Final answer:
President McKinley's decision meant the United States would retain control over the Philippines, dismissing Filipino aspirations for self-governance and leading to the Philippine-American War with substantial loss of life and delay in Philippine independence until 1946.
Step-by-step explanation:
President William McKinley's decision to retain possession of the Philippines following the Spanish-American War had significant implications for the Filipino people. Though the Filipinos had been fighting for independence from Spanish rule and had anticipated self-governance after Spain's defeat, McKinley's stance was that the Filipino people were not yet fit for self-rule.
McKinley's policy of 'benevolent assimilation' was opposed by Filipino leaders like Emilio Aguinaldo, who had expected the U.S. to support the establishment of an independent Philippine Republic. Instead, the U.S. aimed to 'civilize and Christianize' the Filipinos, which was met with fierce resistance.