The Philippine Organic Act, popularly known as the Philippine Bill of 1902 and sometimes known as the Cooper Act after its author Henry A. Cooper, was the first organic act for the Philippines enacted by the United States Congress during the American Colonial Period in the Philippines. It provided for the creation of an elected Philippine Assembly after the following conditions were met: (1) the cessation of the existing insurrection in the Philippine Islands; (2) completion and publication of a census; and (3) two years of continued peace and recognition of the authority of the United States of America after the publication of the census. After the convening of the Assembly, legislative power shall then be vested in a bicameral legislature composed of the Philippine Commission as the upper house and the Philippine Assembly as the lower house. Supervision of the islands was assigned to the War Department's Bureau of Insular Affairs.
Other key provisions include:
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The act was enacted into law on July 1, 1902 and the Philippine Commission executed its provisions.[2] In 1903, a census was conducted and published on March 25, 1905.[2] On July 30, 1907, the first national elections were held for 80 seats, and on October 16, 1907, the Philippine Assembly was inaugurated at the Manila Grand Opera House.[2]
As a result of the act, the Catholic Church agreed to gradually substitute Spanish priests with Filipinos and to sell its land.[1] It refused however to send the friars immediately back to Spain.[1] In 1904, the American administration bought 166,000 hectares, a major part of the friars' holding, over half of which was in the Manila area and the land was resold to Filipinos, both tenants and existing estate owners. [1]
This act was superseded by the Philippine Autonomy Act, or the Jones Act, enacted on August 29, 1916.
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