In the film, the Americans are seen as heroes in helping to solve the agrarian problem in the Philippines.
The American occupation of the Philippines after its victory over Spain in 1898 was not well received by many Filipinos. The country was already under a considerable amount of debt from loans taken out from Spain and America, and many Filipinos did not want to be ruled by another foreign power. The Philippine–American War broke out shortly after the end of Spanish rule, and lasted until 1902. The film doesn’t address this war at all, instead showing a version of history where Filipino farmers willingly accept American help with their problems.
The Americans were able to provide much needed help for Filipino farmers during this time period. At that time, farming in the Philippines was largely done on small family farms called “haciendas”. These farms produced rice and sugar cane, but were plagued by a variety of issues that prevented them from being profitable or efficient.
