“[T]he main political parties, the Nacionalista and the Liberals degenerated into opportunistic coalitions of power groups maneuvering for advantage in the scramble for spoils.”

“Our foreign policy was conducted from the very beginning, and is being pursued on the erroneous assumption of an identity of American and Filipino interests, or more correctly of the desirability, and even necessity of subordinating our interests to those of America … It is folly to expect that any other nation will even sacrifice its welfare and security to pure idealism or to pure sentimental attachments. As Filipinos, we must look out for ourselves because no one else will. That is the very essence of our independence.”