Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The American Period (1898-1946)




The revolt of the Filipinos against Spain at the close of the 19th century, after more than 300 years of subjugation, did not mean the end of foreign dominion over the Islands. The ousting of Castillian conquerors and administrators by the local insurrectos only meant turning over control to another fair-skinned race.

On May 1, 1898, Corregidor fell into the hands of the Americans. By the first days of the second week of the following month, Bataan was already taken for them by the insurrectos. Soon, on June 12, 1898, Philippine independence from Spain was proclaimed in Kawit, Cavite. But it was only on August 14, 1898, after the Battle of Manila, that Spain surrendered to the United States. On December 10, 1898, the Treaty of Paris was signed.

The first Philippine Republic (1899-1901) was inaugurated under the presidency of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. A son of Bataan, Tomas G. del Rosario, was the vice-president of those who framed its constitution at the Malolos Congress. It did not take long, however, for Filipinos to realize that they had another master – the Americans.

Still aflame with the heat of battle against the Spaniards, the same insurrectos who dared to challenge their foreign colonizers and won, launched the Philippine-American War.

The Filipinos put up a courageous fight. But only July 4, 1901. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was apprehended in Palanan, Isabela. This led US President Theodore Roosevelt to declare the rebellion ended.

An American governor was appointed for Bataan – Harry Gouldman (1901-1903). The first Filipino governor was Tomas G. del Rosario of Balanga (1903-1905). He was followed by: Lorenzo Zialcita of Orani (1905-1907); Pedro J. Rich of Samal (1907-1909); Mariano Rosauro of Balanga (1909-1912); and Maximino R. de los Reyes of Balanga (1912-1916).

The line of congressmen from the province is compared of the following: Jose Ma. Lerma of Pilar (1907-1909); Tomas G. del Rosario of Balanga (1909-1912); Pablo Tecson of Balanga (1912-1916); and Maximino de los Reyes of Balanga (1916-1922).

It was during the incumbency of Maximino R. de los Reyes that Limay, on January 1, 1917, became a town separated from Orion, due to a petition led by Domingo de Ocampo, Francisco Villafranca, Emilio Ambrocio, Jose del Rosario, Mariano de San Pedro and Victorino Calma. It was also de los Reyes who worked hard to stabilize the economy of the province so that it would not be reabsorbed by the province of Pampanga.

Other provincial governors were: Conrado Lerma of Pilar (1916-1918); Pedro J. Rich of Samal (1918-1919); Alberto Aquino of Samal (1919-1922); Manuel Aguinaldo of Pilar (1922-1925); Gregorio Quicho of Orion (1925-1931); and Sabino de Leon of Pilar (1931-1934). The representatives were: Antonio Llamas of Mariveles (1922-1925); Manuel Banzon of Balanga (1925-1928); Teodoro Camacho, Sr. of Balanga (1928-1931); and Fortunado de Leon of Orion (1931-1934).

The Philippine Commonwealth under President Manuel L. Quezon lasted from 1935 to 1946. This was, however, interrupted by the Japanese occupation of the country. Before the coming of the Japanes, the governors were: Alberto Aquino of Samal (1934-1937); Joaquin J. Linao of Morong (1937-1940); and Jose Manahan of Balanga (1940-1941). The congressmen were Teodoro Camacho, Sr. of Balanga (1934-1941) and Antonio G. Llamas of Mariveles (1941).

The Second Republic of the Philippines (1942-1945) refers to the puppet government headed by President Jose P. Laurel during the Japanese occupation of the Islands. The governors of Bataan then were Simeon Salonga (1942-1945) and Teodoro Camacho (1945-1946). The Japanese bowed out of the Islands with rumors of Yamashita’s treasure even as they left without even multering arigato or sayonara.

MacArthur returned and the United States granted independence to the Philippines on July 4, 1946. Among the many legacies of the Americans to Filipinos are democracy, press freedom, the English language, health care and the public school system.

To expand the public school system in the Philippines, the United States sent teachers, who came to be known as Thomasites, because they arrived on board the ship Thomas, which left San Franscisco on July 1901 and arrived on August 23, 1901.

Three Thomasites were assigned in Bataan: Frank A. Butts, in Abucay; C.H. Goddarch, in Mariveles; and Bessie Taylor, in Balanga.

Soon, native teachers were being trained. Night schools were established and provincial schools offered English courses. Summer institutes were opened from February 15 to March 30 of each year either in San Fernando (Pampanga) or Balanga. Scholars were sent to the United States to study, among whom was Pedro Tuazon of Balanga.

Orani opened its first American school on February 27, 1902, when Benito Pangilinan was superintendent of schools in the province. On June 1904, Balanga had a complete elementary school up to grades five and six. By 1916, Limay had a primary school. The establishment of schools was a priority project of Governor Alberto Aquino, especially in Morong, Dinalupihan, Orani and Mariveles.

Private schools were also founded. In 1925, Felisa Baens was said to have started a high school in Orani with Arcangel de la Fuente as its first teacher. In 1926, the Jose Rizal Institute was put up in Orion, and Later in Orani, by Francisco de la Rosa, Florentino Simeon and Alfredo Angeles.

In general, the American regime also greatly influenced the people. Instead of just eating pesang pating, lugaw na butete, ginisang pindangga or pinais na page, people began to develop a taste for oatmeal, hamburger and hot dog. In addition to the usual suka, patis and toyo, they began to use catsup, chew gums instead of buyo and smoke American cigarettes. Instead of just using higot, men started to use suspenders and belts. They began wearing polo shirts and sporting tennis shoes. Women shortened their dresses.

Poker and bridge took the place of monte and panguingue. Bowling, basketball, baseball and volleyball were introduced in lieu of sabong. The carnival became a part of every town fiesta. Zarzuelas and the moro-moro or comedias were presented with vaudeville. Movies were popularized. The old Chinese restaurants were glamorized into soda fountains. Cabarets with bellas, which later became synonimous with women of ill repute, sprouted in almost every municipality. The sounds of Charleston, boogie-woogie and fox trot predominated in these places, though always with due respect to the pabasa and cenaculo of Lent.

The byword of the time was, of course, “Victory Joe!”

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