Spanish Colonial

Policies and
Native Responses

As colonial masters, the

Spaniards
formulated
the colonial policies that
were designed not only
to keep the Filipinos in
political subjection but
also
to
exploit
the
country's natural and
human resources.

These policies were very

much discernible in the

system of Spanish colony
.
taxation
forced labor
government monopolies
harsh agrarian policies

In order to have enough

money to finance the

administration of the
Philippines.
Filipinos were
compelled to pay tribute
to Spanish colonial
government.

Tribute collections were

used to the constructions of

the ff.
churches,
Galleon ships,
government buildings,
roads, bridges
improvements in
transportation and
communications

Taxation
The ultimate form of

taxation during the

Spanish period was the
so called Tribute.
Tribute- was a form of
recognition of the
Filipinos loyalty to the
King of Spain.

It was introduced on

1570 in a very small

amount,(one tribute was
equivalent to 8 reales (1
peso)
(payable in cash or in
kind)
Example: rice, chicken,
vegetables and others.

By 1589,the tribute

increased and the

small amount went to
the church. But
because of the abuses
connected with its
collections, the King
abolished it on 1884.

By 1884, Cedula

Personal or Residence
Certificate was
introduced.
Cedula- a graduated poll
tax based on the income
of the tax-payer.
Personal identity paper.

But the provincial

governors, in serving
their business interest
(Indulto de
Commercio),would
require the natives to
pay the tribute in a mode
that would squeeze the
natives possessions.

Example:
If the Alcalde-mayor

learned that the natives

could only pay the tribute
in kind, he would require
the natives to pay them in
cash so that they would be
forced to sell their
produce to the store of the
governors.

Forced Labor (Polo y

Servicio Personal)
a. Servicio-refers to the
light duties assigned
usually to the women
and boys who usually
rendered their services
in the friars convent or
church.

b. Polo- is the
compulsory labor
imposed on male
natives aging from 16 to
60 years old to render
services to various
government projects for
40 days per year.

For natives, to be

exempted from Polo,

they need to pay Fallaan arbitrary exemption
fee.
In the law, the Polistas
(laborers) were
supposed to have
protections like:

a. polistas should

received a daily ration

and daily allowance of
real.
b. polistas were to served
only in their villages.
c. natives who were
underage and overage
were exempted.

However, certain groups

of Filipinos were
exempted from
performing the polo.
Principalia and
Aristocracy
This class was composed
of local officials, teacher,
and rich persons.

Government monopolies

The native Filipinos as a

vassals of Spain ,were
required to comply with
the:
a.) Bandala- a system, w/c
required all natives to sell
their produced to the
government.(compulsory)

The government required

each provinces to meet a

certain quota of
commodities. Spanish
authorities collected rice
and other agricultural
products without paying
the farmers.(issued
promissory notes in
exchange of peoples crops)

Pampanga was one

province which suffered

most from this practices.
The government failed to
pay the P200,000 worth of
crops.
As a result of this, a
violent revolt erupted
under Francisco Maniago, a
farmer from Pampanga.

b. Galleon trade w/c

was known as ManilaAcapulco Trade. This

trade served as the
main source of
government and
individual income in the
colony for more than 2
centuries.

Good effects of the

Galleon
It fostered cultural
exchanges between
Phil.& Mexico
It increase the
revenue of the
government & church

Bad effects
Neglect of agricultural

industries.
Discouraged the opening of
trade with other countries
Government officials neglected
the development of rural
areas.
The trade benefitted only a
few people most of them
Spaniards.

Before, the natives

enjoyed a flourishing trade

with the rest of Asia. But
with the colonization,
Spain closed the
Philippines to
international trade.
They only allowed 2
countries,(China & Mexico)

C. Tobacco monopoly- it

greatly increased the

income of the Philippine
Government.
The operation of the
monopoly thus brought
revenues which helped to
make the government to be
financially independent in
Mexico.

Harsh Agrarian Policies

Regalian Doctrine- was

applied pertaining to the

land in the Philippines.
It assumed that by the
virtue of conquest all
the land in the Phil.
belonged to the King.

Encomienda System
-King entrusted the Land to

person who helped during

the pacification and
conquest of the islands.
Not only the lands, but also
people, communities, and
services were entrusted to
Encomiendero.(abolished)

Duties of encomiendero
Christianize the

Filipinos
provide protection to
the Filipinos
Teach the natives the
proper ways of tilling
the soil.

But the laws/rules coming

from Spain were not

followed by the
Encomiendero and ended to
maltreatment of the native
Filipinos.
The Encomienda system
became the sourced of
graft and corruption of the
Encomienderos.(abolished)

1.Cruel treatment of the

people
2.Collection of excessive
tributes, land grabbing
3.Forcing the natives to
work for personal reasons
4.Confiscating animals
and crops without paying
them.

3 kinds of encomienda
a. Royal Encomienda-

belongs to the Crown/King

B. the Ecclesiastical
Enconienda-belongs to
the church
C. Private Encomiendabelongs to private
individual.

Hacienda was a land

grant from the King.

Who were qualified
for a land grant?
a.) lay Spaniards
(conquistadores)
b.) religious friars

However, the friars

were become
permanent owner of
the Haciendas while
the lay Spaniards
did not stay long in
the Phil.

Note: (taught by the

Church)
Indulgencia- a concept
where one gets a
bigger chances of
going to heaven if he
donates his properties
to the church.

Filipino Reactions to the

Spanish Policies
Many Filipinos were not
happy under Spanish
rule.
Although they benefited
from cultural contacts
with the Spaniards, they
were unjustly maltreated.

The Filipinos were

considered as
inferior race by the
Spaniards.
They collected
tributes and required
forced labor.

Many Filipino males

were taken away from

homes and made to
work in far away places.
Most of the Spaniards
were not interested in
the welfare of the
Filipinos.

Some of the Spanish

officials enriched
themselves while in
office.
While some Spanish
friars took away the
best lands from
Filipinos.

The Filipinos

expressed
indignation over
these abuses by
fighting in no less
than a hundred
revolts .

The miserable

conditions brought
about by Spanish
Political and
Economic pushed the
natives into rebellion
against the ruling
power.

These revolts

failed, for gallantry

and courage alone
were not enough to
crush the Spanish
arms.

The revolts of the

early Filipinos against

Spain was brought by
the following
reasons.
a. Desire to be free
from the Spanish
rule.

b. Religious intolerance
c. Racial discrimination
d. Grievances against
bad and abusive
government officials
e. Agrarian complaints

Early Filipino Revolts

Lakandulas Revolt

(1574)
Tondo
Causes: Failure of Gov.
Lavezares to fulfill Gov.
Legaspis promises to
Lakandula (failed)

Magalats revolt (1596-

1602)
Cagayan
Causes: Because of the
opposition of the Filipinos
to the tribute collections.
Failed: The revolt came to
an end when they hired
assassin to kill their leader.

Tamblots revolt (1622)

Bohol
Causes: Desire to

abandon Christianity and

returned to his old
religious faith.
He was suppressed by
the Spaniards and
Cebuanos.

F. Maniago (1660-1661)
Pampanga
Causes: Failure of the

Spanish officials failed to

pay the rice purchased;
repeated requirements
for personal services of
cutting logs for the
constructions of the ship

Tapars revolt (1781)

Cagayan
Causes:

Dissatisfaction with
the Spanish rule.
It was suppressed by
the Spaniards.

Dagohoys revolt (1744-

1828
Bohol
Causes: Refusal of Fr.
Gaspar Morales to bury
the body of his brother in
the consecrated ground.
Failed, the rebels were
pardoned.

Diego Silangs Revolt(1762-

64)
Ilocos
Causes: desired to expel the
Spaniards.
Failed, he was assassinated
by his friend Miguel Vicos.
Ma. Josefa Gabriela Silang, his
wife continued the fight but
was caught and beheaded.

Hermano Pule (1840-41)

Quezon
Being a native, Pule was

denied to be admitted in a
monk.
He founded a religious
brotherhood, Cofradia de San
Jose, but the government
ordered to dissolve it.
He was executed.

As a result, they were able

to suppressed these
revolts with the aid of
other Filipino ethnic
groups.
Most of the revolts failed
because leaders were
motivated by personal
reasons rather than
national interest.


Moreover, militarily, the

Filipinos were not prepared

to fight.

Lack of arms and training in

the warfare is another
reason.

Absence of national leader.

Lack of spirit of nationalism

among Filipinos.