Manuel L. Quezon

“ We shall endeavor to protect and defend our national integrity and independence to the limit of our means. We know not what the future has in store for us, but we have faith in a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who alone holds our fate. ”

“ That if the Filipino people are unwilling or afraid to assume the responsibilities of independent nationhood by 1946, their only alternative is to petition Congress to declare the Philippines permanently as American territory. ”

“ One of the most important but neglected industries is our fishing industry. To enable the Government effectively to promote this industry and to exercise the necessary supervision and control over the same, I propose the conversion of the present Fish and Game Administration Division into a bureau under the Department of Agriculture and Commerce. ”

“ I likewise desire to submit to your consideration the need of imposing special assessment tax upon real property that have greatly appreciated in value as a result of the construction by the National Government of roads or other public improvements. The owners of such properties have no right to enjoy the extra­ordinary rise in value or the increase in the income, without contributing proportionately to the cost of said improvements.
There are many cases involving the ejectment of poor people who have built small houses on unim­proved lands with the consent of the owners thereof. ”

“ Moreover, experience shows that the cost of strikes both to capital and labor in terms of financial losses, physical and moral suffering, and otherwise is enor­mous. Such loss, directly or indirectly, is shared by the whole community. Strikes should not, therefore, be used except as a last resort, for the settlement of industrial and agrarian disputes or for securing recognition of the rights of labor. ”

“ Because of the construction of public improvements, the value of these lands has risen suddenly and the owners are demanding prices which are far beyond the ability of their tenants to pay. It is cruel to permit the ejection of these poor people and to have their houses destroyed, thus leaving them without shelter. The National Assembly should consider the advisability of amending the existing law regulating ejectment proceedings so as to protect such tenants by pro­hibiting their ejectment until the Government has had opportunity to take care of them. ”

“ Closely allied with the problem of economic ad­justment is the question of scientific research. I de­sire to reiterate my recommendation in a previous message to the National Assembly to consolidate all the agencies of the Government engaged in scientific research into one scientific research institute, using the Bureau of Science as a nucleus for the purpose. The expenses for its operation may be covered with the funds appropriated for the Bureau of Science and the other agencies of the Government dealing in re­search. ”

“ Unemployment continues to be one of the main problems of the Government, and that problem, in all likelihood, will confront us for some time to come. For the purpose of assisting the Secretary of Labor in the study of this matter, I have created an Advisory Board on Unemployment; and, as an aid to the solu­tion of the problem, or at least to prevent its aggra­vation, I recommend the enactment of immigration laws that will place limitations upon foreign immigration thus protecting Filipino labor from alien competition. ”

“ But the prices of these lands have been unjustly boosted by their owners. The increase of population and the public improvements made by the Government are being taken advantage of by these land profiteers to exploit the public. These lands have been held unimproved all these many years. Their owners have valued them for purposes of taxation at incomprehensively low prices, and now for lands that are assessed at four centavos per square meter, the owners are exacting from the Government or private indi­viduals a price of three, four and even more pesos per square meter. ”

“ In the Hacienda de Buenavista in Bulacan, for a long time a focus of unrest and disturbances, some of the tenants who have been made to believe that they could become the owners of the land without paying fur it, are as yet not fully convinced that they have been deceived, and instead of welcoming the help of the Government, are either refusing to agree to the plan devised for the ultimate transfer to them of their landholdings, or in some other way trying to frustrate the plan. ”

“ While it is our purpose to maintain inviolate the right, of private property, we must not pay more than what is just compensation therefore, taking into con­sideration the value at which the property has been assessed upon the owner’s own declaration or with his consent. ”

“ Capital in the Philippines does not as yet seem to fully realize its obligations to labor and to society, and it will be necessary for you to enact after due investigation further labor legislations that will secure for the underpaid laborers higher wages and better living conditions, especially in the mining and sugar industries. ”

“ On the other hand, we cannot consider permanent political relationship with America except on the basis that the Philippines would at least have full and complete power over immigration, imports, exports, currency and related financial subjects, as well as the right to conclude commercial treaties with other nations, without being subjected to the super­vision and control of the United Slates. ”

“ Arbitration or adjudication by the Court of Industrial Relations has been found to be less wasteful and more expedient procedure for securing substantial justice. In any event, when a strike is declared, the use of violence or sabotage, by either side, will not be countenanced by the Government. ”

“ In order to meet the need of our industries for technological service, it is advisable that we increase the number of government scholarships abroad. From the appropriation at our disposal, we are able to grant only twenty scholarships every year. The better to carry out our program of economic development, this number should be increased. ”

“ We are trying to free these communities from the grip of absentee landlordism and to help them become owners of their homes, under terms and conditions that they can bear.
It is in the City of Manila where we are confronted with the most serious situation. Here the largest number of industrial workers live. Here, too, unem­ployment is at its worst. Individuals with no stable occupation but who can find work only occasionally, abound. ”

“ Retailers’ cooperatives are being organized in Ma­nila and in the provinces. The Buenavista Coopera­tive is in operation. The shoemakers of Marikina and neighboring municipalities have likewise been organized into a cooperative association to permit them to own and operate the industry themselves. It is my opinion that the same thing might be done with regard to hat-makers. The Hemp Corporation is undertaking the organization of cooperatives among hemp producers. The same thing will be done with respect to coconut producers.
The coconut industry has long been suffering from depressed prices. ”

