Spanish Colonization in the

Philippines
 Miguel López de Legazpi

•In 1571, Legazpi ordered the

construction of the walled city of
“Intramuros”
• Legazpi was appointed as the first
captain general of the Philippines.
(April 27, 1765- August 20, 1572)
 Intramuros

•Walled City
•Was proclaimed as the seat of
government of the colony and
the capital of the islands
 THE GOVERNOR GENERAL

The King's representative and the highest-ranking

official in the Philippines.

He had GREAT POWERS. He had the power to

appoint and dismiss public officials, except those
personally chosen by the King. He was the commander
in chief of the colonial armed forces.

He was also the president of the Royal Audencia.

(Like the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court today)
 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

GOVERNOR-GENERAL
PHILIPPINES
When Mexico regained its freedom in 1821, the Spanish king
ruled the Philippines through a Governor General.

KING OF SPAIN

GOVERNOR GENERAL

PHILIPPINES
 There were 115 Spanish Governor-Generals in our country.

The first one was Miguel Lopez de

Legazpi (1565-1572) and the last
was Diego de los Rios (1898)

Diego de los Rios Miguel Lopez de Legazpi

Powers of Governor General

•Executive
•Legislative
•Judicial
•Military
•Diplomatic
•Religious
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 VISITADOR THE ROYAL AUDENCIA

Archbishop and the clergy

 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)
 Executive Branch

•Charged with the execution and

administration of a country’s laws

•Royal
•Private
•Ecclesiastical
 CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
UNDER SPAIN
•Spain established One Central [UNITARY]
Government in the Philippines.
•Many independent barangays of our ancestors
disappeared. One government alone ruled most
of the country. Thus, for the first time in
history, we became united as one nation called
“FILIPINAS”. The rest of the world came to
know our country by that name.
THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE

Spain established a centralized colonial

government in the Philippines that was composed of a
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT and the LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS that administered provinces, cities,
towns and municipalities.

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT:

maintained peace and order

collected taxes
built schools and other public works
 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.
 THE VISITADOR

The Council of the Indies in Spain sent a government

official called the VISITADOR GENERAL to
observe conditions in the colony.
The highest court in the land during the Spanish times.
THE ROYAL AUDENCIA
 Archbishop and the clergy

These religious figures were very influential in the King’s

court. They can remove a governor general .
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
 THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT(known as
Encomienda)
The Spaniards created Local Government Units (LGU) for the
provinces. There were two types of local government units:

ALCALDIA CORRIGIMIENTO

Alcalde Mayor Corregidor

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.
 THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

The ALCADIA, led by the Alcalde Mayor

governed the provinces.

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
 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)
 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)
the Teniente de Ganados (lieutenant of the livestock)
 CABEZA DE BARANGAY
(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 exempted from forced labor.
 JUDICIAL BRANCH

•Royal Audiencia or Supreme Court

•Appellate courts
•Courts of First Instance in each province
•Justices of the peace courts in pueblos
Laws implemented during the Spanish
colonization
• Siete Partidas (1348)
• Leyes de Toro (1502)
• Novisima Recopilacion (1802)
• Spanish Penal code (1886)
• Code of Civil Procedure (1888)
• Code of Commerce (1888)
• Mortgage Law (1889)
• Civil Code (1889)
 Legislative Branch

• Cortes - Parliament
• Recopilacion de Leyes de las Indias or known as Laws of the Indies or Leyes
de Indias.

References:
• http://www.slideshare.net/MarcyTrinidad/spanish-colonial-
government

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfRZZOAH1Ak
 Source:

Accessed from the internet; credit to the

(anonymous) owner online.