Working Manila’s Waterfront: Dockside Labor During Early American Rule

This article examines the politics of labor and space at the Port of Manila during early American colonial rule. During this period, Manila Bay and the riverfront wharves along the Pasig River bustled with commercial activity. The colonial archive reveals how the new regime sought to ensure the smooth flow of cargo by managing waterfront space and labor. Yet, the article simultaneously reads a drama penned by Isabelo de los Reyes, which is partially set on Manila’s docks. Against the colonial archive, Isabelo’s play surfaces the submerged currents of anticolonial nationalism and labor organizing that simultaneously flowed through Manila Bay.