Sakdalista
Encyclopedia
The Sakdalista movement was founded in 1930 by a right wing leader, Benigno Ramos
, a writer and discontented former government clerk. The name of the movement was based on Émile Zola
's 1898 letter criticising the French government, J'accuse
.
Sakdal began as a fortnightly populist tabloid, with articles tackling issues which were of interest to the Philippine masses: corruption and mismanagement under the American-sponsored Nacionalista administration, immediate independence for the Philippines, and the land reform problem. Its radical populist stance on such issues won it a large following in the Manila hinterland, such that by 1933, subscribers of the newspaper met in a convention in Manila to form the Sakdal Party. They did unexpectedly well in the Philippine election of 1934, although still unable to pose a challenge to Nacionalista dominance.
The Sakdal Party advocated independence
from the United States of America, which later led them to collaborate with Japan
because, they believe Japan can liberate the Philippines and gain its true independence. The movement advocated tax
reductions, land reforms, the breakup of the large estates or hacienda
s, and the severing of American ties, which gained them a measure of popular support.
The passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Law created the Philippine Commonwealth. Sakdal voiced its opposition to the law, demanding that the Philippines be given "complete and absolute independence" on or before December 31, 1935. Senate President Manuel Quezon and the Nacionalista machine, however, were able to secure popular backing for the new law; driving Sakdal into a crisis. The party splintered into advocates of peaceful political struggle on one hand, and radical advocates of popular uprising. Eventually, Benigno Ramos lent his support to the radical wing, and clandestine preparations were sketched out for the planned uprising.
On the night of May 1, 1935, partially armed mobs seized municipal buildings in 14 towns in provinces such as Bulacan
and Laguna. The uprising was crushed the next day, with the loss of about 100 lives. Ramos fled to Tokyo and the Sakdalistas were nearly disbanded, and rural conditions remained a source of frustration and dissension and led to numerous other such peasant rebellions. Benigno Ramos drew support to Japan
}, until he returned during the Japanese Occupied Philippines. Its remnants became the right wing Japanese collaborationist Ganap Party
, led by the same leader.
Benigno Ramos
Benigno Ramos was an advocate for the independence of the Philippines from the United States who collaborated with Japan.Educated in Bulacan, he went to work there as a teacher. Later, whilst based in Manila, he entered the civil service and by 1928 had risen to a high position with the Senate Staff...
, a writer and discontented former government clerk. The name of the movement was based on Émile Zola
Émile Zola
Émile François Zola was a French writer, the most important exemplar of the literary school of naturalism and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism...
's 1898 letter criticising the French government, J'accuse
J'accuse (letter)
"J'accuse" was an open letter published on January 13, 1898, in the newspaper L'Aurore by the influential writer Émile Zola.In the letter, Zola addressed President of France Félix Faure, and accused the government of anti-Semitism and the unlawful jailing of Alfred Dreyfus, a French Army General...
.
Sakdal began as a fortnightly populist tabloid, with articles tackling issues which were of interest to the Philippine masses: corruption and mismanagement under the American-sponsored Nacionalista administration, immediate independence for the Philippines, and the land reform problem. Its radical populist stance on such issues won it a large following in the Manila hinterland, such that by 1933, subscribers of the newspaper met in a convention in Manila to form the Sakdal Party. They did unexpectedly well in the Philippine election of 1934, although still unable to pose a challenge to Nacionalista dominance.
The Sakdal Party advocated independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
from the United States of America, which later led them to collaborate with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
because, they believe Japan can liberate the Philippines and gain its true independence. The movement advocated tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
reductions, land reforms, the breakup of the large estates or hacienda
Hacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...
s, and the severing of American ties, which gained them a measure of popular support.
The passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Law created the Philippine Commonwealth. Sakdal voiced its opposition to the law, demanding that the Philippines be given "complete and absolute independence" on or before December 31, 1935. Senate President Manuel Quezon and the Nacionalista machine, however, were able to secure popular backing for the new law; driving Sakdal into a crisis. The party splintered into advocates of peaceful political struggle on one hand, and radical advocates of popular uprising. Eventually, Benigno Ramos lent his support to the radical wing, and clandestine preparations were sketched out for the planned uprising.
On the night of May 1, 1935, partially armed mobs seized municipal buildings in 14 towns in provinces such as Bulacan
Bulacan
Bulacan , officially called the Province of Bulacan or simply Bulacan Province, is a first class province of the Republic of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Region in the island of Luzon, north of Manila , and part of the Metro...
and Laguna. The uprising was crushed the next day, with the loss of about 100 lives. Ramos fled to Tokyo and the Sakdalistas were nearly disbanded, and rural conditions remained a source of frustration and dissension and led to numerous other such peasant rebellions. Benigno Ramos drew support to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
}, until he returned during the Japanese Occupied Philippines. Its remnants became the right wing Japanese collaborationist Ganap Party
Ganap Party
The Ganap Party was a Filipino political party that grew from the Sakdalista movement. Benigno Ramos, who served as its leader, was also the founder of the Sakdalista movement...
, led by the same leader.