Freedom

Freedom in the Philippines

In 1899, U.S. troops fired on Philippine troops, which erupted the Philippine-American War. The next couple of years was a bloody war of aggression, which the United States won. This led to a series of both U.S. and Philippine-based movement challenges. Eventually, the United States wanted "pacification". which led to the United States slowly pulling out of the Philippines. In 1916, they passed a law called "The Jones Law". Which promised independence to the Philippines once Filipinos were able to prove they could govern themselves. They helped the Philippines set up a stable government, and by 1925, only one American was left in a governor's cabinet. In 1934, Quezon, the dominant political leader in the Philippines at the time, devised the Philippine Independence Act. To which the United States agreed. After 10 years of autonomous governance, the United States withdrew its sovereignty over the islands, and on July 4th, 1946, the United States recognized the Philippines as an independent republic.

The Philippines' process of becoming an independent republic is hard to understand. But they did it by hard work, constant pressure on the United States to make a decision, and determination that they will be their own country.

Manuel Quezon

Manuel Quezon was the dominant political leader in the Philippines during their struggle for independence. As well as the first president under the Philippine Commonwealth. he was entitled to speak but not to vote. He spent time in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he continued to fight for independence. He played a major role in the Jones Act, which pledged independence to the Philippines without giving a specific date of effect.

Post-Independence

This image is a picture of Bongbong Marcos. He is the current leader in the Philippines. He has been voted as one of the world's most influential people.

Since the Philippines' independence in 1946, they have experienced a dynamic political history, to say the least. In the early years, they put their focus on post-war reconstruction under democratic leaders. Although governance was often dominated by political elites, corruption and inequality. A man named Ferdinand Marcos came into power and almost immediately declared martial law, his rule was characterized by human rights abuse and economic mismanagement. This led to the People Power Revolution, which kicked Marcos out of power and restored democracy under Corazon Aquino. This led to stronger democratic institutions and addressing social and economic challenges. Despite consistent economic growth, the Philippines continue to struggle with inequality, corruption, and finding their place in regional geopolitics.

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