Remembering

our Past
1521 – 1946
By: Jommel P. Tactaquin
Head, Research and Documentation Section
Veterans Memorial and Historical Division
Philippine Veterans Affairs Office
 The Philippine Historic Past

The Philippines, because of its geographical location, became embroiled in what

historians refer to as a search for new lands to expand European empires – thinly
disguised as the search for exotic spices. In the early 1400’s, Portugese explorers
discovered the abundance of many different resources in these “new lands”
heretofore unknown to early European geographers and explorers. The Portugese
are quickly followed by the Dutch, Spaniards, and the British, looking to establish
colonies in the East Indies.

The Philippines was discovered in 1521 by Portugese explorer Ferdinand Magellan

and colonized by Spain from 1565 to 1898. Following the Spanish – American
War, it became a territory of the United States. On July 4, 1946, the United States
formally recognized Philippine independence which was declared by Filipino
revolutionaries from Spain.

Ferdinand Magellan
Born 1480 Sabrosa, Portugal
Died April 27, 1521 (aged 40–41)
Cebu, Philippines
Other names
Portugese: Fernão de Magalhães
Spanish: Hernando de Magallanes
Known for: Captained the first
circumnavigation of the world.
The Philippine Historic Past
Although not the first to set foot on Philippine soil, the first well
document arrival of Europeans in the archipelago was the Spanish
expedition led by Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan, which first sighted
the mountains of Samara. At Masao, Butuan, (now in Augustan del
Norte), he solemnly planted a cross on the summit of a hill overlooking
the sea and claimed possession of the islands he had seen for Spain.
Magellan befriended Raja Humabon, the chieftain of Sugbu (present
day Cebu), and converted him to Catholicism. After getting involved in
tribal rivalries, Magellan, with 48 of his men and 1,000 native warriors,
invaded Mactan Island. Magellan seriously underestimated the
strength of Datu Lapu-Lapu’s forces. Grossly outnumbered he and 14
of his soldiers were killed.
1521 – (March 17) Magellan sighted the mountains of what is now
Samar while on a mission for Spain to find a westward route to the
Moluccas Islands. On Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521, at Masao,
Butuan, (now in Augusan del Norte), he solemnly planted a cross and
claimed the island for Spain, naming them Islas de San Lazaro.
Reference
Bergreen, Lawrence (October 14, 2003). Over The Reference
Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Zweig, Stefan, "Conqueror of the Seas – The Story of
Circumnavigation Magellan", 2007, ISBN 1406760064
of the Globe.
 The Philippine Historic Past

On the morning of April 27, 1521, Magellan sailed to

Mactan to confront the rebellious Datu Lapu-Lapu.
During the resulting Battle of Mactan with hostile
natives led by Lapu-Lapu, Magellan was killed. His
body was never recovered. A shrine has been built in
his honor near the battle site.

Reference
Agoncillo, Teodoro (2006) Introduction to Filipino History.
Garotech Publishing, and David Hawthorne (1964).
Ferdinand Magellan. Doubleday & Company, Inc.

Statue of Lapu-lapu
 The Philippine Historic Past

Reference
Noone, Martín J. The Discovery and Conquest of the
Philippines 1521-1581, 1983

1565 – Colonization of the Philippines began with the arrival of

Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legaspi from Nueva España
(present day Mexico) and formed the first European settlements in
Cebu. The colony was administered through the Viceroyalty of Nueva
España until 1821 when Mexican patriots seceded from the Spanish
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi
Empire. After 1821, the colony was governed directly from Spain. First Governor and Captain-General
Of the Philippines
In office
Reference April 27, 1565 – August 20, 1572
De Morga , Antonio. (2004). “History of the Philippine Born 1502
Islands". Volume 1 and 2. The Project Gutenberg, or go to Zumarraga, Guipuzcoa, Spain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_Lopez_de_Legazpi Died August 20, 1572
Manila, Philippines

Manila galleon or Galeones de Manila-Acapulco service was

inaugurated providing passage once or twice per year across the
Pacific Ocean between Manila and Spain via Nueva España. This was
made possible with the discovery of the ocean passage by Andrés de
Urdaneta, and continued until 1815 when the Mexican Revolution put a
permanent stop to the galleon trade route.
Reference
Kamen, Henry (2004). Empire: How Spain Became a World
Power, 1492-1763. Harper, Collins
ISBN 0060932643

