1.

What are the different Barangay System and how did it evolve during the:
a. Pre-Spanish Era
b. Spanish Era
c. American Colonization
d. Japanse
e. Present Time

The Philippines already have a government system even before other nations came. It
was called Barangay which was derived from the word “balanghay” which means sailboat. The
Barangay is ruled by the datu, which is the leader or the chief of the village. He is also the
wealthiest person in the village. To be a datu, you have to be wealthy and it is more likely
inherited from the former Datus. The datu is the only one who makes the laws. If we would
compare the prestige of the datu to these days, he is in par with the royal family in Europe. The
datu also has advisers who assists him with his decisions and they are called the council of
elders which are the eldest in the barangay. Aside from the datu and the council of elders, there
are also the citizens that are separated into two classes: timawa and alipin. Timawas are the
middle class. They are the people who do not pay their taxes. The timawas are working for the
royal family and the datu in return for food and protection. The third class is called Alipin and it is
separated into two kinds: Aliping Namamahay and Aliping Saguiguilid. Aliping namamahays are
higher than aliping saguiguilid for they have more rights. Aliping namamahay can live and have
their own house and property. They are also payed for their services and can not be sold by
their master or employer. They can also choose who to marry. On contrary, Aliping Saguiguilid
are living in their master’s property. They can be sold and they can not marry without the
permission of the employer. They are also not payed on their services, worse, they are not free.
On the Spanish era, the barangay was still retained but it became the smallest form of
government and was under the Spanish regimen. Datus are also retained but they became the
tax collectors for the Spain in each of their barangays. They were later on called Cabeza de
Barangay who are still the chief of the barangay but under a command from the Spanish
conquerors. From being the lawmakers and leaders of their own village, they became the tax
collectors and the implementors of the Spaniards’ law. The class or structure of society also
changed after the Spanish invasion consists of: Principalia, Illustrados and Native Intellectuals.
The only ones allowed to be elected and vote are from the Principalia or the nobles while the
lower structures cannot. The Spaniards also created local government units. The first one is the
Alcadia or the provinces which was lead by the Alcalde or Mayor. Next are the cities or
Ayuntamientos which was also lead by the Alcaldes. Then there was the Pueblo or the town and
municipality which are lead by the Gobernadorcillo. Gobernadorcillos are like the barangay
captains in this generation but the differences are he was elected by the Cabeza de Barangay
then, but now they are elected by the votes of the citizens.
 On the American colonization, the barangays, cities, provinces and center that were
made by the Spaniards were retained. The Americans focused on educating the Filipinos and
so-called saving the country from the Spaniards. While the Philippines was still focus on war,
the Americans who colonized our country made the Philippines under the Martial Law for two
years to settle down the raging. To be frank, the Filipinos accepted the Americans thinking they
saved us from the long conquerors Spaniards not knowing they also have another agenda in
coming here. Unlike the Spain’s ruling, the Americans let the Filipinos to be involved in the
administration but the downside part is only the Illustrados are involved and able. There, the
Philippines was slowly changed by the United States. From the separation of church and state
to the education to the government structure of the Philippines, were all changed and worse,
that was accepted.

On the Japanese occupation, everything that was established since the Spanish era until
the Americans were retained and still the structure of government that was used up until now.
Japan tried to colonize the Philippines and caused our citizens to suffer but the local
governments are nowhere to be found. They are all asking for the United States’ help in getting
the country back to where it truly belong. I did not see any actions from the Philippine
government.

In the present time, the country has been using the adopted government system that the
past conquerors have left us. The barangay system is still here and is still the smallest
government unit under the city and provinces. Unlike before, the citizens are allowed to vote for
the person that they think deserve to lead them. The laws and ordinances in each cities and
provinces need to be under a lot of agreements and be passed to be implemented unlike
before.

2. In your own understanding, describe the Spanish Government.

In Spanish Government, the Datu retained his position as head of the barangay. During
this period, the Datu’s power were restricted to both lay and ecclesiastical authorities. As the
head of the barangay organization, Datu became a large figurehead to barangay with the
Spanish Administration. The Spanish government used the Datus in order to protect their
country or territory. And because of that, Datus became tax collectors for the Spanish
government. In Spanish period, the Cabeza de Barangay are chief and the its position was filled
through having an election. The Cabeza de Barangay are exempted from paying taxes but no
salary. Its duty is to collect village taxes also and maintain the law and order. The Spanish
goverment social structure are Principalia, Ilustrados and Native Intellectuals which composed
of Indios, Insulares, Meztizos, and Peninsulares. And to facilitate the country’s administration
Spanish government created local government units. First is the Alcadia, it is led by the alcalde
mayor and assisted by provincial council. Second is Correginimientos, the unpacified military
zones. Ayuntamientos is a city goverment in Spanish period. It is larger towns that became city.
Alcalde mayor is the who heads the Ayuntamientos. Pueblos is a town or municipality and led
by Gobernadorcillo. In the modern time it is called “Capitan” or “Capt.”. He was elected by the
chief or the Cabezas de Barangay. There are so many changes that happened in Spanish
government in terms of its system. But for me, the one thing I learn from this period is they will
do anything just to protect their country. I know it is hard for the fellow Filipinos to voice out and
make a change to this governance but slowly we adapt to the Spanish system and uses this in
the present time.

3. Write a short summary about what you learned after reading the Local Government
Code, Chapter 3.
Like the whole country, there are laws that acts as a guide and form of discipline even in
the smallest government units. After reading the chapter three of the Local Legislation Code, I
realized that in creating decisions whether it may be big or small, every part of the body needs
to have a say and has to match their decisions. The fact that they need to be complete when
they start a quorum, definitely mean that the decisions of every party must be heard before
making such a decision for the society. The need to have a process in creating ordinances
definitely matters. The ordinances made by the barangay must seek an approval from the
higher ups for it to be passed. Even the finances must be discussed when everyone is around
and no one must miss the meeting or he or she will be arrested and forced to show up.

 Timawa. (2015). In V. Almario (Ed.), Sagisag Kultura (Vol 1). Manila: National Commission for
Culture and the Arts. Retrieved from https://philippineculturaleducation.com.ph/timawa/
History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Historian, Asian and
Pacific Islander Americans in Congress, 1900–2017. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government
Publishing Office, 2018. “The Philippines, 1898–1946,” https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-
and-Publications/APA/Historical-Essays/Exclusion-and-Empire/The-Philippines/