Manuel L. Quezon

“ I have also authorized the granting of crop loans to these tenants from the emergency fund to defray the cost of planting and for the maintenance of their families until harvest time.
To give employment to those who have suffered from crop failures and to others who may need work, I have ordered the acceleration of public works projects already authorized. I feel that in times of stress, like the present, when private business and initiative are forced to limit the employment of laborers, the Government should take up the lag by expediting public works construction. ”

“ It is not only held at a time when momentous events are vitally affecting the destiny of nations, but it marks the culmination of a legislative epoch which commenced with the inauguration of the Commonwealth. During these five years constructive measures were passed by the National Assembly which have enabled the new government to function smoothly and to render invaluable service to the country. But more has been done. You have initiated amendments to our Constitution designed to strengthen the foundation of our democratic institutions and to insure their stability and permanence. ”

“ Trusting in Divine Providence, we must move forward firmly and courageously to achieve our long-cherished ideal—the establishment of the Philippine Republic—and to secure for our people prosperity, happiness and freedom under the shelter of peace and democracy. ”

“ In its desire to broaden the base of taxation and shift the tax load to those best able to pay, the Government has approved a series of measures, now embodied in the National Internal Revenue Code, to create new sources of income by increasing taxes on inheritance, income, and articles of luxury, and by imposing taxes on amusement and other activities. The code has established a more equitable tax system and provided a more adequate machinery against tax evasion or avoidance. ”

“ In the midst of this great crisis, our duty is clear. By a solemn covenant with America, the advent of our national independence is assured. We must prepare for it; we must not procrastinate; we must not falter. ”

“ Disputes between capital and labor have arisen now and then, but such disputes have been fortunately free from the sharp violence and bitter antagonisms that generally characterize such clashes in other places. We have helped labor fight for its rights and we have protected these rights against unjust encroachment. This has resulted in mutual respect and understanding between capital and labor, and has contributed to the promotion of social welfare. ”

“ The Court of Industrial Relations has been a potent factor in maintaining industrial peace. Its accomplishments are to a large extent identified with the substantial gains of labor, including the fixing of the scale of wages at fairer levels, the reduction of working hours, the recognition of the right of collective bargaining, and the payment for overtime work. These gains have been reflected in improved working and housing conditions, in better sanitary facilities, in better terms of employment, and, in general, in the material, physical and moral well-being of the working classes. ”

“ The Government has encouraged private initiative in education, but at the same time, it has adopted the necessary safeguards to protect the public interest, and to carry out the educational aims enunciated in the Constitution. Through closer supervision by the Office of Private Education, the number of competent instructors has grown, school libraries have been expanded and laboratory equipment and facilities improved. ”

“ The eagerness with which the people have responded to the opportunity of acquiring their own houses has been very gratifying, and the People’s Homesite Corporation has plans for the construction of more houses.
Besides cash loans, the Government has extended loans in the form of rice to needy tenant farmers. This work of extending credit facilities to tenants and small farmers has been placed under the administration of the Philippine National Bank, and the amount of P1,000,000 has been released for this purpose from the emergency funds. ”

“ Cooperative studies are now being made of a park and playground system for a greater Manila.
The economic repercussions of the present World War are being felt more and more acutely in the Philippines. Our trade with many nations has been reduced, prices for our export commodities have gone down, and freight and insurance rates have increased more than two hundred per cent. The result has been a decline in national income and purchasing power.
We are experiencing a marked decrease in our revenues, particularly in customs collections. ”

“ The frequent failure of crops resulting from droughts demands that we construct more irrigation systems. Such constructions will provide employment for laborers during this period of widespread economic stress. In order to improve our fishing industry, I again recommend that the present Division of Fisheries of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce be converted into a Bureau of Fisheries and that a school of fisheries be established under the bureau.
We are feeling more than ever the need of bringing science to the aid of industry. ”

“ Activities for the promotion of foreign and domestic trade have been intensified. A new Foreign Trade Division in the Bureau of Commerce has been organized to develop foreign markets and promote the sale of Philippine products abroad. Since 1939 National Foreign Trade Week has been observed annually in order to arouse wider public interest both here and in the United States in Philippine-American trade. A direct cablegraphic price quotation service from New York has made possible the daily publication and broadcasting of price quotations on all important staple products of the Philippines. ”

“ The functioning of the industrial court has shown that the interests of labor and capital are compatible with one another and that- conflicts between them can be adjusted without the necessity of resorting to strikes, lockouts, or other coercive measures. ”

“ We completed the organization of the Commonwealth Government as contemplated by the Constitution. The new government has been functioning satisfactorily, and `its varied activities have been extended in order better to serve the needs of the people.
We have adopted a plan of national defense for an independent Philippines. This plan is being carried out. Preparatory military training has been introduced in all elementary and high schools. In colleges and universities, instruction in military science for the training of reserve officers has been made compulsory. ”

“ One of the many activities of the National Development Company during the last two years has been to effect the exploration of mineral deposits in the Philippines in cooperation with the Bureau of Mines. With the aid of experienced geologists from the United States some known petroleum-bearing areas have been explored as well as areas containing strategic minerals and other minerals needed for our industrial requirements. ”

“ In the development of our agriculture, we have stressed crop diversification and the adjustment of farm production so as to bring about as much as possible self-sufficiency in articles of prime necessity, and the production of raw materials to develop domestic industries and of products that can be marketed abroad under competitive conditions. ”

