The Rise Of Australasia

It seemed that Sam did not make any demands, but instead was willing to offer a series of assistance to the independent Philippine government.

However, if one were to look at Sam’s words from another perspective, Manuel felt that Australasia’s appetite was even greater than the United States’.

The military and economic interactions were the most important.

The newly-established Philippines was in a state of disarray, highly vulnerable to influence from other nations.

The formation of a military force could not be achieved in a short period, and with the help from Australasians, it also meant that the Philippine military would be heavily influenced by Australasia.

The same was true for the economy. The Philippines’ economy was destined to be weak after independence, requiring assistance from other countries.

If Australasia’s economic penetration into the Philippines was too deep, the Philippines would not be able to break free from it.

With both the military and economy controlled by Australasia, even an independent Philippine government wouldn’t be much different from now, and they’d still have to obey Australasia’s demands.

As for Sam’s last statement, helping the Philippines establish a judiciary and administrative system meant gaining complete control over the country.

It goes without saying that the judiciary and the administrative system are the foundation of a country’s government and determine whether a government has autonomy.

A Philippines subjected to military, economic, judiciary, and political control is far from an independent nation. The answer is obvious - they cannot, and it is even worse than the current situation. At least the current Philippines possess administrative autonomy, albeit at the expense of servitude to the Americans.

"Mr. Sam, are you not joking? A Philippines subjected to control in military, economy, judiciary, and politics is not what we want as an independent nation. The Senate would never agree," Manuel said incredulously, looking at Sam. He had underestimated the appetite and bottom line of the Australasians.

"No, Mr. Speaker, I believe the Senate will support it," Sam shook his head and said with a smile, "As far as I know, as the Speaker, you have a high reputation in the Philippines. As long as you can overcome opposition and with our support, there will be no problem convincing the Senate."

"I believe the Speaker is a smart man, and we only work with smart people. The independent Philippines needs a competent ruler, and I think the Speaker, with his prestige in the Philippines, is very suitable for the position.

I hope we can maintain a long-term cooperation, and I don’t want to lose you as a newly-acquired friend," Sam said, looking at Manuel meaningfully, a mixture of coercion and coaxing in his tone.

Manuel, full name Manuel Louis Quison, was one of the most famous figures in the Philippines at the time.

Born in 1878, Manuel became the Speaker of the Philippine Senate at the age of 41, enjoying high prestige and support in the Philippines.

Looking closely at Manuel’s background, he was born a commoner and enjoyed a distinguished career.

After graduating from Saint Thomas University as a lecturer and studying law, he joined Emilio’s revolutionary force against Spain.

With his fearlessness and combat gallantry, Manuel gained great support from Filipino people and was handed over to the United States after the Philippine revolutionary forces refused to acknowledge the American sovereignty over the Philippines following the Spanish-American War. Manuel was imprisoned for six months.

After that, Manuel passed the bar exam and gradually entered politics.

Manuel’s revolutionary popularity carried him to the governor’s position at only 28 years old, strengthening his prestige in the Philippine political scene.

The Jones Act, drafted and implemented by Manuel several years prior, made him a national hero, quickly securing his position in the Senate and becoming the Speaker of the Senate.

This impressive career trajectory made Manuel the pride of the Philippines, and he eventually became the first president of the Republic of the Philippines in the annals of history.

However, historically, it was destined for Manuel’s fate to change in this era, and the fate of the Philippines was to undergo significant transformation.

As one of the most highly educated people in the Philippines and having been in politics for many years, Manuel was well aware of Sam’s coaxing and threats and the current situation he and his family were in.

With no power to resist Sam’s threats, Manuel conceded, "I hope to ensure the safety of my family first, and I will cooperate with you as much as possible."

"Hahaha, as I thought, I knew the Speaker would be a smart man. Rest assured, as long as you cooperate with our actions, your family will be very safe, and our intelligence personnel will protect them closely," Sam laughed again, patting Manuel on the shoulder, reassuring him.

In fact, although with the intention to protect, Sam’s words also carried a hint of surveillance. After all, if Manuel intended to hide his family in the vast Philippines, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency might not be able to locate them in a short period.

Instead of doing so, it was better to monitor them closely and permanently, protecting Manuel’s family members incidentally.

Understanding that he had no choice, Manuel helplessly nodded his head and asked, "So what should I do?"