TESIORNA, NOREEN M.

RIZAL 24/01/2019
2014646771 Assignment -1 Sec- 13 | MTh | 10:30-12:00

The Political structure during the Spanish era

According to the plan of the Spain, the conquest of the Philippines is ordered to be
bloodless by the King to avoid the repetition of mistakes from their conquest in America. The
colonizers used religion, which is Christianity, to control Filipinos at the time. They forced the
natives to relocate into settlements which is the reduccion plan. The earliest political system is the
encomienda system which is the granting of estates or parcel of lands to friars or those who served
the King. This system was later replaced into administrative provinces.

The political structure implemented in the Philippines during the Spanish era is a
centralized form of colonial government thus, united the nation into one called “Filipinas”. It
consists of a National Government, and the Local Governments. The National government is the
governance on the national level, it is governed by the King through his representatives. On the
other hand, the Provincial government is on the local government or provinces. It is headed by the
alcalde mayor. Military zones were headed by corregidores. Municipal government is for small
towns or pueblos. It is headed by the Gobernadorcillo. The Barrio government is the governance
of the barrios or a village under a pueblos. It is headed by the Cabeza de barangay.

Later, The Maura law was introduced by Don Antonio Maura, the Spanish Minister of
colonies, it is a law that reorganized town governments in the Philippines.

Definition of terms
a.) Indirect rule - refers to parliamentary (representative) democracy, where people elect
representatives to make policy and govern that state.
b.) Governor general – The King’s representative and the highest-ranking official in the
Philippines. He had the power to appoint and dismiss public officials, supervises all
government offices, tax collection, and issued proclamations. A governor general must be
a peninsulares or a Spaniard born in Spain.
c.) Alcalde Manor – leads the governance of the provinces under the Spanish control with a
salary of 300 pesos per month. They represented the Spanish King and the Governor-
General.
d.) Gobernadorcillo – head of towns or pueblos. They are tasked to the governance of the
pueblos and tax collection. They must be any native or Chinese mestizo and literate in oral
or written Spanish.
e.) Cabeza de Barangay – Barrio Administrator or Barangay Captain. They are responsible for
the peace and order of the barrio. They should be literate in Spanish and have a good moral
character. Those who served for 25 years were exempted from forced labor.

Reference: Canete-Trinidad (2012). Spanish Colonial Government.

Agoncillo, T. (1990). History of the Filipino people. Quezon City [Philippines]: R.P. Garcia.