“ The National Food Products Corporation has now under way the establishment of a cannery in Capiz, in addition to the cannery previously set up in Guagua. The Corporation is financing the construction of 5,000 hectares of fishponds under contract with private landowners.
In order to improve interisland shipping and to aid in the establishment of a Philippine ocean—going merchant marine, the National Development Company has financed the construction of a modern coastwise vessel and three ocean-going ships. ”

“ Conditions all over the world have changed since the outbreak of the present war. This change is bound to retard our progress towards some of the economic and social objectives that we have set. But we cannot abandon these objectives. We must pursue them with greater determination even if their achievement should entail added sacrifice. ”

“ It is a matter of satisfaction to note that whereas before misapprehension and distrust prevailed among the tenants in that Estate, now there is harmony and better understanding. There is evident willingness on the part of these people to pay their rents and to cooperate with the Government in its efforts to ameliorate conditions. As the Estate progresses, it approaches the status of an independent cooperative farm. ”

“ The Purpose of this law is to place the industry in a position to maintain itself despite the gradual loss of its preferential position in the American market; to read­just the benefits derived from it by redistributing them more equitably among the elements concerned; and to give laborers employed in the industry a living wage and improved living conditions. Research is being undertaken to increase the yield, reduce the cost of production, and propagate better varieties of sugar cane, and to utilize its by-products. ”

“ The construction of roads, waterworks, port works, and other public improvements has been extensively undertaken in Mindanao.
The benefits of sanitation have been extended to all parts of the country. Because of rigid sanitary and quarantine measures, the Philippines has been spared from the ravages of dreaded epidemic diseases, such as cholera, plague, and smallpox, which have been afflicting neighboring countries.
Medical aid has been increased, specially for the poor. Hospital, dispensary and other medical facilities have been substantially increased. ”

“ To effect a more equitable distribution of land, the Public Land Law should be amended so as to prohibit any owner of one or more parcels of land from acquiring lands by homestead and free patents the total area of which, added to that of his own land, shall exceed 144 hectares. ”

“ To carry out the main recommendations of the Joint Preparatory Committee on Philippine Affairs, steps have been taken to reorganize the national economy by encouraging modern methods of production; by increasing the yield of land through scientific farming; by extending credit facilities to merchants and producers ”

“ The National Assembly passed Commonwealth Act No. 565 providing for the organization of cooperative associations. Pursuant to the provisions of this Act, all government activities of that nature were placed under the National Trading Corporation. Progress has been made in organizing cooperatives among producers, consumers, and small merchants throughout the country, with a view to improving the economic condition of the masses.
Realizing the need of drawing up a program for the readjustment and rehabilitation of the sugar industry, the Government has provided under Commonwealth Act No. ”

“ Our farmers have received assistance in the marketing of their products. Through the help of the National Produce Exchange, many producers in the different provinces, mostly small individual farmers and cooperative associations, have been able to dispose of their products without passing through middle-men, thus giving them better returns for their crops. ”

“ Character education and citizenship training have been stressed and special efforts made to develop a greater appreciation of Philippine culture. Attention was also focused on vocational education by establishing new vocational schools and by giving vocational courses in academic high schools. ”

“ Filipino participation in the retail trade of the country has increased from between 15 to 20 per cent at the time of the inauguration of the Commonwealth to approximately 37 per cent in 1939. Filipinos now outnumber the merchants of other nationalities in the local retail trade and control a greater number of retail stores. ”

“ The present system, whereby election inspectors are appointed upon the nomination of political parties, does not insure an impartial attitude on the part of the inspectors in the performance of their duties. ”

“ To provide suitable homes for our working population, we have organized the People’s Homesite Corporation, with an initial capital of P2,000,000, which has taken over Diliman District bordering Manila in order to convert it into a model workers’ community. Hundreds of model houses for laborers and low-salaried employees have been constructed. ”

“ The national park office is encouraging provinces and municipalities to develop their own park and playground systems in order to take care of local recreational needs. All possible planning assistance will be offered to local authorities. ”

“ During the past four years 6,069 adult schools have been opened with more than 50,000 volunteer citizens helping in the eradication of illiteracy and the teaching of citizenship and the stimulation of vocational competence. ”

“ To insure a continuous supply of timber and help solve the problems of soil protection, water conservation and flood control, new forest reserves, communal forests and national parks have been established and barren watersheds reforested with economically valuable trees. ”

“ To supplement instruction in the schools, the facilities of public and school libraries have been expanded. The National Library has established branches in different provinces and its facilities have been made available to an increasing number of people. Its Filipiniana collection has been enriched. Recently we acquired the Blumentritt collection on the life and writings of Rizal. ”

“ The legal minimum reserve requirement has been maintained since the establishment of the Commonwealth as shown in the following statement:
--- xxx --- The Treasury Certificate Fund constitutes the reserve for the redemption at par of all outstanding treasury certificates. This fund is always maintained to the amount of 100 per cent of all treasury certificates issued and outstanding. The fund is constituted exclusively of Philippine silver pesos, half-silver pesos, and of dollar deposits in the United States. ”

“ The survey and subdivision of public lands has been expedited to have lots ready for settlers and to insure the equitable distribution of public lands by preventing the acquisition of big landholdings. ”