Spanish Era

Government During the Spanish Period The Philippines was under the Spanish government for more than three centuries. Without any freedom and independence, Filipinos had to adjust and adapt to the new form of government as well as to different culture and traditions. The laws implemented in the country were all from the King of Spain passed through his representative who was called the Governor-General, “who was the source of civil power for the various levels of administration” (Agoncillo, 2008, p.75). The Philippines was divided into different levels of administration and each level has its own leader. Almost all of the members of the government were Spanish and only a few Filipinos were allowed to have a position in the society for they think that they were naïve and foolish. Most of these authorities took advantage of their powers and many Filipinos were abused, may it be women or children. The different levels consist of the central or national, which is headed by the Governor-General, and the provincial, headed by the alcalde mayor, while the military zones were governed by corregidores. Only a Spaniard can be an alcalde mayor or a corregidores and they have the power to collect taxes, be an inspector and chief of police and they also has military authority in their respective areas of responsibility. The residencia and visita are Spaniards sent from Spain to check if royal officials are abusing their powers and if they are fulfilling their duties to the people. On the municipal level, Filipinos are allowed to hold the position of gobernadorcillo and cabeza de barangay. Gobernadorcillo is the highest position a Filipino could ever get and like the parish priest, his role was considered very important in the town. Filipinos, during those times, coined the term Frailocracy or rule of the friars because the Spanish friars ruled highly even in government matters. They were known to be very abusive and cruel. Although there are gobernadorcillos and cabeza de barangays, the friars were still the rulers of the municipals and as Agoncillo (2008) described it, “in fact, the whole government of the islands rested on them” (p.79). But the most persistent complaint that Filipinos had against the friars is that they own most of the lands in the country and so many suffered since most of them were forced to give up their lands to the friars.

Political System as Depicted in Noli Me Tangere Noli Me Tangere was our national hero’s first novel and served as a wakeup call to the abuses of the government and the friars. The book showed the devastating experiences of the society under the Spaniards. Based on some of Rizal’s own experiences, he was able to show the life of the Filipinos during those times and the kinds of cruelty the government and the church had done. There are different characters in the novel that depicted the royal officials in the Philippines during the Spanish era. Some of these characters were portrayed as good people but most of them, especially the friars, were described as rude and corrupt. First, the Governor-General in the novel was characterized as someone who is kind and sympathetic especially about the death of the father of Crisostomo Ibarra, the protagonist of the story. The Alferez, who is the chief of the Guardia Civil, was seen as someone who doesn’t take things very seriously but he is definitely someone who everyone respects and feared. Another person who is very powerful in the novel was Fray Bernardo Salvi, the Franciscan curate of San Diego who secretly lusts Maria Clara and tolerates the cruelty of the Sacristan Mayor to the young sacristans represented by Crispin and Basilio. In addition, Fray Damaso, the former curate of San Diego, is an arrogant and ill-mannered priest who is respected by people out of fear and has so much power in the municipality. The friars still played a major role in the government, Sichrovsky (1987) stated, “…The government does not plan for a better future, it is just the arm, but the head which moves it is the monastery”. They exercised more power than the government and has more influence to the people which is why the system of the government in the Philippines was called Frailocracy or a government controlled by friars. They used the Catholic religion to control the people, government and to gain more power for they believe that they are a higher being compared to the Filipinos. The novel was able to manifest the wrongdoings of the friars and how every individual in the society suffered from this colonization. Rizal showed in his novel that the friars had so much power over the town that whatever they say, most people will actually believe it. It also showed that the civil guards are cruel, corrupt and don’t have any pity on poor people based on what happened to Sisa and her sons. Anybody who was caught saying anything against Spain was ex-communicated and some were even called heretics and filibusters. According to Del Pilar (1996), “Filibuster… it is labeled to anybody or everybody suspected of either harboring feelings of hatred or initiating acts of vengeance against Spain” (p. 4). Anyone who was convicted of these crimes was an enemy of the church and was usually exiled from the town or was captured by the guards and be imprisoned while some are tortured and killed. Friars think so low of Filipinos that when you became a famous or wealthy man, they became threatened and jealous and say things behind your back which is exactly what happened to Don Rafael Ibarra who is Crisostomo’s father. Del Pilar once stated (1996), “… the friars cannot find a better reward for them except insult, mockery and calumny” (p.13). Many believed that the friars had been a symbol of obstruction to progress in the Philippines. And since they think so highly of themselves, friars control all the important forces in the society including politics, education and social systems. Even in the universities and schools, only a few Filipinos were permitted to study and all of the teachers are friars as well. These were just some of the abuses and problems Filipinos faced during the Spanish colonial period. And yet, even if there was a lot of suffering, some of these customs and misbehaviors are present in our government today.
References:
Book Abinales, P., & Amoroso, D. (2005). State and Society in the Philippines. Pasig, City: Anvil Publishing Inc. Agoncillo, T. (2008). History of the Filipino People. Quezon City: Garo Tech Books Inc. Del Pilar, M. (1996). Frailocracy in the Philippines. (L. Agrava, Trans.). Ermita, Manila: National Historical Institute. (Original work published 1889). Miranda, L., & Tulaylay M. (2006). Obra Maestra: Noli Me Tangere. Quezon City: Rex Printing Company Inc. Scott, W. (1991). Slavery in the Spanish Philippines. Taft, Manila: De La Salle University Press. Zulueta F., & Nebres, A. (2003). Philippine History and Government Through the Years. Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore. Online Sources http://us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/noli_me_tangere.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noli_Me_Tangere_(novel)#Other_characters http://www.etravelpilipinas.com/about_philippines/philippine_government.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Philippines http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Modules/Modules/PhilippineReligions/article_rizal.htm http://www.gutenberg.org/files/6737/6737-h/6737-h.htm http://tproll.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/noli-me-tangere-by-jose-rizal-chp-25-at-the-philosophers-house/ http://www.univie.ac.at/ksa/apsis/aufi/rizal/har-nol.htm http://factoidz.com/the-type-of-government-in-the-philippines-in-the-spanish-colonial-period/

References: Agoncillo, T. (2008). History of the Filipino People. Quezon City: Garo Tech Books Inc. Del Pilar, M Miranda, L., & Tulaylay M. (2006). Obra Maestra: Noli Me Tangere. Quezon City: Rex Printing Company Inc. Scott, W. (1991). Slavery in the Spanish Philippines. Taft, Manila: De La Salle University Press. Zulueta F., & Nebres, A. (2003). Philippine History and Government Through the Years. Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore.