This article talks about the true power behind the Spanish Empire in the

Philippines – the friars. Spain may have been to one to conquer and occupy the
Philippines for over three hundred years but in reality, the Church and its religious
orders were the ones holding the reigns. Friars were the ones to group people
into towns and villages through the use of religion. They were educators, political
advisers and overseers of Philippine society. As they were far away from their
religious orders and superiors, no other body could question them for their
wrongdoings and abuses. They used religion as a means to control Philippine
society, which is why there were strong opposers of new and modern views, for
they feared a society that would shift their interests away from the Church – a
society that they could no longer control.

During the Spanish Colonial Era, religion was used by the friars as a means of
control. By doing that, they abandoned the principles and values of the Church
and distorted the Roman Catholic religion into something that it was not. They
became hypocrites as they continued to preach about the Church’s teachings
when they themselves don’t follow them. Filipinos were taught back then to
follow the Bible, memorize prayers, make offerings to the Saints, and the like
when they themselves did not know what they were doing them for. And being
the complacent clergy, they did so in fear of the concept of heaven and hell.
The friars were only able to control us back then because most Filipinos were
uneducated and ignorant. In this modern era, we should utilize the resources we
have and encourage critical thinking. Society will never be rid of hypocritical
leaders unless the people will be able to recognize them and relinquish their
support for them. Back then, power was held by the hypocritical friars, but right
now we have government leaders that are more oftentimes than not, much
worse. Our government is currently being led by incompetent people who
preach of a government against corruption when they themselves are the
source. And yet even as evidence against officials are presented to the people,
many support those same officials during elections, lured by empty hopes and
promises. Our country’s literacy rate may have gotten up and the number of
people going to school has drastically increased throughout the years, but yet
ignorance still reigns. The peoples’ ignorance and their blind urge to follow our
leaders are what gives those officials power over them just as how the friars had
control over the Filipinos when they first landed in our country.