OUR COUNTRY AS A COLONY OF SPAIN

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SOCIAL CLASSESSOCIAL CLASSES

Indio/SangleyIndio/Sangley

Chinese/Spanish MestizosChinese/Spanish Mestizos

IlustradosIlustrados

Peninsulares/Peninsulares/InsularesInsulares

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CENTRAL GOVERNMENT UNDER SPAINUNDER SPAIN• Spain established ONE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT in the Philippines.

Many independent barangays of our ancestors disappeared. One government alone ruled most of the country. Thus, for the first time in history, we became united as one nation called “FILIPINAS”. The rest of the world came to know our country by that name.

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

KING OF SPAIN

GOVERNOR GENERAL

PHILIPPINES

When Mexico regained its freedom in 1821, the Spanish king ruled the Philippines through a

Governor General.

KING OF SPAINKING OF SPAINTHE COLONIAL GOVERNMENTTHE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCHTHE EXECUTIVE BRANCH(Governor General)(Governor General)

THE JUDICIAL BRANCHTHE JUDICIAL BRANCH(Royal Audencia, Residencia, (Royal Audencia, Residencia,

Lower Courts, Governor-Lower Courts, Governor-General)General)

PROVINCIAL PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

ALCALDIAALCALDIA(Alcalde Mayor)(Alcalde Mayor)

MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

CORRIGIMIENTOCORRIGIMIENTO(Corregidor)(Corregidor)

CITY GOVERNMENTCITY GOVERNMENTAYUNTAMIENTOAYUNTAMIENTO

(Cabildo)(Cabildo)

PUEBLOS OR PUEBLOS OR TOWNSTOWNS

(Gobernadorcillos)(Gobernadorcillos)BARRIOSBARRIOS

(Cabeza de (Cabeza de Barangay)Barangay)

CABILDOCABILDOCity CouncilCity Council

•ALCALDEALCALDE•REGIDORESREGIDORES•AGUACIL AGUACIL MAYORMAYOR

•ESCRIBANDOESCRIBANDO

BARRIOSBARRIOS(Cabeza de (Cabeza de Barangay)Barangay)

THE POLITICAL STRUCTURETHE POLITICAL STRUCTURESpain established a centralized colonial

government in the Philippines that was composed of a NATIONAL GOVERNMENT and the LOCAL

GOVERNMENTS that administered provinces, cities, towns and municipalities.

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT:NATIONAL GOVERNMENT:maintained peace and ordercollected taxesbuilt schools and other public works

The King's representative and the highest-ranking official in the Philippines.

He had GREAT POWERS. He had the power to appoint and dismiss public officials, except those personally chosen by the King. He was the commander in chief of the colonial armed forces.

He was also the president of the Royal Audencia. (Like the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court today)

THE GOVERNOR GENERALTHE GOVERNOR GENERAL

THE GOVERNOR GENERALTHE GOVERNOR GENERAL

There were 115 Spanish Governor-

Generals in our country. The first one was Miguel

Lopez de Legazpi (1565-1572) and

the last was Diego de los Rios

(1898)

THE RESIDENCIA

THE VISITA THE ROYAL AUDENCIA

To investigate the abuses, there were bodies created:

The Governor General and other government officials had so much power that it was commonly abused.

This was a special judicial court that This was a special judicial court that investigatesinvestigates the performance of a Governor the performance of a Governor

General who was about to be replaced. General who was about to be replaced.

The Residencia, of which The Residencia, of which the the incomingincoming Governor Governor General was usually a General was usually a

member, submitted a member, submitted a reportreport of its findings to of its findings to

the King.the King.

THE RESIDENCIA

The Council of the Indies in Spain sent a The Council of the Indies in Spain sent a government official called the government official called the VISITADOR VISITADOR GENERAL GENERAL to observe conditions in the colony. to observe conditions in the colony.

The Visitador General The Visitador General reported his findings reported his findings directly to the king.directly to the king.

