week 2

• Must be 23 years old and above, educated, and own at least 500 pesos worth of property/money to hold political positions in the Spanish Colonial period
• Spain and Portugal were competing on claims over the Moluccas and the Philippine Islands
• Gobernadorcillo & Cabeza de Barangay are the only positions a Filipino can have in the Spanish Colonial period
• Friars could control the society & Governor General
• In 1565, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi was sent to the Philippines by Phillip II, the new king of Spain, and also Portugal
• The lack of unity and nationalism seemed to be the culprit
• More than 300 years of Spanish Suppressive colonial rule
• Legazpi established the Encomienda system and founded the city of Manila under Spain in 1571 after taking it from Rajah Sulayman
• The Spaniards were only able to return to the Philippines in 1543 under the expedition of Ruy Lopez de Villalobos who named the islands as “Filipinas”
• The enemy of the church will be considered as the enemy of the government
• Corrupt government officials in the 19th century

  • Gen. Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-1873) - gave the order to kill GOMBURZA
  • Admiral Jose Malcampo (1874-1877) - his administration was weak due to incompetency
  • Gen. Fernando Primo de Rivera - took the position twice; 1880-1883 & 1897-1898
  • Gen. Valeriano Weyler (1888-1891) - a cruel and corrupt official; a tyrant who killed
• Several attempts, through revolts or uprisings by the natives to drive the foreign rulers were all futile
• The Philippines was discovered by Spain under the Ferdinand Magellan expedition

  March 17, 1521
• The excessive power & privileges made the governor generals weak & undisciplined
• Regular priests were able to control the different parishes and had dominion over the Secular priests (Filipino priests)
• Political positions in the Spanish Colonial period

  • Alkalde Mayor - head in the provincial level
  • Gobernadorcillo - head of the town or pueblo
  • Cabeza de Barangay - head of the barrio government
• The religious orders had a huge contribution in the colonization process which is why the frailocracy had a lot of power
• Legazpi became the first Governor General of the Philippines
• Corrupt practices of the Spanish government officials in the 19th century included punishing those who weren’t happy with the administration and giving too many favors to friends & family
• Roles of the Governor General

  • Chief executive in the whole archipelago
  • Head of the state & church
  • Commander in chief of the military
  • Has the power to pardon prisoners & to decide about the issues in the country
  • Power of cumplace
  • Visitador & Residencia
  • Viceroy of Mexico - ruled the Philippines indirectly as the representative of the Spanish King
  • Governor General - heads the national government
• The provincial government, headed by the alcalde mayor, was the most corrupt branch of the government
• Gen. Valeriano Weyler (1888-1891)


  A cruel and corrupt official; a tyrant who killed the Calamba tenants and is called the Butcher by the Cubans
• Gen. Camilo de Polavieja (1896-1897)


  Took bribes from casino operators in Manila
• Gen. Camilo de Polavieja (1896-1897)


  Ordered the execution of Dr. Jose Rizal
• Self-interest
• Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-1873)


  Gave the order to kill GOMBURZA
• Geographical isolation and separation
• Absence of sufficient weapons and firepower
• Gen. Fernando Primo de Rivera

  Took the position twice; 1880-1883 & 1897-1898
• Admiral Jose Malcampo (1874-1877)


  He was a great soldier but as a governor general, his administration was weak due to his incompetency
• Filipino revolts against Spanish rule

  • Lakandula and Sulayman Revolt (1574)
  • Pampanga Revolt (1585)
  • Conspiracy of the Maharlikas in Tondo (1587-1588)
  • The Cagayan and Dingras Revolts Against Tribute (1589)
  • Magalat Revolt (1596)
  • Igorot Revolt (1601)
  • Bancao Revolt (1621-1622)
  • Sumuroy Revolt (1649-50)
  • Maniago Revolt (1660-1661)
  • Malong Revolt (1660-1661)
  • Chinese Resistance of 1662
  • Panay Revolt (1663)
  • Zambal(es) Revolt (1681-1683)
  • Agrarian Revolt of 1745
  • Dagohoy Rebellion (1744-1829)
  • Diego & Gabriela Silang Revolt (1762-1763)
  • Palaris Revolt (1762-1764)
  • Novales Revolt (1823)
  • Palmero Conspiracy (1828)
  • Hermano Pule Religious Revolt (1840-1843)
• Lack of preparation and training
• Causes of the Filipinos’ Defeat
• Loyalty crisis because of ethnic differences
• Events leading to the change of government system
• Communication gap due to language differences
• The Opening of the Philippines to World Trade
• Disunity because of lack of national identity. The divide and rule strategy was an obstacle
• Age of Enlightenment
• Enlightenment, French (literally “century of the Enlightened”), a European intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries in which ideas concerning God, reason, nature, and humanity were synthesized into a worldview that gained wide assent in the West