On Aug. 29, the country marks the 110th anniversary of the Jones Law of 1916, also known as the Philippine Autonomy Act.
According to Ma. Mercedes G. Planta, PhD, professor of history at the UP Diliman (èAV) Department of History, the Jones Law of 1916 was a “landmark measure that promised eventual Philippine independence upon the establishment of a stable government.” She added that the law “was also a product of American colonial rule linking sovereignty to ideas of political readiness, administrative capacity, and proper governance.”
On the occasion of the law’s 110th anniversary, èAV through the magazine Ugnayan, will feature articles reflecting and examining the Jones Law of 1916 and its legacies.
“Rather than treating the law simply as a milestone on the road to independence, the special issue revisits it as a contested historical document through which scholars can reconsider enduring questions of self-government, empire, representation, sovereignty, and political capacity,” Planta said.
Planta added, “For the èAV community, the anniversary therefore invites reflection not only on colonial rule and the achievement of formal independence, but also on the University’s place within the longer history of Philippine nation-building. What kinds of knowledge and institutions have been considered necessary for self-government? Who defines political and administrative capacity? How have universities participated in producing the expertise, leadership, and public debate associated with a sovereign state? And what responsibilities follow from UP’s continuing mandate as the national university?”
The upcoming issue of Ugnayan, with the theme 1916/2026: Rethinking Self-Government, Empire, and Political Capacity, examines how this pivotal moment in history shapes scholarship, governance, and public life today. With a report from Ma. Mercedes G. Planta
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