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!