Group3

DePano,Fatima

Lejano,AnnaIsabelle

Pandy,JanHillary

Que,Micaela201372331

Yao,Selena201372155

I. PoliticalAspect

Through the vice royalty of Nueva Espana (Mexico), the Philippines was a

captaincygeneral governed by the Spanish King, from 1565 to 1821. All Spanish possessions

were administered by the Real y Supremo Consejo de las Indias (Royal and Supreme Council

of the Indies). It was the paramount lawmaker and administrator overseeing the colonies of the

Spanish empire, guided by a compendium of laws called Recopilacion de leyes de los reynos

delasIndias.

Bureaucracy in the colonial Philippines was divided into different levels of administration,

namely:centralornational,provincial,city,municipalandbarrio.

On the national level, the King, through the Consejo de las Indias, governed through his

sole spokesman and representative in the Philippines, the gobernador y capitangeneral or

gobernadorgeneral. He was the commander in chief of the army and the navy, vicereal

patron and president of the islands highest judicial body, the Real Audiencia (Supreme Court).

ThenationallevelsseatofpowerwasfoundinManila(Intramuros).

On the provincial level, the alcalde mayor (provincial governor) headed the alcaldia for

the pacified provinces and districts. Unpacified military zones or corregimientos were headed

by a corregidor. Only a Spaniard could become an alcalde mayor or Corregidor. He was a

judge, inspector of alcaldias, chief of police, tribute collector, viceregal patron and

captaingeneral of the province. Alcade mayors had the special privilege of engaging in trade

through the indulto de comerio. The ayuntamiento or city government governed Cities or

villas.

Two ancient Castillian institutions, namely residencia and visita, were sent to the

Philippines to check the abuse of power of royal officials. The Residencia is a judicial review of

a residenciado (one judged) conducted at the end of his term of office, supervised publicly by a

juez de residencia. Under residencia, those found guilty of public misconduct were imposed

either heavy fines, sequestration of properties, or imprisonment, or combination of all three

penalties. On the other hand, the Visita was conducted secretly by a visitadorgeneral sent

from Spain and may occur any time within the officials term, without any previous notice.

Wrongdoers were fined, dismissed from office or expelled from the colony or a combination of

thosepunishments.

On the municipal level, the gobernadorcillo headed the pueblo or municipio. He must

be Filipino or Chinese mestizo, 25 years old literate in oral or written Spanish and who had

been a cabeza de barangay for 4 years. It was the highest government position a Filipino could

attain under the Spanish rule. His primary responsibilities were: preparation of the pardon

(tribute list), recruitment and distribution of men for the draft labor, communal public work and

thequinto(militaryconscription),postalclerk,andjudgeincivilsuits.

The Barrio government was led by the cabeza de barangay whose main responsibility

was to collect tax and contributions for the gobernadorcillos both of which were exempted from

tax. He is responsible for peace and order in his own barrio and recruited polistas for communal

public works. They were required literacy in Spanish, good moral character and

propertyownership.

The divergence of the Church and the State can clearly be perceived in the exercise of

political and economic powers of the Spanish clergy. Although there is supposed to be a

separation of the Church and the State, the Church persistently meddled in civil government

and press censorship. Marcelo H. del Pilar called it la soberania monacal (monastic

supremacy) or frailocracia (friarocracy). Spanish friars or monastic orders ruled supreme, even

over governmental matters. The reason why friars had so much power and influence could be

traced way back to when the Spaniards were still beginning to conquer us. Instead of sending

large armies, the Spanish missionaries were the real conquerors. Because of their peaceful

means, they were able to gain over the goodwill of the natives, reach out to them and soon win

them over. Because it was them who was able to truly conquer the Philippines, Friars were

always considered as someone in power and of respect. But other than that, due to the lack of

SpanishofficialsinthePhilippines,itwasusuallythemwhowaspresentinthetowns.

Their power was most felt in the lowest Filipino bureaucratic level: the municipio or

pueblo. In the national level, the influence was exercised through vast networks of parishes. Del

Pilar explained how the Friars had such great influence and power because of their control in all

the fundamental forces of society in the Philippines. They supervised the elections of the

cabeza de barangay and gobernadorcillo, had a list of residents in the town, and served as a

mediator to pacify rebellions. Before any financial paper can be approved, it must have their

signature. In the educational system, the University of Santo Tomas was in their possession,

and they served as local inspectors of every primary school. They are also able to control the

minds and actions of people, considering the country is predominantly Catholic, and through

their access to confessionals. They also execute all the orders of the central government.

