Manuel L. Quezon

“ Knowing as I do the great superiority of the forces of the Government over any misguided group that may be induced to armed revolt, it causes me anguish to think that under my administration the armed forces of the government may be compelled to take such drastic measure as would exact a greater toll of life than during the Sakdalista uprising. From every point of view, therefore, it is better that preventive measures be taken, and it is my earnest hope that the National Assembly will not delay the enactment of appropriate legislation to this end. ”

“ It is only natural that there should be some doubt or fear, and even resentment from some quarters, over the action of the Government; hence criticisms are being made in public and in private, and those who expected to make unreasonable profits from the rice crisis and were foiled in their anticipations, went so far as to see dishonest purposes in the creation of the Rice and Corn Corporation. All such doubts and criticisms, whether honest or malicious, did not deter the Administration from carrying out the plan that has been adopted, especially because no alternative had been suggested. ”

“ While no nation has the right to violate the territorial integrity of another nation, people that lack the energy, ability, or desire to make use of the resources which Divine Providence has placed in their hands, afford an excuse for a more energetic and willful people to deprive them of their lawful heritage. If, therefore, we are resolved to conserve Mindanao for ourselves and our posterity, we must bend all our efforts to occupy and develop it and guard against avarice and greed. ”

“ The school teachers who were given instructions in training camps to equip them with the knowledge necessary to carry out the work assigned to them in the schools under the provisions of the National Defense Act, conducted themselves so well and their training was so successful that they deserve from me a well-merited public recognition. It has been plainly demonstrated that our people are ready for the supreme sacrifice in defense of their motherland and their liberty. ”

“ While the Government cannot compromise with public disorder, it is equally its duty to right social injustices. That our laborers in the farm as well as in the factories still suffer from long-standing unfair practices, no one can successfully deny. These injustices, however, cannot be remedied by merely applying here legislation in force in other countries. ”

“ I realize the difficulty of convincing the men and their families who are now living in these “haciendas” to move out from their places of birth in order to settle in other provinces or islands, knowing as I do the attachment of the Filipino to his hometown. We must encourage our people to have a national outlook so that they may feel at home in whatever corner of the Philippines they may find themselves. ”

“ In building up our national defense, and in organizing the regular armed forces of the Islands, these tragic lessons of history must be constantly borne in mind, and it behooves us, who are for the time being entrusted with the responsibility of leadership over our nation, to be forever watchful and vigilant lest we sow the seeds of a possible future misuse of our armed forces. ”

“ The present income of the government is quite insufficient to even attempt to do more than carry on its present activities. Were there no other reasons for the creation of new sources of revenue, the need of developing Mindanao alone would make it an unavoidable duty for this Assembly, especially those who visited Mindanao recently with me, are conscious, I feel sure, of our grave responsibility to encourage settlement and develop Mindanao. There are provinces in Luzon and the Visayas that are already overpopulated. ”

“ For such legislation would not take into account local conditions, nor the incipient stage of our industrial life and the almost primitive state of our agriculture. Government administration is a practical question and statesmanship consists in the wise application of sound doctrines bearing in mind the actual conditions that have to be met with in each case. Even the most up-to-date progressive labor legislation, if not in keeping with the prevailing conditions here, may easily upset our existing industries, preventing the establishment of new ones, and retard the advance of our agriculture. ”

“ It is my earnest belief that Congress will not approve the proposed legislation above referred to. Heretofore, whenever the Congress of the United States has taxed goods or products imported into the United States from the Philippines, invariably it has provided the payment of all collections to our Government. It is, therefore, beyond my comprehension that at this stage of our relations with America that record of fair dealing and justice should be reversed. We are also counting upon the help of Commissioner Murphy and other friends in Congress to prevent the enactment of the said law. ”

“ In your inaugural session, which lasted barely thirty days, you enacted the most important legislation pledged in the Coalition platform and urgently required by the nature of the new responsibilities of the present government. The record you have made has earned for you just commendation and constitutes the main reason for the prevailing confidence in our future. ”

“ If it should be found advisable, I am prepared to authorize the Manila Railroad Company to purchase some of these competing bus transportation companies or else to have the Government establish and operate its own bus and truck services. The Constitution expressly authorizes the Government to establish and operate means of transportation and communication, and, upon payment of just compensation, transfer to public ownership utilities held by private individuals to be operated by the Government. ”

“ The main food supply of the Filipinos, like that of most Orientals, is rice. For many years the country did not produce a sufficient quantity of rice for its consumption and the Government deemed it necessary even to borrow money for the purpose of establishing irrigation systems in order that the country may be self-sufficient in rice supply. ”

“ As an initial step in the program of giving new impetus to the development of Mindanao, this work will be of incalculable value to the country, since it will not only provide an overland outlet for Davao but will also open to settlement immense unoccupied areas of that island.
The time has come when we should systematically proceed with and bring about the colonization and economic development of Mindanao. A vast and rich territory with its untapped natural resources is a temptation to enterprising nations that are looking for an outlet for their excess population. ”

