MPA 208

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

 LOCAL GOVERNMENT
HISTORY AND BACKGOUND
I. Pre-colonial Period (before 1951)
II. Spanish Period (1951-1898)
III. American/Japanese Period
I. PRE – COLONIAL PERIOD
(before 1951)
PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD (Barangay)
 Smallest community
 Led ba a Datu – chieftain, wealthiest in the
community 
 Community is composed of:
›  Datu (maharlika)
›  Alipin (saguiguilid or namamahay)
 Datu:
› Serves as a lawmaker, judge and executive
› Assisted by council of elderly
› His authority is mostly autocratic
PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD (Barangay)
 Function is preservation of peace and
mutual protection from other barangays
 Confederations of barangays is headed by the
chief or datu of the largest or wealthiest
barangay.
 Due to lack of centralization because the power
of a datu is mostly confined to its own barangay
only, the Spaniards easiy penetrated the
Philippines which started the Spanish
colonization.
II. SPANISH PERIOD (1951-1898)
 SPANISH PERIOD
 Barangay organization was retained and datu
remianed as head the head.
 But powers were already nominal and rectricted by
lay and ecclesiastical authorities.
 His role is most dominant as executor of the
Spanish policy especially in terms of tax collection.
 The existing local social configuration has been
utilized by the Spanish administrators in the
formation of highly centralized, autocratic
colonial regime.
 SPANISH PERIOD
 Rise of pueblos (consolidation of barangay into
towns)
 Towns were divided into baragays of 50 to 100
families
 Led by cabeza de barangay (chief)
› Cabeza de Barangay- position is hereditary until 1989
then was filled thru an election
› Like the datu, its role is mostly on tax collection and
implementation of law and order.
› Exempted from paying taxes and may appoint one or
two assistants
 SPANISH PERIOD
 Barangay was later on called barrio and its chief
is called Teniente del Barrio.
 During the Spanish period, social structure
was well-defined as the following:
› Principalla – noble class
 Composed of cabeza de barangay or gobernadorcillo
 Maybe elected for public office and can be allowed to vote
› Ilustrados – Spanish erudite and Filipino educated
class
 SPANISH PERIOD
› Native Intellectuals, such as;
 Peninsulares – Spaniards born in Spain, highest class, Ex. Miguel Lopez
de Legazpi
 Insulares – Spanish born in the Philippines, 2nd rank to Peninsulares
 Mestizos – mixed blood, offspring of racial inter-marriage
 Indios – usually Malays
 Country's administration was facilitated by local government
units.
 Two types of local government;
› Alcadia – led by alcalde mayor and assisted by a provinial council or
junta provincial
 Alcalde mayor – represents Spanish King and governor-general,
manages day to day operation of Provincial Government, implements
laws ang tax collections 
› Corregimientos – unpacified military xones headed by corregidores
 SPANISH PERIOD
 Both acted as judge, chief of police, inspector of
encomiendas, capitan and tribute collector
 Receives annual salary
 Larger towns which later called as cities
or ayuntamientos results to a growth of a City
Government composed of alcalde mayor, regidores
(councilors), alquacil mayor (police chief),
escribando(secretary)
 Ayuntamientos:
› Also headed by alcalde mayor
› Became the center of trade and industry
› Has a city council called cabildo.
 SPANISH PERIOD
 Much larger towns are called pueblos or municipality.
› Led by gobernadorcillo.
 Supervises the local police
 Assisted by 3 officials called Tinientes de juciticia
 Supervises farm lands and livestocks
 May only be allowed in the position for year only
 Elected by cabezas de barangay 
 Exempted from taxes and other personal and militray duties
 Ex. Gob. Emilio Aguinaldo
› Composed of medium to large population
› Has church, schools, municipal halls, convent, etc.
 Maura Law of 1983 was formed on May 19, 1983 which
purpose is to grant a greater local autonomy to the provinces
and towns in Luzon and Visayas 
 SPANISH PERIOD
 Before the Maura Law of 1893, elections are
being held and governed by the 1847 regulations.
 Maura Law attempts to abolish the electoral
abuses and corruptions whis is already present at
that time.
 Maura Law of 1983:
› Board of electors all chosen by lot composed of
outgoing gobernadorcillo, six cabezas, and siz ex-
gobernadorcillos. They are to elect five members of
municipal council  and four leutenants
 SPANISH PERIOD
 Cabeza de Barangay
› Shall serve for three years appointed by the provincial
governor from the list of names/candidates given by
the Board of Electors
› Can be reelected for indefinite number of times 
› Shall receive 5% of tax collected in his village 
› May appoint one or two assistants
 Maura Law laid foundation for American
municipal administration in the Philippines.
III. AMERICAN/JAPANESE PERIOD
(1898-1946)
 III. AMERICAN/JAPANESE
PERIOD (1898-1946)
 Towns were renamed as municipalities
 Barrio continued as a subdivision where barrio
lieutenant as chief administrative officer
 Municipal officials made their own decisions
concerning local affairs however subject to revision
or annulment by central government in Manila
 Maintained highly centralized politico-
administrative structure
 Used the ideals of Maura Law
 III. AMERICAN/JAPANESE
PERIOD (1898-1946)
 In 1916, Act No. 2657 aka Administrative Code
of 1917 was made which defines the Government
of Provinces and other political divisions
 In 1917, Act No. 2711 aka Revised
Administrative Code of 1917 was made wich
provides the Establishment of Rural Council –
each barrio has barrio lieutenant and four
councilmen appointed in the same manner as the
barrio lieutenant.
 III. AMERICAN/JAPANESE
PERIOD (1898-1946)
› Roles of Rural Council:
 Represent the barrio
 Hold monthly sessions
 Make its own rules of procedure to be approved by the Municipal Council before
it toolk effect
 Provide for the dissemination of town laws and municipal ordinances considered
as important 
 Organize atleast 3 times a year pubilc lecture on citizenship 
 Cooperate with the government for the success of measures of general interest
 In 1931, Philippine Legislature was passed creating the rural council
under the administration of Gov. Dwight Davies which provides for
the organization of a council composed of barrio lieutenant and such
numbe of vice-barrio lieutenants to assist in the performace of duties.
 III. AMERICAN/JAPANESE
PERIOD (1898-1946)
 Barrio Lieutenants represents the municipal government
and effectiveness depends mainly on his party affiliation
and kinship with the municipal and provincial officials.
 In 1942, Japanese colonization, the
Philipine Executive Commission was established under
Jorge Vargas.
 In 1943, new republic was inaugurated. A resolution 
was passed by the senate asking provisions regarding the
succession be waived to make Quezon the President.
 References:

 Local Governance in the Philippines Leadership, Structure

and Process and Political System By Dr. Eusebio F. Miclat,
Jr. Wondrous Prints and Publishing May 2012 Presented by:
Josefina B. Bitonio, DPA For PA 101 Local Government
Administration 
https://www.slideshare.net/jobitonio/local-governance-in-the
-philippines
 History of Local Government Units in the Philippines by
JM. Estoque
 https://www.britannica.com/place/Philippines/Local-govern
ment
 Philippines under Spanish, American, and Japanese