Part 10

Mohammedanism was introduced and firmly established in the Archipelago by three men--Makdum, Raja Baginda, and Abu Bakr. Makdum was a noted Arabian scholar who, after introducing Mohammedanism into Malacca, visited almost every island of the Sulu Archipelago toward the end of the fourteenth century and made numerous converts especially in Bevansa and Tapul. Raja Baginda, soon after the arrival of Makdum, came by way of Zamboanga and Basilan. He was of princely rank and is believed to have come accompanied by ministers of state. He settled in Bevansa and became the supreme ruler of Sulu. Abu Bakr, who seemed to have been quite a learned man, arrived in Bevansa about the middle of the fifteenth century. Here, he lived with Raja Baginda, teaching the people the Mohammedan religion. He later married Parasimuli, the daughter of Raja Baginda, and succeeded his father-in-law as sultan.

The reign of Abu Bakr (1450-1480) was noteworthy not only because of the firm establishment of Mohammedanism, but also because of the governmental reforms then effected. Abu Bakr reorganized the government of Sulu, dividing it into five main administrative districts, each under a Panglima. He promulgated a new code of laws which became the guide for all officials of the state. During his reign, Sulu's power was felt not only in Mindanao and the Visayas, but even in Luzon.

The administration of Governor-General Sande (1575-80) was the beginning of a continuous state of warfare between Spain and Sulu which lasted to within two decades before the end of the Spanish rule. Sande wanted to reduce Sulu to a subject state, impose tribute on its people, secure for the Spaniards the trade of the Archipelago, and convert the inhabitants to Catholicism. To attain these ends, he sent Captain Rodriguez de Figueroa to Sulu with a large army. This expedition, however, accomplished nothing beyond the arousing of the Sulus to hostility and the inception of numerous Moro raids on the Visayas and Luzon.

[The Sultan and His Present Position]

The whole Archipelago is still under the nominal sway of the Sultan of Sulu, who lives in the Island of Jolo and enjoys pensions from the Philippine Government and the British North Borneo Company. All of the Moros in Mindanao and in Sulu have long ago recognized the authority of the central Philippine Government in Manila, and the hostility which has existed between the Moros and the inhabitants of the northern islands during Spanish rule, has long passed away. The policy of attraction inaugurated by the Philippine Government has succeeded wonderfully. Disturbances among the Moros are now very few and far between. They have their own senator in the Philippine Senate and they have their own representatives in the House.

[Results of the Policy of Attraction]

Considering the past history of these southern islands, it is almost incredible that such results have become possible. Many of the non-Christians in the interior of Mindanao-Sulu have even changed their manner of dressing and have adopted the garb of the Christians, whom they are endeavoring to imitate as much as possible, mingling with them in their work, and assisting in maintaining law and order. The Moros themselves have changed a great deal; the juramentado (running amok) is practically a thing of the past; they show greater religious tolerance and a high sense of responsibility; they cooperate in every way possible with the Christians and the Government authorities in the maintenance of a government of law and order, and do everything they can to identify themselves with the inhabitants of the north. For this reason more beneficial and lasting changes have been accomplished in the last five years, in moral, social, and political respects, as well as in the material development of the people, than had been accomplished for several centuries past. This progress is principally due to the efforts of the Philippine Legislature, which furnished the Department of Mindanao and Sulu with large annual appropriations and thus made the policy of attraction a success.

[The town of Jolo]

The town of Jolo is the political and commercial center of the archipelago and is reached from Manila direct. The trip through island-studded Sulu Sea, is one of great scenic beauty.

Jolo consists of a picturesque little walled city and a considerable town outside. The population is cosmopolitan. The town is more Malayan, more Arabic, and more Oriental than Zamboanga. Thus it has many attractions for the traveler.

The part within the walls has excellent streets and walks and is adorned with parks, gardens, and fountains. One of the most curious sights is furnished by the half-tame deer, which run at large about the streets. The point of greatest interest in the outer town is the "Chinese pier," a rickety affair, on which most of the merchants of that nationality have their shops, both as a measure of safety and for convenience in handling cargoes. These shops are the best places to go to for Moro curios.

[Attractions]

The town as a whole is an excellent place in which to see the daily life and occupations of the Moro people in their most characteristic forms. The fact that it is the chief center of the pearl fisheries of the Islands puts the pearling boats when in port, the market where the pearls and shell are sold, and the places of manufacture and sale of the shell ornaments, among the principal sights. Leading from the town to the barracks at Asturias is a fine coconut avenue, known as "Ariolas' Walk." It is named after its builder, who was the Spanish military governor of the place in the early years of the last century.

THE LANGUAGE FOR THE TOURIST.--Spanish and English are the languages universally used in the archipelago. As a general rule, however, an English speaking tourist can travel in the different places described in this book without knowledge of any except his mother tongue. Almost all of the officials and employees of the government speak English and, if there is no one else, a school child can generally be found to do the interpreting.

[English-Speaking Filipinos]

Statistics show that there are at present more Filipinos who can read, write, and speak the English language than those who can read, write, and speak the Spanish language. The last Census (1918) gives the following figures:

Males Females

Filipinos of 10 years of age or over who can 563,495 322,359 read English. Those who can read Spanish. 587,588 292,223 Those who can both read and write English. 540,552 313,993 Those who can both read and write Spanish. 454,052 210,270

As a matter of fact the English language serves at the present time as a common medium of communication among the inhabitants of the Philippines who still speak their own dialects. Because of the work of public schools during the last quarter of a century it is the language which is most widely spoken in the whole Archipelago.

Business between the central government and the provinces and municipalities is transacted in English. The proceedings of the Philippine Legislature although still in Spanish, are translated into English. In commercial transactions the English language prevails throughout the islands. It will not be very long before the language will be the official language even in the courts and the language which is more generally used in private life. The present leaders of the people have a working knowledge of the language and many can read and write it fairly. The younger generation has a thorough knowledge of English and speaks and writes it in most cases.

The spread of the language as the common language of the inhabitants is assured, not only because it is the basis of instruction in the public schools and in the universities, but also because it is essential to the best interest and political future of the people.

X. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, FOREST RESOURCES, MINERALS, AND OTHER INDUSTRIES

The Philippines are eminently an agricultural country. Agriculture is the principal source of the Islands' wealth, and the bulk of the exports consists mostly of agricultural products.

[Hectares under cultivation]

An estimate of the number of hectares under cultivation during the year 1922, shows the following:

Hectares devoted to rice. 1,661,430 Hectares devoted to abaca. 494,990 Hectares devoted to sugar-cane. 240,820 Hectares devoted to coconuts. 422,684 Hectares devoted to corn. 549,960 Hectares devoted to tobacco. 59,870 Hectares devoted to maguey. 27,670 Hectares devoted to cacao. 1,155 Hectares devoted to coffee. 882 --------- Total. 3,459,461

This is only about 10 per cent of the total area of the Islands.

Extensive areas of agricultural lands which remain undeveloped are the Agusan Valley in eastern Mindanao; the Cotabato Valley in central Mindanao; sections of the plains of central Luzon and of the Cagayan Valley; the central plain of Panay and the meadowlands of Palawan, Samar, and Mindoro. There are also the coastal plains of Zamboanga, Mindanao, Leyte, and Negros.

The average area of farms in the Islands according to the Census of 1918 is 2.33 hectares, as against 3.47 hectares in 1903.

[Farms owned by Filipinos]

Out of the 1,955,276 farms in the Islands today 1,946,580 or 96 per cent, are owned by Filipinos, 2,678 by Americans, 949 by Europeans, 1,612 by Asiatics, and 3,457 by other nationalities.

[Exports]

THE PRINCIPAL CROPS.--The principal crops produced by the islands are rice, abaca (Manila hemp), coconut, sugar, and tobacco. All of these except rice are articles of export. The following table shows the respective values of these exports:

+--------------------------- | Value Article +-------------+------------- | 1921 | 1922 -------------------------+-------------+------------- | | Abaca (Manila hemp). | P25,969,385 | P39,081,829 Coconut oil. | 32,103,036 | 31,468,971 Copra. | 26,146,913 | 28,206,146 Sugar. | 51,037,454 | 51,165,110 Tobacco products. | 16,564,434 | 17,340,236 Maguey. | 1,848,794 | 2,973,203 Cordage. | 918,544 | 1,099,375 Fruits and nuts. | 239,060 | 532,632 Rubber, crude. | 25,700 | ---- Ilang-ilang oil. | 57,554 | 60,606 -------------------------+---------------------------

Rice is almost exclusively the staple foodstuff of the people; but corn in some provinces constitutes an important part of the daily diet. Although the production of rice has been increasing steadily since 1910 the Philippines has had to import rice from other countries, especially Indo-China, for a part of its supply. The government is now exerting every effort towards solving the problem. Immense sums are being appropriated for the construction of irrigation systems so indispensable in the successful growing of rice.

[Fibers]

Abaca (Manila hemp).--The Philippines is the only source in the world for abaca, commercially known as Manila hemp. There are two other commercial fibers, however, that grow in the islands. These are sisal and maguey. Although other kind of fibers grow in other countries especially in Mexico, the world must always use a certain amount of the Manila hemp for binder twine and for high grade ropes.