According to the History of the Filipino People, the Friars did not only serve as parish priests or

spiritual guides, but they also ruled municipalities in fact the whole government of the islands

was in their hands. One key tool that enabled them to have so much control was their ability to

speak the native tongue. Because of this, they were not only able to properly communicate to

the Filipinos, but also understand whatever they were saying. They were also able to rule

supreme because of the vast number of Churches they've built over the country, the haciendas

thatsomeofthemhadcontroloverandotherinstitutionsthattheyhavegreatinfluencein.

II. EconomicAspect

The dominant economic theory in Europe during the 16th until 18th century was

mercantilism. Mercantilist theory states that the best way for a nation to accumulate its wealth is

by maintaining a balance of trade surplus (i.e. exports are greater imports). European

superpowers like Spain and Portugal realized that they could achieve this surplus by colonizing

uncivilized states whose raw materials were exploitable for the production of final goods. These

final goods could then be sold at a high profit margin in exchange for precious metals like gold

and silver, which would lead to increased wealth for these colonizers. This became a driving

force for European imperialists who set sail towards the East in search for spices, gold, and

other valuable goods and resources that could be exploited and traded. The Philippines, which

became a Spanish colony in 1565 under the banner of God, Glory, Gold, saw numerous

economictransformationsduringthe333yearsundercolonialrule.

As early as 1565, the ManilaAcapulco Galleon Trade was already in existence. The

Philippines served as a point of exchange of goods between Asia and the Americas up until

1815. Silk, opium, and spices from India and China were exchanged for gold and silver from

Mexico and Peru. In the first few decades of existence, the trade was booming but there were a

few problems that came with it: too much silver was leaving the hands of the Europeans, and

industries back in the colonizing countries were being negatively affected by the competition

coming from Asia. The Spanish King was forced to impose new restrictions on the trade. First,

only two ships could be used annually one incoming, one outgoing and second, there was an

export quota on the Asian goods bound for Acapulco. However, the businessmen who

immigrated from China and undoubtedly made big profits from the trade worked their way

around these restrictions, and the actual value of goods traded exceeded the limits. More efforts

were directed by both the Spaniards and Chinese towards the galleon trade instead of

agriculture and other native industries, while the Filipinos were unjustly forced to perform work

mainly in the construction of galleons. Strangely enough, while mercantilist theory is associated

with the exploitation of agriculture and raw materials by the colonizers in the colonized state, the

opposite happened with Spain and the Philippines. Profits from international trade were far

exceeding those from the agricultural sector until the Royal Economic Society of Friends of the

CountryandtheRoyalPhilippineCompanywereestablishedinthelate1700s.

The Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country, led by Jose de Basco y Vargas,

was formed in 1780 with the goal to improve the economic productivity of the nation. Basco

created the Plan General Economico to guide the Philippines towards selfsufficiency from the

yearly Mexican subsidy. In it, Basco encouraged leaders to exploit the abundant natural

resources of the country, and employed monopolies on tobacco, betel nut, explosives, and

spirited liquors moves that were more mercantilist in nature. While the aforementioned only led

to more hardship for the Filipinos, the Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country can be

credited for the countrys first paper mill, the creation of guilds for silversmiths and goldbeaters,

conservation efforts for carabaos, the establishment of an academy for design, and the

introduction of mynah birds to keep a locus infestation at bay. Training grants, local and foreign

scholarships, and an endowment fund for a chair in agriculture were also offered. This institution

hashadashakyhistory,butsurvivedforoveracentury.

Shortly after the establishment of the Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country,

the Royal Philippine Company was chartered in 1785 with the goal of improving trade and

commerce between Asia and the Americas. The company declared a monopoly on bringing all

goods to and from Spain and the Philippines. Unsurprisingly, this was met with much opposition

from Dutch, English, and SpanishManila traders. Although a small portion of the shares were

given to merchants in the Consulado y Comercio de Manila, as well as some religious

corporations, the ManilaAcapulco trade was severely affected and suffered great losses. While

the Royal Philippine Company devoted 40% of its earnings towards research, technology, and

community development in the Philippines, it doesnt seem as though the Filipinos fared any

better. Although the company played an important role in the early growth of agriculture in the

country the Spaniards focused on the cultivation of spices, coffee, indigo, sugar, and cotton

Filipinolaborersdidnotreallybenefitatall.

