EARLY POLITICAL SYSTEM

FROM PRECOLONIAL TIMES

UNTIL THE PHILIPPINE
REVOLUTION
 Early Pre-colonial Political Structures
Barangay Systems
• Barangay was the basic political unit that
existed throughout the Philippine islands
prior to the 1400s.
• Each barangay was an independent polity
(political entity) within a defined territory.
• The barangay was led by a datu, who rose to
the position either by birth or by valor and
feats achieved in war.
• In Luzon, the word datu referred to the chieftain. However, in the Visayas the term datu referred not
only to the chieftain as an individual, but to an entire social class that include the relatives and
friends of the chieftain.

• In Luzon, the noble class called Maharlika.

• The datu, in most cases, belonged to the nobility and was afforded great respect by the community.

• Women also had the opportunity to become datu as precolonial society recognized society women
rulers and warriors and held them in high regard.
• Other terms were also used to refer to rulers during precolonial times such as lakan and rajah.

• The datu was responsible to the livelihood of the people and the barangay’s collective wealth.
 Early Pre-colonial Political Structures
Sultanates
• Sulu and Maguindanao were organizing themselves into sultanates.
• they represented a significant political advancement in pre-colonial
Philippines.
• In terms of structure, the Mindanao sultanates had a degree of
centralization.
• Sultan was the foremost leader of the sultanate. Under him, several datus
administered the barangays in his domain.
• They were part of Ruma Bichara (council) which assisted and provided
counsel to the sultan.
• The datus, in turn, were part of a council called the Ruma
Bichara, which assisted or provided counsel to the sultan.
• This council also included aristocrat known as the
panglima.
• The Ruma Bachara oversaw the other officials of the state,
which included the wajir (advisers); the rajah laut (the
leader of the maritime forces); and the qadi (magistrate).
• One of the first sultanates in the Philippines was established in Sulu by
Sayyid Abu Bakr, a Muslim missionary and the very first sultan of Sulu.

• The sultanate soon expanded and its barangay became unified as the
Bangsa Sug (Sulu Nation). Controlled the whole Sulu archipelago, the
surrounding areas in Mindanao, and even parts of Borneo and Palawan.

• The sultanate eventually gained wealth, influence, and recognition from

other states and communities.
• Second sultanate established in Maguindanao during 1500’s.
• Sharif Muhammed Kabungsuwan, a high-ranking noble from the Sultanate
of Malacca, escaped the Portugues conquest of Malacca in 1511 and
arrived at a community close to the Rio Grande de Mindanao or Pulangui
River.
• He established the Sultanate of Maguindanao in the area of modern
Cotabato city.
• Through military alliances, intermarriages, and religious conversions,
Kabungsuwan succeded in uniting the neighboring barangays and
established the influential Sultanate of Maguinadanao.
• Third sultanate was emerging in the Kingdom of Maynilad in the island of
Luzon during the 16th century.
• There were historical indications that a “proto-sultanate” emerged fro an
alliance with powerful barangay such as Tondo.
• However, in 1574, the development of the Maynilad sultanate was
interrupted by the arrival of the Spaniards and the successful military
conquest of Maynilad and the rest of Luzon.
 SPANISH COLONIAL
GOVERNMENT
• Feudal System of Governance.
• The conquered territories were divided into districts called
encomiendas and were distributed among Spaniards who act as
feudal lords.
• Encomendero was tasked to establish political authority, administer
and improve local economy. (agriculture and trade)
 PROPAGANDA
MOVEMENT/
ILUSTRADO
• Execution of GOMBURZA 1872NATIONALISM
• The new direction in Philippine nationalism was embodied by a new
breed of reformist led by Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Marcelo
Del Pilar, Luna Brothers– led the PROPAGANDA MOVEMENT
• It was significant development in Philippine Nationhood
• La Liga Filipina
 KATIPUNAN AND THE
REVOLTION
• After Rizal’s Exile to Dapitan, the LIGA reconvened to form a secret
revolutionary organization KKK. (Katipunan)
• Under the leadership of Bonifacio, Katipunan expanded its
membership and organization.
ACTIVITY #1

HOW IMPORTANT KKK IN OUR HISTORY?

ELABORATE.