Saint Malo Settlement as appeared
in Harper's Weekly, 1883
Sir William Draper
Born 1721, Bristol, United Kingdom
Died January 8, 1787
Known for: Conquer of Manila, losing
Minorca
The Philippine Historic Past
Filipinos were the earliest Asians to cross the Pacific Ocean for
the New World because of the Manila galleon trade between Nueva
España and Las Islas Filipinas from 1565 to 1815. Many jumped ship
to escape brutal treatment after having been “exploited and impressed
into service” and “forced to become woodcutters, shipbuilders,
crewmen and munitions workers.” Filipinos, the majority entering
Louisiana directly by galleons from Mexico, followed the mule trail to
Veracruz and other Mexican ports and crossed the Gulf of Mexico to
Louisiana where they established settlements such as St. Malo on the
swamps south of Lake Borgne in St. Bernard County, and Manila
Village on the marshland on Barataria Bay in the Mississippi Delta by
the Gulf of Mexico.
Reference
FILIPINOS: Forgotten Asian
Americans by Fred Cordova
1762 – (October 30) Archbishop Manuel Antonio Rojo del Rio y
Vieyra, Bishop of Manila and representative of the Spanish Real
Audencia, following the death of the Gobernador-General, Don Pedro
Manuel de Arandia, surrendered the Philippines to the British pursuant
to the agreement of Treaty of Paris at the end of Seven Years War. The
British ended their rule on April, 1762.
Reference
Tracy, Nicholas (1995), Manila Ransomed: The British
Assault on Manila in the Seven Year War, University of
Exeter Press, ISBN 0859894266, ISBN 9780859894265
 The Philippine Historic Past

Martín de Goiti was a Spanish Basque Conquistador and founder of

the city of Manila. Goiti was one of the soldiers who accompanied the
Spanish colonization of the East Indies in 1565. He was the leader of
the expedition to Manila, ordered by Miguel Lopes de Legaspi in 1569.
There, he fought a number of battles against the Muslim chieftain,
Rajah Sulaiman III of Manila for control of lands and settlements. Goiti
is laid to rest in a tomb inside the San Agustin Church, in Intramuros.

Artist sketch of Manila Bay, circa 1800s Reference

Noone, Martín J. The Discovery and Conquest of the
Philippines 1521-1581, 1983

1781 – One of the forty-six early settlers of Pueblo de Nuestra

Señora Reina de los Angeles, now the City of Los Angeles, probably
was a Filipino by the name of Antonio Miranda Rodriguez.
Reference
FILIPINOS: Forgotten Asian Americans by Fred Cordova

Three most celebrated Ilustrados at

the end of 19th century: Jose Rizal,
Marcelo del Pilar and Mariano Ponce

La Solidaridad was an organization
created in 1888 in Spain to represent
and advocate the Filipino cause at the
Spanish parliament. They published a
newspaper, La Solidaridad, headed by
Graciano Jaena.
The Philippine Historic Past
1863 – Queen Isabella of Spain decreed the establishment of a
public school system in the Spanish model leading to an increasing
number of educated indios and criollos or Insulares, (Spaniards born in
the Philippines), creating a class of citizens called Ilustrados.
The Ilustrados originally clamored for adequate representation to
the Spanish Cortes and later for independence. Jose Rizal, the most
celebrated intellectual and radical Ilustrado of the era, wrote the novels
“Noli mi Tangere", and “El Filibusterismo", which greatly inspired the
movement for independence. The Katipunan, a secret militant society,
was founded by Andres Bonifacio. Its primary purpose was the
overthrow of Spanish rule in the Philippines.
On-line reference On-line reference
http://people.cohums.ohiostate.edu/grimsley1/milhis/phil.htm http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/28063.html
1872 – Mass deportation occurred of nationalists to the Isla los
Ladrones (present day Guam) and Europe creating a Filipino expatriate
community of reformers abroad. The community grew within the next
generation of Ilustrados taking graduate studies in European
universities. They allied themselves with Spanish liberals, most
notably a certain Spanish senator named Morayta of Madrid and
formed La Solidaridad.
Reference
Schumacher, John N. (1973). The Propaganda Movement,
1881-1896: The creation of a Filipino Consciousness (1997 ed.)
Manila: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
ISBN 9789715502092
 The Philippine Historic Past

