Chapter 5 – The Philippines under Spanish Rule

- Administered by a Council of Indies

Spain governed the Philippines through
the Union of the Church and the State ( Frailocracy )
introducing in the process new beliefs, institutions, and
practices in the political, economic , and religious
aspects of the Filipino’s lives.
The result of this:
1. Effective and positive for Spain
2. But hardships to the majority of the
inhabitants except for the few members of
the Maharlika ( or principalia).
Reasons for Spanish colonization:
1. The discovery of the Phils was under the
auspices of Spain, the Phils therefore was
rightfully owned by Spain. ( by right of
discovery)
2. Since Spain being in actual possession of the
Phils, had the right to colonize it. ( by right of
actual possession or conquest ).
As such, the Phils was a possession or property of
the King of Spain and therefore, a crown colony.
1. Spain reigned over the Phils for 333 years
from 1565 ( Miguel Lopez de Legazpi set
foot in Cebu and later conquered the islands
and the natives; not at the time Magellan
came to the Phils for it would be 377 years)
to 1898.
2. Since Spain was far from the country, The
Spanish King ruled the islands through the
Viceroy of Mexico, which was then another
Spanish colony.
King of Spain
Viceroy of Mexico
Philippines
When Mexico regained its freedom in 1821, the
Spanish King ruled the Phils through the Governor
General .
King of Spain
- Spanish officials in the Phils were appointed by
the King of Spain, who issued Royal orders and
decrees dealing with the proper administration
of the colony.
- As a colony, the Phils was placed under the
jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Colonies or
Overseas Ministry ( Ministerio de Ultramar)
- The Overseas Ministry was advised and aided in
its work by the Council of Indies.
Central Government
- The central govt in the Phils was patterned by
the Spanish experience in Mexico and South
America. Consequently, many features of the
govt established in these countries were adopted
in the Phils
- Humane Laws that were applied to the Phils but
were not enforced:
1. Laws of the Indies
2. La Novisima Recopilacion
3. Leyes de Toro
4. Siete Partidas
- Spain organized a highly centralized form of
govt. – the central or national govt was so
powerful that almost everything had to be done
with its knowledge and consent.
Governor General
1. Appointed by the King of Spain and heads the
central government
2. He was the King’s official representative in the
Philippines
3. He possess vast exec, legislative and judicial
powers
4. No legislature or congress because laws for the
Phils was made by the Spaniards in Spain
5. can issue orders with the force of laws- called
superior decrees
while decrees that came from Spain are called
Royal decrees or orders.
6. He is the President of the Audencia
7. The vice royal patron of the Philippines

