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When did the Philippine Assembly become the first elected legislative body in Southeast Asia?
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Philippine-American War
Filipino insurgents surrendering during the Philippine-American War, c. 1900.
The Philippine Assembly was established in 1907, becoming the first elective legislative body in Southeast Asia.1
While the Philippine-American War is often associated with the earlier struggle for sovereignty, the creation of the 80-member assembly occurred after the Philippine Commission transitioned into the upper house of a new bicameral legislature. This assembly was directly elected by a restricted electorate from single-member districts.1