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Module 4

The Spanish Colonization

At the end of the discussion, the students will be able to

1. comprehend the Spanish influence to the lives of the Filipinos

2. gain an insight of the political, economic, social and religious situation of the Filipinos
during the Spanish period.
3. make a comparison of the Filipinos’ situation during the Pre-Spanish period and the
Spanish period

A. An Overview of the Philippines as a Spanish Colony

One of the factors that lead to the coming of the Spaniards to the Philippines was
the search for a new trade route and the desire for spices as it became a major motivation
for early Portuguese and Spanish expedition of the east. Spices were very important that
it could even buy a land or used as a dowry.

When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the natives were disunited. To put
the natives under their control, the Spaniards used the method of divide and conquer where
they befriended certain groups of Filipinos and used them in subjugating other natives.
Through the policy of attraction, Spaniards have obtained the support of local chiefs by
giving them gifs and exempting them from tributes and polo. They concluded blood
compact with native rules.

The colonization of the Philippines was viewed as the conquest of sword and the
cross. Catholic missionaries converted the native chiefs and family members to the
catholic faith. The converted natives became fanatic and began to follow blindly the dictates
of the friars because of their value to the salvation of soul. The friars allowed the natives to
go on with some folk beliefs and practices like sacrificial offerings, etc which resulted to
“folk christianism”

To finalize their control over the natives, they built “plaza complex” or “pueblo”
where the people lived in particular area where they could be within hearing distance of
church bells (bajo de la campana). Those who preferred to live within the vicinity of the
pueblos were known as taong loob while those who refused were known as taong-labas
or remontados, cimarrones, ladrones, or tulisanes.

The church and the plaza became the center of all significant activities of the
natives from birth to death. The plaza became witness to the injustices, oppression and
exploitation suffered by Filipinos in the hands of colonial masters.

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B. Philippines in the 19th Century: the social, political and economic conditions

The 19th century stands out as an extremely dynamic and creative age especially
in Europe and the United states. During this period such concepts as industrialism,
democracy and nationalism gained ascendancy and triggered revolutionary changes in
science, technology, economics and politics. However, 19th century Philippines was
largely medieval. Philippine society was predominantly feudalistic. Its social and economic
structure was based on the old feudalistic patterns of abuse and exploitation of the Indio.
Its censorship and racial discriminatory practices were oppressive.

The Governor-general was the king’s representative in all state and religious matters
and as such he exercise extensive powers. He held legislative and judicial powers. An elite
class exploited the masses, fostered by the master-slave relationship between the Spaniards
and the Filipinos. The Spaniards exacted all forms of taxes and tributes, and drafted the
natives for manual labor.

The pyramidical structure of 19th century Philippine society favored the Spaniards.
The highest class consists of the Peninsulares (Spaniards born in Spain); Spanish officials,
friars; the middle class were the Insulares( Spaniards born the Philippines) or popularly known
as Filipinos, Creoles, and the lowest strata were the Indios.

C. Education and Friarocracy in the Philippines

Aside from the religious functions, the friars also held political power. They were
also responsible for education and health measures, supervised the selection of local
police and town officers. It was also their tasks maintaining public morals and reporting
incidences of sedition to the authorities. They were allegedly using information gained in
confession to pinpoint heretics and “sinners”.
Central to the friars' dominant position was their monopoly of education at all levels.
Thus, they have control over cultural and intellectual life. For hundreds of years that the
Spaniards occupied the Philippines, it was only in 1863 that the Spanish government
decreed that a system of free public primary education be established. For almost three
hundred years since the Spaniards established the first settlement in the Philippines,
there was no systematic government supervision of school.
Since the friars inevitably occupied a dominant position in the Philippine educational
system, therefore, religion was the main subject in school. Fear of God was emphasized and
obedience to the friars was instilled in the minds of the people. The Indios were also constantly
reminded that they had inferior intelligence and that they were fit for manual labor.

