1. Spanish Colonial Period
Political System

2. Reporters:
Nestor Castro
Juliedel Cunanan
Christine Nicole Matundan
Ferdinand Orpiano
Jobelle Rigor
BSHRM 3-1 (HISTO 100)

3.  Philippine Government during the Pre-
Spa
nish & Spanish Era - YouTube.FLV
 Spanish Era in the Philippines -
YouTube.FLV

4. INTRODUCTION
 The Philippines was not formally
organized as a Spanish colony until 1565
when Philip II appointed Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi the first Governor-General.
Legazpi selected Manila for the capital of
the colony in 1571 because of its fine
natural harbour and the rich lands
surrounding the city that could supply it
with produce.
 The colonization brought great changes
in the political, economic and cultural
life of the people.

5. Changes Brought by
Spanish Colonizers
 The foremost aim of Spanish
colonization was to spread
Christianity.
 The second aim of the Spanish
colonizers was economic wealth.
 The third aim of Spanish
colonization was political grandeur.

6. COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION
For over 333 years, the Philippines was a crown
colony of Spain. Until 1821 when the Mexican's
revolted and won independence from Spain, the
Philippines was a dependency of Mexico, being
administered by the viceroy in the name of the king.
From 1821 to 1898, the country was a distinct
government unit under the direct control of the
home government in Madrid. The king issued
cedulas for the administration of the colony and
appointed a governor, member of the royal audiencia
and other high officials.

7. Cedula
1896 Cedula Personal issued in Manila. This is similar
to the cedula torn by the Katipuneros

8. ENCOMIENDA
 It comes from the Spanish
word encomendar which
means "to entrust".
 The earliest political system
used during the conquista
period was the encomienda
system.
 Under the encomienda
system, the native
inhabitants in a given
geographic region were
entrusted to an
encomendero or trustee as
a reward for his service to
the Spanish Crown.

10. Principalia

11. List of the Officials in some towns of
Iloilo elected by their respected
Principales in 1855.

12. KING OF SPAIN
THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THE JUDICIAL BRANCH
(Governor General) (Royal Audencia, Residencia,
Lower Courts, Governor-General)
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT CITY GOVERNMENT
ALCALDIA CORRIGIMIENTO AYUNTAMIENTO
(Alcalde Mayor) (Corregidor) (Cabildo)
PUEBLOS OR TOWNS CABILDO
(Gobernadorcillos) City Council
•ALCALDE
•REGIDORES
BARRIOS •AGUACIL MAYOR
(Cabeza de Barangay) •ESCRIBANDO
BARRIOS
(Cabeza de Barangay)

13. THE SPANIARDS
AS
COLONIAL MASTERS

14. Spain reigned over the Philippines for 333 years, from
1565 to 1898.
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

15. When Mexico regained its freedom in
1821, the Spanish king ruled the
Philippines through a Governor
General, (GG).
KING OF SPAIN
GOVERNOR
GENERAL
PHILIPPINES

16. THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
The King's representative and the highest-ranking
official in the Philippines
Royal decrees and laws emanating from Spain
were implemented in the Philippines
Had the power to appoint and dismiss public
officials, except those personally chosen by the
King

17. Governor-General

18. THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
Supervised all government offices and the
collection of taxes
Exercised certain legislative powers
Issued proclamations to facilitate the
implementation of laws

19. Governor-General
 Miguel López de
Legazpi
 April 27, 1565-
August 20, 1572

20. THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
REQUIREMENT:
Must be a PENINSULARES
or A SPANIARD BORN IN SPAIN

21. Gobernadorcillo
 was a municipal judge or governor in
the Philippines during the Spanish colonial
period, who carried out in a town the combined
charges or responsibilities of leadership,
economic, and judicial administration. The
Gobernadorcillo was the leader of a town or
pueblo (people or population). In a coastal town,
the "Gobernadorcillo" functioned as a Port
Captain.
Honor Accorded to
Gobernadorcillos

22. THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE
THE 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 VISITA THE ROYAL AUDENCIA

23. 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
the incoming Governor General
was usually a member,
submitted a report of
its findings to the King.

24. THE VISITA
The Council of the Indies in Spain sent a
government official called the VISITADOR
GENERAL to observe conditions in the colony.
The Visitador General
reported his findings
directly to the King.

25. The highest court in
THE ROYAL AUDENCIA
the land
Served as an advisory body to the Governor
General
Had the power to check and report on his
abuses
The Audiencia also audited the expenditures of
the colonial government
Sent a yearly report to Spain
The Archbishop and other government officials

26. THE ROYAL AUDENCIA
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.

27. THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
The Spaniards created Local Government Units (LGU)
for the provinces
There were two types of local government units:
ALCALDIA CORRIGIMIENTO
Alcalde Corregidor
Mayor

28. THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
The ALCADIA, led by the
Alcalde Mayor
governed the provinces that had
been fully subjugated:
UNDER SPANISH CONTROL
ALREADY
SALARY: P300 A MONTH

29. THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
DUTIES OF THE ALCALDE MAYOR:
They represented the Spanish king and the
Governor-General
They managed the day-to-day operations of the
provincial government
Implemented laws and supervised the collection
of taxes

30. THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
The CORREGIMIENTO, headed by
Corregidor

31. THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
The ALCADIA and the CORREGIMIENTO
Though they were paid a small salary,
they enjoyed privileges such as the
INDULTO DE COMERCIO
or the right to participate in the
GALLEON TRADE.

32. THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
Each province was divided into several towns or
pueblos headed by GOBERNADORDCILLOS (Little
Governor)
MAIN DUTIES: Efficient governance and tax
collection.
Four lieutenants aided the Governardorcillo:
the Teniente Mayor (chief lieutenant),
the Teniente de Policia (police lieutenant),
the Teniente de Sementeras (lieutenant of the
fields)

33. THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
GOBERNADORDCILLOS
They had SMALL SALARIES but were exempted
from PAYING TAXES
QUALIFICATIONS:
Any NATIVE or CHINESE MEZTIZO
25 years old
Literate in ORAL or WRITTEN SPANISH
Cabeza de Barangay for 4 years
Ex: Emilio Aguinaldo

34. THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
CABEZA DE BARANGAY OR
(Barrio Administrator or Barangay
Captain)
-Responsible for the peace and order of the
barrio
-Recruited men for public works
QUALIFICATIONS:
Cabezas should be literate in Spanish
Have good moral character and property
Cabezas who served for 25 years were

35. THE CITY GOVERNMENT
Larger towns became cities called:
AYUNTAMIENTO
It became the center of trade and industry.
The ayuntamiento had a city council called the
CABILDO
CABILDO is composed of:
ALCALDE (MAYOR)
REGIDORES (COUNCILLORS)
ALGUACIL MAYOR (POLICE CHIEF)
ESCRIBANDO (SECRETARY)