On February 2, 1902, labor leader Isabelo de los Reyes helped form the Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina (UODF) in Manila. It is widely described as the first modern, nationwide labor federation in the Philippines under early American colonial rule. The UODF set a model for organizing workers across trades and linking workplace demands to wider political goals.
In August 1902, the UODF backed strike actions and walkouts in Manila-area workplaces, including tobacco factories. These actions highlighted low wages and long work hours, and they tested how the American colonial government would respond to organized labor. The campaign also triggered arrests of key leaders, showing early limits placed on labor protest.
After pressure and repression weakened the UODF, the Unión del Trabajo de Filipinas (UTF) was formed in 1903 with support from American colonial authorities. The UTF followed a more moderate approach and was modeled in part on U.S. labor structures. Its creation marked a shift toward channeling labor activity into forms the colonial state considered less threatening.
On May 1, 1903, UODF organized a large May Day gathering after authorities denied permission for a rally. Sources describe the event as the first May Day/Labor Day celebration in the Philippines, and it also carried anti-imperialist and independence themes. The rally showed labor’s growing ability to mobilize large crowds despite colonial restrictions.
On January 12, 1904, Act No. 1040 set rules for hours of labor and leave for employees in the Philippine civil service. While it focused on government workers rather than private industry, it showed that “hours of labor” had become a public policy issue under American rule. Labor advocates later pushed to extend stronger limits, such as an eight-hour day, more broadly.
On April 29, 1908, Act No. 1818 amended the public-holidays law to make May 1 an official holiday. This responded to the growing recognition of Labor Day and the long-running demand to publicly mark workers’ issues. It also gave legal status to a day that labor groups had already been using for mass action and public demonstrations.
On June 18, 1908, Act No. 1868 created the Bureau of Labor under the Department of Commerce and Police. The law assigned the Bureau to collect labor statistics, inspect workplaces for health and safety risks, and encourage arbitration to prevent strikes and lockouts. This institutionalized a government role in labor relations, even as unions continued to face political pressure.
On May 1, 1913, Filipino workers and labor leaders formed the Congreso Obrero de Filipinas (COF), a major national labor federation. The COF aimed to unite many unions under one umbrella to better pursue worker protections and reforms. It became a central organizing hub during the American period, influencing labor debate for decades.
In 1924, labor leaders including Crisanto Evangelista helped form the Partido Obrero de Filipinas (Labor Party of the Philippines). The party reflected a growing belief among some unionists that workplace struggles required direct political organization, not only strikes or negotiations. It also set the stage for stronger ideological splits within the labor movement later in the 1920s.
On December 10, 1927, the legislature enacted Act No. 3428, prescribing compensation for employees injured, made ill, or killed in the performance of duty. The law also covered certain government industrial workers and public-works laborers, and it gave the Bureau of Labor a role in resolving disputes. This was a significant step toward formal, state-backed protections for workers beyond voluntary employer practices.
In 1929, conflict inside the COF led Crisanto Evangelista and allies to split and form the Katipunan ng mga Anak-Pawis sa Pilipinas (KAP). The break reflected widening tension between more moderate and more radical approaches to labor strategy and politics. The split weakened a single unified federation but also created new organizations that pushed for broader worker-peasant alliances.
On August 26, 1930, Evangelista and colleagues established the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP) (often identified as PKP-1930). Court actions later targeted communist labor leadership; a Supreme Court decision on October 26, 1932 upheld earlier rulings that effectively outlawed the party and imposed penalties on leaders. This crackdown narrowed legal space for radical union politics during the late American colonial period.
On February 8, 1935, Filipinos approved the 1935 Constitution, which included a declaration that promoting social justice should be a concern of the State. This did not instantly resolve labor conflicts, but it signaled a new legal and political framework as the Philippines moved toward Commonwealth government. In effect, the period closed with labor issues increasingly framed as matters of national policy, not only workplace disputes.
Labor Movement, Unions, and Strikes under American Rule (1902-1935)