The First Philippine Assembly, 1907
On October 16, 1907, the Philippine Assembly was inaugurated at the Manila Grand Opera House. The event was attended both by US Secretary of War William Howard Taft and the new Governor-General James Francis Smith.
William Howard Taft was the first civilian governor (Civil Governor) of the Philippines. The title “Civil Governor” was changed to “Governor-General” by an Act of the US Congress in 1905.
After its inauguration, the Assembly convened and was led by Sergio Osmeña as Speaker and Manuel L. Quezon as Majority Floor Leader, later to become the Vice President and President, respectively, of the new Filipino Commonwealth government in 1935. Upon the creation of the Assembly, the Philippine legislature was to take after the model of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Assembly was the lower house of the Philippine Legislature. The Philippine Commission was transitioned into the upper house.
Elections for members of the first national assembly were held on July 30, 1907.
References: Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, Kahimyang Project
(Filed by JR AMIGO/ai/mnm)