THE PHILIPPINES THROUGH CENTURIES: A

CHRONICLE OF RESILIENCE AND

TRANSFORMATION UNDER COLONIAL
INFLUENCES
INSULAR GOVERNMENT OF THE
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 1901 JAN 1 - 1935
The Insular Government of the Philippine Islands,
established in 1902 by the United States, was an
unincorporated territory. It underwent reorganization in
1935 in preparation for eventual independence,
succeeding the United States Military Government and
preceding the Commonwealth of the Philippines. The
Philippines were acquired from Spain in 1898 after the
Spanish–American War, leading to the Philippine–
American War and the suppression of the First
Philippine Republic. The 1902 Philippine Organic Act
organized the government, featuring a governor-general,
a bicameral Philippine Legislature, and the Internal
Revenue Law of 1904. The government issued various
revenue stamps during this period.
The term "insular" refers to the fact that the government operated under the authority of the U.S. Bureau of
Insular Affairs. Puerto Rico and Guam also had insular governments at this time. From 1901 to 1922, the U.S.
Supreme Court wrestled with the constitutional status of these governments in the Insular Cases. In Dorr v.
United States (1904), the court ruled that Filipinos did not have a constitutional right to trial by jury. In the
Philippines itself, the term "insular" had limited usage. On banknotes, postage stamps, and the coat of arms,
the government referred to itself simply as the "Philippine Islands". The 1902 Philippine Organic Act was
replaced in 1916 by the Jones Law, which ended the Philippine Commission and provided for both houses of the
Philippine Legislature to be elected. In 1935, the Insular Government was replaced by the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth status was intended to last ten years, during which the country would be prepared for
independence.

The Philippine Decolonization as an Anomaly

On December 8, 1941, Japan launched an attack on

Commonwealth of the Philippines, ten hours after their
attack on Pearl Harbor. The Philippines at this time was
a semi-independent commonwealth government under the
colonial rule of the United States of America. Filipino
and American soldiers were defeated a the Battle of
Bataan and the Battle of Corregidor in April 1942. The
Japanese occupation of the Philippines occurred between
1942 and 1945 during WWII. Filipinos staged guerrilla
resistance against the Japanese until 1945. The
Philippines was liberated from Japanese control by Allied
forces in 1944. The Philippines was granted full
independence by the United States in 1946.

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 Opinion And Politics Evolution In The Philippines During Colonial Period

Spanish Colonial Era (1565-1898) Japanese Occupation (1942-1945)

Encomienda System: Introduced by the Japanese Military Administration: During
Spanish, this system granted conquistadors World War II, the Philippines fell under
the right to extract tribute and forced labor Japanese occupation. The Japanese
from indigenous communities in exchange introduced various policies, including
for protection and religious instruction. forced labor and the imposition of the
Japanese language.
Religious Conversion: The Spanish
missionaries, particularly the Franciscans, Resistance Movements: Filipino guerilla
Augustinians, and Jesuits, played a crucial groups, such as the Hukbalahap, resisted
role in converting the indigenous population Japanese rule and contributed to the
to Christianity. eventual liberation of the Philippines by
Allied forces.
Galleon Trade: The Philippines became a
vital link in the galleon trade route between
Manila and Acapulco, Mexico. This trade
route facilitated the exchange of goods,
including silk, spices, and precious metals

American Colonial Era (1898-1946) Post-World War II and

Independence (1946 onward)
Philippine-American War (1899-1902):
Following the Spanish-American War, the
Philippines came under American rule. The
conflict led to the establishment of Philippine Independence: The
American colonial rule and the suppression Philippines gained independence from
of Filipino nationalist movements. the United States on July 4, 1946. The
country transitioned to a democratic
Education: The Americans introduced a form of government.
public education system, with English as the
medium of instruction. This significantly Reparations and Compensation: The
impacted the linguistic and educational Philippines received reparations from
landscape of the Philippines. Japan as compensation for the damages
caused during the war
Land Policies: The Americans implemented
policies such as the Public Land Act and the
Torrens system, which affected land
ownership and distribution.

