POLITICAL CARICATURES

• Caricature


  A picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristic are exaggerated in order to create a comic or ridiculous effect. Can be insulting or complimentary and can serve a political purpose or be drawn solely for entertainment.
• Political Caricature


  A type of drawing that is used to present a comment, opinion, or criticism on a particular event, person and situation. Gained full expression during American era.
• Alfred W. McCoy is a Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin who specializes in S.E. Asia. He graduated from the Kent School in 1964, earned his B.A. from Columbia College and his Ph.D. in Southeast Asian history from Yale University in 1977. In 2001, he was awarded the Grant Goodman Prize for his career contributions to the study of the Philippines by the Association for Asian Studies. In October 2012, he was awarded the Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal by Yale University's Graduate School Alumni Association.
• Alfredo Roces is the contributor and book designer of "Political Caricature of the American Era". He was awarded the Philippine Catholic Mass Media Award, Best Book of the Year for 1985 and the Philippine National Book award for History, 1986.

  
• The Independent on May 20, 1916

  • A cartoon showing a politician from Tondo, named Dr. Santos, passing his crown to his brother-in-law, Dr. Barcelona. A Filipino guy (mas depicted wearing salakot and barong tagalog) was trying to stop Santos, telling the latter to stop giving Barcelona the crown because it is not his to begin with.
• The Independent on June 16,1917


  • A cartoon drawn by Fernando Amorsolo as a Commentary to the workings of Manila Police at the period. Here, we see a Filipino child who stole a skinny chicken because he had nothing to eat. The police officer was relentlessly pursuing the said child. A man wearing a salakot, labeled Juan dela Cruz was grabbing the officer, telling him to leave the small-time pickpockets and thieves and turn at the great thieves instead, pointing to huge warehouses containing bulks of rice, milk, and grocery products.
• The Philippine Free Press


  • A cartoon commentary on the unprecedented cases of colorum automobiles in the city streets.
• The Independent on November 27,1915


  • A caricature of Uncle Sam riding a chariot pulled by Filipinos wearing school uniforms. The Filipino boys were carrying American objects like baseball bats, whiskey, and boxing gloves. This cartoon was based on an event in 1907 when William Howard Taft was brought to the Manila pier riding a chariot pulled by students Liceo de Manila, which was condemned by the nationalist at that time.

  
• Lipang Kalabaw on August 1907


  • A cartoon titled "El Turno Los Partidos" showing Uncle Sam rationing porridge to the politicians of the Progresista Party while members of Nacionalista party look on and wait for their turn. The porridge served as patronage of Uncle Sam to these important people who are separated by two factions, the Progresista and Nacionalista parties.
• The cartoon's caption "New Bird of Prey"


  • An allusion to the most famous libel case in the history of Philippine journalism. In 1908 the nationalist weekly El Renacimiento published an editorial titled Aves de Rapina (Birds of Prey) which attacked the Philippines commission's secretary of the interior, Dean C. Worcester, for abusing his office to exploit the country. Worcester sued for libel and, two years later, won a judgment of P60,000 against El Renacimiento, a colossal sum that forced closure of the paper and sale of its assets.

  
• By 1920, the Board of Health was resting on its laurels and the quality of mosquito control was slipping dangerously. Under Governor-General Francis B Harrison's "Filipinization" program, the Board of Health had been turned over to Filipino civil servants who did not administer the public health programs with the same efficiency or arbitrary authority.
• The Philippine Assembly passed a law authorizing all legislators, active or retired, to bear firearms. The Manila press was outraged, but the legislators ignored the opposition and promulgated the law over the screams of protest.
• Agrarian issues in the Philippines got worse.
• Importance of the documents

  They provide an important record of the American era, reflecting the values, conflicts and important issues in the society. They represent the feelings of the people's way to discuss political and social issues using arts. The future generations will be able to have a glimpse of the past Philippine society through these cartoons.