When Spain stopped the galleon trade and finally let the Philippines open itself up to

international commerce in 1834, there was a sudden spike in the demand for export crops such

as rice, sugar, abaca, tobacco, and indigo. Ports in Pangasinan, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Cebu,

Legaspi, and Leyte were eventually opened as well, following that of the Manila port. Imports

and exports, most notably to Britain and the United States, both increased, and the balance of

trade improved significantly. Because of free trade, there was also a freer flow of ideas and

techniques from America and Britain that helped improve the technology of agriculture in the

Philippines. Only when the Philippines opened its ports did the agriculture industry really thrive

and develop. For example, Negros became the center of the local sugar industry and saw an

exponential population boom. The country became the biggest producer of tobacco in East Asia

as well. More foreign consulates also set up office in the country once restrictions were reduced.

However, the Mexican peso devalued continuously beginning in the mid1850s, which

counteractedthecountrysimprovingeconomy.

Perhaps one of the most significant changes brought about during the Spanish period

was the implementation and collection of taxes. Filipinos were required to pay several kinds of

taxes a sactorum tax for the Church, contributions to the community chest, property tax, and

income tax, and a tribute. The tribute could be paid for in cash or in goods such as rice,

tobacco, coconuts, and textiles. On top of these, special taxes were also collected from the

people. The samboangan or donativo de Zamboanga was collected solely to fund retaliation

efforts against the Moros of Mindanao. Also collected were the vinta and falua, taxes that were

directed towards the protection of coastal regions like Bulacan, Cebu, and Camarines Sur. The

bandala was another tax which entailed the forced sale or seizure of goods by the Spaniards.

Most of the goods were rice and coconut oil, which were paid for in promissory notes only and

sold back to the natives at exorbitant prices. Although tax exemptions existed, these only went

to the noble few who lent a hand to the Spaniards during their pacification efforts, the doctors

(mediquillos) and vaccinators, those workers in the arsenal and artillery, and graduates of select

universities. Towards the end of Spanish rule, the tribute was replaced by the personal identity

paper or cedula personal. Compliance was required of all Philippine residents over the age of

18.

Another significant introduction by the Spaniards was the polo y servicio personal, called

polo for short, which was inspired by the forced labor system of Mexico (repartimiento). Polistas,

the term for the Chinese or Filipino mestizo men who were drafted for labor, were forced to do

jobs that the Spaniards did not dare do, such as infrastructure construction and repairs, logging,

and shipbuilding. A penalty, called the falla, could be paid to avoid participation in the polo,

however this was quite costly considering there were minimal to no wages and other taxes to

pay. Thus, the men either served their time (originally 40 days but cut down to 15 days in 1884)

and faced forced separation and relocation from their families, or they seeked refuge in the

mountainsandlivedasrebels.

The encomienda system was another change care of the Spaniards which further

cemented the notion of private property in the Philippines (although very few Filipinos actually

had land to call their own). In this system, the King grants land to deserving Spaniards and

sometimes even Filipinos. The encomenderos have control of the area and its inhabitants and

usually collected tributes from their constituents. Two types of encomienda existed then: the

royal, which belonged to the King and constituted the main towns and ports and the private,

which belonged to those who were close to the King. Encomiendas consisted of huge plots of

land, so agriculture was the main industry here. Rice and sugar are just some of the crops that

were grown on these lands. However, as the Spaniards did not begin properly developing the

agricultural industry until the 1800s, the profits from these encomiendas were small compared

to those from the galleon trade. Many abuses took place within these encomiendas

confiscation of harvested crops and goods, unfair and arbitrary tribute collections, and inflated

commodity prices which sparked several uprisings from Luzon and Visayas. Those who fled

for the mountains to escape the work and payment of tributes in the encomiendas were called

tulisanes.Thesystemwaseventuallyoutlawedinthelate1600s.

