted to imitate US)

Example: they prefer to read English books rather than Filipino books; they consider Nikes superior to Marikina shoes; they watch Hollywood movies rather than Tagalog films

Religion

• Catholicism still primary religion, but Protestantism was introduced by the Americans

• Increased quickly (4000 Protestants in 1903 to 130,000 in 1928)

• Different sects: Presbyterian (1899), Baptists (1900), Disciples of Christ (1901), Seventh Day Adventists (1905), Methodist-Episcopal (1908)

Seal of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines

Protestant Works

• Teach religion

• Charity work

• Built hospitals, schools (such as Silliman University) and churches (such as the Episcopal Church in Manila)

Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI)

• Philippine Independent Church

• Founder: Isabelo delos Reyes on Aug. 3, 1902

• Aim: Filipinize all churches in the country

• Catholic functions and ceremonies retained, but not under Vatican authority in Rome

Aglipayan Church

• Gregorio Aglipay (former Ilocano Catholic priest) was made head by delos Reyes on Jan. 18, 1903

• Now called Church of Aglipay• Aglipayanism – second primary religion here• Most Aglipayans today are in Ilocos (3 million, 1%

of Philippine population)• Aglipayan Church is now recognized by the

Episcopal and Anglican Churches • Marcos was born into the Aglipayan Church, but

converted to Catholicism!

Gregorio Aglipay

Religion US versus Spanish Rule

• Many sects of Protestantism were introduced (in Spanish times, only Catholicism was allowed)

• Separation of church and state (in Spanish times, union of church and state)

• Protestant missionaries did a lot of good works (in Spanish times, Jesuits helped Filipinos, but many friars were abusive)

• Aglipayanism not under Vatican rule (in Spanish times, all Catholics were under Rome)

Religious Changes Affected Filipino Ways of Life

• Filipinos had freedom of religion (they could choose what to believe, without fear of persecution)

• Since church and state were separated, church had no say in government and administration, public schools, etc. (this prevented abuses from friars)

• Aglipayanism was nationalistic – this made many Filipinos work more for independence

Changes Still Seen Today

• Filipinos still have freedom of religion• Separation of church and state (in UP, for example,

religion class is not required)• Aglipayan Church still has many followers• Many Protestants in the Philippines today, and they

continue to do charity work• Philippines has 13th largest Protestant populations in

the world (9 million, 10% of Filipino population)

Religious Changes Affected Nationalism of Filipinos

Inspired by Isabelo delos Reyes and Gregorio Aglipay, who were both activists, followers of the Aglipayan Church made Filipinos more nationalistic – they wanted to work for independence

Up to now, Aglipayan Church is still nationalistic – they campaigned against US bases in the Philippines

Land Ownership

Homestead Act – Filipinos can acquire 24 hectares of land through cultivation of uncultivated land (goal: to provide land for Filipinos)

Torrens Act – foreign capitalists not allowed to buy or lease land (goal: to protect ownership of land by Filipinos)

Bureau of Land – established to take care of the land of the people

Agriculture

Bureau of Agriculture (1902) – established to accelerate the development of the farming industry

Now called the Bureau of Plant Industry - in Manila (part of the Department of Agriculture)

Free Trade

Free trade with the US became extensive

25% tariff reduction on Philippine products entering the US in 1902

Payne-Aldrich Act (1909) – partial free trade between Philippines and US

Underwood-Simon Act (1913) – totally free trade

Industries

• New machineries• New factories in industrial centers in Manila

(sugarmills, sawmills, tobacco factories, wine distilleries)

• Basic industries became progressive (mining, fishing, logging)

• Home industries popularized (weaving in Ilocos, ceramics in Laguna and Rizal, furniture making in Manila and Bulacan, slippers and shoemaking in Marikina)

Ilocos Weaving

Laguna Ceramics

Bulacan furniture making

Marikina Shoemaking

Banking

American Bank (1901 – 1905) – first US bank in the Philippines

Philippine Postal and Savings Bank (1906)Philippine National Bank (1916) – still exists

today – moved from Escolta to Roxas Boulevard, Manila

Banks in the Spanish time continued in American era

Philippine National Bank

Economy US Versus Spanish Rule

• Filipinos encouraged to own land, foreigners not allowed (in Spanish times, in encomienda and kasama system, most lands owned by Spanish friars and govt officials)

• Farming was developed for benefit of the people (in Spanish times, in bandala system and tobacco monopoly, farming was for benefit of Spaniards)

Economy US versus Spanish Rule

• Free trade with the US made Philippines enjoy sufficiency (in Spanish times, galleon trade with Spain enriched mostly Spanish officials)

• Industries were developed (in Spanish times, many industries were neglected because of focus on galleon trade)

Economic Changes Affected Filipino Ways of Life

• Filipinos (not foreigners) could own their own land and cultivate it for their own use

• Farming, industrial and home industries were developed, which raised the standard of living of Filipinos

• Philippines had free trade with US, so it enjoyed sufficiency, but neglected trade relations with other nations

Changes Still Seen Today

• Many Filipinos own their own land. Foreigners are not allowed to have majority ownership of lands or industries

• Bureau of Plant Industry still exists• Philippine National Bank is 4th largest bank • Philippines trades extensively with US (also

with other countries) • Industrial and home industries still exist

Economic Changes Affected Nationalism of Filipinos

• Standard of living of Filipinos went up, but free trade with the US meant that trade with other countries was neglected

• Most local exports went to the US, making Philippine economy dependent on America, which is not nationalistic

• Exposure to American goods made Filipinos materialistic and led to colonial mentality, which is not nationalistic

Conclusion

• Social life of the Filipinos generally improved under the American occupation, in terms of education, religion, and economy

• But there were also negative effects, as we have seen

Thank you for listening!