Directory_and_Chronicle_1939 — Page 1688

D4

THE PHILIPPINES

A Constitutional Convention was elected and on February 8th, 1935 adopted a Constitution, which in due course was approved by the President of the United States and accepted by the people. Elections were held on September 17th, 1935, when Mr. Manuel L. Quezon was elected President, and Mr. Sergio Osmena, Vice- President of the Philippines. At the same time were chosen the 98 members of the unicameral National Assembly which was to replace the existing bicameral Legisla ture. The inauguration of the Commonwealth Government took place on November 15th, 1935 by proclamation of the President of the United States.

The Constitution provides for a republican form of government, and contains a Bill of Rights, setting forth certain fundamental safeguards of individual liberty, which show the influence of Anglo-Saxon ideas. Suffrage is accorded to all literate male and female citizens over 21 years of age. Legislative power is vested in a National Assembly of not more than 120 members (initially 98) to be chosen every three years, by popular election. The heads of the executive departments are not members, but they may, either upon their own initiative or upon request by the Assembly, appear before and be heard by that body, on any matter pertaining to their departments. The executive power is vested in a President, chosen by direct election for a term of six years, who may not be re-elected for the following term. He has control of all the departments of the administration and appoints their heads with the consent of the Commission on Appointments of the National Assembly. He is commander-in-chief of the armed forces and possesses the power to grant reprieves and pardons.

The judicial power is vested in a Supreme Court composed of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, a Court of Appeals composed of the Presiding Justice and fourteen Associate Justices and in Courts of First Instance established in the various judicial districts.

The Tydings-McDuffie Act provides that during the Commonwealth period all citizens of the Philippines shall owe allegiance to the United States and all officers of the government shall make an oath of allegiance to the United States. During the same period foreign affairs are under the direct supervision and control of the United States, and acts of the National Assembly relating to currency, coinage, imports, exports and immigration must receive the approval of the President of the United States. The President of the United States is represented by a United States High Commissioner, who has access to all government records, and may obtain from the Chief Executive of the Philippines any information which he shall request. The Act provides for the intervention of the High Commissioner in the financial affairs of the country under certain circumstances, and directs that he shall make an annual re- port, and any other reports which may be required, to the President and Congress of the United States. Other duties and functions may be delegated to him, in accordance with the Act, by the President of the United States. The Philippine Government is empowered to appoint a Resident Commissioner to the United States, who shall have a seat in the House of Representatives of the United States, with the right of debate but without the right of voting.

The United States may, by Presidential proclamation, exercise the right to inter- vene for the preservation of the Government and for its maintenance as provided in the constitution, and for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for the discharge of government obligations under the constitution.

EDUCATION AND LITERACY

Public education in the Philippines is free, secular and co-educational, and the prin cipal aim is to make the people socially proficient. As a means to this end, emphasis is placed upon the spread of literacy on the basis of a common language-English, The Bureau of Education maintains a complete system of public education. Public elementary and high schools are distributed throughout the Country. Insular school's for special education are maintained. The enrolment of students in the public schools is increasing every year and is now 1,459,743. Private schols, patterned after the public schools, besides the old Spanish schools and colleges which still survive, have sprung up in the Philippines in recent years. The enrolment in private school and colleges is 120,052. These schools offer primary, intermediate, secondary, collegiate, technical and vocation courses, and conie under the supervision of the Department of Public Instruction. Practically all these offer instruction in English, and even

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