D. Other forms of Instruments of Exploitation and control

The encomienda system- taken from the Spanish verb, encomendar, which means to
entrust or to assign responsibility to a person. The system became a source of abuse and

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corruption because the encomendero was free to raise the tribute to be collected from the
people

The imposition of taxes- the collection of tribute continued until 1884 when it was replaced
by the yearly purchase of a cedula personal. The amount of cedula was based on the
race and position of the person. The aim of cedula was similar to tribute and to recognize
the authority of king of Spain.

The polo y servicios - it began in 1580 whereby native Indios and mestizos from 16 years
old to 60 years old were forced to work for 40 days every year. In 1884, labor was reduced
to 15 days.

The role of traditional leader- the datus became pillars of colonial administration by serving
as intermediaries

The Manila-Acapulso trade - the only sea vessel that served to link the Philippines and
Americas before the 19th c was the Galleon de Manila. The native did not benefit from
the galleon trade. Instead they suffered because they were forced to man galleons as
sailors and rowers, and in some cases they built galleons through forced labors.

Other government monopolies- Monopoly of tobacco and wine. The Bandala, which
involved the forced selling of requisition of products, most especially tobacco, palay and
coconut oil.

E. The Rise of Nationalism

Nationalism usually springs from the consciousness of a national identity of being
one people. Before the Spanish occupation, there was no sense of nationalism among the
early Filipinos. When they were subjugated and oppressed by the colonizers, they have
realized that that they belong in one nation, thus, they have to fight to regain their lost
pride, dignity and freedom.

Common hardships and sorrows caused a growing but latent sentiment for
freedom and change. Initial manifestations of the Filipino desire to be freed from Spanish
rule came in the form of numerous revolts.

The most common causes of the revolts were discontent and humiliation brought about by racial
discrimination and the wanton abuses of the officials in the implementation of policies, the exploitation of
manpower through forced labor, land grabbing the collection of taxes or tributes, the arbitrary increases in
land rents, and the unjust eviction of farmers from their lands and the desire for religious.
F. The Cavite Mutiny of 1872 and the Execution of Gomburza

Rafael Isquirdo replaced de la Torre as governor-general of the Philippines. He

said he would rule with a crucifix in one hand and a sword in the other. He repealed the
exemption from rendering the Polo and the payment of the tribute that the soldiers in the

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shipyard and arsenal in Cavite had been enjoying under the Governor-general dela Torre.
As a result of their discontentment because they were forced to render forced labor and
pay taxes and falla, two hundred Filipino soldiers mutinied against the Spanish authority.
This event was known as Cavite mutiny of 1872.

The mutiny of 1872 has resulted to the death of the three priests Gomburza because
they were accused of being the leaders of the mutiny. The death of GomBurZa was a
turning point in the Philippine history because it led to the founding of Propaganda
Movement.

Jose Rizal, in a letter to Mariano Ponce, wrote his thoughts about the martyrdom of the
priests.
“ Without 1872 there would be no Plaridel or Jaena, or Sanciangco, or would
here exist brave and generous Filipino colonies in Europe; without 1872, Rizal
would be a Jesuit now and instead of writing the Noli Me Tangere, would have
written the opposite. At the sight of those injustices and cruelties, while still, my
imagination was awakened and I swore to devote myself to avenged one
day, so many victims, and with this idea in the mind I have been studying and
this can be read in all my works and writings, God will someday give me an
opportunity to carry out my promise”.

G. The Founding of Reform Movement

Rizal and other illustrados believed it was high time to ask for reforms from the
colonial masters. Out of this desire, the Propaganda movement or Reform Movement
was founded

The Reform or Propaganda movement was founded mainly by Jose Rizal,

Graciano Lopez jaena, Marcelo del Pilar and other illustrados which aimed for
assimilation by making the Philippines a province of Spain and the Filipinos as Spanish
citizens. It asked for the improvement of the native land and the social and economic
advancement of the “Indios”.

Other demands are representation in the It wanted to obtain reforms from Madrid
spanish cortes (the highest law- making body in Spain), all parishes be secularized to
remove the friars from the administration of the parishes and thus stop them from
exerting great influence on colonial officials.

The Propaganda movement was a failure because of the the inadequacy of

finances, there was disillusionment among leaders to change their political platform from
assimilation to separation and monarchy in Spain was restored. With the failure of
propaganda of Propaganda Movement came the birth of La Liga Filipina founded by Rizal
that has the same aims with the former.

Just like Propaganda Movement, the La Liga Filipina met the same fate, its voice
was unheard by the Spanish authorities instead Rizal was exiled to Dapitan because of
his writings against the Spaniards. The Spaniards found that the Noli me tangere was
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full of lies, anti-friars, heretic and subversive. The very night that Rizal was exiled to
Dapitan, Bonifacio founded the Katipunan.

H. The Founding of Katipunan

The news of Rizal's deportation shocked and surprised the people, for Rizal to
them was the symbol of freedom. That night of July 7, 1892, Andres Bonifacio, the father
of the Philippine revolution and a few others, met secretly at a house on Azcarraga (now
Claro M. Recto Avenue), near Elcano Street, Tondo, and decided to form a new
association called Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang na Katipunan nang manga Anak ng
Bayan or Katipunan for short.

The Katipunan was an underground society or a secret society in which its

existence is unknown to the Spaniards. It was founded in a radical platform mainly to
secure the Philippine Independence through armed revolution. Kalayaan is the official
newspaper of KKK

I. The Discovery of KKK

A misunderstanding between Teodoro Patiño and Apolonio de la Cruz who were

both workers of Diario de Manila was the immediate cause of the discovery of
Katipunan’s existence, Patiño took his revenge by revealing the secrets of society to his
sister Honoria. Patiño told father Mariano Gil of what he knew about the secrets of
society. With the discovery of KKK, the lithographic stone used to print the Katipunan
receipts was found. The rules of society and other pertinent documents were known.

The discovery of KKK was followed by mass arrest of Filipino suspects known as
“reign of terror”. On the afternoon of August 22, in the yard of Juan Ramos, the son of
Melchora Aquino who was called the mother of Katipunan, Bonifacio and his men
brought out their cedulas (and tore them to pieces shouting Long Live the Philippines
known as The Cry of Pugadlawin!

J. Rizal and Philippine Revolution

Rizal was in Dapitan when KKK has been discovered. Before the Cry of
Pugadlawin, on July 1, 1896, Bonifacio sent Pio Valenzuela to Dapitan in the guise of
blind patient to ask Rizal’s advice on revolution. Other purposes were to offered to take
him out of Dapitan because there would be series of uprisings and to warn him that
revolution would break out anytime

Rizal’s stand on revolution: According to the account of Pio Valenzuela Rizal

expressed absolute opposition to the waging of revolution because of the following reasons; membership
was strong among poor and uneducated, there was insufficient backing from rich families, they lack
logistics, funds , men and ammunition and lack military strategies thus needed an organized, discipline
troops. He suggested that it needs to operate discreetly to avoid suspicion from the
Spanish authorities.

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When KKK has been discovered, Rizal’s name was linked with Katipunan. On
Dec.11, 1896 – information charges were formally read to Rizal in his prison cell as
follows…the principal organizer and the living soul of the Filipino insurrection, the founder of
societies, periodicals and books dedicated to fomenting and propagating ideas of rebellion.

He was given a chance to defend his self in court. From the list of one hundred
lieutenants presented to him, Rizal chose Don Luis Taviel de Andrade 1 st Lieutenant of
the artillery as his lawyer who was the brother of 1 st Lt. Jose TavieL de Andrade Rizal
bodyguard in Calamba in 1887. After the trial, he was found guilty of treason and sedition
and to be executed at Bagumbayan on Dec. 30, 1896.

K. The Magdalo-Magdiwang Rivalry

The KKK in Cavite was divided into 2 provincial councils (The Magdalo and
Magdiwang). Baldomero Aguinaldo headed the Magdalo group and Magdiwang led by
Mariano Alvarez.Emilio Aguinaldo and the Magdalo council wanted the leadership of the
revolution through a manifestos, “The New Government of the Revolution” The Magdalo
party believed that a new government is needed for KKK is exposed and no longer keeps
the demand of time while the Magdiwang wanted the KKK to remain for it had a
constitution and by-law. Since Bonifacio was the recognized Supreme or president of the
KKK, he was invited by the two parties to mediate the conflict.

L The Tejeros Convention

This is known to be the passing of leadership from the hands of the masses (represented by
Bonifacio) to the hands of the elites (represented by Aguinaldo).

The leaders of the two councils gathered and replaced the KKK with a new
government at Tejeros, one of the towns in Cavite on March 22, 1897.The election was
held. Emilio Aguinaldo won the presidency in abscencia of the new government while
Bonifacio was elected as secretary of interior. Bonifacio was insulted by Daniel Tirona, a
member of the Magdalo party, declaring that Bonifacio was mal educated, ignorant and
did not deserve for his post as secretary of interior.

He added that it must be given to somebody who has a law degree. Bonifacio was
very much insulted that he almost shot Daniel Tirona but his bodyguard stopped him. Out
of his anger he declared “ I as founder and the president of this KKK declared the Tejeros
convention null and avoid”. He left the Tejeros Convention not wanting to recognize
Aguinaldo as the new president of the new government.

M. The Naik Military Agreement

The founding of a new government independent to that of Tejeros by Bonifacio and

his men. Bonifacio and some of his followers organized an army with a commander of
their choice to command.

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N. Trial and Execution of Bonifacio

Bonifacio was a threat to Aguinaldo’s government that he and his brother were
arrested. The Bonifacio brothers were accused guilty of treason and sedition without
sufficient evidences. They were executed at Mt. Tala on May 10, 1897.Upon the death of
Bonifacio, Aguinaldo became the sole leader of the revolution

O. The Biak-na-Bato Republic and the Pact of Biak-Na-Bato.

The Spaniards regained Cavite so Aguinaldo and his men took refuge in Biak-na
Bato and established the Biak na Bato Republic.

Aguinaldo issued a proclamation which he listed the following revolutionary

demands 1.) Representation in the Spanish Cortes 2.) Expulsion of the friars and
return of lands to the Filipinos of the lands they appropriated for themselves by
the friars (3) freedom of the press and tolerance of all religious sects (4) equal
treatment and pay for Penisular and Insular civil servants (5) abolition of the
power of the government to banish citizens, and (6) legal equality for all. These
demands showed that Aguinaldo was a reformist in nature and not a
revolutionist.

The following provisions under the Pact of Biak-na-Bato were:

Aguinaldo and his men will be exiled voluntarily abroad provided

Primo de Rivera would pay the sum of 800,000 pesos in installment basis.
a.)400,000 pesos to Aguinaldo upon his departure from Biak na Bato b.)
200,000 when the arms surrenders by the revolutionists exceeded 700, and
c.) the remaining 200,0000 when the Te duem was sung and general
amnesty proclaimed by the governor d.) and that Primo de Rivera would
pay additional sum of 900,000 to the families of the non-combatant who
suffered during the armed conflict.

The truce of Biak-na-Bato failed because some of the Filipino leaders were suspicious of
Spanish aim and continued to hold on their weapon. On the other hand, the Spanish
authorities did not trust the Filipinos.

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Sources:

Agoncillo, Teodoro. History of The Filipino People, 8th Ed (1990). Quezon City: R.P.
Garcia Publishing Company, 1990

Constantino, Renato. The Philippines: Revisiting The Past: Quezon City: Tala
Publishing Corporation, 1975

Constantino Renato and Constantino, Letizia” The Philippines: The Continuing Past.
Quezon City: The Foundation for Nationalist Studies, 1978

Funtecha, Henry and Padilla Melanie.(1999) Study Guide in Philippine History. Iloilo
City: UP in the Visayas

Hays, J. (n.d.). Philippines Under Spanish Rule: Life, Colonization, Trade And
Chinese | Facts and Details. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from
http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Philippines/sub5_6a/entry-3836.html

Philippines—The Friarocracy. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2, 2020, from

http://countrystudies.us/philippines/8.htm

Romero, Ma. Corona, et. al. Rizal and the Development of National Consciousness.
Quezon City: JMC press, Inc, 1978