HEMP EXPORTS, 1913-1922

+---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------- | To all countries | To the United States +------------+-----------+---------+----------+----------+----------+---------- Year ended | Quantity | Value | Average |Percentage| Quantity | Value |Percentage December 31-- | | |value per| of total | | | of total | | | 1,000 | export | | | hemp | | | kilos | | | | --------------+------------+-----------+---------+----------+----------+----------+---------- | Kilos | Pesos | Pesos | | Kilos | Pesos | | | | | | | | 1913 | 119,821,435| 42,242,168| 352.54 | 44 |47,144,252|19,574,434| 46 1914 | 116,386,575| 38,389,630| 329.85 | 39 |50,140,193|19,238,752| 50 1915 | 142,010,431| 42,678,200| 300.53 | 40 |69,251,180|22,702,566| 53 1916 | 137,326,092| 53,384,593| 388.70 | 38 |66,344,154|27,279,018| 51 1917 | 169,435,204| 98,615,559| 552.51 | 49 |95,580,320 59,291,095| 63 1918 | 169,260,377|116,383,100| 687.60 | 43 |86,823,997 65,468,402| 56 1919 | 121,247,668| 53,703,052| 442.92 | 24 |65,509,134 32,390,957| 60 1920 | 141,485,785| 71,724,000| 506.93 | 24 |67,041,769 41,228,052| 58 1921 | 100,401,940| 25,969,385| 258.65 | 15 |34,558,262 10,914,117| 42 1922 | 172,026,591| 39,081,829| 227.18 | 20 |83,544,420 20,663,552| 53 --------------+------------+-----------+---------+----------+---------------------+----------

Coconuts.--In the production of coconut, the Philippines is the third most important source in the world. It is excelled only by the Dutch East Indies and the Federated Malay States. It is estimated that there are some 84,536,710 trees in the islands which in 1922 produced 366,808,888 kilos of coprax, valued at P44,057,045.

The traveler in Philippine waters always notices along the coast the extensive groves of coconut palms which extend miles and miles into the hinterland as far as the eye can reach.

[Uses of the Coconut]

In the Philippines the coconut tree serves many ends. The meat is eaten as a delicacy. The leaves supply roofing for houses. The shell of the nut is used for dishes, cups, and spoons; the oil for soap and illumination; in some sections the same oil is used as a frying fat for cooking purposes. The fiber from the husk is used for ropes and mats. The husk itself is used for fuel. The water inside the nut is an ever-ready delicious drink.

Oleomargarine comes from coconut oil fat, an industry which has developed considerably in Denmark and Germany and also in the United States.

Copra, or coprax--Other by-products.--Copra, or coprax as it is sometimes called, is the dried meat of the ripe coconut. It is obtained by breaking the nut into halves and drying them in the sun or artificially in kilns until the nut-meat is separated from the shell.

The exportation of coconut oil from the Philippines since 1913 is shown in the following table:

COCONUT OIL EXPORTED, 1913-1922

+---------------------------------------------+--------------------------------- | To all countries | To the United States +------------+-----------+---------+----------+-----------+----------+---------- | | | | | | | Year ended | Quantity | Value | Average |Percentage| Quantity | Value |Percentage December 31-- | | |value per| of total | | | of total | | | 1,000 | export | | | coconut | | | kilos | | | | oil --------------+------------+-----------+---------+----------+-----------+----------+---------- | Kilos | Pesos | Pesos | | Kilos | Pesos | | | | | | | | 1913 | 5,010,429| 2,292,678| 457.58 | 2.40 | 4,805,384| 2,190,876| 96.56 1914 | 11,943,329| 5,238,366| 438.60 | 5.38 | 11,896,975| 5,214,326| 99.54 1915 | 13,464,169| 5,641,003| 418.96 | 5.24 | 13,367,932| 5,609,263| 99.44 1916 | 16,091,169| 7,851,469| 487.94 | 5.61 | 15,307,429| 7,388,748| 94.11 1917 | 45,198,415| 22,818,294| 504.85 | 11.93 | 45,045,690|22,755,319| 99.72 1918 | 115,280,847| 63,328,317| 549.33 | 23.42 |113,524,729|62,198,528| 98.22 1919 | 139,942,612| 73,719,504| 526.78 | 32.59 | 85,376,904|45,797,329| 62.12 1920 | 77,571,405| 46,537,773| 599.93 | 15.40 | 71,944,801|43,366,086| 93.18 1921 | 90,292,242| 32,103,036| 355.55 | 18.22 | 80,504,458|27,907,379| 86.98 1922 | 107,208,191| 31,468,971| 293.63 | 16.46 |106,645,477|31,288,505| 99.43 --------------+------------+-----------+---------+----------+-----------+----------+----------

[Copra meal]

Another by-product of the coconut oil is known as copra meal. It is the meal remaining after most of the oil has been expressed. This is used as cattle feed in Germany and Denmark.

