Ferdinand Magellan, The

Portuguese explorer-turned
Spaniard, and discover o f
the Philippines, sought to
honor the patron saint whose
feast happened to fall on the
day espied the islands, by
calling the group, Archipelago
de San Lazaro.
The source of the
appellation that has
outlived all the other
name is Ruy Lopez
de Villalobos, a
Spanish Navigator who
ventured into the
islands in 1543,
Antonio de Mendoza. He named several
islands among which was Charles Caesar
( Caesarea Caroli ) for mindanao, to
honor king charles of spain. The Tandaya
islands were called Filipinas or philipinas
(philippines), to please the spanish
monarch, Philip, Prince of Asturias, who
later became Philip II , King of spain
Another navigator, Lopez de
legazpi, did not seek to disturb
the name given by Villalobos
when his boat anchored in
philippine waters in 1565. The
spanish king formally accepted
the title, Filipinas, given the
archipelago and the name has
remained thus ever since
Magellan's expedition got involved in the
political rivalries between the Cebuano natives
and took part in a battle against Lapu-Lapu,
chieftain of Mactan island and a mortal enemy
of Datu Zula. At dawn on 27 April 1521,
Magellan invaded Mactan Island with 60
armed men and 1,000 Cebuano warriors, but
had great difficulty landing his men on the rocky
shore. Lapu-Lapu had an army of 1,500 on
land. Magellan waded ashore with his soldiers
and attacked the Mactan defenders, ordering
Datu Zula and his warriors to remain aboard
the ships and watch. Magellan seriously
underestimated the Lapu-Lapu and his men,
and grossly outnumbered, Magellan and 14 of
his soldiers were killed.
In 1570, Martn de Goiti, having been
dispatched by Legazpi to Luzon,
conquered the Kingdom of
Maynila (nowManila).
[8]:79
Legazpi
then made Maynila the capital of the
Philippines and simplified its spelling
to Manila. His expedition also
renamed Luzon Nueva Castilla.
Legazpi became the country's first governor-
general. With time, Cebu's importance fell as
power shifted north to Luzon. The archipelago was
Spain's outpost in the orient and Manila became
the capital of the entire Spanish East Indies. The
colony was administered through the Viceroyalty
of New Spain (now Mexico) until 1821 when Mexico
achieved independence from Spain. After 1821, the
colony was governed directly from Spain.
* National government
* Provincial government
* Municipal government
* Barrio government
* The Residencia and the Visita
* Maura law

The Spanish quickly organized their new colony
according to their model. The first task was the
reduction, or relocation of native inhabitants into
settlements. In return, the person granted
the encomienda, known as an encomendero, was
tasked to provide military protection to the
inhabitants, justice and governance.
National government

the King of Spain, through his Council of the
Indies (Consejo de las Indias), governed through
his sole representative in the Philippines: the
Governor-General (Gobernador y Capitn
General). With the seat of power in Intramuros,
Manila, the Governor-General was given several
duties: he headed the Supreme Court (Royal
Audiencia), was Commander-in-chief of the
army and navy, and was the economic planner
of the country.
Provincial government

On the provincial level, heading the pacified provinces
(alcaldia), was the provincial governor (alcalde mayor).
The unpacified military zones (corregimiento), such as
Mariveles and Mindoro, were headed by the corregidores.
City governments (ayuntamientos), were also headed by
an alcalde mayor. Alcalde
mayors and corregidores exercised multiple prerogatives as
judge, inspector of encomiendas, chief of police, tribute
collector, capitan-general of the province and even vice-
regal patron..
Municipal government

The pueblo or town is headed by
the Gobernadorcillo or little governor. Among his
administrative duties were the preparation of the
tribute list (padron), recruitment and distribution of
men for draft labor, communal public work and
military conscription (quinto), postal clerk and
judge in minor civil suits. intervened in all
administrative cases pertaining to his town: lands,
justice, finance and the municipal police.
Barrio government

Barrio government (village or district) rested on
the barrio administrator (cabeza de barangay). He
was responsible for peace and order and recruited
men for communal public works. Cabezas should be
literate in Spanish and have good moral character
and property. Cabezas who served for 25 years
were exempted from forced labor. In addition, this
is where the sentiment heard as, "Mi Barrio", first
came from.
The Residencia and the Visita

To check the abuse of power of royal officials, two
ancient castilian institutions were brought to the
Philippines. TheResidencia, dating back to the 5th
century and the Visita differed from
the residencia in that it was conducted clandestinely
by a visitador-general sent from Spain and might
occur anytime within the officials term, without any
previous notice. Visitas may be specific or general.
Maura law

The legal foundation for municipal governments in
the country was laid with the promulgation of
the Maura Law on May 19, 1893. Named after
its author, Don Antonio Maura, the
Spanish Minister of Colonies at the time, the law
reorganized town governments in the Philippines
with the aim of making them more effective and
autonomous. This law created the municipal
organization that was later adopted, revised, and
further strengthened by the American and Filipino
governments that succeeded Spanish.