Philippine Commission

The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral legislature, with the elected Philippine Assembly acting as lower house. The Jones Act of 1916 created an elected Philippine Senate to replace the Philippine Commission.

1 First Philippine Commission
2 Second Philippine Commission
3 Sessions
- 3.1 Leadership
4 Members
5 See also
6 References and Notes
7 External links
8 Further reading

[edit] First Philippine Commission

Main article: Schurman Commission

On January 20, 1899, President McKinley appointed the First Philippine Commission (the Schurman Commission), a five-person group headed by Dr. Jacob Schurman, president of Cornell University, to investigate conditions in the islands and make recommendations. In the report that they issued to the president the following year, the commissioners acknowledged Filipino aspirations for independence; they declared, however, that the Philippines was not ready for it. Specific recommendations included the establishment of civilian government as rapidly as possible (the American chief executive in the islands at that time was the military governor), including establishment of a bicameral legislature, autonomous governments on the provincial and municipal levels, and a system of free public elementary schools.^[1]

[edit] Second Philippine Commission

Main article: Taft Commission

The Second Philippine Commission (the Taft Commission), appointed by McKinley on March 16, 1900, and headed by William Howard Taft, was granted legislative as well as limited executive powers. Between September 1900 and August 1902, it issued 499 laws. A judicial system was established, including a Supreme Court, and a legal code was drawn up to replace antiquated Spanish ordinances. A civil service was organized. The 1901 municipal code provided for popularly elected presidents, vice presidents, and councilors to serve on municipal boards. The municipal board members were responsible for collecting taxes, maintaining municipal properties, and undertaking necessary construction projects; they also elected provincial governors.^[1]

The Philippine Organic Act of July 1902 stipulated that a legislature would be established composed of a lower house, the Philippine Assembly, which would be popularly elected, and an upper house consisting of the Philippine Commission. The two houses would share legislative powers, although the upper house alone would pass laws relating to the Moros and other non-Christian peoples. The act also provided for extending the United States Bill of Rights to Filipinos and sending two Filipino resident commissioners to Washington to attend sessions of the United States Congress. In July 1907, the first elections for the assembly were held, and the legislature opened its first session on October 16, 1907.^[1]^[2]

[edit] Sessions

Regular Sessions (Executive and Legislative): September 1, 1901 – October 16, 1907
- Regular Sessions (Upper Legislative Chamber): starting October 16, 1907

[edit] Leadership

Governor-General:

William Howard Taft (1901-1903)

Luke Edward Wright (1903-1906)

Henry Clay Ide (1906)

James Francis Smith (1906-1907)

[edit] Members

Secretary of Finance and Justice:

Name	Month started	Month finished
Secretaries of Finance and Justice
Henry Clay Ide	September 1, 1901	September 24, 1906
James Francis Smith	September 25, 1906	June 30, 1908
Gregorio Araneta	July 1, 1908	October 30, 1913
Victorino Mapa	November 1, 1913	January 14, 1917

Secretary of the Interior:

Name	Month started	Month finished
Secretaries of the Interior
Dean C. Worcester	September 1, 1901	1913
Winfred Denson	1913	1916

Secretary of Commerce and Police:

Name	Month started	Month finished
Secretaries of Commerce and Police
Luke Edward Wright	September 1, 1901	February 1, 1904
William Cameron Forbes	February 1, 1904	1909
Charles Elliot	1910	1913
Clinton Riggs	1913	1915
Eugene Reed	1915	1916

Secretary of Public Instruction:

Name	Term started	Term finished
Secretaries of Public Instruction
Bernard Moses	September 1, 1901	June 30, 1908
W. Morgan Shuster	June 30, 1908	1909
Newton W. Gilbert	1909	1915
Henderson Martin	1915	1916

Philippine Members (1901-1909):

Name	Term started	Term finished
Philippine Members of the Philippine Commission
Benito Legarda	September 1, 1901	December 21, 1907
Trinidad Pardo H. Tavera	September 1, 1901	March 1, 1909
Jose Luzuriaga	September 1, 1901	1913

Philippine Members (1909-1913):

Name	Term started	Term finished
Philippine Members of the Philippine Commission
Rafael Palma	December 21, 1907	1913
Juan Sumulong	March 1, 1909	1913
Jose Luzuriaga	September 1, 1901	1913
Gregorio Araneta	1909	1913

[edit] See also

[edit] References and Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c Philippines: United States Rule. U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
^ The Philippine Bill of July 1902. Filipiniana.net online digital library (July 1, 1902). Retrieved on 2008-01-07.

[edit] External links

List of Senators. Senate of the Philippines. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
The LAWPHi'L Project - Philippine Laws and Jurispudance Databank. Arellano Law Foundation. Retrieved on 2006-09-16.

[edit] Further reading

Philippine House of Representatives Congressional Library
The Presidents of the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines. ISBN 971-8832-24-6.
Pobre, Cesar P.. Philippine Legislature 100 Years. ISBN 971-92245-0-9.

v • d • e Legislatures of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines Senate • House of Representatives

Malolos Congress (1898–1899) • Philippine Commission (1900–1916) • Philippine Assembly (1907–1935) • National Assembly (1935–1941, 1943–1944) • Batasang Pambansa (1978–1984)