Highest class – the people that belong in this

class include the Spaniards, peninsulares,

insulares and the friars. They have the power
and authority to rule over the Filipinos. They
enjoyed their positions and do what they want.
The Peninsulares (Spaniards who were
born in Spain). They held the most
important government jobs, and made
up the smallest number of the
population.

The Insulares were the Spaniards

born in the Philippines but with
Spanish parents
 The Friars are members of any of certain
religious orders of men, especially the four
mendicant orders (Augustinians,
Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans).
The Mestizos are
the Filipinos of
mixed
indigenous
Filipino or
European or
Chinese ancestry.
The Indios are
the poor
people having
pure blood
Filipino which
were ruled by
the Spaniards.
Natives – the pure Filipinos
Overemphasis on religious matters
• The power of religious orders remained one of
the great constants, over the centuries, of
Spanish colonial rule.
• The friars of the Augustinian, Dominican, and
Franciscan orders conducted many of the
executive and control functions of government
on the local level.
• They were responsible for education and health
measures.
• These missionaries emphasized the teachings of
the Catholic religion starting from the primary
level to the tertiary level of education.
Obsolete teaching
methods
• Their methods are
outdated.
Limited curriculum
• The students in the primary level
were taught the Christian Doctrines,
the reading of Spanish books and a
little of the natives’ language.
• Science and Mathematics were not
very much taught to the students
even in the universities.
• Aside from the Christian Doctrines
taught, Latin was also taught to the
students instead of Spanish.
Poor classroom facilities

Absence of teaching
materials

Primary education was

neglected
Absence of academic freedom
• The absence of academic freedom in
Spain’s educational system was extended
to the schools that Spaniards established
in the Philippines.
• Learning in every level was largely by rote.
Students memorized and repeated the
contents of book which they did not
understand.
• In most cases knowledge was measured
in the ability of the students to memorize,
largely hampering intellectual progress.
Prejudice against Filipinos in the schools of
higher learning
• In entirety, education during the Spanish
regime was privileged only to Spanish
students. The supposed Philippine
education was only a means to remain in
the Philippines as colonizers.
• For this reason, the Filipinos became
followers to the Spaniards in their own
country. Even auspicious Filipinos became
cronies, to the extent that even their life
styles were patterned from the Spaniards.
Friar control over the system
• The friars controlled the educational
system during the Spanish times.
• They owned different schools, ranging
from the primary level to the tertiary
levels of education.
• The missionaries took charge in
teaching, controlling and maintaining
the rules and regulations imposed to
the students.
• The country was opened to foreign trade at the
end of the 18th century which resulted in the rapid
rise of foreign firms in Manila.
• This stimulated agricultural production and export
of sugar, rice hemp and tobacco. The number of
families which prospered from foreign commerce
and trade were able to send their sons for an
education in Europe.
• Filipinos who were educated abroad were able to
absorb the intellectual development in Europe.
1. Opening of the Philippines to
International Trade and the Rise of the
Middle Class
• Manila was opened to foreign trade
which brought prosperity to the
Filipinos and Chinese mestizo
resulting to the existence of middle
class.
2. Influx of European Liberalism
• Ideas of the enlightened
philosophers like John Locke and
Jean Jacques Rousseau, masonry
and the French Revolution
reached the Philippines.
• Liberty, religious freedom,
democracy, human rights such as
suffrage, freedom of speech,
press and form associations and
assemblies.
3. Opening of the Suez Canal
on November 17, 1869

Connects
Mediterranean and
Red Sea; shortened
distance between
Europe and Orient
Results:
a)Philippines became closer to
Europe and Spain
b)encouraged European travelers to
come to our country
c)exodus of literal ideas from Europe
to the Philippines
d)more educated and young Filipinos
were able to study abroad
5. Spanish Revolution of 1868 and
the Liberal Regime of Carlos Maria
Dela Torre(1869-1871)

• Glorious September Revolution of 1868: Queen

Isabela II was overthrown resulting to the rise
of liberalism in Spain.
• Generals Juan Primo and Francisco Serrano
appointed dela Torre as the governor-general in
the Philippines (true democrat).
• Most liberal governor-general walked the
streets in civilian clothes and dismissed his
alabaderos (halberdiers) – the governor’s
security guards – and went unescorted.
Accomplishments:
(1) abolished censorship of the press and allowed
unlimited discussions of political problems and
proclaimed freedom of speech
(2) abolished flogging as a punishment
(3) curtailed abuses particularly the tribute and the polo
(4) allowed secular priests to be assigned to vacant
parishes or seminaries and created an office which would
prevent abuses by members of the regular religious
orders
(5) reformed the Royal Audiencia to bring about speedier
administration of justice
(6) decreed educational reforms, ordered the setting up of
medical, pharmacy, and vocational schools
(7) created the Council of the Philippines on December 4,
1870 which was a consultative body to study Philippine
problems and propose solutions to them.
7. Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-1873
• Monarchy was restored in Spain (Prince
Amadeo of Savoy, son of Victor Emmanuel I)
ascended the throne in 1870.
• April 4, 1871: Izquierdo became the governor-
general; “with crucifix in one hand and a sword
in the other”
a. restored press censorship
b. prohibited all talk on political matters and
secularization of the parishes
c. disapproved the establishment of arts and
trades in Manila
d. dismissed natives and mestizos in the civil and
military service.
8. Cavite
Mutiny (January 20,
1872)
• About 200 Filipino soldiers and workers in Fort
San Felipe mutinied, under the leadership of
Sgt La Madrid;
• caused by Izquierdo’s abolition of the
exemption of the Filipino workers from polo
and paying tributes;
• mutineers were able to kill the fort commander
and some soldiers;
• mutiny leaders and participants were arrested
and shot to death
9. GomBurZa (fought for the
Filipinization of parishes and
champions of liberalism and
humanitarianism)
• They were charged of sedition and
rebellion due to the false testimony of
Francisco Zaldua (former Bicolano soldier
and was bribed by the Spanish
prosecutors to implicate them as the
masterminds of the mutiny).
• Military Court: three priests guilty and
sentenced them to die by garrote.
Governor General
• sole representative of the Spanish crown in
the country
• powers: legislative, executive, judicial,
military, ecclesiastical (related to the Church

• cumplase – power to suspend the

implementation of any royal order–if the
condition in the colony did not warrant it
The Royal Audiencia

• a council of judges that acted as the Supreme

Court in the Philippines during the Spanish
colonial period
• check the abuses of the governor general

• conduct the Residencia: the process of

submitting the governor general to a trial
before the court for the purpose of punishing
corrupt and dishonest officials
The Royal Audiencia
• oidores – judges
• juez de residencia – the person responsible
for scrutinizing the acts of the outgoing
governor general and for imposing a
sentence on him should he be found guilty of
committing a crime in his exercise of his
powers as head of the colonial government
encomendero – the holder of an
encomienda
encomienda – the right over a piece
of land granted to a Spanish
conquistador (a Spaniard who helped
conquer the Philippine islands for Spain)
as a reward for his services
• protect the natives from their
enemies
• act as peacemaker among the
natives
• see to it that the natives were
provided with religious instruction
 Abuses made by the
encomenderos
• collected taxes from minors, the
aged, the poor, the infirmed, the
dead and the fugitives
• arrested, whipped or imprisoned
those who cannot pay the tribute
 Abuses made by the
encomenderos
• made the natives to build houses
and large vessels, grind rice, cut
wood and carry the woods to their
houses, even in Manila
• used the natives for their own work
for many days
• Encomienda– abolished in 1576
Alcaldes-mayores – the heads
of the provinces, civil official,
appointive

alcaldias – the provinces

powers: political, financial,
judicial, & military
Indulto de Commercio

• a privilege to engage in trade which

gave the provincial governor a
monopoly of commerce in the
province
• Abolished in 1844
Duties of an alcalde mayor
• see to it that his region has
adequate food supply
• make sure that the roads and
bridges were well-maintained
• grant licenses and permits to
carry on trade
• supervise town elections
Duties of an alcalde mayor
• oversee religious welfare of the
people
• make sure that the tributes were
collected
• see to it that the Church always
had enough men and funds
• gobernadorcillos – mayors
of the towns or cities

