POETRY

“When Times Go Bad” “Extrajudicial Ghazal”

By Cirilio F Bautista By Luisa A Igloria
As far as shoes can go Daily, the toll rises. Cradled by
down corridors without salt the ones who love them,
and pepper, the bodies sprawl in blood, on
I think of trains quiet and solid the streets, as the sky darkens.
like eternity,
I have a ticket to nowhere …
In my knapsack an ossuary,
on my lips a constant prayer —
that’s all I have between the
darkness “Her New Church”
and the croaking voice of this
republic.
By George Deoso
My mother built a new
Church,
setting aside the old one like
vegetable
“Ang Bala” skins, building another out of
the dead
By Marra Pl Lanot bodies peppering the streets.

Kung makakapagsalita lang

ang bala,
Malamang ang sigaw niya ay: “Brave Woman”
“Bakit ko? …”
By Grace R Monte de Ramos
I am a mother of sons.
If only the bullet could talk
Two joined the army when
Most probably it would shout:
they were young;
“Why me? …”
There was not enough money
for school,
They had no skills for jobs in
foundries
And factories, and it was easy
to sign up
And learn how to handle a gun.
 CONTEXT AN

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
After 333 years, the Philippines is finally free from the colonization of the
Spaniards. This, however, does not mean total freedom. In 1898, when the
Spanish-American War ended, Spain sold the archipelago of the Philippines to the
United States of America for $20 million. The Philippines has a new colonial
ruler, the Americans. This led to the Philippine-American War due to the
resistance of the Filipino Muslims who were still angry about the Spanish
takeover. This war was declared to be over a year after when Aguinaldo allied
with the US. America’s President McKinley implemented a policy of benevolent
assimilation, where the US would control the country until it develops its self-rule
and independence.

AMERICAN COLONIZATION ECONOMIC CARICATURE

HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
The American Colonial Rule was
INFORMATION
ALYSIS OF PHILIPPINE CARICATURES
said to be the Philippines’ transition
to independence. Filipinos were The problem of It presents the
represented in the Assembly, there homesteading and US- oppressed condition of
was Filipinization in the government, style tenancy during the farmers during the
there were also campaign for the American colonial American colonial
Philippine Independence, and the government. period.
commonwealth was established. But,
with the Americans influence in the
Philippines’ economy, educational
system, public health, transportation,
POLITICAL CARICATURE
communication, and the government HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
in general, negative effects weren’t freedom, though, was not INFORMATION
absent. used well. There are a number
of effects to be mentioned Passage of law The editorial
Unlike in the Spanish period, the (see in *continuation), but the authorizing legislators depicts the superiority
freedom was more exercised, through to bear firearms. of the legislators.
focus of this text is the use of
ways such as speech and press. This cartoons to seek reforms.
SOCIO-CULTURAL CARICATURE
PHILIPPINE CARTOONS AMERICAN COLONIZATION (*cont.) HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
• US government sued the press through libel INFORMATION
We may not be living in the charges
• The Chinese were still discriminated The Americans It depicts gender
past, but we are not devoid in • The friars were attacked in the press
understanding history • Filipino politicians were the new illustrados
introduced a free and a both equality and
because historical caricatures • Police were corrupt and rural poverty rises more democratic accessibility in and of
bring us to the past and • Prostitutions and gambling were rampant educational system in the education because
provide us a rich, dynamic, • Sanitation was poor, less hospitals for the the Philippines. of American Education
population system.
and contextual source of • Cartoons were used to seek reforms
depicting events and realities.
In the present time,
caricatures are still powerful
tools that illustrate the rage of
today and express the
problems and sentiments of
the present context. It is still
the means to trigger
awareness concerning diverse
issues we, people, are dealing
with.
 CONTRIBUTIONS AND RELEVANCE

RELEVANCE
These historical caricatures are relevant visual and contextual
realities that can fill-in the gap in understanding the grand narrative
of Philippine history. Using historical caricature is a dynamic
avenue of deciphering Philippine history providing relevant visual
representations of the past and a contextual approach of
understanding historical meanings and implications. It was able to
educate the Filipinos about the type of government they were
having under the Americans. They were given a broad background
of what type of life they were going to live in this time period.

CONTRIBUTIONS
The featured caricatures were powerful tools in the political,
economic and social advocacies which can inspire and remind
us also of our advocacies at present time. The caricatures
depict the realities happening during the American period
which expresses the sentiments of the Filipinos. With these
cartoons, Filipinos were able to realize what they really are
facing and what the American Government is doing. They were
able to realize the flawed system of the Americans which
further enriched their knowledge.

OTHER CARTOONS

Another cartoon showing the Americans trying to eliminate all

exploitation of the Americans by possible rebellions by neutralizing
allowing other countries to take indigenous people.
advantage of the Philippines

This is a depiction of Emilio
Aguinaldo as a pawn of the
Americans and shows that he can
never go against them.
All these political cartoons only mean one thing. They depict
the flaws of the American Colonization. They expose the true
intention of the United States in our country. They show to
two-faced side of the Americans when they try to help other
countries. They only think of about their greater good.