Chapter 11
The Commonwealth Period
1930-1940
* highlighted in violet is the timeline or date
The United States has been reluctant to give Philippines a sovereignty. As early as 1919, Manuel L. Quezon as Senate President from 1916 went to US Congress to lobby for independence. After 10 long years, something happened on October 29, 1929. The US stock market had crashed and subsequently every cities around the world necessarily follows from Great Britain to France and Germany. The demand of goods decreased agricultural production dwindled widespread fall of profits followed by bank failures and bankruptcy, production on manufacturing collapsed, millions upon millions were laid-off, personal income sank deeply. Desperate citizens were hopeless, Germans propelling Adolf Hitler to power, there were soup kitchens in America to feed the hungry while Great Depression did not strongly affect Japan.
" As you know, the Filipinos would like to be independent. But it would be stupid of the USA to fulfill this wish, because they are as yet absolutely incapable of governing themselves. They have some freedom in internal affairs. Many Filipinos are employed in the administration, and they have their own Parliament. But they still need the guiding hand of a civilized people "
- (Albert Irminger Letter 1919)
Iloilo Sugar Saved The Day
For the second time around, it was mainly Iloilo strong sugar industry and labor unions had a stake in loosening the United States ties to the Philippines since they could not compete with the Philippine cheap sugar (and other commodities) which could freely exported to the U.S. Market. Therefore, they agitated in favor of granting independence to the Philippines so that its cheap products and labor could be shut out of the United States. In 1934, America approved the Philippine independence law known as the Tydings–McDuffie Act. It was crafted to prepare the Philippines for its eventual independence after a ten-year period. The Tydings- McDuffie Act also enabled them to draft and adopt constitution subject to the concurrence of the U.S. President.
In accordance to the Tydings-McDuffie Law, election of delegates to the 1934 Constitutional Convention was held on July 10, 1934. The Philippines now have its own Constitution and can elect the first President of the Philippines adopted the legislative system to have a unicameral national assembly instead of previous set-up with bicameral (with a Senate). After the 1935 Constitution was ratified elections were held on September 17, 1935. The Philippine Commonwealth was inaugurated on November 15, 1935. Manuel Quezon won as President.
Iloilo Representatives in the Philippines 1st National Assembly (November 25- December 21, 1935)
1st District - Jose C. Zulueta
2nd District - Ruperto Montinola
3rd District - Tomas Confesor
4th District - Tomas Buenaflor
5th District - Victoriano M. Salcedo
Commonwealth Act Number 1 or the National Defense Act of 1935 was passed which founded the Philippine Army. The act divided the Commonwealth of the Philippines into ten military districts. The creation of the Budget Commission by virtue of Commonwealth Act number 1. General Appropriations Act of 1936 or Commonwealth Act 246 - congress should appropriate and approved budget of government agencies. Commonwealth Act No. 186 passed on November 14, 1936 the creation of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Change of Title - From Municipal President to Municipal Mayor
Because in 1935 constitution, the Philippines has a president the title municipal president and city president was changed into municipal mayor and city mayor respectively to avoid confusion. Iloilo City mayor were appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments of the Congress of Philippines.
Iloilo Mission Hospital
By 1920, the hospital expanded to seventy beds. By this time the School of Nursing was registered with the government. In 1924, the American Baptists were given full charge of the hospital and it was renamed the Iloilo Mission Hospital. More space was needed and a land was purchased in Jaro District and with the help of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society and the local community the new building was completed in 1931.
(Source: 1937 Panay Directory and Souvenir Book)
The First Airline Company in ASIA - in Iloilo
Due to the economic depression that swept the countries around the world, Iloilo port was losing 76% of Negros sugar exports. Sugar barons of Iloilo were affected. One of them was Eugenio Lopez Sr. Considering that a number of Ilonggos were frequently going to Manila and Bacolod, he planned to invest in commercial aviation. A unit of planes were bought in America and in February 1, 1933, INAEC launched its historical first flight using Stinson Tri-Motor, a 10-passenger capacity that flew from Iloilo to Manila with US Air Force Major Henry Meider as first pilot (Photo Above). It was the first airline company in Asia predating PAL, JAL and Singapore Air.
Airlines regular air services between Manila, Bacolod, Iloilo and Cebu started within a year and then expanded to Zambonga and Davao in another two years. INAEC with its three-engine aircraft advertised its air travels as “fast, commodious, elegant and reliant” compared with the other services.
Despite the great depression in the US and Europe, aviation in the Philippines still boomed at that time with 60 airfields scattered all over the country, four of which is in Manila. INAEC then used Grace Park (airfields were then called “parks”) located near the Bonifacio Monument (now the Paseo de Roxas in Ayala Avenue, Makati). Four year operation was very profitable so in 1937 INAEC purchased its own seaplane, a Sikorsky S-43 amphibian worth 260,000 the most modern aircraft at that time and which carried one passenger. INAEC introduced steward service which was the first in the Philippines.
1935 - Steel Bridge in Guimbal
Guimbal bridge reputed to be the longest in Panay at that time and even up to the present was constructed. The steel were imported from Virginia, USA. Tigbauan concrete bridge, Halawud (Jalaur) bridge, Tiolas River bridge, Tigum River bridge, and the Miag-ao River bridge. Thus by 1935, Iloilo province maintained a total of 404.8 kilometers of first class and 111 kilometers of second and third class roads. Of these, 36.5 kilometers were asphalt-paved and 2 kilometers were concrete-paved.
1933-1935 - Construction of Presidencia de Iloilo
It was designed by Filipino architect Juan Arellano. The lot donated by Ilonggo philanthropist Doña Juliana Melliza. The building is one-level structure with neat rows of arched windows. The main entrance dividing the horizontal plane in two equal parts is flanked on either side by austere-looking composite pilasters and projected the arches of the windows. Its roof is also capped with an interesting cupola or dome. The façade is more grandiose and imposing by employing the artistic acumen of his Italian friend Francesco Riccardo Monti expert on funerary art: he sculpted two bronze male statues on opposite sides of the entrance depicting abstract concepts of the Roman law and order and a bas relief of four figures above the arched opening.
Despite its composite neo-classic elements outside, art deco and even nativist elements predominate the interior. It has two big patios and a wide court that serves as entrance foyer. The emphasis on compactness and the dominance of its environs are highlighted in outside lines while space, ventilation, and lighting are given importance in the interior layout. Neoclassic elements are present in the entire building: uniformly arched windows, composite columns, high ceilings and dome. Tropical features reflective of the Filipino bahay na bato are also observable: wide sliding main windows, ventanillas, and raised wooden floors.
The building’s centerpiece consists of the court room and the session hall (also known as Lozano Hall) which was named in honor of Cresenciano Lozano, a lawmaker from Guimaras who authored House Bill 2368 which became RA 365 granting Iloilo the status of a chartered city in 1937. The building construction was completed on February 4, 1935.
Amid much fanfare and celebration coinciding with the Christmas season, the building also known as the presidencia was formally inaugurated with much grandeur attended by no less than foreign consuls and representatives on December 19, 1936.
The Philippine 1st National Assembly passed the Commonwealth Act No.158 converting the town of Iloilo on July 16, 1937 as a chartered city of Iloilo province. Inauguration was held on August 25, 1937 after the municipalities of La Paz, Mandurriao, Molo
and Arevalo were merged. Ramon Campos, the first mayor of the chartered city of Iloilo occupied the building in 1937.
(Iloilo Customs House, 1930. Photo by Marshall E. Fields)
Leganes became a full pledge town through the efforts of the late congressman Tomas Confesor then governor of Iloilo province. Leganes was created a municipality pursuant to Executive Order No. 241 of then Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon on January 1, 1940.
A good peaceful life.
It has been the situation in
Iloilo during the American Era.
Out of knowledge of most people, Japan has been taking steps to widen its influence and territory. After it signed a pact with Germany and Italy, Japan seized countries of South Pacific.
The next chapter is one of the ugliest times of Iloilo. People are in intense terror, women weep, children are crying and men are either prompted to fight for their life and freedom.
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