To set up trading post (Factoria), to

bring to the inhabitants to those

places our Holy Catholic Faith and
to discover the return trip to this
New Spain… through trade and
barter and through other legitimate
ways, which with a clear conscience
should be carried on to bring back
some spices and some of the
wealth found in those places.
WHAT RIGHT DID
SPAIN HAVE TO
RULE THE
PHILIPPINES?
At least in theory, it was clear
how the Philippines should b
ruled. An ideal colonial system
had been drawn up. For one and
all, there was a clear reminder of
what, as Christians, they should
do for the Philippines.
Furthermore, a clear definition
was also made of what consisted
robbery of a helpless people.
This is how the land is pacified. A captain with
soldiers and interpreters goes to a settlement…
they tell the people if they want to be friends
with the Spaniards they must pay the tribute at
once. If the people say yes, they stop to work
out what ach man must give…. Sometimes the
people refuse to give what is asked; then they
sack the settlement… the natives say they do
not want the friendship of the Spaniards or …
build fortifications to defend themselves. Those
who do this are killed or made prisoners, and
their houses plundered and burned.
 Task of unifying into one faith and one
government with Manila as the seat of
government.
 Datus and barangays were preserved.
 Each barangay called gremio had 30 to 40

to 100 families all listed in the padron or

mapa de almas drawn by the parish priest.
 Colonization of the Philippines was through

an encomienda.
Governor-general – from the king through
the Consejo de las Indias, governed
through his sole spokesman and
representative in the Philippines. He is the
commander-in-chief of the army and navy,
president of the Royal Audiencia (Supreme
Court), vice-real patron – appoints
ecclesiastical positions, supervise mission
works.
40,000 per annum in salary plus special
privileges.
 Governor- gobernacion
 Controlled colonial treasury until 1784
 Extensive powers: judicial, financial,

military, religious .
 He was the royal mouthpiece, acting for the

king who was absolute lord of the entire

Spanish world.
 He did not promulgate laws directly, it was

an exclusive royal prerogative

 Called alcadia, provincia, encomienda,
hukuman, later lalawigan headed by alcalde
mayor for the pacified provinces and
corregimientos or unpacified military zones
(Mariveles, Mindoro, Panay) headed by
thecorregidores.
 He exercise executive and judicial powers plus
privileges in trade called indulto de comercio
between 1571-1844.
 Judge, inspector, chief of police, tribute
collector, vice-general patron and captain-
general of the province.
 He is answerable to the gov-gen and royal
audiencia.
 Annual salary of 300-2,000 before 1844.
 1,500-1,600 after 1847
 Indulto de comercio, money-lending.
 Estimated 50,000 per annum in 1840.
 Residencia – judicial review of the residenciado
conducted at he end of his term of office
supervised by juez de residencia. If found guily
of public misconduct, heavy fines,
sequestration of properties, imprisonment or
combination of the three. It was abolished in
1799.
 Visita/visitador – conducted by the visitador-
general from Spain and might occur any time
within the official’s term. It may be specific or
general visit if found guilty; fined, dismissed
and expelled or combination.
 Gobernadorcillo – “little governor” headed
the pueblo or municipio. Any Filipino or
Chinese mestizo, 25 years old, literate in
oral or written Spanish, who had been a
Cabeza de Barangay for 4 years could be a
little governor. This was the highest position
a Filipino could attain together with the
parish priest.
 He is considered highly significant in his

town.
 Preparation of the padron (tribute list)
 Recruitment and distribution of men for

draft labor.
 Communal public work
 Quinto (military conscription)
 Postal
 Clerk
 Judge in civil suits involving cases 44.0 or

less.
 Intervened in all administrative cases of he
town: land, justice, finance, armed forces
 Yearly salary of 24.00 pesos
 The gobernadorcillo is asisted by 4 lower

officials: Tenyente Mayor (town deputy),

juez de politica (peace and order), Juez de
Sementeras (lands and crops), Juez de
Ganados (livestock and animals).
 Barrio government rested on the Cabeza de
barangay
 Collect tax and contribution collection
 Tax exemption
 King Philip II conferred them the title “cabeza
de barangay”
 Responsible for the peace and order in their
own barrio
 Recruit polistas for communal work
 Knowledge in Spanish language, good moral
and property ownership. Serve for 3 year term
 Serve for 25 years were exempted from polo.
 Political and economic powers of the clergy
caused the disunity between church and
state.
 Malolos Constitution of 1898.
 Anti-friar demonstration in Manila on March

1, 1888 led by Doroteo Cortes.

 Article 218 – right to petition and assembly.
 Gobernadorcillos, principales and residents

of Manila demanded the expulsion of friars

in the Philippines.
 “but in effect rulers of municipalities; in fact
the whole government of the islands rested
on them”.
 Owned big lands: Dominicans, Augustinians

and Recollects. See page 79

 Vow of poverty – reflect
 Jesuits and Franciscans