Before banks were established in the Philippines, the obras pias was the closest thing to

such an institution. The obras pias was a foundation spearheaded by the clergy, who needed an

outlet for the great wealth they amassed from Church donations. Most of the money was loaned

out with interest in order to help fund expeditions, the galleon trade, and commerce. A portion of

the obras pias also went to charitable causes. The first Philippine bank, Banco EspanolFilipino

de Isabel II, opened under Spanish reign in 1851. It was also the first bank that issued paper

money a year after its founding. Monte de Piedad, which opened in Manila in 1882, was the first

savingsbankinthecountry.

The arrival of the Spaniards brought about developments in transportation and

infrastructure. The Ferrocaril de Manila, for example, was the first and only iron railway system

at that time which stretched from Manila to Dagupan. Bridges, such as the Puente Colgante and

the Bridge of Spain, both located in Manila, were also built in order to ease the accumulating

traffic. This traffic was due to an increase in horsedrawn vehicles for hire, such as the trams of

Compania de los Tranvias de Filipinas, and the aranas, victorias, calesas, and quiles.

Additionally, steamships were also used for travelling to and from countries like Hong Kong,

Japan,andSpain.

There were also new developments to technology and communications. Postage stamps

were first issued in 1854. The first telegraph was used in 1872, followed by the telegram in

1882, and then the telephone in 1890. An interisland submarine cable was also jointly installed

byChineseandAustraliantelecommunicationscompanies.

There were also some improvements in public utilities, specifically public lighting. Lamps

lit by coconut oil were initially used in 1814. The more affluent neighborhoods then used oil and

kerosene lamps in the 1880s. When 1893 rolled around, the first electric company, La

ElectricistadeManila,wasfounded.ItwasprovidedpowerforthecityofManila.

For the tourists who visited Manila, there were two famous hotels to stay in: Hotel de

Orient, and Fonde de Lala. Newspapers were first circulated in 1846, and smuggled

pornographic literature were also secretly peddled on the streets. A few of the more affluent

locals and mestizos got to enjoy hobbies, some of which the Spaniards brought along with

them. One of these is horseracing, which was held in the famous Manila Jockey Club.

Bullfighting also entered the scene thanks to the Spaniards. An old local sport, cockfighting, did

not diminish in popularity during this period either. Theatres were also put up around Manila to

stage zarzuelas, moromoro, operas, and other performances, unlike the precolonial days of

performinginasambahanorplaceofworship.

The Spaniards introduced many new Western practices and concepts to the Filipinos,

such as banking, private property, paper money, carriages, and a mailing system. However, a

good question to ask is, who truly benefitted from these new economic transformations? Clearly,

itwasnttheFilipinomajority.

III. EducationalSystem

During the Spanish era, there was also a transformation in the educational sector.

Education was more or less controlled by the Catholic Church, particularly by The Society of

Jesus which was the teaching order at that time. There was also the saying La Letra Con

Sagre Entra (spare the rod, spoil the child) which tells us that the Spanish missionaries at that

time believed that the children would be able to learn their language, alphabet, Christian

doctrine and customs, and policies, and they in turn will be able to transmit/pass this on to

othersafterwards.Theybasicallythoughtofthechildrenasthekeytotheeducationofothers.

In association with this, secondary schools and universities were built for the sons of

native ruling families not only for Christianizing but also to be able to teach them how to be

gobernadorcillos and cabezas de barangays in the future. Examples of these are: the College of

San Ildefonso which was built for the sons of Spaniards, Colegio Maximo de San Ignacio which

offered two kinds of training for priesthood and for general secondary education, Escuela

Normal de Maestros de Manila which was built to train male teachers for primary schools, and

Seminario de Ninos Huerfanos de San Pedro y San Pablo which was for orphaned Spanish

children. There were also secondary schools for girls, mainly beaterios wherein young girls were

taught Spanish culture, and also normal schools for women teachers in girls schools. Mainly,

the secondary schools benefitted the Spaniards and the wealthy locals, because they were the

onesforwhomitwasmadefor,andtheyweretheoneswhocouldaffordit.

The Education Decree of 1863 was also a product of the Spanish colonialization. It had

two parts: the first one is that there should be at least two schools in each town one for boys

and one for girls. The second one is that a normal school should be established to train men as

teachers, headed by the Jesuits. Teaching of Spanish language was compulsory, and Filipinos

were forbidden to speak their own dialects. Some of the subjects discussed in these schools

were Christian doctrine, morality, sacred history, general geography and Spanish history,

agriculture, rules of courtesy, vocal music and Spanish language. If the children did not go to

school, they would have to pay 1 and a half to two reales. In the case of poor children, he or she

could have free education, but this needs to be certified first by the gobernadorcillo and

approvedbytheparishpriest.

There were several criticisms made by Rizal and his fellow Propagandists regarding

education under the Spaniards. One is that there was a lack in the means of education the

Spaniards cannot provide simple books on morality, geography, and history of the Philippines

that were written in Tagalog. There was also a lack of school buildings, to the point that

sometimes classes were held in parish houses, jails, barracks, or even in the town hall. Another

one was that only ilustrados or wealthy locals were able to afford schooling at that time. Lastly,

there was a lack of motivation to study, since some students were being humiliated through

beatings, there was no prize or reward in any form, and the students felt no pleasure while

studying because he did not really understand what he was studying, and it was not that useful

tohimsincewhatheislearningismainlyaboutSpain.

IV. SocialAspect

One of the changes the Filipinos had to go through during the Spanish colonial era was

legalizing Filipinos to have surnames. Governor Narciso Claveria made this possible back in

1849. Names came from saints, geographic names, Chinese and indigenous ancestors, arts,

and flora and fauna. The use of such surnames is for tax collection, and for polos y sercisios,

which is forced labor. Polos y sercisios is where men 16 to 60 years old where required to serve

in community projects of the Spaniards. Spaniards also took this as an opportunity to avoid any

form of abuse by the Filipinos, mainly tax evasion and illegal migration. They were required to

use family names such as Rizal, Del Pilar or Luna. However, names such as Mabini, Malantic,

Dandan,andPanganibanwerekept.

There was also an evolution of houses for the rich Filipinos. Poor Filipinos retained

Bahay Kubo, while Bahay na Bato emerged for noble Filipinos. The ground floor is made up of

stones and bricks, which was usually used for storage. The families stayed in the upper floor,

which is made up of wood. Bahay na Bato were more durable and had better ventilation

comparedtoBahayKubo.

Filipino Cuisine was greatly influenced the Spaniards and Chinese during the Spanish

colonial period. Spaniards introduced the vinegar and spices for preservation. Sauting with

garlic and onions were also introduced. Some viands of Spaniards were also adapted by

Filipinos which evolved into adobo, menudo, sarciado, puchero and mechado. Chinese cuisine

also had an influence in the Filipino Cuisine. Filipinos have adapted noodles commonly known

aspancitsuchaspancitmalabonandpancitluglog.

There was also a huge shift in the type of clothing Filipinos wore. From bahag, men wore

barong tagalog or camisa chino and pants. Barong tagalog is an embroidered thin upper

garment which is worn tucked out. Camisa chino is the undershirt used for barong tagalog.

Hats, shoes and slippers were also introduced. Women, on the other hand, wore barot saya.

Baro is a shortsleeved and collarless blouse, which is partnered with saya, a long plaid or

stripped skirt. It was influenced by the costumes of the Blessed Virgin statues brought by the

Spaniards. Filipino women wore such clothing, as they were required to cover their upper torso.

Barot saya later on developed into mestiza dress, which is known for its butterfly sleeves.

Accessories were continued to be worn and Spaniards introduced different types of necklaces

andearrings.Theyalsointroducedtheuseofpeineta,adecorativecombwornbywomen.

Language was also influenced by the Spaniards. Filipinos borrowed words from them

such as dasal from rezar, bintana from ventana, and biyahe from viaje. However, it was a

mutual influence. Spanish language was likewise influenced by Filipinos. An example would be

theSpanishwordcarinderiafromkarihan.

Festivities such as fiesta was brought here by the Spaniards. Fiestas honored saints and

births of Spanish royalty members. It served as a socializing event, as well as to attract Filipinos

who havent been converted into Catholics. Fiestas attracted indios to go to the town proper.

There were also religious dramas such as sinakulo, which depicts the sufferings of Jesus Christ.

Moromoro or komedya also were popularized, which is a play showing battles between

ChristiansandMuslimswhereinMuslimswerevillainsandtheyalwayslost.

Spaniards introduced certain rituals. One of which is known as compadrazgo, or

coparenting. Godparents are present as sponsors during baptism and marriage. It aims to

strengthen relationship among family ties and connection. Magellan even became Humabons

godfather, while Legazpi was Rajah Tupas godfather. Rajah Humabon is one of the first

converts to become Christians, and Rajah Tupas, his successor, was his nephew. Spaniards

brought the practice of burying the dead in public cemeteries. La Funeraria, the first funeral

parlorwasalsobuiltbyCarlosMarchin1883whereintheyofferedcoffinsandembalming.

During the Spanish colonial period, there is no doubt that there were marriages between

people of different races. Mestizos were the fruit of intermarriages. These were people with

mixed blood of Spanish and other nationalities. Some mestizos led in revolutionary movements

inthelatteryears.

Indeed, Spaniards made a vast influence on Filipinos. The lifestyle of early Filipinos

gradually shifted and developed. And clearly, the colonization of the Spaniards made a huge

impact.TheyhavehelpedinmoldingFilipinosintowhattheyaretoday.

V. CulturalAspect

A.LanguageandLiterature

Baybayin (Alibata) was the precolonial writing system. The word baybayin

comes from the word baybay, which means spell. It is a syllabic form of writing, meaning

each symbol represents a letter. The Baybayin has 17 characters, three vowels and

fourteen consonants. However, there were vowelmodifying marks called kudlits

(diacritics in the English language) which, once combined with the 17 primary

characters,broughtthetotalupto54characters.

By mideighteenth century, Baybayin was almost completely eradicated, having

been replaced by the Latin alphabet when the Spanish came. However, a Spanish friar

(Fr. Pedro Andres de Castro) noted that there were still Augustinian archives in Lipa and

other cities in Batangas written in baybayin. Another reason why baybayin disappeared

quickly was because Spanish missionaries set out to destroy all forms of literature or

recordswritteninthelanguageofthedevil.

Despite the orders of the King of Spain to teach Spanish to the Filipinos, most

friars refused to do so with the belief that having a lingua franca (at the time, Filipinos

from different provinces spoke different dialects) would unite the Filipinos and result into

a revolt. However, select Filipinos (mostly from the upper class or those who worked

withorfortheSpaniards)weregiventheprivilegeoflearningSpanishandstudying.

The Spanish language became a status symbol. The elite (Spanish born) were

the only ones who could learn the language. Some of the mestizos were able to study

Spanish depending on the status of the Spanish parent. At around the late 1800s and

early 1900s, education became more accessible to more people. The rise of the

ilustrados saw an entire generation of Spanishspeaking Filipinos with Western ideas of

independence and statehood. Oddly enough, it was the Spanish language that allowed

for literature calling for Philippine independence to become a public concern. Dr. Jose

Rizal published his greatest works in Spanish and even wrote articles and journals

addressed to the people of Spain calling for statehood and better treatment of the

Filipinos.

With the emergence of the Latin alphabet and developments in education,

innovations in printing also came about. Spanish friars first introduced printing in order to

better facilitate their work of converting Filipinos to Catholicism. Methods of printing used

ranged from xylographic printing (in San Gabriel, 1593) to using a duplicator by movable

typography (in Binondoc, 1604). The process of Xylographic printing involves carving

characters or images on a block of wood afterwards, the raised part of the wood is then

inked and pressed onto the selected medium (usually paper). Movable typography is

very similar to Xylography but instead of having a single block of wood for a particular

text, you now had movable characters, meaning a single block of wood could be

rearranged to print another book. With Xylography, a single text or image was carved

onto a piece of wood meaning in order to print another page or image, youd need to

carvethecharactersontoanotherpieceofwood.

Some of the earliest works published during the Spanish period include Doctrina

christiana, Fr. Juan Cobos Wuchi Tienchu chengchia. As for Filipino authors, the

earliest recorded Filipino writer was an anonymous poet who wrote, May baggy mat

may rilim in 1605. Also included in old records were Fernano Bagongbatas Salamat

nangwalanghangaandTomasPinpinsAuit.

The most widespread type of literature during the Spanish era was theocentric

literature. The Spanish introduced several forms including awit, corridor, and metrical

romances. Some of the early writers of these forms were Ananias Zorilla, Jose de la

Cruz,andFranciscoBaltazar.

Other than theocratic literature, dramas and comedies were also present during

the Spanish era. The most famous one that is still being practiced until today would be

the pasyon or reenactment of the Passion of Christ. Other examples include sinakulo,

tibagandzarzuela.

B.ArtsandMusic

Paintings were largely secularized during the Spanish era. One of the earliest

known artists during this period was a Chinesemestizo named Faustino Quiotang who

emerged in the 1820s, producing Sedes Sapientiae and San Jose with Child Jesus.

However, the first known painter from the era was Damian Domingo, the director of the

Academia de Dibujo, the first formal arts school in the country. He was also the first

known Filipino painter to create a selfportrait. Other famous painters from the period

include: the family of Mariano Asuncion and his sons: Justiniano and Leoncio, famous

landscape artist Jose Honorato Lozano, Regino Garcia y Baza was known to have used

plates as his canvas. As for women, Maria Paz Paterno was the only female painter to

havestoodoutinthenineteenthcenturyforherstilllifepaintingscalledbodegones.

Both folk/native and colonial art persisted during the Spanish period. Most arts

and crafts at the time were centered in Christianity and Christian images. Folk art

observed during fiestas back then, which are still present until today includes Kalakos

(bamboo arch decorations), moriones, rosaries, palaspas, parols, and pastillas

wrappers. Of all the new art forms introduced, the Filipinos took to sculptures

instantaneously. The anitos from precolonial Philippines were mostly made from wood,

when the Spanish came, Filipinos started sculpting saints. Santos (sculptures of saints)

were made from wood, clay, and some were even made from rocks and other precious

stones. These sculptures were placed in altars inside Churches and inside peoples

homes. Apart from sculptures, Filipinos were also known to have made beautiful retablos

where the tabernacle is kept. The most elaborate retablo can be found at the San

Agustin Church in Intramuros. The first known sculptor was a 17th century sacristan,

artisan, and silversmith named Juan de los Santos. Other than him, most sculptors at

that time remained anonymous. However, in the 19th century, the rise of the ilustrados

also paved way to the rise of more Filipino sculptors who sold their works here and

abroad including: Crispulo Hocson, Romualdo de Jesus, Leoncio Asuncion and Isabelo

Tampinco.

Aside from visual arts, the Spaniards also introduced new forms of music and

dances to the Filipinos. The Spanish noted that the natives had their own forms of music

and dances during celebrations. They used these art forms in order to connect better

with the natives and easily convert them. The Spanish introduced Western instruments

such as the organ, piano, and guitar. These instruments played a pivotal role as the

friars taught Filipinos how to play religious songs and chants. There was also a school of

music established in Laguna that also taught dances such as the fandango, seguidilla,

and jota. By the turn of the 19th century, Filipinos were composing and writing both

religious and contemporary music. Some famous musicians include: Marcelo Adonay,

famedcomposerJulianFelipe,andDoloresPaterno.

C.FoodandTraditions

Apart from decorations, folk art could also be found in the food presentation as

seen in Filipino delicacies such as pan de San Nicolas, atsara (pickled onions), and

sapinsapin.

To this day, Spanish influence in Filipino cuisine is still very evident. Food

historians claim that around 80% of all Filipino dishes are of Spanish descent. Many of

our dishes served during fiestas and other special occasions were inspired by Spanish

influences. These include dishes such as relleno, paella, embutido, kaldereta, menudo,

etc. Apart from savory dishes, Spanish influence can also be found in our desserts and

other delicacies. The ever so famous pan de sal is of Spanish origin. The tradition of

having a merienda (afternoon snack) is also of Spanish origin. It was practice back then

to have a snack before or after having a siesta or afternoon nap (another Spanish

influenced tradition). Some famous meriendas include puto, bibingka, ginataan also

have Spanish influences such as the use root crops, but were incorporated with native

influenceswiththeuseofheavycreamandcoconutmilk.

With a wide array of dishes to serve, the Filipinos also inherited the habit of

celebrating fiestas from the Spanish. Fiestas started out as religious celebrations in

honor a particular saint that a particular town patronized. However, as time passed, the

Filipinos found a fiesta for almost everything under the sun. The common saying is that

the Filipinos have at least one fiesta for every single day of the year. Our fiestas are an

example of the physical manifestation of Spanish influence on us, as seen through the

decorations, food being served, down to the clothing (example: Flores de Mayo or

Sinulog)

D.Religion

Perhaps the most evident and strongest legacy of Spain on the Philippines is

Catholicism. It is said that Spain conquered the Philippines in two ways: first, through

battle and traditional conquest second, through the use of religion. It was part of Spains

policy of God, Gold, and Glory. The first wave of Spanish missionaries arrived in

Visayas and began converting natives. They always started with converting the datu or

chief, believing that once the native Filipinos see their leader has converted, will follow

and convert to Catholicism as well. The Spanish received very little resistance from most

of the tribes they encountered in Visayas and Luzon. However, the Spanish missionaries

had a lot of trouble converting the locals in Mindanao who had been practicing Islam

long before the Spanish arrived. Numerous armed conflicts occurred between the

Spanish the Filipino Muslims. However, due to their unfamiliarity with the territory, the

Spanish were never able to actually conquer Mindanao. This is why to this day,

Mindanao remains as a predominantly Muslim island. The locals have also managed to

preserve most of its precolonial traditions and cultures because they were mostly

untouchedbytheSpanishduringtheirstay.

Religion became a driving force in the lives of the Filipinos. It was something that

encompassed almost every other aspect of their lives. Other aspects of the Filipino

culture reflected the lasting impact of Catholicism on the Filipinos. Sculptures and

paintings of saints and other religious figures became prominent during the Spanish

period. Songs and dances were created in honor of religious celebrations and figures.

Fiestas were also rooted in religious belief. Part of the reason why Catholicism became

such a driving force in Filipino lives back then was the active presence of friars and

Spanish missionaries. Each town had its own church and priests were given authority

and power. Friars and sacristans would wake up Filipinos early in the morning and

require them to attend Mass. Filipinos were expected to memorize prayers, chants, etc in

Spanish or Latin. However, majority of the Filipinos didnt even speak either of these

languages. The belief is that although Filipinos memorized Catholic doctrine by heart,

verylittlewereactuallyabletounderstandthemeaningofthesedoctrines.

A. RoleoftheFriars

There were several religious orders that came to the Philippines during the

Spanish period. The first ones to arrive were the Augustinians who arrived in the country

four years after Legaspi settled, followed by the Franciscans, the Dominicans, the

Jesuits, and lastly by the secular clergies. In total, there was an estimate of about 810

million religious clergy that arrived in the country during the Spanish era. The numbers

are relatively low considering the 300 year stay of the Spaniards. However, this can be

attributed to the low turnover rate of the Spanish priests and clergy. Each order had a

specific task that they were expected to do apart from converting the natives and

conductingthesacraments.

The Dominicans were in charge of the University of Manila. Several courses of

study were taught by the Dominicans including Theology, Pharmacy, Law, and Medicine.

The Augustinians also handled colleges and universities, including several secondary

and primary schools. Augustinian nuns also ran an orphan asylum for young girls who

were taught the basics of house making and other crafts such as music and arts. Of the

several orders in the Philippines, the Jesuits were the closest to the natives. Apart from

running schools, the Jesuits were the most accepting and tolerant of the local culture

and practice. They were also the ones who established an observatory in the country,

which later on became the Meteorological Observatory of Manila. This was established

by Fr. Frederick Faura, who used the observatory in order to help prepare for typhoons

andotherweatherdisturbances.

Apart from education, the separation between Church and State was not very

clear during the Spanish period. Because of this, the friars had some sort of

administrative power, to a certain extent. Friars could collect donations or tribute from

the people who lived within its churches jurisdiction. Because of the lack of checks and

balances, the system was easily abused the friars who wanted more money for their

order, or simply for their own personal use. The friars were also the ones who conducted

the Catholic sacraments and because Catholicism was the only religion accepted in the

country, natives had to partake in the sacraments. However, instead of giving their

services for free or accepting only modest tokens, the friars asked that the natives pay at

highpricesintheformofgold,goods,orservices.

Later on during the reign of the Spaniards, the friars were able to take charge of

the government when Gov. Gen. Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Ruede was

assassinated. Gov. Gen. Bustamante was opposed to Manila Archbishop Francisco dela

Cuestas claims that the Catholic Church was immune civil law after the later was

accused for abusing his powers, claiming that the Church was to be held as sanctuary.

After dela Cuestas imprisonment, supporters of the Church staged an assassination and

due to the sudden death of Bustamante, the friars took this as an opportunity to gain

power. However, this was quickly resolved when a new Governor General was sent by

SpainviaMexico.

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