“ Professional demagogues who make their living by exploiting the patriotism of the uninformed or the real or fancied grievances of the discontented, are exciting the masses with incendiary speeches and literature. Communism has also been active during the last few years and while its propaganda has not been particularly effective the forces of law and order have to be constantly on guard. ”

“ Another important legislation which you passed in your inaugural session is that which creates the National Economic Council to advise the Government on economic and financial questions, including the improvement and promotion of industries, diversification of crops and production, tariffs, taxation, and such other matters as may from time to time be submitted so its consideration by the President, and to formulate an economic program based on national independence. ”

“ The Philippine Legislature has in the past enacted several measures for the protection of labor, but while they have improved somewhat the lot of the workingman to the extent that the Filipino laborer enjoys more rights and privileges than his brother in other Oriental countries, it is necessary that we should go further and give better and more effective protection to the rights and interests of our wage-earners. ”

“ Despite certain doubts expressed by some members of the Council, however, I am confident that the National Rice and Corn Corporation will ultimately solve the rice problem, one of the most serious national problems which for years has been confronting our country and which demanded immediate attention on account of its very serious implications.
The situation may be summarized as follows: The main food supply of the Filipinos, like that of most Orientals, is rice. ”

“ There are localities in some of those provinces where the people live on large estates without opportunity to earn a livelihood sufficient to meet the necessities of civilized life, much less to own the land wherein they live and which they cultivate. It is inconceivable that such a situation should exist in a country with extensive areas of fertile uncultivated lands. ”

“ I am positive, however, that such will not be the case, any more than it was in the case of the friar lands, and I, for one, despite the commitment in the Coalition platform, do not wish to impose upon our people the burden of a national debt which our children will have to bear merely to give a few individuals the opportunity to acquire these particular areas at the expense of the people when there is so much available fertile and untouched public land in many regions of our country, particularly in Mindanao. ”

“ In view of the new and greater responsibilities of the Commonwealth and the necessity of having at our disposal funds with which to carry out a comprehensive program for the economic development of the country, it will be necessary to create new taxes. ”

“ The investment, therefore, of several millions of pesos by the Government in the purchase of the friar lands has only been, with few exceptions, for the benefit of people not contemplated by the Government. The latest report I have is that in this transaction the Government lost heavily. If the Philippine Government lost then when the price paid for the friar lands was relatively low, it is evident that now, that the price asked for these “haciendas” is very much higher, the Government is bound to suffer a greater loss. ”

“ The taxes I am recommending place the burden upon shoulders that can well afford to bear them and, if levied, the Commonwealth Government will be able to render our people new services so urgently needed for their welfare and progress. ”

“ As a consequence, there has been a growing discontent on the part of the rice growers, especially the tenants or kasamas , who are earning less than is required for the bare necessities of life. On the other hand, whenever, due to typhoons, drought, or floods there was a shortage of rice and prices reached high levels, either through the manipulations of a few conscienceless rice merchants or merely because of scarcity of supply, the consumer, especially the poor, became a victim of speculatory activities. ”

“ I also recommend the immediate passage of a law authorizing the expropriation of those portions of the large “haciendas” which are urban in character and are occupied by the houses of the tenants. With the opportunity to own their own homes thus assured, the settlement of the present difficulties of the tenants relative to their farm lands might no longer be of urgent necessity. ”

“ Manila Railroad Company –A very important measure approved by the National Assembly is Commonwealth Act No. 4 providing funds to be loaned to the Manila Railroad Company for the purchase, before maturity, of certain outstanding bonds of the said Company. In accordance with the provisions of this Act, I directed the Insular Treasurer to loan to the Manila Railroad Company P9,900,000, and authorized the Philippine National Bank to use P3,360,000 of its funds in the purchase of said bonds. ”

“ This administration, by the Coalition platform, is committed to the policy favoring the acquisition of these estates at a fair and just price, so they may be sold in small lots to the tenants. I regret to state that after a careful study of this question, I have reached the conclusion that such a step would not remedy the situation nor could it be carried out without exposing the country to great financial losses. ”

“ Special attention is being given by the Board to the matter of cadastral surveys, homesteads, a general registration office, a central statistics office, and proper allocation on centralization of laboratories with the purpose of recommending the intensification of industrial researches, so essential to the economic development of our country. ”

“ As soon as funds are available for the purpose, I shall recommend to the Assembly that the necessary appropriation be made for the creation of another division of the Court of Appeals to sit in one of the southern provinces and to authorize the various divisions of the Court of Appeals to sit in any of the provinces within their jurisdiction, to hear cases pending before the Court for decision. Such procedure would not only expedite but would also greatly reduce the cost of appeals to litigants, thus making this appellate Court more accessible to the poor. ”