8/15/2019 BautistaPhilippines During the Pre- World War II Commonwealth Years (1935- 1941): An Assessment

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Bautista, Patricia Anne D. December 1, 2015

2014063262 2LM1

Philippines During the Pre- World War II Commonwealth Years (1935- 1941)

!n !ssessment

Important hi h!i hts"

#he Inau uration o$ the Phi!ippine %ommon&ea!th happene' on (o)ember 15, 1*35. +or

the $irst time since mi!io A uina!'o, the $oremost !ea'er o$ the Phi!ippines &i!! be a +i!ipino

name' Manue! Luis -ue on. -ue on/s ice Presi'ent 'urin that time &as er io smena &ho

&as a )eteran po!itician. #he u'icia! an' !e is!ati)e branches o$ the Phi!ippine %ommon&ea!th

o$ the Phi!ippines &ere a!so hea'e' an' compose' o$ +i!ipinos.

n'er the terms o$ the Phi!ippine In'epen'ence Act &hich &as a!so no&n as the

# 'in s7 McDu$$ie Act, the nite' tate' &ere authori e' to remain in the so)erei n o$ the

Phi!ippines $or ten ears as the Phi!ippines prepare itse!$ $or its in'epen'ence.

Durin the %ommon&ea!th Perio', the Presi'ent o$ the %ommon&ea!th o)ernment o$

the Phi!ippines &as a!so the countr /s %hie$ 8ecuti)e. #he !e is!ati)e branch at the inau uration

o$ the %ommon&ea!th o)ernment &as the (ationa! Assemb! &hich &as a unicamera! bo' .

9omen &ere a!!o&e' to )ote in 1*35. In 1*3*, there &ere on! 1**, 12* re istere'

&omen )oters compare' to 1, :56, ;43 ma!e )oters $or a tota! o$ 1, *35, *:2.

8/15/2019 BautistaPhilippines During the Pre- World War II Commonwealth Years (1935- 1941): An Assessment

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Mean&hi!e, -ue on in 1*3: &as a!rea' see in secon' term as Presi'ent o$ the

Phi!ippine %ommon&ea!th. -ue on &ante' the %onstitution to pro)i'e $or ree!ection that &ou!'

a!!o& the Presi'ent to ser)e a tota! o$ t&e!)e ears.

ther amen'ments sou ht b -ue on &ere the abo!ition o$ the !ectora! %ommission an'

the remo)a! o$ the po&er to impeach $rom the (ationa! Assemb! . #hese amen'ments &ere

c!ear! se!$7 ser)in . #he $irst amen'ment &ou!' a!!o& him to be ree!ecte' to a secon' term

&hich enab!es him to sta in o$$ice $or another si8 ears. In the secon', the abo!ition o$ the

!ectora! %ommission an' the i)in o$ e!ectora! cases to the courts &ou!' on! bur'en the

u'iciar . In the thir' propose' amen'ment, -ue on &ou!' become a 'ictator.

9hi!e -ue on &as see in amen'ments to the %onstitution, the Americans &ho o&ne'

substantia! interests in the Phi!ippines ur e' the postponement o$ the countr /s in'epen'ence. n

the other han', the mi!itar ur e' the imme'iate rantin o$ in'epen'ence to the Phi!ippines.

#he initia! acts o$ the Phi!ippine Le is!ature a$ter the inau uration o$ the Phi!ippine

%ommon&ea!th inc!u'e' the hectic passa e o$ !a&s in preparation $or the countr /s

in'epen'ence. #he $irst !a& passe' b the (ationa! Assemb! un'er the %ommon&ea!th &as the

(ationa! De$ense Act o$ 1*35 or <%A (o. 1=. #here &ere a tota! o$ 1: !a&s passe' b the

(ationa! Assemb! in the space o$ then 'a s $rom December 21 to December 31, 1*35.

#he Phi!ippine econom 'urin the %ommon&ea!th perio' &as enera!! an uptren'

'espite attempts b American interests to !imit the $ree entr o$ the countr /s pro'ucts to the

nite' tates. #he cost o$ !i)in 'urin the common&ea!th perio' appeare' to be ine8pensi)e i$

one compares it to to'a /s stan'ar's. #he e8chan e rate o$ the 'o!!ar to the Phi!ippine Peso

&as t&o pesos to a 'o!!ar. >o&e)er, the !e)e! o$ the peop!e/s income &as )er !o&. #his means

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American 9ar. #he %onstabu!ar consi'ere' the Ase'i!!o7 nca!!a'o roup as mere ban'its &ho

committe' a series o$ mur'ers an' robberies.

