The Philippines in

19th Century
Instability of Colonial Administration
The instability of Spanish politics since the turbulent reign of
King Ferdinand VII (1808 - 1833) marked the beginning of political chaos
in Spain.
By 1830 all Spain's American colonies have became independent
except for Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Who will be his successor?

A struggle for thrown followed between the forces loyal
to Isabela and Charles.
CARLIST WAR
Isabela became the sole female monarch of Spain. But
there were frequent changes in the government of Spain even
after the overthrown of Isabela in 1868.
 From 1834 to 1862, Spain had adopted 4
constitutions, elected 28 parliaments, and installed no
less than 529 ministers with portfolios; followed in
subsequent years by party strifes, revolutions, and other
political upheavals.

Canovite System or Rotativism

The Liberals and Conservatives in Spain took turns in
administering their country.

During 19th Century Philippine Government hass

frequent changes and Philippines became the dumping ground of
relatives and favorites of Spanish politicians.
From Mercantilism to Laissez Faire/Free Trade
Before the 19th Century, European practiced Mercantilism - it is an
economic practice by which governments used their economies to augment state
power at the expense of other countries. Governments sought to ensure that
exports exceeded imports and to accumulate wealth in the form of bullion
(mostly gold and silver).
Galleon Trade - it ia trade between Manila and Acapulo
which began in 1565.
By 18th and 19th centuries, there was a shift towards Laissez
Faire or Free Trade - is an economic system in which transactions
between private groups of people are free from or almost free from any
form of economic interventionism such as regulation and subsidies.
 Philippine products such as sugar, coffee, rice, indigo and
tabacco.In 1834, Philippines was officially opened to foreign trade to
other countries.
The result of greater participation in free trade, it created a
new middle class in the colonies.

Middle class families were able to send their children to

acquire higher education.

The opening of Suez Canal in 1869 brought Europe closer to the

Philippines and enlightenment ideas became more prevalent among middle
class - became known as “illustrados” or the “enlighten ones”
 Spain reigned over the Philippines for 333 years, from 1565 to 1898.
Since Spain was far from the country,the Spanish colonial government in the
Philippines ran indirectly through the viceroy of the Spain in 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.

King of Spain → Governor General → Philippines

The Governor General
- appointed by the Spanish monarch, was head of the Spanish colonial
government.
- Had the power to appoint and dismiss public officials, priest in the
parish (Vice Royal Patron) , except those personal chosen by the King.
- Supervised all government offices and collection of taxes.
- president of the Royal Audiencia (supreme court) and exercised certain
legislative powers.
- Commander-in-chief of the colonial army.
- had the power of cumplase - the power to decide which law or royal
decree should be implemented or disregarded.
- Actos acordados - laws enacted.
- must be a Peninsulares - a spaniard born in Spain.

Miguel López de Legazpi was the first governor general in

the Philippines while Diego de los Ríos was the last 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 visitador and 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 incoming Governor General was
usually a member, submitted a report of findings to the King.

The Visitador
The council of Indies in Spain sent a government official
called the Visitador General to observe conditions in the colony,
and his findings were reported directly to the King.
The Royal Audencia
The highest court in the land.
- serve as an advisory body to the Governor General.
- had the power to check and report on his abuses.
- audited the expenditures of colonial government.
- sent a yearly report to Spain.

The Archibishop and other government officials could also

report the abuses of the colonial.

But 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.
Local Government Units (LGU) of the Philippines Under Imperial
Spain
 2 Types of Provinces
1. Alcaldias (pacified regions) - headed by the Alcalde Mayor who exercised both
executive and judicial powers.
2. Corregimientos (unpacified regions) - headed by a politico-military governor
called Corregidor.
Though they were paid a small salary, they enjoyed privileges such as the
INDULTO DE COMERCIO or the right to participate Galleon Trade.

Each province was divided into several towns or pueblos headed by

Gobernadorcillos (Little Governor).
The main duty of Gobernadorcillos: Tax collections
He is required to mortgage his properties to the government at
the beginning of his term of office.
They were exempted from paying taxes.
Qualifications: Any native or chinese meztizo
25 years old
Literate in ORAL and WRITTEN Spanish
Cabeza de Baraangay for 4 years
 Each town was divided into barrios or barangays and it was headed by a
Cabeza de Barangay.
His main functions: maintenance of peace and order, collection of taxes and
tributes in the barangay.
Qualifications:
- Should be literate in Spanish
- Have good moral character and property
Cabezas who served for 25 years were exempted from forced labor.

