The Glance of Selected Philippine
Political Caricature by Alfred Mc
Coy: Political Caricature of the
American Era (1900-1941)
What is Caricature?
A caricature is a painting, or
more usually drawing, of a
person or thing in which the
features and form have been
distorted and exaggerated in
order to mock or satirise the
subject.
Political cartoons and caricature are a rather recent art
form, which veered away from the classical art by
exaggerating human features and poking fun at its
subjects.
Cartoons became an effective tool of publicizing opinions
through heavy use of symbolism, which is different from a
verbose written editorial and opinion pieces.
The unique way that a caricature represents opinion and
capture the audiences imagination is reason enough for
historians to examine this cartoons.
Who is Alfred Mc Coy?
Dr. Alfred W. Mc Coy is a professor of the Southeast Asian
History at the University of Wisconsin at Madison where he
also serves as a director of the center of the SE Asian
Studies. Specialized in philippine political history and global
opium trafficking. He spent the last quarter century writing
about the politics and history of the opium trade. Together
with Alfredo Roces, compiled political cartoons published in
newspaper dailies and periodicals in the aforementioned
time period (1900-1941)
SELECTED POLITICAL CARTOONS
THE INDEPENDENT on May 20, 1916.
The cartoon shows a politician from
Tondo named Dr. Santos, passing his
crown to his brother inlaw, Dr. Barcelona.
A Filipino guy ( as depicted wearing
salakot and Barong Tagalog ) was trying
to stop Santos, telling the latter giving
Barcelona the crown because it is not his
to begin with.
SELECTED POLITICAL CARTOONS
This was also published by THE
INDEPENDENT on June 16,1917.
This was drawn by Fernando Amorsolo
and was aimed as commentary to the
workings of Manila Police at that period.
Here, we see a Filipino child who stole a
skinny chicken because he had nothing to
eat. The police officer was relentlessly
pursuing the said child.
SELECTED POLITICAL CARTOONS
A man wearing a salakot, labeled Juan Dela
Cruz was grabbing the officer, telling him to
leave the small-time pickpockets and thieves
and to turn at the the great thieves instead.
He was pointing huge warehouses containing
bulks of rice, milk and grocery products.
SELECTED POLITICAL CARTOONS
A comentary on a the unprecedented
cases of colorum automobiles in the city
streets.
The Philippine free press published this
commentary when fatal accidents
involving colorum vehicles and taxis
occurred to often already.
SELECTED POLITICAL CARTOONS
The fourth cartoon depicts a cinema.
The blown-up police officer was at the
screen saying that couples are not allowed
to neck and make love in the theatre. Two
youngsters looked horrified while an older
couple seemed amused.
SELECTED POLITICAL CARTOONS
This was published by THE
INDEPENDENT on November 27, 1915.
The caricature of Uncle Sam riding a
chariot pulled by Filipinos wearing
uniforms. The Filipino boys were
carrying American objects like baseball
bats, whiskey and boxing gloves.
SELECTED POLITICAL CARTOONS
Mc Coy says that this cartoon was based
on an event in 1907, when William Howard
Taft was bought to the Manila pier riding a
chariot pulled by students of Liceo de
Manila such was condemned by the
nationalists at that time.
SELECTED POLITICAL CARTOONS
The last cartoon was published by
LIPANG KALABAW on August 24,1907.
Uncle Sam rationing porridge to the
politicians and members of the
Progresista Party ( sometimes known as
the Federelista Party ) while members of
Nacionalista Party look on and wait for
their turn.
SELECTED POLITICAL CARTOONS
This cartoon depicts the patronage of
the United States coveted by the
politicians from either of the party.