The desire to form a purely Filipino organization was fulfilled on

December 13, 1888 with the establishment in Barcelona of La
Solidaridad. This organization was sort of a rival of Morayta's Madrid
group although the two organizations joined together in a petition
addressed to the Minister of the Colonies asking for representation in
the Cortes, abolition of censorship of the press, and prohibition of the
Graciano Lopez Jaena practice of deporting citizens merely through administrative orders.
The president of La Solidaridad in Barcelona was Rizal's cousin,
Galicano Apacible. Among the other officers were Graciano Lope
Jaena, vice president, and Mariano Ponce, treasurer. Rizal, in London at
the time, was named Honorary President. Unfortunately, Apacible could
not hold the wrangling reformists together. It took the prestige of Rizal
and the political wisdom of Marcelo del Pilar to unite the Filipinos in
Spain and to coordinate their efforts.
Mariano Ponce

Reference
Schumacher, John N. (1973). The Propaganda Movement,
1881-1896: The creation of a Filipino Consciousness (1997 ed.) Manila: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
ISBN 9789715502092

Marcelo del Pilar

 The Philippine Historic Past

First Katipunan (Bonifacio’s) flag first flown July 7,1892

1896 – In the last days of August, Bonifacio called Katipunan members to a mass gathering in
Caloocan, where they decided to start a nationwide armed revolution against Spain.The event was
marked by a mass tearing of cedulas (community tax certificates) accompanied by patriotic cries.
The exact date and location are disputed, but two possibilities have been officially endorsed by the
Philippine government: August 26 in Balintawak and later, August 23 in Pugad Lawin. Thus the event
is called the "Cry of Balintawak" or "Cry of Pugad Lawin". However the issue is further complicated by
other dates such as August 24 and 25 and other locations such as Kankong. Reference
Cristobal, Adrian (2005) [1997],
The Tragedy of the Revolution,
University of the Philippines
Press, ISBN 971-542-471-6
 The Philippine Historic Past

1892 – (July) Jose Rizal was implicated in the activities of the

nascent rebellion, was deported to Dapitan in the province of
Zamboanga, a peninsula of Mindanao. There he built a school, a
hospital and a water supply system, and taught and engaged in
farming and horticulture.

José Protasio Rizal Mercado

y Alonso Realonda 1896 - the rebellion fomented by the Katipunan had become a full
Born June 19, 1861 blown revolution, proving to be a nationwide uprising and leading to
the first proclamation of a democratic republic in Asia. To dissociate
himself, Rizal volunteered and was given leave by the Gobernador-
General, Ramon Blanco, to serve in Cuba to minister to victims of
yellow fever. Blanco later was to present his sash and sword to the
Rizal family as an apology for the arrest of Rizal.

Before he left Dapitan, Rizal issued a refraction disavowing the

revolution and declaring that the education of Filipinos and their
achievement of a national identity were prerequisites to freedom.

Ramón Blanco y Erenas, marqués

de Peña Plata
(1833 – 1906)
Term: 1893-Dec 13, 1896

Jose Rizal was imprisoned in the fort before his
execution.. The site features his cell and other artifacts.
Embedded onto the ground in bronze, his final
footsteps representing the walk from his cell to the
location of the actual execution.
Photography is prohibited inside the building that houses artifacts of
Rizal’s imprisonment.
The Philippine Historic Past
Rizal was arrested en route to Havana, imprisoned
in Barcelona, and sent back to Manila to stand trial. He
was implicated in the revolution through his association
with members of the Katipunan and was to be tried
before a military tribunal for rebellion, sedition, and
conspiracy. During the entire passage, he was
unchained, no Spaniard laid a hand on him, and had
many opportunities to escape but refused to do so. Rizal
was convicted on all three charges and sentenced to
death. Blanco, who was sympathetic to Rizal, had been
forced out of office, and the friars had intercalated
Camilo de Polavieja in his place, sealing Rizal's fate. He
was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to die by
firing squad. While awaiting execution, he was held in a
cell at Fort Santiago where he wrote Mi Ultimo Adios.
Reference
Zaide, Gregorio F. (2003) Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings
of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero. Manila: National Bookstore.
ISBN 9710805207
 The Philippine Historic Past

1896 – (December 30) Execution of Jose Rizal at

Bagumbayan (Luneta), present day site of Rizal Park, in
the City of Manila.
1897 – The Katipunan-Magdalo movement of Cavite
under self-appointed general, Emilio Aguinaldo and
another Cavite faction, the Magdiwang, was embroiled in
Record Photograph of the Execution of Jose Rizal
a power struggle as to who would lead the formation of a (encircled)
Revolutionary Government.
Andres Bonifacio, the original founder of the Katipunan, considered his movement to
be the Revolutionary Government, but nevertheless, he acquiesced and presided over
elections held during the Tejeros Convention held in Tejeros, Cavite on March 22, 1897.
Away from his power base, Bonifacio lost the leadership to Aguinaldo and was
appointed by him to a lesser position in the revolutionary cabinet. Insulted, Bonifacio
declared the Convention null and void, and sought to return to his power base in Morong Andres Bonifacio y de
(present-day Rizal Province), He and his party were intercepted by Aguinaldo's men and Castro
Nov 30, 1863 - May 10, 1897
violence resulted which left Bonifacio seriously wounded. Bonifacio was charged, tried
and found guilty of treason by a Cavite military tribunal, and sentenced to death.
After some vacillation, Aguinaldo confirmed the death sentence and Bonifacio was
executed on May 10, 1897 in the mountains of Maragondon in Cavite, even as Aguinaldo
and his forces were retreating in the face of Spanish assault. Aguinaldo is officially
considered the first President of the Philippines.
Reference
Zaide, Gregorio F. (1984) Philippine
History and Government. National Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy
Bookstore Printing Press Mar 22, 1869 – Feb 6, 1964
 The Philippine Historic Past
The Pact of Biak-na-Bato, signed on December
14, 1897, created a truce between Spanish Colonial
Governor - General Fernando Primo de Rivera and
Emilio Aguinaldo to end the Philippine Revolution.
Aguinaldo and his fellow revolutionaries were given
amnesty and monetary indemnity by the Spanish
government in return for which the Revolutionary
Government would go into voluntary exile in Hong
Kong. Aguinaldo would later use the money to
purchase firearms.
Filipino Revolutionary Soldiers Encampment
Biak-na-Bato, Bulacan Dec 27, 1897

Delegates to the Pact of Biak-na-Bato

Seated. L to R, Pedro Paterno, mediator, and General Emilio Aguinaldo.
Standing, L to R, rebel leaders Isabelo Artacho, Baldomero Aguinaldo, Filipino exiles in Hong Kong, photo taken in early 1898: Emilio
Severino de las Alas, Antonio Montenegro and Vito Belarmino. (Paterno Aguinaldo (arrow) led 36 other revolutionary leaders including
became one of the founders, and Montenegro a founding member, of the
pro-American Partido Federal when it was organized on Dec. 23, 1900.)
Gregorio del Pilar into exile in the British colony
 The Philippine Historic Past

1898 – (April 21) Start of Spanish-American War

following the sinking, on February 15 in Havana Harbor,
of the battleship USS Maine.
On-line reference
Arnaldo Dumindin, Spanish-American War
http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/

1898 - (May 19) Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines

and he immediately resumed revolutionary activities
against the Spaniards, now receiving verbal
encouragement from emissaries of the U. S. In a matter of
months, revolutionary forces conquered nearly all of
Spanish-held territories, with the exception of Manila,
which was completely surrounded. The Filipinos now
controlled the Philippines. Aguinaldo also turned over
15,000 Spanish prisoners to the Americans, offering them
valuable intelligence. Filipino Revolutionary Soldiers, 1898
Soldiers in dark uniforms were formerly indigenous Spanish
colonial troops who crossed over to the revolutionary side.

Spanish Colonial Soldiers Prisoners of War
Cavite, 1897
Malolos Convention
The Philippine Historic Past
June 12 - Aguinaldo declared independence from
Spain at his house in Cavite El Viejo. The declaration,
however, was not recognized by the United States or
Spain, as the Spanish government ceded the Philippines
to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris.
Tensions between the Philippine Revolutionary
Government and the American government existed
because of the conflicting movements for independence
and colonization, aggravated by feelings of betrayal on
the part of Aguinaldo.
1899 – (March 23) The insurgent First Philippine
Republic formally established with the proclamation of
the Malolos Convention in Malolos, Bulacan.
June 2 – The Malolos Congress declared war on the
United States, with Pedro Paterno, President of
Congress, issuing a Proclamation of War. The date
marked the beginning of the Philippine-American War,
which ensued between 1899 and 1902.
On-line reference
Arnaldo Dumindin, Spanish-American War
http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/
 The Philippine Historic Past

1899 – (February 4) Armed

conflict began when a Filipino
soldier was shot by an American
sentry at San Juan Bridge. In 2003,
the Philippine National Historical
Institute found the incident actually
happened in Sociego and Silencio
streets in Santa Mesa, Manila.

