GOOD MORNING

LET US PRAY
Let's Talk About
BRI E F HI ST OR Y OF
PH ILI PP IN E LOC A L
GOVERNANCE

Presented by GROUP 3
 American Epoch

The system of government established in the Philippines

by the American colonial masters was characterized by
centralism. Local governments had very little control
over local affairs.
The American colonial masters established the
municipality. The first municipalities established
had a municipal council composed of a President,
who was its head, and the headmen of the barrios
constituting the municipality. The Schurman
Commission introduced the election, by word of
mouth, of the President by the town residents.
The election results, however, are to be
approved by the American Commanding
Officer of the town. Like the head of the
municipal council under General Order No. 43
of 1899, the President was assisted by the
heads of the composite villages. The acts of
the municipal officials were subject to the
absolute control of the American military
officials, who were responsible only to the
central government.
The shift to civilian government sort of modified
the highly centralized military government in
the islands. That President McKinley intended to
shed off some of the powers of the central
government and give autonomy to local
governments is evident in his Instruction of April
7, 1890.
In accordance with and pursuant to the a
fore quoted instruction of President
McKinley, the Philippine Commission
enacted into law Act No. 82 and Act No. 83
which provided for the organization and
government of municipalities and for the
establishment of provinces, respectively.
Under the first law, each municipality was headed
by a President who was its chief executive. The
other officials of the town are a Secretary, a
Treasurer, and a Chief of Police. Each town had a
council, which was the legislative body. The council
had the President as its presiding officer with a
representative each of the barrios comprising the
town as members.
 1. Each provincial government had a
Governor, who was the chief executive of
the province and presiding officer of the
provincial council
Under Act
No. 83
2 . A treasurer, and a Supervisor, who was
later replaced by a Division Superintendent
of Schools.
 The Governor was elected, at first, by the councilors of the
municipalities constituting the provinces and, later, by
popular vote. No matter how well intentioned, the McKinley
instructions were never realized due to the lack of capable
local government officials, a situation which was the direct
effect of the long domination of the local government units
by the central government Central control of local units was
rationalized as it was necessary to control the numerous
military struggles against the United States.
 The
Commonwealth

The approval and adoption of the 1935 Constitution

paved the way for the institution of the Philippine
Commonwealth. Under Sec. 10, Art. VII thereof, the
President exercised general supervision over all local
government units subject to the provisions of law,
which power the President exercised through the
Executive Bureau of the Department of Interior.
 Financial supervision over local governments was,
however, later transferred to the Department of
Finance. The Department of Interior was abolished in
1950 and was replaced by the Division of Local
Government in the Office of the President of the
Philippines.

During this period, there was a shift towards

centralization primarily due to the strong leadership of
President Manuel L. Quezon who advocated for a strong
central government with its chief executive exercising
control over local units.
 1. City mayors were appointed by the President from
1936 to 1940.

2. The police service was nationalized.

The President had the power to define the boundaries of

local government units as well as to merge and divide
existing ones.
Thank You For
Listening