“ It would be utopian to believe confidently that the Philippines would not be exposed to foreign aggres­sion, once we cease to be under the protection of the American flag. But, if we want to have the untram­meled right to govern ourselves as we think best for our own welfare, we must assume the responsibilities that go hand in hand with that right. ”

“ The volume of work in the Office of our Resident Commissioner at Washington is continually increasing as a result of the supervision of that Office of the various interests and activities of the Commonwealth Government in the United States. ”

“ In view of the authorization granted in the Economic Adjustment Act, permitting the use of this excise tax on coconut oil for the purpose of improving the curing of copra and the granting of crop loans to coconut producers, I recommend that the National Assembly pass a law allowing the organization of a corporation for these purposes. [Applause.]
The tobacco industry is going through a most critical period; booth in the factories and in the fields. ”

“ This form of economic organiza­tion has been successful in other countries, and I can see no reason why it will not meet with the same success in the Philippines. It will probably take time to educate our people on the value of cooperative effort, with the discipline and intelligent collaboration required by that method of economic endeavor. We have to contend with the apathy prevailing in cer­tain groups as well as with old practices and tradi­tions which are both uneconomic and otherwise unde­sirable. ”

“ When such a situation arises, the Gov­ernment is compelled to intervene, and when the Government intervenes to suppress violence and restore public order, it has to act swiftly under circumstances that often inflict loss or injury upon in­nocent parties. ”

“ This project has been strongly recommended both by the Department of Agriculture and Commerce and by the National Economic Council in view of the report submitted by Dr. Raymond Bacon who was employed by the Government to study this matter.
It is necessary to expand the activities of the Bureau of Commerce to enable it to cope with the increasing demands of our growing trade. Division for the promotion of exports and for the stimulation of local trade should be organized in that bureau. To protect the rights of inventors and manufacturers, a patent office should be established. ”

“ Even we are experiencing the inevitable consequences of this war in the way of reduced trade with the warring nations and their neighbors, in­creased transportation and insurance rates, depressed prices for export commodities, and other intangible effects which result from a stoppage or a drastic limi­tation of world trade. ”

“ Our policy to acquire large haciendas with a view to their sale in small parcels to the peasants who work them and to purchase urban land to provide homes for the poor on easy terms is being effectuated. But here again we are met with serious difficulties in some instances, coming either from selfish and greedy land­owners or from irresponsible and dishonest agitators. ”

“ Greater importance is being given to character and civic education and the fostering of patriotism among the children and the youth. For this purpose, a code of citizenship and ethics has been promulgated and courses of study on character and civic education are being revised. ”

“ The management of the Hacienda, although carrying out the plan with firm determination, is showing extreme patience, because it is believed that these misguided people will sooner or later realize that we are seeking only their best interests and will then lend their full cooperation to the plan. ”

“ That means that we shall have to depend upon our­selves and take our chance exactly as every inde­pendent nation had to do.
We hope for the best. We shall promote friendly relations with other nations and be mindful of their rights. ”

“ More funds should be appropriated for the care and protection of the under-privileged—the aged and infirm, the dependent and the destitute, as well as the neglected and the delinquent, the physically and the mentally handicapped children. ”

“ This project which we have placed under a most capable management, at no cost to the Government, is in process of execu­tion. Roads are being constructed and lots subdi­vided; model houses are being built and in due time the lots and the houses will be ready for sale. But this project cannot by any means solve the problem of the slums, nor provide decent homes for all line poor living in the City of Manila and its vicinity. ”

“ The result is that in several sections of the city—Intramuros, Tondo, Sampaloc—there are many slums where the poor live under conditions totally unfit for human beings, crowded together in small quarters without sufficient ventilation or sanitary facilities. ”

“ The importance of these amendments requires that they be submitted to the people for ratification or re­jection squarely and without the introduction of extraneous and irrelevant issues, and this would be impossible if the plebiscite were held on the same date as that set for the next regular election of local officers. The proposed amendments affect only the national Government and should be acted upon by the voters independently of local political interests or considerations. ”

“ More are going at the rate of 250 every month. An irrigation system has been built and experiments have been conducted covering dif­ferent crops. The results thus far have been most encouraging, and the program for this year is to place, under cultivation in that area, no less than 3,009 hec­tares. Everything is being done to safeguard the health and well-being of the settlers. ”

“ The plan is to offer to government officials, especially the small salaried employees and laborers, for sale or rent, lots where they can build, or have the Government build, their homes. In the subdivision of this land there will be portions which may be acquired by private individuals, both the rich and those of moderate means. ”

“ This corporation, when organized, could take over the duties assigned to the To­bacco Board in the investment and disposition of the funds collected from inspection fees. The Warehousing Corporation has under construc­tion eleven warehouses for rice, copra, hemp, and tobacco, and others are being planned. The purpose of these warehouses is to provide storing facilities for producers, meantime permitting them to obtain credit on the security of their crops.
The Koronadal land settlement project in Mindanao has been started. There are now approximately 2,000 men in that territory. ”