Political Effects of Spanish Colonization

1. Loss of freedom on the part of the Filipino.

2. The establishment of a highly centralized government and bureaucratic set-up.

A. On the national level, the Spanish king governs through the Consejo de las Indias, and the governor-general, his sole spokesperson and representative. The seat of power was in Manila.

B. On the provincial level, the alcalde mayor headed the alcadia or provincia, the specified provinces and districts. The unpacified zones or corregimientos, on the other hand, were headed by corregidores. Only a Spaniard could be an alcalde mayor or a corregidor.

1897 Cavite

The Castilian enclave of IntramurosCorregimiento de Manila

C. On the municipal level, the “little governor” or gobernadorcillo (later replaced by the captain municipal in 1894) headed the municipio or pueblo. Any Spaniard, Filipino or Chinese mestizo could be a gobernadorcillo.

Old Isabela Pueblo and Plaza Rizal

D. The barrio government, on its part, rested on the cabeza de barangay whose main function was the collection of taxes and other contributions.

Photo of Nipa Houses, Sampaloc, Manila (circa 1899) U.S. Library of Congress

3. The high influence of the Catholic Church on the state.

A. The colonial administration of the Philippines was popularly viewed as reflective of the union of the church and state.

Malolos Congress session of 1898

From the very start from the Spanish occupation of the country, the ecclesiastics were already involved in administering the affairs of the state.

Thus, by virtue of Spanish parish priests’ position and because of circumstances, he acted as representative of the Spanish government and consequently, performed the functions and duties of an administrative official.

B. This particular rule of the Spanish priest in colonial administration was given a de facto recognition because the Spanish king served also as the royal patron of the Roman Catholic church. This made him essentially responsible in advancing Catholicism in the colonies of Spain.

C. The high influence of the church on the state was exposed by Filipino reformers, among them Marcelo H. del Pilar who referred to the situation in the Philippines as la soberania monacal (monastic supremacy) or la frailocracia (friarocracy), because the Spanish friars or monastic orders ruled supreme, even over governmental matter.

Undated photo of Marcelo H. del Pilar

4. Patronato Real

• “ROYAL PATRONAGE”• Was the system of privileges for

Spanish and Portuguese kings, which was granted by the papacy in return for using force of arms to convert the inhabitants of Asia and the Americas.