Governor General

Philippines

8. He can appoint minor officials in the govt

including the parish priest
9. He is also the commander-in-chief of the armed
forces
Political changes
10. The right of cumplase bestowed upon him by
the King of Spain.
Only 1 qualification to be a Gov Gen
- A peninsulares or a Spaniard born in Spain
Right of cumplase – the right of the governor to
suspend the operation of the Royal decree or
order relative to the Phils if in his opinion, the
said order or decree would not be beneficial to
the administration of the country.
- Formula – “ I obey but do not comply”
The Audencia and the lower courts
Facts:
1. Exercises the judicial powers of the govt
2. Was established in the Phils in 1583 to
administer justice to the aggrieved people in the
colony
3. Gov Santiago de Vera – 1st pres
4. Audencia
a. The highest court for criminal and civil
cases
b. Pol and administrative matters can only be
brought to the Audencia by the GG
c. If there is no GG, the Audencia will exercise
Letter b.
d. It also audits the finances of the govt
5. Many opposed to the Audencia so its was
abolished in 1589
6. So a council in its place was created of 400
members headed by the GG; this was
unsatisfactory to many bec of its many
members;
7. So the King ordered the re – establishment of
the Audencia in 1595 but carried out its
functions in 1598 when it was inaugurated.
Local government
Central government
Provincial government
1. Those already pacified ( provinces that already
recognize the authority of Spain) = governed by
a civil provincial governors
2. Those not yet fully pacified = ruled by military
officers
Municipal government City government
Barangay
Provincial governor
Facts:
1. Was called alcalde mayor
2. He was appointed by the GG
3. His salary was P300/month
4. They represented the Spanish King and the GG
5. They manage the day to day operations of the
provincial govt
6. Implemented laws and supervise the collection
of taxes
7. He has the right to engage in trade or Indulto de
comercio
o This was later abolished bec there was
abused of this power and graft and
corruption to the extent of scandalizing
the Spaniards
8. Act as a Judge of the province
There were again many abuses
committed by the Gov – Judge
IN 1886, the King ordered that the Prov
Gov will remain as Judge only and appoint
another to become Provincial Gov whose main
duty is to administer the province.
Municipal government
Facts:
1. The town or municipality is composed of
several barrios
2. Headed by a gobernadorcillo ( little gov), or
capitan municipal or simple capitan.
3. Today he is called a mayor
4. He is Elected by 13 electors who are prominent
in the town
6 – former cabezas de Barangay
6 – actual cabezas de Barangay
1 – outgoing capitan
5. The one selected as gobernadorcillo had to be
approved by the Spanish friar curate
If approved:
1. His name will be sent to the Prov Gov
2. The prov gov will send his name to the GG
for final approval
6. Aides of the gobernadorcillo
a. Deputies – tenientes
b. Chief of police
c. Subordinate officials- called alguaciles
7. Main duties of the gobernadorcillos
a. Efficient governance and tax collections
b. They have small salaries but were exempted
from paying taxes
8. Qualifications of a gobernadorcillo
a. Any native or chinese mestizo
b. 25 years old
c. Literate in oral or written Spanish
d. Cabeza de Barangay for 4 years
Cabeza de Barangay
Facts:
1. The Barangay captain
2. Responsible for the peace and order of the
barrio
3. No salary but receives a portion of the taxes
collected in his barrio
4. He is a member of the principalia together
with the town mayor and other municipal
officials
5. They were given economic and political
privileges
6. Qualifications:
a. Literate in Spanish
b. Have good moral character and property
c. Cabezas who served for 25 years were
exempted from forced labor
City government
Facts:
1. 1st century of the Spanish rule- only 2 cities-
Manila and Cebu
2. By the 7th century – 6 cities – Cabu, manila,
vigan, Nueva Segovia ( now Lal lo,
Cagayan), Areval ( Iloilo now) and Nueva
Caceres
( now Naga)
3. The city was the center of social,
commercial , religious and cultural life
4. Its government is different from that of a
town
5. City government is called ayuntamiento
6. Composition:
a. 2 alcaldes
b. 12 regidores ( now councilors)
c. A chief of police
d. A city secretary
e. Other lesser officials
Spanish government diagram:
Propagating the Catholic faith
Facts:
1. Augustinian Orders – were with Legazpi in
1565
Those early Filipinos who were
converted to the Catholic faith later returned
to their animist religion.
The King decided to convert the whole
archipelago to the Catholic faith.
Augustinian orders continued to send
missionaries and spread Catholicism around
Manila, Visayas , Ilocos, Pampanga and
Pangasinan.
2. Franciscan missionaries – arrived in 1577
They spread the catholic faith in Manila,
Laguna de Bay, Batangas, Rizal and
Quezon, Camarines and Bicol provinces
3. Jesuits – came in 1587
They spread Catholic faith in Manila,
Cagayan region and Pangasinan
4. Recollect Missionaries – came in 1606
Spread catholic faith in Manila, Bataan,
Zambales, Mindoro, Masbate, Ticao,
Burias, cuyo, Romblon, Negros and
some parts of Mindanao

How conversion progressed?
1. At the time Legazpi landed in Cebu – 250,000
were converted to the Catholic faith
2. 18th century – a little less than a million
3. 1860s – 4Million
4. End of Spanish period in 1898 – 6 ½ Million
3. 3 yrs later –Fr. Domingo Salazar was
appointed the first bishop of Manila
4. 1595 – Bishopric of Manila became an
archbishopric with Fr. Ignacio Santibanez as
the 1st Archbishop
5. Under the Archbishopric of Manila were
Cebu, Bueva Caceres and Ueva Segovia.

