Tydings-McDuffie Act (Liberty Nests in the Orient)

The Tydings–McDuffie Act or the Tydings-McDuffie Law, officially the Philippine Independence Act (Pub.L. 73–127, 48 Stat. 456, enacted March 24, 1934), is a United States federal law that established the process for the Philippines, then an American colony and an associated state, to become an independent country after a ten-year transition period.

The act was authored in the 73rd United States Congress by SenatorMillard E. Tydings (Dem.) of Maryland and Representative John McDuffie (Dem.) of Alabama and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Under the act, the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines was written and the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established, with the first directly elected President of the Philippines (direct elections to the Philippine Legislature had been held since 1907). It also established limitations on Filipino immigration to the United States. Additionally, it called for holding referendums in places in the Philippines that wish to remain U.S. territories post-independence. Due to this, three places in the Philippines, namely Dumaguete, Clark Freeport Zone, and Subic-Olongapo, voted to remain part of the United States as a territory or enclave cities, which remains so to this day.