Philippine

G VERNMENT
History
Pre-colonial times to contemporary times
By: Princess Loraine Ayas, 11-Humss A

Pre-colonial Period (before 1521)

According to Funtecha (2006), Barangay is the earliest form of Philippine
Government, run by Datu or Raha/Rajah. Their duties is to promote discipline. There
are also Babaylans or the greatest soldier of the village, and it is not uncommon for
babaylans to be Datus as well.
One of the most memorable Datu/Rajah is Lapu-Lapu
of the Mactan Island who fought the forces of
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in April 27 in
the year 1521. The battle was also called “The Battle
of Mactan,” where the allied forces of Lapu-Lapu
won the battle.

Spanish Colonial Period (1521-1898)

The Philippines was under Spanish rule for more than three centuries. During this time,
Spanish colonial authorities governed the islands.
Under the Spanish colonization constructions of churches and forts, including the
Manila Cathedral and Fort Santiago. And the Philippine Revolution against Spanish
rule led by Katipunan and national heroes like José Rizal and Andrés Bonifacio
Leaders are called Governor General, they were the representative of
the ruling power, when Spain colonized the Philippines
First Governor General: Miguel Lopez de Legaspi (1565-1572)
Last Governor General: Diego de los Ríos y Nicolau (1898)

American Colonial Period

1898-1946
After the Spanish-American War, the Philippines was ceded to
the United States. The country experienced American colonial rule until it
gained independence in 1946. In the year 1899, the first president of the
Philippines was elected which is Emilio Aguinaldo under the Malolos Republic.
He held his position until he was captured by the United States in 1902, during the Philippine-American
War (1899-1902). The Philippines was then led by American leaders, called Civil-Governor. William H.
Taft became the country’s leader in the year 1903. In 1907, the Philippines convened its first elected
assembly, and in 1916, the Jones Act promised the nation eventual independence. The archipelago
became an autonomous commonwealth in 1935, and the U.S. granted independence in 1946. In the
year 1935, an election was made and Manuel L. Quezon became the country’s second president and
first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, until his death in 1904.

Japanese Colonial Period 1942-1945

During World War II (1939-1945), the Philippines was occupied by Japanese forces. Filipinos
staged guerrilla resistance against the Japanese until 1945. The Philippines was liberated
from Japanese control by Allied forces in 1944. The Philippines was granted full independence
by the United States in 1946. Guerillas is a form of unconventional warfarce, which i
include rebels who fight against rival forces. Postwar studies estimate that
around 260,000 people were organized under guerrilla groups and
that members of anti-Japanese underground organizations Their
effectiveness that by the end of World War II, Japan controlled only
twelve of the forty-eight provinces.

Post-Independence Republic 1946-present

The Philippines gained independence from the United States in 1946 and established the Republic of
the Philippines. Since then, the country has gone through various political changes, including different
presidential administrations, martial law under Ferdinand Marcos, and the establishment of the
current democratic government. EDSA Revolution also known as People Power Revolution are
protests, fueled by the resistance and opposition after years of governance by President Marcos and
his cronies, ended with the ruler, his family, and some of their supporters fleeing to exile in Hawaii;
and Ninoy Aquino's widow, Corazon Aquino, inaugurated as the eleventh President of the Philippines.
EDSA II, was a political protest from January 17–20, 2001 which peacefully overthrew the government
of Joseph Estrada, the thirteenth president of the Philippines.