During the Pre-colonial period, land ownership in the Philippines was

distinguished through nobility. Villages or barangays were governed by datus

(chieftains) and the social structure comprised the maharlikas and the aliping
namamahay and saguiguilid who cultivate the lands owned by the nobles. On the other
hand, the Spaniards' land ownership system or encomienda was based on the loyalty of
the conquistador (Spanish conqueror) who conquered the lands granted by the Spanish
monarch. The policies bound to encomienda allowed the encomenderos (owners of the
lands) to collect taxes from the natives or execute royal orders and defend the lands
from any attack or maintain peace within. Clearly, the distinction between the two
systems are the accessibility of lands where the Filipinos during Pre-colonial accessed
through their status in the society, while the Spaniards accessed through conquest.