1901 – (March 23) Capture

and surrender of Emilio Aguinaldo
to the American forces in Palanan,
Isabela, which effectively dissolved
the First Philippine Republic.
Present day corner of Sociego and Silencio Streets, Santa Mesa District, Manila. The
National Historical Institute placed two plaques (in English and in Filipino)
marking this spot as the scene of the first shot that sparked the Philippine-American
War. The plaque in English states: "Here at 9:00 in the evening of February 4th, 1899,
Private William Grayson of the First Nebraska Volunteers fired the shot that started
the Filipino-American War.”

Artist rendition of the capture of Aguinaldo in
Palanan, Isabela
Macabebe Scouts who helped capture Emilio Aguinaldo
The Philippine Historic Past
Official end to the war. The Philippine Organic Act of
July 1902 approved, ratified, and confirmed by U.S.
President McKinley's Executive Order establishing the
Philippine Commission and stipulated that a legislature
would be established composed of a lower house, the
Philippine Assembly, which would be popularly elected, and
an upper house consisting of the Philippine Commission.
The act also provided for extending the United States Bill of
Rights to Filipinos.
On July 2 the Secretary of War telegraphed that the
insurrection against the sovereign authority of the U.S.
having come to an end, and provincial civil governments
having been established, the office of U.S. Military governor
was terminate
On July 4 Theodore Roosevelt, who had succeeded to
the U.S. Presidency after the assassination of President
McKinley on September 5, 1901, proclaimed a full and
complete pardon and amnesty to all people in the
Philippine archipelago who had participated in the conflict.
This date marked the beginning of American annexation of
the Philippines.
On-line reference
Arnaldo Dumindin, Spanish-American War
http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/
 The Philippine Historic Past

From the very beginning, United States presidents and their

representatives in the islands defined their colonial mission as tutelage:
preparing the Philippines for eventual independence. Except for a small
group of "retentionists," the issue was not whether the Philippines
would be granted self-rule, but when and under what conditions.

President William McKinley

25th. President
Cultural Impact. Then U.S. President McKinley, in his instructions to In office
Mar 4, 1897 – Sep 14, 1901
the First Philippine Commission in 1898 (more popularly known as the
Taft Commission), ordered the establishment of a public school system
and the use of the Philippine languages as well as English for
instructional purposes.
The American administrators, finding the local languages to be too
numerous and too difficult to learn and write teaching materials in,
ended up with a monolingual system in English with no attention paid to
the other Philippine languages except for the token statement
concerning the necessity of using them eventually for the system.

William Howard Taft

First Civil Governor
In office
Jul 4, 1901 - Feb 1, 1904

Filipino students and Thomasite teacher (arrow), 1901
Students, Philippine Normal High School, ca. 1900s
The public school system introduced after the passage of the “Taft
Commission” in 1902 made it possible for a large number of school-age
Filipino to acquire education beyond the 6th grade. Before the arrival of the
Thomasites, some American soldiers were used as teachers.
The Philippine Historic Past
The Thomasites arrived in the Philippines on
August 12, 1901 to establish a new public school
system in the American model, to teach basic
education and to train Filipino teachers. The
Philippines had enjoyed a public school system since
1863, when a Spanish decree first introduced public
elementary education in the Philippines.The
Thomasites expanded and improved the public
school system, and switched to English as the
medium of instruction.
The name “Thomasite” was derived from the
transport vessel, the USS Thomas that brought them
to the shores of Manila Bay. By 1902, there will be a
total of about 1,074 stationed in the Philippines.
Reference
Karnow, Stanley. In Our Image: America’s Empire in
the Philippines, Ballantine Books, Random House,
Inc., March 3, 1990, ISBN 0-345-32816-7
On-line reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomasites
 The Philippine Historic Past

