A central executive office is maintained in Manila. It investigates social conditions and compiles sociological information for distribution. Social centers are being established throughout the Islands. On December, 1922, 183 puericulture centers were in existence as against 80 on December, 1921.
X. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.—The Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands presided over by a Filipino has always enjoyed the respect and confidence of every citizen. It is above all influence, being composed of men of integrity and of exceptional talent.
The Courts of First Instance have also a comparatively good record as is evident from the number of decisions affirmed, reversed, and modified by the Supreme Court. The figures are as follows:
| Period | Total number | Affirmed | Reversed | Modified | |||
| Number | Per cent | Number | Per cent | Number | Per cent | ||
| August 31, 1911 to September, 1, 1913. | 1,454 | 910 | 62.5 | 365 | 25.1 | 179 | 12.2 |
| March 3, 1919 to March 4, 1921. | 1,782 | 1,194 | 67.0 | 372 | 20.8 | 216 | 12.1 |
The foregoing figures indicate that there was a larger percentage of decisions affirmed and smaller percentage of decisions reversed by the Supreme Court during the time when the Filipino people were given substantial autonomy proving that the administration of justice has been considerably improved with the Filipinos in control.
In 1913 there were 12,000 pending cases disposed of; in 1921 the number rose to 16,874; in 1922, 20,632.
From 1907 to 1913, for a period of seven years before Filipino autonomy, the average yearly number of decrees of titles to land issued by the Philippine courts was only 1,935; while from 1914 to 1920, during seven years of Filipino self-government, the average yearly number of land titles settled was 12,396, six times more than the preceding period.
XI. GOVERNMENT ENTERPRISES.—In order to hasten the economic progress of the Islands, the Philippine government has been compelled to organize and engage in certain business enterprises of national importance that private initiative and capital have so far failed to develop. There are now four of these government owned enterprises—the Philippine National Bank, the Manila Railroad, the National Coal Company, and the National Development Company. The underlying motives behind these ventures are:
(1) To conserve the resources of the Islands for Filipinos; (2) to protect the people against exploitation; (3) to safeguard against profiteering; (4) to facilitate the extension of credit to private concerns.
The Philippine National Bank.—The need for a national bank in the Islands has long been felt. Previous to its establishment, Filipino farmers and merchants had to go to foreign banks in order to secure the necessary capital. The Philippine government had also to deposit its money with foreign banking institutions which gave a very low rate of interest. All the foreign banks made very little investments in the Islands, preferring to deal almost exclusively with export and import trade.