Spanish Colonial Period

Political System
 Reporters:
Nestor Castro
Juliedel Cunanan
Christine Nicole Matundan
Ferdinand Orpiano
Jobelle Rigor

BSHRM 3-1 (HISTO 100)

Philippine Government during the
Pre-Spa
nish & Spanish Era - YouTube.FLV
Spanish Era in the Philippines - Y
ouTube.FLV
INTRODUCTIO
N
The Philippines was not formally
organized as a Spanish colony
until 1565 when Philip II
appointed Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi the first Governor-
General. Legazpi selected Manila
for the capital of the colony in
1571 because of its fine natural
harbour and the rich lands
surrounding the city that could
supply it with produce.
The colonization brought great
Changes Brought by
Spanish Colonizers
The foremost aim of Spanish
colonization was to spread
Christianity.
The second aim of the
Spanish colonizers was
economic wealth.
The third aim of Spanish
colonization was political
grandeur.
COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION

For over 333 years, the Philippines was a

crown colony of Spain. Until 1821 when the
Mexican's revolted and won independence
from Spain, the Philippines was a
dependency of Mexico, being administered
by the viceroy in the name of the king. From
1821 to 1898, the country was a distinct
government unit under the direct control of
the home government in Madrid. The king
issued cedulas for the administration of the
colony and appointed a governor, member
of the royal audiencia and other high
officials.
Cedula

1896 Cedula Personal issued in Manila. This is

similar to the cedula torn by the Katipuneros
ENCOMIENDA

It comes from the Spanish

word encomendar which
means "to entrust".
The earliest political system
used during the conquista
period was the encomienda
system.
Under the encomienda
system, the native inhabitants
in a given geographic region
were entrusted to an
encomendero or trustee as a
reward for his service to the
Spanish Crown.
Principalia
List of the Officials in some towns of
Iloilo elected by their respected
Principales in 1855.
 KING OF SPAIN

THE
THE COLONIAL
COLONIAL GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT

THE
THE EXECUTIVE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
BRANCH THE
THE JUDICIAL
JUDICIAL BRANCH
BRANCH
(Governor
(Governor General)
General) (Royal
(Royal Audencia,
Audencia, Residencia,
Residencia,
Lower
Lower Courts,
Courts, Governor-
Governor-
General)
General)

PROVINCIAL
PROVINCIAL MUNICIPAL
MUNICIPAL CITY
CITY GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT AYUNTAMIENTO
AYUNTAMIENTO
ALCALDIA
ALCALDIA CORRIGIMIENTO
CORRIGIMIENTO (Cabildo)
(Cabildo)
(Alcalde
(Alcalde Mayor)
Mayor) (Corregidor)
(Corregidor)
PUEBLOS
PUEBLOS OR
OR TOWNS
TOWNS CABILDO
CABILDO
(Gobernadorcillos)
(Gobernadorcillos) City
City Council
Council

ALCALDE
ALCALDE
REGIDORES
REGIDORES
BARRIOS
BARRIOS AGUACIL
AGUACIL MAYOR
MAYOR
(Cabeza
(Cabeza de
de Barangay)
Barangay) ESCRIBANDO
ESCRIBANDO

BARRIOS
BARRIOS
(Cabeza
(Cabeza de
de Barangay)
Barangay)
 THE SPANIARDS
AS
COLONIAL MASTERS
Spain reigned over the Philippines for 333
years, from 1565 to 1898.

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 Philippines
through a Governor General,
(GG).