Herbert Clark Hoover

31st President of the United States (R)
In office
March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933
1932 – (December) United States
Congress passed the Hare-Hawes-Cutting
Act with the premise of granting Filipinos
independence. Provisions of the bill
included reserving several military and
naval bases for the United States, as well
as imposing tariffs and quotas on
Philippine exports. Finding it too
restrictive, it was vetoed by President
Herbert Hoover but Congress overrode his
veto in 1933 and passed the bill. The bill,
however, was opposed by the then
Philippine Senate President Manuel L. Franklin D. Roosevelt
32nd President of the United States (D)
Quezon and was also rejected by the In office
March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945
Philippine Senate.
 The Philippine Historic Past
1934 – (March 24) The Tydings–McDuffie Act
(officially the Philippine Independence Act; Public Law 73-
127) was approved, a United States federal law, which
provided for self-government of the Philippines and for
Filipino independence (from the United States) after a
period of 10 years. It was authored by Maryland Senator
Milard Tydings and Alabama Representative John
McDuffie. Philippine Senate President Manuel Quezon
headed a "Philippine Independence mission" to
Washington, DC that successfully secured the act's
passage in Congress.
The act provided for the drafting and guidelines of a
Signing of the Constitution of the Philippine Constitution for a 10-year "transitional period" which
Commonwealth, Washington, DC, March 23, 1935
Seated left to right: George H. Dern, Secretary of War; President
became the government of the Commonwealth of the
Franklin Roosevelt, signing documents; Manuel L. Quezon, Philippine
Senate President.
Philippines before the granting of Philippine
independence, during which the United States would
maintain military forces in the Philippines.
Furthermore, during this period the President of the United States was granted the power to call into
military service all military forces of the Philippine government. The act also permitted the
maintenance of US naval bases within this region, for two years after independence. The act
reclassified all Filipinos that were living in the United States as aliens for the purposes of
immigration to America. Filipinos were no longer allowed to come legally to the US as migrant
workers, and a quota of 50 immigrants per year was established.
Reference
Zaide, Sonia M. (1994), The Philippines: A Unique Nation,
All Nations Publishing Co. ISBN 971-642-071-4
 The Philippine Historic Past

Manuel Quezon won the Philippine's first national presidential election under the
banner of the Nacionalista Party. He obtained nearly 68% of the vote against his two
main rivals, Emilio Aguinaldo and Bishop Gregorio Aglipay.
1935 – (November 15) The Commonwealth of the Philippines was officially
inaugurated with Quezon as President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and
Sergio Osmeña as Vice President. During this period, the Commonwealth exercised
semi-independence in its territories. It marked the end of the colonial eras as well as
the transition of the name of the Philippines from the plural "Las Islas Filipinas" or
"Philippine Islands" of the Spanish and American colonial periods, to the singular,
"Philippines.“

Emilio Aguinaldo Gregorio Aglipay Manuel Luis Quezon Sergio Osmeña y Suico
y Molina Born Sep 9, 1878
Born Aug 19, 1878 Cebu City
Baler, Tayabas Died Oct 19, 1961
Died Aug 1, 1944 Quezon City, Philippines
Saranac Lake, New York
 The Philippine Historic Past

Pre-World War II Years (1939-40). The new

government embarked on ambitious nation-
building policies in preparation for economic and
political independence. These included national
defense (such as the National Defense Act of
1935, which organized a conscription for service
in the country), greater control over the economy,
the perfection of democratic institutions, reforms
in education, improvement of transport, the
promotion of local capital, industrialization, and
the “colonization” of Mindanao, which up to this
time have resisted any outside control of the
predominantly muslim population.
President Manuel L. Quezon deliver his inaugural address, November
However, other uncertainties, especially in 15, 1935. The ceremonies were held on the steps of the Legislative
Building in Manila. The event was attended by a crowd of around
the diplomatic and military situation in Southeast 300,000.
Asia, in the level of U.S. commitment to the future
Republic of the Philippines, and in the economy
due to the Great Depression, proved to be major
problems. The situation was further complicated
by the presence of agrarian unrest, and of power
struggles between Osmeña and Quezon,
especially after Quezon was permitted to be re- Reference
elected after one six-year term. Zaide, Sonia M. (1994), The Philippines: A Unique Nation,
All Nations Publishing Co. ISBN 971-642-071-4

