Was Spanish rule good or bad?

The Philippine colony was governed by Spaniards, by laws made in Spain, and for the sole good of
the mother country and its representatives in the colony. Filipinos held only minor offices. They were
not given the benefits of public education and their rights and wishes were almost completely
ignored. Such laws as did exist for their protection were not enforced.
Benefits of Spanish rule should; however, be acknowledged. Spain brought its language, its
literature, its laws, and its religion to a Far Eastern country. Many of the clergy tried to help the
people in their social and economic development. They taught many children to read and write in the
local dialects, the better to teach them the Christian religion. They introduced new crops, such as
corn and cacao, and improved sugar and coffee production. They taught many trades, including
printing Manila had printing presses before the end of the sixteenth century. They established higher
schools for the children of the wealthier caciques (a class which developed mostly as a result of
intermarriage between Spaniards and leading Malay families). The University of Santo Tomas, in
Manila, was founded as early as 1611—and 340 years later was made into an internment camp for
American civilians in the Philippines after the Japanese occupation.
One of Spain’s greatest contributions to the development of the country was the one it least wanted—
the unification of the people under its control. The Filipinos were united, first of all, through a
common religion. But, more important, they were united by a common hatred of the Spanish
conqueror and all he stood for.
In spite of all the good they had done, even the Spanish religious orders began to assume an
excessive control over the people’s lives. This alienated many Filipinos and brought the church
orders into sharp conflict with Spanish officials who resented their growing political power. Some of
the church lands remain to this day as centers of social unrest. The Aglipayan or Independent church
of the Philippines, formed at the time of the final revolution against Spain, was an added protest
against the all-Spanish nature of religious as well as political control.