The Union of the Church and the State

Facts: Ecclesiastical Government

1. There was a union of church and state in Spain Headed by

and the same was introduced here in the Phils Archbishop
2. Officials appointed by the King were also ( he is appointed by the Pope upon the
defenders of the faith recommendation of the King of Spain
3. Friars and the Jesuits were not only priests but
also agents of the Spanish king. Bishop
4. Because of this union, the GG has the authority ( administers their parishes under their
to appoint priests to the parishes jurisdiction)
5. The clergy were active in govt and had political
powers Ecclesiastical Court or the Archbishop court
6. Friars become members of the central govt - Composed of the Archbishop, the vicar- general,
a. Census enumerator a notary and other officials
b. Health officer - They only hear cases involving the church and
c. Inspector of schools those involving priests
d. Censor in dramas and other writings for
publication Inquisition
e. Auditor of the local govt - An ecclesiastical office, whose duty was to
f. He certifies if a young man may or will search for heretics and those guilty or practicing
become a soldier religious doctrines that were contrary to that of
the Catholic Church.
7. High church officials was eligible to become a
GG in the absence of a GG.

- There was no office of the Inquisition in the

Phils but there was a representative or
commissary of the Mexican Inquisition in the
The Church Organization Phils
Catholic church
- It was the duty of the rep to ferret out heretics
among the Spaniards since filipinos were not
district subjected to inquisitorial practices accord to the
( represented geographic regions that had instructions of King Phillip
different dialects and languages)
- Background of Inquisition:
parishes missions
- Represented villages - Areas/ regions It was actually torture by the Catholic Church in
Not yet converted by the 14th century
Catholicism 1. It includes all crimes- robbery, murder,
treachery, deceit, hypocrisy etc
Facts: 2. The one who prosecutes is also the one who
1. In 1578 Manila became a Diocese will judge
2. At first, it was merely a suffragan of the 3. A man is usually given 40 day grace period
Archbishopric of Mexico to confess by recanting ( to publicly say that
 you no longer have the opinion that you
once had) their faith
4. After the grace period, and if you don’t
recant, you will be woken up in the middle
of the night, gagged and escorted to the holy
edifice or Inquisition prison for closer
examination;
5. When a sentence is ordered and the husband
is the accuse, the wife is included and their
children
6. They will be tortured like they will be
placed in a pulley that all parts of their
bodies will be stretched. In the end, the
accused will confess to anything and
everything that his tormentors wanted them
to admit.
7. When they confess in the long run, they will
be given to the civil authorities to be
“relaxed” ( i.e , to be burned alive)
8. Others will be placed in the dungeon and
they are bound by chains that they have to
sleep standing up.
The introduction of painting
- Religious works were handwritten
- The Dominicans were the first to introduce the
art of printing called xylography or printing by
woodblock.
1. A rectangular piece of wood of 1 or 2inches
was carved out with words
2. The wood will be covered thinly with ink
3. A piece of paper is placed on top of the
woodblock pressed with a heavy object
4. When the paper is lifted, it has an imprint of
the words in the woodblock;
5. 1st book printed in 1593 by woodblock- the
Christian doctrine ( tagalog and chinese)
- The printing of the wood block was
cumbersome. The Dominicans improved their
printing. They introduced the movable tiles
called typography in 1602.
- Typography – a letter is joined to a small piece
of wood or iron or any similar material.
- Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala was 1st printed
in 1703 in Tayabas ( now Quezon Province).
The Residencia and the Visita
- To investigate the abuses, the King of Spain
introduced 2 institutions :
a. Residencia –
a.1. this was the special judicial court that
investigates the performance of the GG who
was about to be replaced or the outgoing
GG.
a.2. the incoming GG is usually a member
will submit his report of findings to the King
for final decision.
a. 3. While for a good purpose, it was
abused in many cases by the incoming GG
bec they often harassed the outgoing GG to
invent charges to embarrass him
b. Visita
a.1 was a secret investigationof an official’s
conduct as a public servant