[Soap]

Recently, certain corporations in the Philippines have gone so far as to use their oil to manufacture many of the varied products which were formerly made only in the United States and Europe. Soap was the first product to be manufactured locally. There are two companies now, however, which manufacture lard substitutes under their own trade names. There is an attempt also to manufacture coconut butter for sale in the islands.

[Desiccated Coconut]

The manufacture of desiccated coconut is an infant industry in the Philippine Islands. The demand for this in Europe and particularly in the United States is very large and is mostly filled by Ceylon or by factories in the United States which import the whole nuts from the West Indies. Last year, however, the desiccated coconut from the Philippines gained a strong foot-hold in the United States and it is expected that Ceylon will be ousted from this field in the near future due to the free trade relations between the United States and the Philippines. On desiccated coconut imported into the United States from foreign countries, a duty of 3 1/2 per cent is levied. At present there are six factories of desiccated coconut in the Islands.

[Coir]

Another opportunity for development lies in the use of coir, the tough fiber of the husk surrounding the nut. In other countries this is worked up into door mats, rope, twine, etc., but in the Philippines the husks are usually burned as fuel except in a few instances where they are utilized for domestic purposes. It is also possible that some day other minor parts of the palm may be used. At present the midribs of the palm leaflets are used in making brooms and baskets, but the demand for exports is still small.

The exportation of copra from 1913 to 1922 is as follows:

+---------------------------------------------+--------------------------------- | To all countries | To the United States +------------+-----------+---------+----------+-----------+----------+---------- | | | | | | | Year ended | Quantity | Value | Average |Percentage| Quantity | Value |Percentage December 31-- | | |value per| of total | | | of total | | | 1,000 | export | | | copra | | | kilos | | | | --------------+------------+-----------+---------+----------+-----------+----------+---------- | Kilos | Pesos | Pesos | | Kilos | Pesos | | | | | | | | 1913 | 82,219,363 | 19,091,448| 232.20 | 19.98 |10,027,813 | 2,398,166| 12.56 1914 | 87,344,695 | 15,960,540| 182.73 | 16.39 |18,181,371 | 3,212,266| 20.13 1915 |139,092,902 | 22,223,109| 159.77 | 20.65 |21,217,754 | 3,520,090| 15.84 1916 | 72,277,164 | 14,231,941| 196.90 | 10.17 |35,470,438 | 7,079,128| 49.74 1917 | 92,180,326 | 16,654,301| 180.67 | 8.71 |68,253,929 |12,235,902| 73.47 1918 | 55,061,736 | 10,377,029| 188.46 | 3.84 |55,061,641 |10,377,011| 99.99 1919 | 25,094,027 | 8,839,376| 352.25 | 3.91 | 2,313,967 | 818,246| 9.26 1920 | 25,803,044 | 7,433,741| 288.10 | 2.46 | 1,433,311 | 382,409| 5.14 1921 |150,335,314 | 26,146,918| 173.92 | 14.84 |52,928,570 | 8,665,554| 33.14 1922 |173,051,980 | 28,206,146| 162.99 | 14.76 |89,358,118 |14,495,014| 51.00 --------------+------------+-----------+---------+----------+-----------+----------+----------

Until the production of copra in the Philippines is much higher than at present, it will be impossible to keep all the expellers and presses now installed working at full capacity. It is therefore proposed to start a campaign for the planting of quick-growing crops of oil-bearing seeds. Among the plants that were most popular at first was the tañgan-tañgan, or castor bean. This grows very rapidly and yields a very high percentage of castor oil, which was sold at high prices during the war as a lubricant for aeroplanes and other delicate machinery. At the present writing, however, it is generally thought that the mills will do better if they can turn to the production of peanut oil, using imported peanuts to begin with and enlarging the return as the domestic yield increases.

Sugar.--Cane-sugar ranks first among the islands' agricultural exports.

As early as 1795 the United States have been importing sugar from the Philippine Islands; for that year 132 long tons were imported.

Up to the middle of the nineteenth century, however, the production of sugar-cane in the Philippines was confined largely to the provinces of Luzon near Manila. But shortly after the Crimean war the demand for sugar in Europe increased, and interest in the industry was greatly stimulated in the Islands. This resulted in the extension of the industry into the Visayan Islands, Occidental Negros becoming the largest cane producing section of the Archipelago, and so continues until the present day.

As late as 1914 most of the sugar produced in the Islands was muscovado. It was not until the establishment of modern sugar centrals that centrifugal sugar was produced. The production of sugar became so stimulated as a result, and in 1922, as many as 455,404,427 kilos were produced. There are now 28 sugar centrals in the Islands as against one in 1910, and several are in process of construction.

The following table shows the growth of the sugar industry from 1913 to 1922: