Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

ECONOMIC SECTION

47

It is interesting to note that the exportation of Philippine
tobacco to the United States has decreased from P10,900,000
in 1925 to P7,200,000 in 1929, while the exportation to other
countries has increased, as shown by the following figures:
TOBACCO EXPORTED
To United To Other
Year States Countries Total
1925....... P10,900,000 P 8,000,000 P18,900,000
1926....... 9,900,000 7,300,000 17,200,000
1927....... 8,400,000 8,700,000 17,100,000
1928....... 9,200,000 8,600,000 17,800,000
1929....... 7,200,000 10,800,000 18,000,000
These data seem to encourage the hope that other markets
may absorb the tobacco that we shall cease to export to the
United States, even though the total of exports remain the
same. However, the inhabitants of the Cagayan Valley, with
wise foresight, have begun to change crops on an extensive
scale and are now planting rice, corn, coconuts, etc., instead of
tobacco.
As regards the embroidery business, we can predict its ruin.
As it depends upon imported material, it will find it impossible to compete with foreign embroideries if free trade with the
United States ceases.
The oil industry may be likewise affected. Practically all
the oil exported from the Philippine Islands goes to the United
States; the amount exported was 142,000 tons in 1928 and
was valued at P47,000,000. Although the hope can be entertained that the oil industry may not disappear from the
Philippines, yet for the purpose of estimating our national
revenues we can presume that our oil mills will disappear, and
in this case, we shall export only the copra used to produce
that oil, the value of which is 1928 was P40,000,000, as we
are assured.
Our exports of dessicated coconut and cordage to the United
States amounted to P7,445,000 and P1,564,000, respectively.
We can consider these industries as industries proper of our
country, the same as the oil industry; but for our present pur