Historical Context &

Rizal’s Formation
Module 2: Lesson 2.1
ScSc 16n Life and Works of Rizal
 Learning Objectives
 Articulate the conditions in the Philippines during Rizal’s
time.

 Link these conditions to the present-day Philippines.

 Create a podcast about a particular Philippine condition

during the Spanish regime.s
 Spain and the Philippines
in Rizal’s Time
Spanish rule was imposed in the Philippines
by conquest.
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi established the
first Spanish settlement in 1565 in Cebu.
The Filipinos had their own indigenous
culture and their own government, the
barangay headed by a native chieftain called
Datu.
 Political Condition
The Spanish colonial government in the Philippines ran indirectly
through the viceroy of the Spanish in Mexico.

 National Government
 Governor General (President)
The chief executive in the whole archipelago.
The head of state and church.
The commander-in-chief of the military.
 Visitador
Visits the country to check the administration of the Governador General.
  Residencia
Resident in the Philippines to observe the Governor General.
 Provincial Government
 Alcalde Mayor (Provincial Governor)
The head at the provincial level
He had the power and responsibilities like the Governor General but his
power was limited in the province.
 Municipal Government
 Gobernadorcillo (Town Mayor)
The Municipal judge or Governor in the town (pueblo) in the Philippines
during the Spanish period.
He had the power of Indulto de Comercio to engage in trading.
  Barrio Government
 Cabeza de Barangay (Barangay Captain)
Head of the barangay.
The Filipino was allowed to assume the position of Cabeza de Barangay
only. He has to be a Filipino male, 23 years old, educated, and had a
property of 500 pesos.
 The Supremacy of the Friars Over the Colonial
Government
 The different religious orders had a great contribution to the establishment of
the Spanish Colonial government in the country.
 The regular priests were able to dominate the control in the different parishes
and had the power to get the parishes from the secular (Filipino priests).

Abuses of the Spanish Government Officials

 The excessive powers and privileges of the governor-general made him weak
and undisciplined.
 The provincial government where the alcalde mayor was the administrator,
judge, and military commander was the most corrupt branch of the
government.
The Supremacy of the Friars Over the
Colonial Government
 Corrupt Spanish Officials

 General Rafael de Izquirdo (1871-1873)- a

boastful and ruthless governor general,
aroused the anger of the Filipinos by executing
the Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and
Jacinto Zamora.

 Admiral Jose Malcampo (1874-1877)- a

good Moro fighter, but was an inept and weak
administrator.
 Corrupt Spanish Officials
 General Fernando Primo de Rivera - a
governor general for two term, enriched
himself by accepting bribes from gambling
casinos in Manila which he scandalously
permitted to operate.
 General Valeriano Weylor (1888-1891)- a
cruel and corrupt governor of Hispanic-
German ancestry, arrived in Manila a poor
man and returned to Spain a millionaire.
 Corrupt Spanish Official

 General Camilo de Polavieja (1896-

1897)- an able militarist but heartless
governor general, was widely detested
by the Filipino people for executing
Dr. Jose Rizal.
 Socio-Cultural Condition
The Spaniards imposed new social stratification which discriminate
the natives in their own land.

1. Peninsulares. The highest class, full-blooded Spanish born in Spain but lives
in the Philippines.
2. Insulares. Full-blooded Spanish born and living in the Philippines.
3. Creoles. The third class, they are the mixed blood or combination of Spanish
and Filipino
 llustrados- the well-educated Filipino “enlightened ones”
 Principalia- the landowners

4. Indios. The last class, the unfortunates and discriminated class in the
society.
 Philippine Conditions during the
Spanish Regime
1. Instability of Colonial Administration
The political instability in Spain adversely affected the Philippine affairs
because it brought frequent periodic shifts in colonial policies and officials
each serving an average of one year and three months.

2. Corrupt Colonial Officials

Colonial officials sent by Mother Spain to govern the Philippines were
highly corrupt, incompetent and ignorant.
3. No Philippine Representation in Spanish Cortes
The representation was abolished in 1837 which resulted into growing
abuse if power because Filipinos could not expose the situation of the
Philippines.

4. Human Rights Denied to Filipinos

Spanish authorities cherished human rights but denied them to the Filipinos
in Asia.

5. No Equality Before the Law

Spaniards regarded the brown race as inferior beings, thus denying them
the equality of rights.
 6. Racial Discrimination
Brown-skinned and flat-nosed Filipinos are called Indios.

7. Frailocracy
The friars controlled the religious and educational life of the Philippines,
and later in the 19th century, they came to acquire tremendous political power,
influence, and riches.

8. Maladministration of Justice
The justice course of justice in the Philippines during Rizal’s time were
corrupt.
 9. Forced Labor
Known as Polo y Servicio, it was the compulsory labor imposed by the
Spanish colonial authorities on adult Filipino males building infrastructure
aged 16 to 60 years old.

10. Haciendas Owned by the Friars

The farmers who had been around before the coming of the Spaniards were
reduced to become tenants of their own land.

11. Guardia Civil

The most hated Spanish symbols of tyranny in the Philippines.
Podcast Rubric