• pueblos – cities or towns

• gobernadorcillos – elected
by the outgoing
gobernadorcillo and 12
members of the principalia
Principalia
• a body of prominent land
owners and wealthy
citizens of the village who
could read, write, and
speak Spanish
Duties of a gobernadorcillo
• maintain the municipal jail
• take charge of public works
• administer justice in the
town
• manage the casa tribunal
The Union of Church and State
• friars occupied significant
positions in the central
government
• friars dominated the
permanent commission on
censorship
• exercised political and
economic powers
The Union of Church and State
• friars occupied significant
positions in the central government
• friars dominated the permanent
commission on censorship
• exercised political and economic
powers
• controlled the educational system
and public works of the
municipalities
The Union of Church and State
• supervised the collection of
taxes and taking of census
• certified correctness of
cedulas
Taxation
• heavy and numerous
• pocketed by the Spanish
officials
Taxes collected
• tribute or tributo (1570 –
1884), replaced by the cedula
• municipal and local taxes
• episcopal tax (sanctorium)
• special taxes
Tribute:
• Paid tribute as a symbol of
vassalage to Spain
• The Filipinos hated the tribute
for 2 reasons:
1. It reminded them of their
bondage to Spain
2. It spawned Spanish
abuses
Bandala System
• the farmers’ produce were sold
on a wholesale basis to the
government on a compulsory
basis
• not only were the goods or
products undervalued but also
in many cases they were not
even paid for
Bandala System
• Annual tax per family
• 1 Peso
• Starting 1851 1½ Pesos.
• in 1884 the "bandala" is
replaced by the "cedula"
(poll tax)
Forced labor
• or polo y servicios
• forced labor for 40 days of
men (16 to 60 years of age)
• polistas – the laborers
• falla – payment for exemption
for forced labor (one and a
half real/day)
• abolished – 1884
Galleon Trade
route – Manila to Acapulco
Benefits:
• maintain hospitals, orphanages
and other charitable institutions
• allowed modern, liberal ideas to
enter the country
• cultural and commercial
exchanges between Asia and the
Americas
Galleon Trade

• ObrasPias (Pious Works)

• foundations which invest their
money in trade and devotes the
profit to charitable works
 Divide and Rule
• The Spanish military force was just
small in the country. So it had to be
backed up by the natives.
• The Spaniards recruited the natives
in one region to support them. But
the military merely used them to put
down the revolts in another region.
 Guardia Civil
• Was supposed to maintain peace and
order in the Philippine islands,
especially in the provinces.
• At first it performed well
• But most of the members of the
Guardia civil were untrained and
ignorant -- thus they turned out to be
agents of abuse.
Corrupt Spanish Officials
GG Rafael Izquierdo
• Execution of GomBurZa

GG Fernando Primo de Rivera

• Enriched through bribes
and gambling clubs in
Manila
GG Valeriano Weyley
• “Tyrant” – brutal persecution
of some people in Calamba,
Laguna especially the family
of Rizal

GG Camilo de Polavieja
• Executing Dr. Jose Rizal
 Denial of Human Rights and
Inequality before the Law
Changes in the Spanish Constitution
of 1812:
1.Freedom of the press
2.Freedom of Speech
3.Freedom of association

• Enjoyed by all Spaniards but

they denied all these rights to
the Filipinos
Laws of the Indies

• Provided good laws for the

Philippines but these were
never implemented.
• Instead, Filipinos were being
abused, brutalized, and
persecuted, some of them
being exiled to distant lands.
 Maladministration of
Justice
• Justice was costly, partial and
slow
• “Justice delayed is justice
denied”
• Many victims: GomBurZa, Rizal
and his family and many others
 Racial Discrimination
• Filipinos are regarded as inferior
beings.
• In offices, in the military, in social
gatherings, even in schools
• Man’s merit was based on the color
of the skin and hair, the shape of the
nose and of the head
 Frailocracy
• The powerful friars practically
governed the Philippines.
• To reach the people practically
required the help of the church.
• The GG could not command the
friars, thus, if the GG needed the
help of the friars, or the churchmen,
then he had to submit himself to the
will of the friars.