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 Zorrilla Theater, Manila
Borromeo Lou, organized the first Filipino bodabil
company. Bodabil was a popular genre of entertainment in
the Philippines from the 1910’s until the mid- 1960’s.For
many decades it competed with film, radio, and television.
The Bodabil genre became the dominant form of Filipino
mass entertainment. This type of performance featured a
variety of musical numbers, short-form comedy and
dramatic skits and sometimes magical acts. The
performances were often staged inside theaters of Manila.
Filipinos were obligated to entertain American troops
stationed in the Philippines, in order to fulfil this
requirement vaudeville acts from outside the Philippines
were brought in to provide some form of entertainment. In
1901, the Teatre Zorillo, a leading theater in Manila,
promoted some of the vaudeville acts. During these early
Filipino entertainment has come a long way since
years of vaudeville in the Philippines, most of the featured
the rise of bodabil entertainment. The bodabil
entertainers were non-Filipinos. By the middle of the
genre grew to become extremely popular and
1910s, a few Filipino performers would begin to appear in
although it originated from vaudeville, it grew on
vaudeville acts as well. The routines performed were
Filipinos as did the American culture in their
featured as intermission numbers in between sarswelas.
country. Many of the cultural trends it
These intermission numbers were sometimes called
popularized were Western or American in origin,
“jamborees”.
though the interpreters largely Filipino.

Basketball was introduced in the Philippines

during the American colonial period with the first
American teachers teaching the sport along with
baseball through the YMCA and the school system.
Basketball was first introduced to the Philippine
public school system by the Americans as a
women's sport in 1910 and was played in
Interscholastic meets in 1911 until 1913.

The Philippine volleyball history dates back to 1910 during the

American colonization. This sport was introduced by an
American man known as Elwood Stanley Brown. He is a
renowned sports organizer who made a massive contribution
promoting sports in the Philippines during the colonial period.
During that time, the US soldiers deployed in various islands in
the Philippines also significantly promoted this sport among
Filipinos. These soldiers would encourage people living in those
islands to join them in playing volleyball, making the sport
even more popular. Over time, people in the Philippines started
creating volleyball strategies and rules that significantly
influenced how this sport is played today.

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 QUICK INK
It was released in 1941 as "51" ink along with Parker 51
pen in 1947 it was made somewhat less corrosive, and
renamed "Superchrome". Not only is it a classic ink used
for dip pens and fountain pens it is also a beautiful
medium to use for illustration and painting.

BRICK MAKING MACHINE

Rizal was the first to invent the first brick making
machine in the country. It was said to be producing 6,
000 bricks a day, a project anticipating perhaps what
was to be the first National Housing Authority's
objective.

Beauty And Health During Colonial Period

Colonialism, particularly American colonial rule, had a
significant impact on the beauty standards of the
Philippines. The desire for white skin, which is prevalent in
the country, can be attributed to the internalized oppression
and psychological state of the Filipino people caused by
America's previous colonial rule . The mistreatment of the
native population during the colonial period led to the
development of colonial mentality and an ingrained
preference for white skin . Additionally, the success of the
Filipino skin whitening industry can also be influenced by
contemporary factors such as the phenomenon of
"cosmopolitan whiteness" and the tendency of Filipino-
Americans to conform to popular culture.
The American colonial state's perception of health, influenced by geography, also played a role in shaping beauty
standards . The St. Louis World Fair in 1904 further influenced attitudes toward Filipinos and contributed to the
formation of intersecting identities . Overall, colonialism had a profound impact on the beauty standards of the
Philippines, both historically and in contemporary times.

In 1901, the americans created the

Board of public health, which later on
became a bureau. Filipinos learned the
value of cleanliness, and health
practices. They were taught proper
hygiene to make them health and be
free from contagious diseases.
Hospotals, clinics, and health centers
were established including public
hospitals for lepers.

During World War II, the Philippines experienced a hard time

during the period marked by Japanese occupation, resistance
movements, and eventual liberation from 1942-1945. The thoughts
of the people in the Philippines during this time were shaped by a
Editorial During
complex mix of emotions, challenges, and hopes for the future.
They hope for liberation or Freedom. They also desire for full Colonial Period
sovereignty and independence. They try to preserve the filipino
culture and heritage to maintain what is ours or what identity we
have.

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