Reading in Philippines History Part 2

• Spanish Expansion


  • Result of various forces
  • Spaniards attempted to control the spice trade in the Moluccas islands
  • Colonized parts of South, North, and Central America
  • Inclusion of the Philippines
  • Motivated by mercantilist nature or accumulation of wealth in the form of gold
  • Invention of new technologies needed for exploration like the compass and sextant
  • Maps were refined that greatly aided the explorers
• Spanish Colonial Experience
• Before Spain actually decided to occupy the Philippines, two noted voyages already reached the Philippines. This was Magellan voyage in 1521 and the Villalobos voyage in 1543. These did not start Spanish colonialism although they provide information and fed the interest of the Spanish government to finally take the islands. In 1565, Legaspi carried the Spanish flag and set up in the Philippine islands another colony for Spain. This commenced the Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines. 


  Spanish Colonial Experience
• Exploration and colonization during this time were realized through contractual agreements between the Crown and the Conquistadores. In essence, the Consquistadores conquered for Spain but they shall share in the riches of the new territories they conquered. Thus, conquistadores like Legaspi instituted measures both for the pacification of the people and the satisfaction of their private goals. It is within this frame that we understand that the pacification efforts of the colonizers were also coupled with exploitation.


  Spanish Colonial Experience
• A system of organizing territories to be under the care of an Encomendero. It was an administrative unit for the purpose of exacting tributes from the natives. The Encomendero unit for the purpose of extracting tributes from the natives. The Encomendero had the power to collect tributes and to use the personal services of the inhabitants of the encomienda. The Encomienda shall take care of the welfare of the natives.

  Encomienda.
•  The Encomienda shall take care of the welfare of the natives.

  Protect natives by maintaining peace and order
• Support missionaries in conversion to Catholicism.

  The Encomienda shall take care of the welfare of the natives
• Help in defense of country.

  The Encomienda shall take care of the welfare of the natives.
•  So, while the system was meant to facilitate the organization and administration of the colony, the Encomendero gave a negative image to it. This system was characterized by greed and cruelty. It was an opportunity for one to enrich oneself primarily by collection of tribute or unlawful exaction of numerous services. 


  The services are compensated from the shares an Encomendero can get from the tributes and the services of the natives.
• Tribute


  Levying of tax to all Filipinos aged 19-60 except government employees, soldiers with distinguished services, descendants of Lakandula and some few native chieftains, choir members, sacristans, porters of the church, and government witnesses
• Tribute collectors


  • Alcalde mayors
  • Encomendero
  • Gobernadorcillo
  • Cabezas
• Tribute collection


  Accompanied by force and abuses
• Soldiers used to escort tax collectors

  To force collection, often resulting in violence
• Tax collectors


  Collected much more than what the law required
• Filipinos who joined the revolts later on cited the exploitative nature of tribute collection as a chief cause
• Tribute construction in Apayao


  • Filipinos related that they were scared of the tribute that has killed several of them
• Tributor


  Person who pays tribute
• This is another colonial policy that obliged male natives aged 16-60 except chieftains and their eldest son to serve 40 days each year in labor pools. The labor pools refer to the site of labor that were mostly of construction kind. The natives were asked to build buildings both for the church and the government. They were also made to make roads and build ships.

  Polo Y Servicio.
• This policy was meant to help set up of government infrastructure and the laborers were even given ration of rice and paid minimal amounts. There were other regulations to ensure the protection of the workers. In practice though, all these regulations were violated. Laborers were not paid and were not given any rice ration. The policy became insensitive to the need of the communities so that it was still enforced in time of planting or harvest seasons. 

  In the end, polo y servicio became a forced labot that contributed to famine experiences and the destruction of communities. 

  Polo Y Servicio
• Colonial government policy


  1. Compulsory sale of products to the government

  2. Communities given quotas to produce

  3. Products sold only to the government

  4. Prices set by government lower than prevailing prices

  5. Products sold back to people for high price
• This practice


  Formed natives to be indebted to the chieftain, entrenching the socio-economic position of the chief
• In worst cases, farmers were not paid at all for their produce and were given promissory notes
• This policy became a virtual confiscation of natives' products
• Bandala


  This is another policy meant to augment the finances of the colonial government
• 1. This is a military strategy utilized by the Spaniards against the natives. In this method, native  Ny its very nature, it was exploitative as the inter-village warfare tradition of the early Filipinos was reinforced to serve the interests of the colonizers. 

  The policies provide clear examples as to how the colonial policies impacted on the native Filipinos. For them, the policies were exploitative even if these were just part of the pacification process of the Spaniards. 

  These difficulties were compounded by the constant war Spain was into against the Dutch and Portuguese.

  Divide and Rule:
• Barangay authority


  Traditional authority used as intermediaries between the natives and the Spaniards
• Barangay authority


  Traditional authority used as intermediaries between the natives and the Spaniards
• Barangay authority


  Traditional authority used as intermediaries between the natives and the Spaniards
• Political privilege granted by Spaniards

  • Tribute collectors
  • Gobernadorcillos
  • Helped in mobilizing labor for government construction projects
• Chiefs


  Given the opportunity and took advantage of the concept of private property of land
• Traditional chiefs


  Transformed into a willing ally and were called principals
• Political privilege granted by Spaniards

  • Tribute collectors
  • Gobernadorcillos
  • Helped in mobilizing labor for government construction projects
• Political privilege granted by Spaniards

  • Tribute collectors
  • Gobernadorcillos
  • Helped in mobilizing labor for government construction projects
• Chiefs


  Given the opportunity and took advantage of the concept of private property of land
• Chiefs


  Given the opportunity and took advantage of the concept of private property of land
• Principalia


  • Prestige in the social hierarchy of the period
  • Ranked higher next to the Spaniards among native Filipinos
• Traditional chiefs


  Transformed into a willing ally and were called principals
• Traditional chiefs


  Transformed into a willing ally and were called principals
• Maginoo and Datu


  Traditional head of barangay became intermediaries
• Principalia


  • Prestige in the social hierarchy of the period
  • Ranked higher next to the Spaniards among the native Filipinos