Larger towns became cities called ayuntamiento and it became

the center of trade and industry.
Ayuntamiento has a city council called the cabildo.
Cabildo is composed of: Alcade (Mayor),Regidores (Councilors),
Alguacil Mayor (Police Chief) and Escribando (Secretary).
 Corrupt Colonial Officials
1. Gen. Rafael de Isquerdo (1871-1873) incompetent and cruel, boastful, ruthless,
executed GOMBURZA, the “Martyrs of 1872”

2. Gen. Fernando Primo de Rivera a governor general for two terms (1880 - 1883 and
1897 - 1898) - accepted bribes from gambling casinos in Manila which he
scandalously permitted to operate.

3. Gen. Valerino Weyler (1888 - 1891) - a cruel and corrupt governor general of
Hispanic-German ancestry, arrived in Manila a poor man and returned to Spain a
millionaire.
He received huge bribes and gifts of diamonds for his wife from wealthy
Chinese who evaded the anti-Chinese law. The Filipinos scornfully
called him “tyrant” because of his brutal presecution of the Calamba
tenants, particularly the family of Dr. Rizal.
Frailocracy
- a government by Friars
- union of Church and State
- 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.
- Friars controlled government from governor general down to
alcades mayores
- Friars exercise priestly duties, supervise elections,
inspector of books and taxes, arbiter of morals, censor of books
and comedias, superintendent of public works and guardian of peace
and order.
- Rizal, del Pilar, Jaena and other Filipino reformists
blamed frailocracy/friars for obscurantism, fanaticism, and
oppression in the country.
Guardia Civil
- created by Royal Decree of February 12, 1852, as amended byhe
Royal Decree of March 244, 1888; Maltreatment, abuse, robbers, rapists.
- ill-trained and undisciplined.
- Rizal's Noli Me Tangere exposed the guardia civil through
Elias as bunch of ruthless ruffians, good only for disturbing the peace
and persecuting honest men.
 Philippine Representation in Spanish
Cortes
Filibusteros - enemies of the government
Erehes - enemies of the Catholic Church

Ventura de los Reyes

- first Philippine delegate.
- active part in the framing of the Constitution 1812, Spain's first
democratic constitution, and one of its 184 signers.
- abolition of the Galleon Trade.

The representation of the overseas colonies in the Spanish Cortes was

abolished in 1837.
Maladministration of Justice
- Courts were notoriously corrupt. The Spanish judges, fiscals
and court officials were inept, venal and oftertimes ignorant at the
law.
- Justice was costly, partial, and slow. Poor Filipinos has no
access to the courts.

Doǹa Teodora Rizal was jailed on flimsy ground in 1871; Dr.

Rizal was deported in July 1892 without trial; Paciano and several
brothers-in-law were exiled without due process.
Like the GOMBURZA, Rizal was executed - a noble victim of
Spanish miscarriage of justice.
Force Labor (Polo y servicio)
- compulsory labor imposed by the Spanish colonial authoriries
on adult Filipino males in the construction of churches, schools,
hospitals, buildings, roads and bridges, ships, etc.
- wealthy one were able to evade forced labor by paying falla, a
sum of money.
- Spaniards were not drafted to forced labor, contrary to law,
while Filipino polistas received only a part of teo pesetas (50
centavos) or worse nothing at all.
- disturbed the Indios' work in the farm and shops and separate
them from their families.
Racial Discrimination
- Spain introduced Christianity's egalitarian concept of the BROTHERHOOD
OF ALL MEN under GOD THE FATHER, but Filpinos were regarded as inferior beings
undeserving of rights enjoyed by the Spaniards.

- Filipinos were called brown-skinned and flat nosed Indios.

- Lack of opportunities for educated young Filipinos to rise in the

service of God and country.
 Human Rights Denied to Filipinos
- No freedon of Speech, no freedom of the press, no freedom of
association,and other human rights.

No Equality Before the Law

- Filipinos were abused, brutalized, presecuted and slandered.
- Spanish missionaries thought that ALL MEN irrespective of color and
race are children of God and as such they brothers, equal before God and not
before the law... not in practice.
- Leyes de Indians (Laws of the Indies) rarely enforced - Spanish Civil
Code imposed light penalties to Spaniards but heavier penalties to Indios.
Haciendas Owned by Friars
- Friars owned the best haciendas and the folks filling these
land even before the coming of the Spaniards became tenants - resulted
in bloody agrarian upheaval in 1745 - 1746.
- Rizal tried to initiate agrarian reform in 1887 but in vain,
ignited the wrath of the Dominician Friars who retaliated by raising
land rentals.
- Rizal in his “Indolence of the Filipinos” in substance
opined that Friars ownership of best agricultural tract of land
contribute to the stagnation of economy.