The History of the Philippines and its Constitutions during the American Colonization Era

History of the American Era Constitutions

Because of its long history as a trading hub in Asia, the Philippines were colonized first by the Spanish and then by the Americans. The majority of the people was converted to Catholicism by the Spanish, and the religion still holds sway in the nation. Nationalist sentiment started to spread among groups of Indios (the Spanish term for the Filipinos) in the latter part of the more than 300-year span of Spanish rule. This was largely fueled by the writings of national hero Jose Rizal (who was later put to death by the Spanish government) and other Ilustrados (the Filipino intelligences). On June 12, 1898, a revolt against Spain began, and the insurgents proclaimed the independence of the Philippines at Kawit, Cavite.

Katipunan's war against the Spaniards

After the 3-century long suffering under the Spanish rule came to an end, the First Philippine Republic created and approved the Malolos Constitution, the first Philippine constitution and the first republican constitution in Asia in 1899.

Malolos Congress and Constitution 1899

At long last we are finally free, or so we thought. During the Spanish-American War of 1898 the revolutionaries supported the Americans in the war in hopes that the United States would grant the Philippines independence once it had defeated Spain. However, this did not take place. Following Spain's transfer of the islands to the US in the Treaty of Paris, the US started ruthlessly repressing the Philippine independence movement.

Spain sold the Philippines to the United States for $20 million.

The United States Congress established Organic Acts for the management of the Philippine Islands' government. The first one established a Philippine Assembly made up of Filipino individuals in the Philippine Organic Act of 1902. The second was the Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916, also known as the Jones Act, which stated that independence would only be given following the development of a stable democratic government based on the American model and not the French model, as the previous constitution had done.

In 1934, the Tydings-McDuffie Act, often known as the Philippine Independence Act, was approved by the US Congress. It is a law passed by the Congress that specified the steps needed for the Philippines, a colony of the United States at the time, to gain independence following a ten-year transition period. The Act required the Philippine Legislature to organize an election of representatives to a constitutional convention that would write the country's constitution. On February 8, 1935, the 1934 Constitutional Convention came to a conclusion. On March 25, 1935, the Constitution was sent to the President of the United States for approval. On May 14, 1935, the Filipino people approved the 1935 Constitution in a nationwide plebiscite. The Commonwealth of the Philippines was established on November 15, 1935, wherein the new President, Mr. Manuel L. Quezon took the seat, and the 1935 Constitution went into effect.

 

President Manuel L. Quezon of the Commonwealth Government in 1935

It was intended that once the Philippines gained independence on July 4, 1946, it would continue to serve as the country's legal framework. However, that plan was derailed by World War II and the Japanese invasion on December 8, 1941.

Following the liberation of Bataan and Corregidor in 1942, when the gallant Filipino fight against insurmountable odds was ultimately put to an end, the American period has passed.