Philippine Scouts Soldiers, Fort McKinley, 1937
Established as an integral part of the United States Army, they
fought valiantly alongside American troops in WWII.
December 7 - Japan launched surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. Ten hours later, on
December 8, Japanese aircrafts bombed Clark Airbase, Sangley Point Naval Station and other
military targets in the Philippines.
The Philippine Historic Past
1941 – (July 25) U.S. Secretary of War
Henry Stimson requested that President
Franklin D. Roosevelt issue orders calling the
military forces of the Commonwealth into
active service for the United States. Stimson
explained, "All practical steps should be taken
to increase the defensive strength of the
Philippine Islands.“ On July 31, 1941 the
Philippine Department had 22,000 troops
assigned, 12,000 of whom were Philippine
Scouts. The main component was the
Philippine Division, under the command of
Major General Jonathan Wainwright. Between
July and December 1941 the garrison
received 8,500 reinforcements consisting of
additional aircrafts and crews for air defense
of the islands.
 The Philippine Historic Past

The Commonwealth government drafted the

Philippine Army into the U.S. Army Forces Far
East, which would resist Japanese invasion.
President Quezon declared Manila an open
city to prevent its destruction, and was
eventually occupied by the Japanese on January
2, 1942. Meanwhile, battles against the
Japanese continued on the Bataan Peninsula,
Corregidor, and parts of the Visayan Islands until
the final surrender of United States and
Philippine forces.
Gen Douglas MacArthur during ceremonies inducting the Philippine Army
Air Corps into the USAFE. Camp Murphy, August 15, 1941

On-line reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military history of
the Philippines

Reference
Duffy, Bernard K; Carpenter,
Ronald H. (1997), Douglas
MacArthur: Warrior as Wordsmith,
Greenwood Press

Manila declared “open city”

to save it from destruction.
 The Philippine Historic Past

February 1942 – President

Quezon and Vice President Osmeña
were escorted by troops from Manila
to Corregidor, and later they were
evacuated to Australia and then to
the United States. During this exile,
Quezon became ill with tuberculosis
and died August 1, 1944 in in
Saranac Lake, New York. Vice
President Osmeña replaced him as
president.

General Edward P.King surrenders American and Filipino forces on Bataan.

April 9, 1942
Image retrieved from http://www.history.Army.mil/books//wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm

1942 – (March 12) As the Battle of Bataan raged on, General MacArthur, his family, and several
USAFFE staff officers left Corregidor for Mindanao aboard four PT boats and was eventually flown
to Australia where he broadcasted to the Filipino people his famous "I Shall Return" promise.
MacArthur's departure marked the end of the USAFFE and by 22 March, the defending army was
renamed United States Forces in the Philippines (USFIP) and Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright was
placed in command.
 The Philippine Historic Past

The Battle of Bataan represented the most

intense phase of Japan’s invasion of the Philippines.
The capture of the Philippine Islands was crucial to
Japan's effort to control the Southwest Pacific, seize
the resource-rich Dutch East Indies, and protect its
Southeast Asia flank.
1942 – (April 9) Fall of Bataan – Maj Gen.
Edward P.King met with Maj Gen. Kameichiro Nagano
and after several hours of negotiations, the Japanese soldiers guard Allied prisoners
of war captured after the fall of Bataan. April 9, 1942
remaining weary, starving and emaciated American Image retrieved from
and Filipino defenders on the battle-swept Bataan http://www.history.Army.mil/books//wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm

peninsula surrendered. It was the largest surrender

in American and Filipino military history, and was the
largest American surrender since the American
Revolution.
Reference
Morton, Louis (First Printed 1953) War in the
Pacific: THE FALL OF THE HILIPPINES
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents,
Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402

On-line reference
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/5 The Bataan Death March: All told, approximately 5,000 – 10,000
2/5-2_Contents.htm
Filipino and 600 – 650 American prisoners of war died.
Image retrieved from:
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm
 The Philippine Historic Past

Fall of Corregidor - (May 6, 1942- After weeks of

constant Japanese bombardment, Lt. Gen Jonathan
Wainwright finally surrendered the Corregidor garrison at
about 1:30 pm. Corregidor, the “Gibraltar of the East” has
fallen and marked the fall of the Philippines. More than two
brutal years occupation follows.