a.2 its purpose was to ensure that the official
will work honestly and efficiently
a.3 he will report his findings to the King
Plaza complex
- Houses of the natives were situated around the
plaza to bring them closer to the church, the
convent, the municipio, the market place and the
cemetery.
- This will allow the Spaniards to administer and
control the natives and the church can easily
regulate the activities of the natives whose
residences were under the ‘peal of the bells’
( are within the reach of the sound of the bells)
Economic changes
1. Encomienda
- Order Given by the King to a Spanish
conquistador as a reward to his services. In
accordance with this order, Legazpi gave the
lands to those who helped him in his conquest in
the Phils.
- Facts:
 1. It was the right to collect tributes or taxes
from the inhabitants of an area assigned to
him;
2. The size of the encomienda was determined
by the number of people living in it usually
300 natives with the value of the land of
P2,000.
3. In exchange the encomendero is to teach the
natives under his jurisdiction of the
Christian Doctrine
4. He will also protect the natives of any harm
5. However, with a very few exceptions, there
were abused and maltreated the Filipinos
- 3 kinds of encomienda:
1. Royal encomienda – belongs to the King
2. Ecclesiastical encomienda- belongs to the
church
3. Private encomienda- belongs to a private
individual ( so many abuses so it was
abolished by the King toward the end of the
17th century)
2. Forced labor or polo
Facts:
1. Spanish officials ordered the Filipinos to work
in the construction of churches, roads, bridges,
ships
2. Conditions:
a. Filipinos must be paid for their work
b. Filipinos should not be made to work in a
distant place where they could not return to
their families
c. Drafting should not coincide with harvest
and planting season
d. They should not be overworked
e. Only resorted to in cases of absolute
necessity
f. Number of laborers will be diminished as
soon as laborers from other countries had
volunteered to work.
3. In theory – these conditions protects the
Filipinos
4. In reality – it was cruel
a. Wages were not paid
b. They were separated from their families
c. They were not given food
d. They were overworked and some of them
died
5. To be exempt from forced labor, a laborer has
to pay a fee called falla .
6. The falla is usually high that oftentimes a
laborer cannot afford to pay
3. The tribute
Facts :
1. In order to raise money to finance the
administration of the colony, construction of
churches, government buildings, roads, bridges
and improvements
2. It was a form of recognition of the Filipino
loyalty to the King of Spain
3. Those who paid tribute are above 16 – below 60
years old
4. This was actually the residence tax during the
Spanish times
5. In cash or in good
6. It was abolished in 1885 and replaced with
cedula tax
7. Filipinos were very unhappy with these taxes
bec Spanish officials cheated and abused them
4. Taxes
Facts :
1. Diezmos prediales – 1/10th of the produce
of the land
2. Donativo de Zamboanga – tax specifically
used for the conquest of Sulu
3. Vinta – tax paid by the people of some
provinces along the coast of Western Luzon
for the defense from Muslim invaders
5. Galleon Trade
Facts:
1. It was named after the sailing ship which
sailed from Manila to Acapulco
2. It was profitable business for Spanish
businessmen and corrupt govt who ran it
3. It could make them wealthy for a short
period of time
4. It declined in the 19th century when
commercial liberty was adopted as a
European policy.
5. 1811- govt monopoly of the Galleon Trade
came to an end
 6. Other ports in the Americas ( Peru and
Ecuador) were opened to Phil trade. This
finally declined the Manila-Acapulco trade
6. Mexican subsidy
Facts:
1. The Phils became a burden of Spain bec of
our very poor economic conditions
2. To prevent bankruptcy of govt, the Mexican
govt sent to the PHils an annual subsidy
( called situado)
3. P250,000 on average
4. However, the money was not spent to
improve the conditions of the Filipinos but
to the pockets of Spanish officials and
priests in a form of salaries
5. The Mexican subsidy stopped in 1821 when
Mexico became independent
7. The Economic society
Facts:
1. It was founded by Governor Basco
2. Gov Basco was given the right to establish a
society “of selected persons who are capable
to produce useful ideas”
3. Sections:
a. Factories and manufacturers
b. Industry and popular education
c. Natural history
d. Domestic and foreign commerce
e. Agriculture and rural economy
4. Domestic and foreign commerce
