Political Structure

Political

The

Philippines
was
not
formally
organized as a Spanish colony until 1565
when Philip II appointed Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi
the
first
Governor-General.
Legazpi selected Manila for the capital of
the colony in 1571 because of its fine
natural harbour and the rich lands
surrounding the city that could supply it
with produce.
The colonization brought great changes in
the political, economic and cultural life of
the people.

The foremost aim of Spanish
colonization was to spread

Christianity.
The second aim of the Spanish
colonizers was economic
wealth.
The third aim of Spanish
colonization was political
grandeur.
For over 333 years, the Philippines was a crown

colony of Spain. Until 1821 when the Mexican's
revolted and won independence from Spain, the
Philippines was a dependency of Mexico, being
administered by the viceroy in the name of the
king. From 1821 to 1898, the country was a
distinct government unit under the direct
control of the home government in Madrid. The
king issued cedulas for the administration of
the colony and appointed a governor, member
of the royal audiencia and other high officials.
1896 Cedula Personal issued in Manila. This is similar to the

cedula torn by the Katipuneros
It comes from the Spanish
word encomendar which

means "to entrust".
The earliest political system
used during the conquista
period was the encomienda
system.
Under the encomienda
system, the native inhabitants
in a given geographic region
were entrusted to an
encomendero or trustee as a
reward for his service to the
Spanish Crown.
KING OF SPAIN
THE
THE COLONIAL
COLONIAL GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
THE
THE EXECUTIVE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
BRANCH
(Governor
(Governor General)
General)
PROVINCIAL
PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
ALCALDIA
ALCALDIA
(Alcalde
(Alcalde Mayor)
Mayor)
THE
THE JUDICIAL
JUDICIAL BRANCH
BRANCH
(Royal
(Royal Audencia,
Audencia, Residencia,
Residencia,
Lower
Lower Courts,
Courts, GovernorGovernorGeneral)
General)
MUNICIPAL
MUNICIPAL
GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
CORRIGIMIENTO
CORRIGIMIENTO
(Corregidor)
(Corregidor)
CITY
CITY GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT
AYUNTAMIENTO
AYUNTAMIENTO
(Cabildo)
(Cabildo)
PUEBLOS
PUEBLOS OR
OR TOWNS
TOWNS
(Gobernadorcillos)
(Gobernadorcillos)
CABILDO
CABILDO
City
City Council
Council
BARRIOS
BARRIOS
(Cabeza
(Cabeza de
de Barangay)
Barangay)
ALCALDE
ALCALDE
REGIDORES
REGIDORES
AGUACIL
AGUACIL MAYOR
MAYOR
ESCRIBANDO
ESCRIBANDO
BARRIOS
BARRIOS
(Cabeza
(Cabeza de
de Barangay)
Barangay)
THE SPANIARDS
AS
COLONIAL MASTERS
Spain reigned over the Philippines for 333 years, from

1565 to 1898.
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
PHILIPPINES
When Mexico regained its

freedom in 1821, the Spanish
king ruled the Philippines
through a Governor General,
(GG).
KING OF SPAIN
GOVERNOR GENERAL
PHILIPPINES
THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
The King's representative and the

highest-ranking official in the
Philippines
Royal decrees and laws emanating
from Spain were implemented in the
Philippines
Had the power to appoint and
dismiss public officials, except those
THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
Supervised all government

offices and the collection of
taxes
Exercised certain legislative
powers
Issued proclamations to
facilitate the implementation of
Miguel
Lpez de
Legazpi
April 27,
1565-August
20, 1572
THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
REQUIREMENT:
Must be a PENINSULARES
or A SPANIARD BORN IN SPAIN
was
a municipal judge or governor in the

Philippines during the Spanish colonial period,
who carried out in a town the combined charges
or responsibilities of leadership, economic, and
judicial administration. The Gobernadorcillo was
the leader of a town or pueblo (people or
population).
In
a
coastal
town,
the
"Gobernadorcillo" functioned as a Port Captain.
Honor Accorded to Gobernadorcillos
THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE

THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL
The Governor General and

other government officials
had so much power that it
was commonly abused.
To investigate the
abuses, there were
THE RESIDENCIA
bodies
created:
THE VISITA
THE ROYAL AUDENCIA
THE RESIDENCIA
This was a special judicial court that
investigates the performance of a Governor
General who was about to be replaced.
the
General
member,
report of its
to the King.
The Residencia, of which

incoming Governor
was usually a
submitted a
findings
THE VISITA
The Council of the Indies in Spain sent a
government official called the VISITADOR
GENERAL to observe conditions in the
colony.
General
findings
King.
The Visitador
reported his
directly to the
THE ROYAL
AUDENCIA
The highest court in

the land
Served as an advisory body to the

Governor General
Had the power to check and report
on his abuses
The Audiencia also audited the
expenditures of the colonial
government
Sent a yearly report to Spain
The Archbishop and other
government officials could also report
the abuses of the colonial
THE ROYAL
AUDENCIA
Despite all these checks, however,

an abusive governor general
often managed to escape stiff
fines, suspension, or dismissal by
simply bribing the Visitador and
other investigators.
The 1987 Constitution provides for
the following bodies that can act as a

check and balance for government
1. Courts- declare a law invalid for
being unconstitutional
2. COA- audit government spending
3. Ombudsman and SandiganbayanInvestigates government officials
THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
The Spaniards created Local

Government Units (LGU) for the
provinces
There were two types of local
government
units: CORRIGIMIENT
ALCALDIA
Alcalde
Mayor
Corregidor
THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
The ALCADIA, led by the

Alcalde Mayor
governed the provinces that
had been fully subjugated:
UNDER SPANISH CONTROL
ALREADY
SALARY: P300 A MONTH
THE PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
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 PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
The CORREGIMIENTO,
headed by
Corregidor
THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
The ALCADIA and the

CORREGIMIENTO
Though they were paid a small
salary, they enjoyed privileges
such as the
INDULTO DE COMERCIO
or the right to participate in the
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)
GOBERNADORDCILLOS
They had SMALL SALARIES but were
exempted from PAYING TAXES
QUALIFICATIONS:
Any NATIVE or CHINESE MEZTIZO
25 years old
Literate in ORAL or WRITTEN SPANISH
Cabeza de Barangay for 4 years
Ex: Emilio Aguinaldo
CABEZA DE BARANGAY OR
(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
THE CITY GOVERNMENT
Larger towns became cities called:

AYUNTAMIENTO
It became the center of trade and
The
ayuntamiento had a city council
industry.
called the
CABILDO
CABILDO is composed of:
ALCALDE (MAYOR)
REGIDORES (COUNCILLORS)
ALGUACIL MAYOR (POLICE
CHIEF)
ESCRIBANDO (SECRETARY)
Section 3. No person shall be a Senator

unless
he is a natural-born citizen of the
Philippines and, on the day of the
election, is at least thirty-five years of
age, able to read and write, a registered
voter, and a resident of the Philippines
for not less than two years immediately
preceding the day of the election
Lets take a look at some minimum

requirements when a person wants to
become a doctor:
4 year pre med course
Pass the NMAT (THREE Strike rule)
4 year med proper
2 year residency
2 year apprenticeship
Doctors
Senators and
Congressmen pass
Cure us when we are
laws that regulate our
sick, prescribes
life- from birth
medicine operates
(example: where
on us
pregnant women can
give birth and under
whom) to death (how
are funerals to be
arranged) even beyond
death (example:
succession)

Political Structure

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Political Structure

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Political

The foremost aim of Spanish

colonization was to spread

For over 333 years, the Philippines was a crown

1896 Cedula Personal issued in Manila. This is similar to the

It comes from the Spanish

word encomendar which

Spain reigned over the Philippines for 333 years, from

When Mexico regained its

The King's representative and the

Supervised all government

a municipal judge or governor in the

Honor Accorded to Gobernadorcillos

THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE

The Governor General and

THE ROYAL AUDENCIA

The Residencia, of which

The highest court in

Served as an advisory body to the

Despite all these checks, however,

The 1987 Constitution provides for

the following bodies that can act as a

The Spaniards created Local

The ALCADIA, led by the

DUTIES OF THE ALCALDE MAYOR:

THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

The ALCADIA and the

THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

Each province was divided into several

THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

THE CITY GOVERNMENT

Larger towns became cities called:

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator

Lets take a look at some minimum

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