General Jonathan Wainwright negotiating with

Japanese General Homma the surrender of
Corregidor and all American forces in the
Philippines.
Image retrieved from
http://www.history.Army.mil/books//wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm

Japanese soldiers hauling down the American flag after the fall of
Corregidor.
Image retrieved from http://www.history.Army.mil/books//wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm

Reference
Keats J. 1990. They Fought Alone. Time Life. On-line reference
ISBN 08099485559 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick_Parsons
American and Filipino soldiers surrenders in front of (reissue of 1963 book on Fertig's guerrilla
Malinta Tunnel on Corregidor. operation)
Image retrieved from
http://www.history.Army.mil/books//wwii/52/5-_Contents.htm
 The Philippine Historic Past

1943 – (October 14) The Second Philippine Republic, otherwise

known as the “Puppet Government” was established in October 14,
1943 under Japanese occupation. The Japanese-sponsored
government headed by President Jose P. Laurel with Benigno
Aquino, Sr. as Vice President proved to be unpopular. Laurel was
not subsequently officially recognized as a Philippine president
until the administration of Diosdado Macapagal (1961-1965)
Jose P. Laurel

1944 – (October 20) The campaign to liberate the

Philippines began with the landing of U.S. forces on the
eastern shore of Palo, Leyte.south of Luzon. General Douglas
MacArthur came ashore to fulfill his promise to the Filipino
people of “I Shall Return.” The campaign, which included
fierce, and decisive land and naval battles in and around the
Philippines continued until the Japanese surrender on
September 2, 1945.
General MacArthur returns to the Philippines
 The Philippine Historic Past

Bombing of Manila by American aircrafts.
The Battle of Manila from 3 February to 3 March 1945 was
part of the Philippines' 1945 campaign. The one-month battle,
which culminated in a terrible bloodbath and total devastation
of the city, was the scene of the worst urban fighting in the
Pacific theater, and ended almost three years of Japanese
military occupation.
Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita surrenders all
Japanese forces in the Philippines.
General Yamashita was tried and found guilty of war crimes. On 23
February 1946, at Los Baños Prison Camp, 30 miles south of Manila,
Tomoyuki Yamashita was hanged.

Reference
Retaking the Philippines: America's Return to
Corregidor and Bataan, October 1944-March 1945 by
William B. Breur (1986) St. Martin’s Press

On-line reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Manila_(1945)

Filipinos welcome the liberators

 The Philippine Historic Past

On July 4, 1946, representatives of the United States of America and

of the Republic of the Philippines signed a Treaty of General Relations
between the two governments. The treaty provided for the recognition of
the independence of the Republic of the Philippines as of July 4, 1946,
and the relinquishment of American sovereignty over the Philippine
Islands.
The Philippines celebrates its Independence Day in recognition of
June 12, 1898, when the Philippines declared its independence from
Spain, although its independence was not recognized until July 4, 1946,
by the United States. From 1946 to 1962, the Philippines observed
Independence Day on July 4 each year. In 1961, President Diosdado
Macapagal reverted the holiday to the June 12 date, which up to that time
had been observed as Flag Day in the Philippines. In place of the former
Independence Day, Macapagal created Filipino-American Friendship on
July 4. The lowering of the Stars and Stripes and the
raising of the Philippine National Flag, Luneta
Filipino historians point out that independence in 1946 came with Park (now Rizal Park, Manila) July 4, 1946
numerous strings attached. The U.S., for example, retained dozens of
military bases, including a few major ones. In addition, independence was
qualified by legislation passed by the U.S. Congress to ensure that the Philippines would remain an economic
ward of the U.S., for the time being.
Another burning issue is the Bell Trade Act, which prohibited the Philippines from manufacturing or selling
any products that might "come into substantial competition" with U.S.-made goods. It further required that the
Philippine Constitution be revised to grant U.S. citizens and corporations equal access to Philippine minerals,
forests, and other natural resources. But the Philippine government had little choice but to accept these terms
for independence. The U.S. Congress was threatening to withhold post-World War II rebuilding funds unless the
Bell Act was ratified. The Philippine Congress obliged on July 2, 1946.
 The Philippine Historic Past

EPILOGUE: The Philippines, throughout its recorded history, had endured colonization, wars,
including a World War; natural disasters with tragic consequences, and its own internal strife,
which continue to the present time. It rose from the ashes and ruins of WWII to slowly, but
surely, gain its footing and takes its rightful place in the community of free nations and people.
The Filipinos are very much aware that freedom and the democratic process are crucial factors
in nation-building. They are a proud people, proud of their heritage, culture, their country, and
the legacy of their forbearers that is for them to safeguard. This is true of any race of people.

Cabildo Street, Manila, 1862

Spanish and a Filipina upper class, ca. 1890s
Town Fiesta, ca. 1898
Ermita Street Scene, ca. 1900

San Miguel Brewery, Manila, 1910