a. 1834 Spain officially opened the Phils
to world trade
b. It means that goods coming from the
phils can be shipped out for other
countries
c. And goods from other countries can
directly come into the Phils
d. In 1859 - there were 15 foreign
companies in Mla
e. Nicolas Coney Plymorth of England –
was the 1st foreign merchant to live in
the Visayas ( Iloilo). He became a rich
businessman and developed the sugar
industry in Iloilo
5. Rise of Banks
a. Bank of the Phil Islands was the oldest
bank ( 1851). It started as Banco
Espanyol
b. 1862 – Monte de piedad Savings Bank
6. Improvement in transportation and
communication
a. 1891 – British built the 1st railroad from
Mla – Dagupan route
b. Feb 1, 1859 – 1st postage stamp
c. 1854 – 1st monthly mail ( mla- hK)
d. 1783 – 1st telegraph
e. 1890 – 1st telephone
7. Scientific survey
a. 1789 – was done under the command of
Captain Alejandro Malaspena
b. 2 ships sailed around the archipelago
and explored the coasts
c. Antonio Pineda, a botanist, went with
the exploration and studied Phil plants
d. From this exploration came the 1st
modern shipping chart of the map of the
PHils
8. Export indigo ( blue vat dye taken from
plants) for the 1st time in Europe
8. Government monopolies
Facts:
a. Gov Basco recommended to the King of
Spain that a monopoly ( complete control)
be established in the PHils
b. Provisions of the Tobacco Monopoly:
1. Cultivation of tobacco was prohibited
except for prov selected to grow it
2. Contraband of tobacco was prohibited
3. Govt had the exclusive right to purchase
all tobacco
4. Govt had the right to prohibit the
exportation or importation of tobacco by
any agency not connected with the govt
c. It realized a profit of P500,000
d. 1880-1881 – it profit reached P3.5M
e. Bad results of the tobacco monopoly:
1. Abuses by inspectors like seizing the
land of farmers who failed to produce
the required quota
2. Inspectors search houses for alleged
contraband of tobacco
 3. Farmers were not paid the value of
tobacco crop but only promissory notes
but were not paid
4. Farmers could not smoke the tobacco
they produced. Instead, they were made
to buy cigars which were very expensive
for them
f. There was growing opposition to the
Tobacco Monopoly.
g. It was abolished in 1882.
h. Other monopolies of the Spanish govt
1. Wine and liquor
2. Gunpowder
3. Playing cards
4. Anise
i. The monopolies gave Spain a big income
but burden with the Filipinos. Many
farmers left their homes for manila resulting
in the decrease of population in the
provinces and consequently low income.
9. The Royal Company
Facts:
1. Starting capital of P8M
2. This amt was divided into 32,000 shares
costing P250/share
3. Aims of the royal company:
a. Improve the foreign trade of the colony
with Spain
b. Develop the natural resources
4. Privileges of the Royal company
a. Monopoly of trade between Spain and
the Phils
b. Phil products were exempted from
tariff duties
c. Company’s ships were allowed to visit
oriental ports
d. Manila merchants could now trade with
China and India
5. Reasons for failure of the royal company:
a. Spanish merchants did not cooperate
with the company
b. The company was not able to have a
direct contact with Japan, China and
India
c. Company was not well managed
d. Foreign vessels, instead of the
company’s vessels, brought to manila
groceries , wines and other European
products
6. Royal company was abolished in 1834
Economic Development an overview
1. 1st 150 years – characterized by slow economic
development
2. Population decreased and uprisings and revolts
were major problems of the colonial
development
3. Factors for slow development:
a. Spanish officials were lazy, incompetent
and inefficient
b. There were frequent quarrels between the
GG and the clergy. These quarrels led to
demoralization. They make things worse by
spending more time fighting with each other
4. Spanish officials did not care about the welfare
of the Filipinos.
5. Spanish writer Comyn said:
a. No training is required to be a GG
b. Any Spaniards who are fit can be a GG
c. So it was common to see a barber, a sailor
suddenly transformed into an alcalde ( prov
gov)
6. Under these circumstances:
a. The people became unproductive and
indolent
b. There was little economic and social
development in the life of the masses
c. While colonial officials and the church grew
rich
7. The dream of Spain was to spread Catholicism
and to have an empire in Asia
8. Spaniards don’t know how to how to make
money grow. It was always a failure
9. While we were a colony of Spain, the Filipinos
did not have a share in the wealth of our very
own country.