The first government established by the Americans in the Philippines followed the surrender of Manila in August 1898. It was a military government. During the duration of the war, the Philippines was ruled by the president of the United States in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. In its brief existence, from 1898 to 1901, the military government established a supreme court composed of six Filipinos and three Americans. The first chief justice was Cayetano Arellano.

Towns and provincial governments were organized and elections for local officials held. Also introduced was the public school system in the Philippines, with English being taught for the first time; American soldiers acted as the first English teachers.

On March 2, 1901, the military government in the Philippines ceased to exist when the United States Congress enacted the Army Appropriations Act. This law carried the Spooner Amendment, which removed from the United States president the final authority to govern the Philippines. This power was to be exercised by the United States Congress through the president.

As a result, a civil government was established in the Philippines and inaugurated on July 4, 1901. Judge William H. Taft was the first civil governor. (In 1905, the title was changed to governor general).

Taft’s Role.

History schoolbooks portray Taft as a well-loved governor who did his best to promote the welfare of the Filipinos. He adopted a “Philippines for the Filipinos” policy, thereby even earning him the ire of Americans who wanted to exploit the country for their own selfish interests. It was said to be during his administration that many of the “foundations of a stable and democratic government” were laid. One of his greatest achievements was supposedly the purchase of 410,000 acres of friar lands. He resold them to landless Filipino tenants on easy installment terms.

On the other hand, Constantino says that, if taken in the correct context, Taft’s “Philippines for the Filipinos” was “not an endorsement of Philippine independence” but “good business.” As he saw it, an improvement in the standard of living and education for the Filipinos create a taste for American products, resulting in a potential market for American products.

Philippine Bill of 1902.

The next stage in the development of civil government in the Philippines was the passing of the Cooper Act on July 1, 1902, or the Philippine Bill of 1902. It was the first organic law for the Philippines enacted by the United States Congress and named after its sponsor, U.S. Representative Henry A. Cooper of Wisconsin. Among its key provisions were

1. a bill of rights for the Filipinos;
2. the appointment of two Filipino resident commissioners to represent the Philippines in the United States Congress but without voting rights;
3. the establishment of a Philippine Assembly to be elected by the Filipinos two years after the publication of a census and only after peace had been completely restored in the country.

Source
The Filipino Americans (From 1763 to the Present): Their History, Culture, & Traditions.
Veltisezar B. Bautista