THE VISITA

Served as an advisory body to Served as an advisory body to the Governor General.the Governor General.Had the power to check and Had the power to check and report on his abuses.report on his abuses.The Audiencia also audited the The Audiencia also audited the expenditures of the colonial expenditures of the colonial government.government.Sent a yearly report to Spain. Sent a yearly report to Spain. The Archbishop and other The Archbishop and other government officials could also government officials could also report the abuses of the colonial report the abuses of the colonial government. government.

THE ROYAL AUDENCIAThe highest court in the land during the Spanish

times.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The Spaniards created Local Government Units (LGU) for The Spaniards created Local Government Units (LGU) for the provinces. There were two types of local the provinces. There were two types of local government units:government units:

THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

ALCALDIAALCALDIA CORRIGIMIENTOCORRIGIMIENTO

Alcalde MayorAlcalde Mayor CorregidorCorregidor

Though they were paid a small salary, they Though they were paid a small salary, they enjoyed privileges such as the enjoyed privileges such as the INDULTO DE INDULTO DE COMERCIOCOMERCIO or the right to participate in the or the right to participate in the

GALLEON TRADEGALLEON TRADE..

The The ALCADIAALCADIA, led by the , led by the Alcalde Alcalde Mayor Mayor governed the provinces. governed the provinces.

DUTIES OF THE ALCALDE MAYOR:DUTIES OF THE ALCALDE MAYOR:

They represented the Spanish king and They represented the Spanish king and the Governor-Generalthe Governor-General They managed the day-to-day operations They managed the day-to-day operations of the provincial governmentof the provincial government Implemented laws and supervised the Implemented laws and supervised the collection of taxes collection of taxes

THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

The The CORREGIMIENTOCORREGIMIENTO, headed by , headed by Corregidor Corregidor governed the provinces governed the provinces

that were not yet entirely under that were not yet entirely under Spanish control. Spanish control.

Larger towns became cities Larger towns became cities called called AYUNTAMIENTO.AYUNTAMIENTO. It became the center It became the center

of trade and industry.of trade and industry.

The ayuntamiento had a city council The ayuntamiento had a city council called the called the CABILDOCABILDO

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

THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTEach province was divided into several towns or Each province was divided into several towns or pueblos headed by GOBERNADORDCILLOS (Little pueblos headed by GOBERNADORDCILLOS (Little

Governor)Governor)

MAIN DUTIES: MAIN DUTIES: Efficient governance and tax Efficient governance and tax collection. collection.

FOUR LIEUTENANTS AIDED THE GOVERNARDORCILLO:

the Teniente Mayor (chief lieutenant), the Teniente Mayor (chief lieutenant), the Teniente de Policia (police lieutenant), the Teniente de Policia (police lieutenant),

the Teniente de Sementeras (lieutenant of the the Teniente de Sementeras (lieutenant of the fields) fields)

the Teniente de Ganados (lieutenant of the the Teniente de Ganados (lieutenant of the livestock)livestock)

QUALIFICATIONS:QUALIFICATIONS:Any NATIVE or CHINESE Any NATIVE or CHINESE

MEZTIZOMEZTIZO25 years old25 years old

Literate in ORAL or WRITTEN Literate in ORAL or WRITTEN SPANISHSPANISH

Cabeza de Barangay for 4 Cabeza de Barangay for 4 yearsyears

GOBERNADORDCILLOS

They had SMALL SALARIES They had SMALL SALARIES but were exempted from but were exempted from PAYING TAXES. PAYING TAXES.

Responsible for the peace and order of the Responsible for the peace and order of the barriobarrio Recruited men for public worksRecruited men for public works

QUALIFICATIONS:

Cabezas should be literate in Spanish.Cabezas should be literate in Spanish.Have good moral character and property.Have good moral character and property.Cabezas who served for 25 years Cabezas who served for 25 years were exempted from forced labor.were exempted from forced labor.

CABEZA DE BARANGAY (Barrio Administrator or Barangay (Barrio Administrator or Barangay Captain)Captain)