KING OF SPAIN

GOVERNOR
GENERAL

PHILIPPINES
 THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
The King's representative and the highest-
ranking official in the Philippines

Royal decrees and laws emanating from

Spain were implemented in the Philippines

Had the power to appoint and dismiss

public officials, except those personally
chosen by the King
Governor-General
 THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
Supervised all government offices and the
collection of taxes

Exercised certain legislative powers

Issued proclamations to facilitate the

implementation of laws
Governor-General

Miguel Lpez
de Legazpi
April 27, 1565-
August 20, 1572
 THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
REQUIREMENT:

Must be a PENINSULARES
or A SPANIARD BORN IN SPAIN
 Gobernadorcillo
was a municipal judge or governor in the
Philippines during the Spanish colonial period,
who carried out in a town the combined charges
or responsibilities of leadership, economic, and
judicial administration. The Gobernadorcillo was
the leader of a town or pueblo (people or
population). In a coastal town, the
"Gobernadorcillo" functioned as a Port Captain.

Honor Accorded to
Gobernadorcillos
THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE
THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
The Governor General and other
government officials had so much
power that it was commonly
abused.To investigate the abuses,
there were bodies created:

THE RESIDENCIA

THE VISITA THE ROYAL AUDENCIA

 THE RESIDENCIA

This was a special judicial court that

investigates the performance of a Governor
General who was about to be replaced.

The Residencia, of which the

incoming Governor General was
usually a member, submitted a
report of its findings to the King.
 THE VISITA

The Council of the Indies in Spain sent a

government official called the VISITADOR
GENERAL to observe conditions in the
colony.

The Visitador General

reported his findings directly to
the King.
 The highest court in
THE ROYAL AUDENCIA
the land
Served as an advisory body to the
Governor General

Had the power to check and report on his

abuses

The Audiencia also audited the

expenditures of the colonial government

Sent a yearly report to Spain

The Archbishop and other government

THE ROYAL AUDENCIA

Despite all these checks, however,

an abusive governor general often
managed to escape stiff fines,
suspension, or dismissal by simply
bribing the Visitador and other
investigators.
 THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT

The Spaniards created Local Government Units

(LGU) for the provinces

There were two types of local government units:

ALCALDIA CORRIGIMIENT
O

Alcalde Corregidor
Mayor
THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT

The ALCADIA, led by the

Alcalde Mayor
governed the provinces that
had been fully subjugated:

UNDER SPANISH CONTROL

ALREADY

SALARY: P300 A MONTH

 THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT

DUTIES OF THE ALCALDE MAYOR:

They represented the Spanish king and

the Governor-General

They managed the day-to-day operations

of the provincial government

Implemented laws and supervised the

collection of taxes
THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT

The CORREGIMIENTO, headed

by

Corregidor
 THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT

The ALCADIA and the

CORREGIMIENTO

Though they were paid a small

salary, they enjoyed privileges such
as the

INDULTO DE COMERCIO

or the right to participate in the

THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

Each province was divided into several towns

or pueblos headed by GOBERNADORDCILLOS
(Little Governor)

MAIN DUTIES: Efficient governance and tax

collection.

Four lieutenants aided the Governardorcillo:

the Teniente Mayor (chief lieutenant),
the Teniente de Policia (police lieutenant),
the Teniente de Sementeras (lieutenant of
the fields)
THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

GOBERNADORDCILLOS

They had SMALL SALARIES but were

exempted from PAYING TAXES

QUALIFICATIONS:
Any NATIVE or CHINESE MEZTIZO
25 years old
Literate in ORAL or WRITTEN SPANISH
Cabeza de Barangay for 4 years

Ex: Emilio Aguinaldo

THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

CABEZA DE BARANGAY OR
(Barrio Administrator or Barangay
Captain)

-Responsible for the peace and order of

the barrio
-Recruited men for public works

QUALIFICATIONS:
Cabezas should be literate in Spanish
Have good moral character and property
Cabezas who served for 25 years were
THE CITY GOVERNMENT

Larger towns became cities called:

AYUNTAMIENTO
It became the center of trade and industry.

The ayuntamiento had a city council called

the
CABILDO
CABILDO is composed of:
ALCALDE (MAYOR)
REGIDORES (COUNCILLORS)
ALGUACIL MAYOR (POLICE CHIEF)
ESCRIBANDO (SECRETARY)