#he increasin rest!essness o$ peasant an' !abor roups in$!uence' b !e$tist e!ements

pro'uce' a response $rom conser)ati)e e!ements. )ents outsi'e the Phi!ippines a!so in$!uence'

actions b conser)ati)es. Man e!ements o$ the %atho!ic %hurch si'e' &ith the secu!ar e!ements

b i!!ustratin the re!i ious 'imensions o$ the risin ti'e o$ the !e$tists.

As seen b the press, the o)ernment &as percei)e' to be in'i$$erent to the nee's o$ the

peop!e an' its he!p!essness to come to the ai' o$ the nee' &as cause' b re' tape.

9hi!e the +i!ipinos &ere occupie' &ith their part po!itics, insurrections an' o$$icia!

corruption, the threat $rom Capan &as becomin more imminent. #here &ere 'i$$icu!ties ho&e)er

in the mi!itar or ani ation. -ue on an' his mi!itar a')isors en'ure' a )ariet o$ harassment.

#he %ommon&ea!th o)ernment, a!rea' hea) un'er the sha'o& o$ -ue on, 'ri$te' to&ar's a

comp!ete one7 man ru!e b the outbrea o$ the econ' 9or!' 9ar.

#he %ommon&ea!th perio' &as actua!! a time o$ stri$e. #he %ommon&ea!th &as

suppose' to be the initiation o$ the Phi!ippines as a 'emocratic state. Instea' it &as an initiation

to&ar's a possib!e 'ictatorship.

@e$!ection"

#he part o$ the essa that touche' me the most is the part &here &omen &ere a!!o&e' to

)ote in the ear 1*3:. #he act that &omen &ere a!!o&e' to )ote 'urin the %ommon&ea!th

Perio' &as a si ni$icant act because it sho&s that &omen are consi'ere' as an essentia! aspect o$

the societ . It sho&s that &omen are one o$ those &ho are un'er preparation 'urin the

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%ommon&ea!th Perio' $or the upcomin in'epen'ence o$ the Phi!ippines. 9omen &ere i)en an

opportunit to e8ercise their ri ht an' this is a steppin stone $or unit in our societ 7 &hich is

nee'e' because unit is essentia! i$ &e are see in $or in'epen'ence.

A!so, another part o$ the essa that touche' me is &hen the Phi!ippines ha' a $air!

respectab!e mo)ie in'ustr that +i!ipino $i!ms &ere a!so pro'uce' in n !ish, panish, an'

#a a!o . #he $act that mo)ies &ere pro'uce' in 'i$$erent !an ua es si ni$ies that other

nationa!ities &ere intereste' in our o&n &or . It sho&s that e)en 'urin the start o$ the

Phi!ippine/s pro ress to in'epen'ence, &e &ere a!rea' !oba!! competent in 'i$$erent $ie!'s

such as in the $ie!' o$ arts.

App!ication o$ the essa to our $ie!' o$ specia!i ation7 Le a! Mana ement"

#he essa entit!e' EPhi!ippines Durin the Pre7 9or!' 9ar II %ommon&ea!th ears

<1*357 1*41=" An AssessmentF b Au usto . 'e iana, Ph.D. can he!p us ha)e a !impse in

'etai!e' $orm o$ the %ommon&ea!th Perio' an' its !a&s. I ha)e obser)e' that the !a&s

imp!emente' 'urin that time &ere )er time! . La&s &ere para!!e! to the nee'e' re$ormation

'urin that time. #his shou!' app!ie' to'a 7 that &e shou!' on! pass !a&s that are time! , that

are re!e)ant to the current situation o$ our societ to'a . La&s that &i!! a''ress the current issues

in our societ are nee'e'. 9e 'on/t nee' !e is!ators passin !a&s that are irre!e)ant an' on!

a'ministere' $or the sa e o$ sa in that the !e is!ati)e s stem ha' passe' a !a&.

>o&e)er, I ha)e a!so come across a part in the essa sa in that Ethere &ere a tota! o$ 1:

!a&s passe' b the (ationa! Assemb! in the space o$ ten 'a s $rom December 21 to December

31, 1*35F this is uite impu!si)e. La&s are a sensiti)e matter &hich is &h it shou!'n/t be ta en

as impu!si)e as passin 1: !a&s in 10 'a s.

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