The encomienda was designed to meet the needs of the American colonies’ early mining economy.

With the
catastrophic decline in the Indian population and the replacement of mining activities by agriculture in Spanish
America, the system lost its effectiveness and was gradually replaced by the hacienda system of landed estates.
Although the encomienda was not officially abolished until the late 18th century, in September 1721 the
conferment of new encomiendas in Spain’s colonies was prohibited.)
● The “Encomienda” system was implemented. It is a system from which the king has the right to transfer
the authority of a particular land to any Spanish individual or institution. Those individuals who possess
the right of “encomienda” was called “Encomiendero”.
● An “Encomiendero” has authority to collect taxes from the people in his jurisdiction. He also has the duty
to care and look for the benefits of those citizens.
● Unfortunately, the “encomienda” system was misused by some “encomienderos”. A lot of them use the
“encomienda” for their own interest. They tend to abuse their power, collecting taxes more than the real
tax value.
● The “encomiendero’s” abuse their powers which sometimes made people revolts against them.
● The “encomienda” system created hindrances for the economic development of the masses. This makes
the elite richer and making the economic situation of the majority under developed.
● Although the “encomienda” system is designed for governance, its implementation gives negative effects
to the people from which the “encomienderos” abuse their power against the people, to whom they are
bound to govern.
Audiencia, in the kingdoms of late medieval Spain, a court established to administer royal justice; also, one of
the most important governmental institutions of Spanish Colonial America. In Spain the ordinary judges of
audiencias in civil cases were called oidores and, for criminal cases, alcaldes de crimen.
Galleon, full-rigged sailing ship that was built primarily for war, and which developed in the 15th and 16th
centuries. The name derived from “galley,” which had come to be synonymous with “war vessel” and whose
characteristic beaked prow the new ship retained.
Acapulco was a main depot for the Spanish colonial fleets plying between Mexico and Asia, especially the
Philippines.
("An ecclesiastical matter is one which concerns doctrine, creed, or form of worship of the church.")
- The government was composed of two branches, the executive and the judicial.
- The government at that time was led by the Governor General. He was considered as the representative of
Spain and the King himself. He is the highest officer in the island and responsible for implementing laws from the
mother country.
- The provinces in the island were called as “Encomienda” and were governed by the “Encomienderos”,
later they were replaced by the Alcalde Mayor”
- Alcalde Mayor had both the executive and judicial power. He had also given the right to collect taxes. The
“Alcalde Mayor” was also allowed to establish a business because of its limited salary. In 1886, their executive
power was abolished
but their judicial powers remain.
- Small towns were governed by the “gobernadorcillo”. Under his authority were one police chief and the lower
government employees from which he had jurisdiction.
- The city was governed by two mayors, 12 councilors and a police chief, a secretary and other employees. The
city is called as “Ayuntamiento”.

(On Taxation) Impose and collect revenue for public purpose

- One of the laws promulgated by the indies promulgated by the Spanish crown was to require conquered
inhabitants to pay tribute in recognition of the Spanish sovereignty.
* Before - One family paid tribute amounting to eight reales or one peso. If unmarried one-half tribute
* In 1589 - it was increased one-half tribute
* In 1851 - increased to twelve reales
* In 1884 - abolished and was replaced with a personal cedula tax.

● Bandala - natives were coerced to sell their harvest to the government at very low price.
● POLO - the dehumanizing labor where the Spanish government required all male healthy and physically
 able between ages 15-60 to render service for forty days.
● POLISTAS - the natives who rendered forces labor.
● FALLA - a fee given to Spaniards to become exempted in rendering labor force.
● Obras Pias - a foundation where money from trade was invested and appropriated to be given to
charitable institutions.
● Diezos prediales - a tax which consisted of one-tenth of the produce of the land.
● Donativo de Zamboanga - it was introduced in 1635, a tax specifically used for the conquest of jolo.
● Vinta - a tax paid by the people of some province along the coast of western luzon for the defense of
the coast from muslim pirates, who raided the Visayas and Luzon for “Slaves” that they need on
overseas trading.
- The early printers were engravers and at the same time who were trained by Spanish missionaries.
* Tomas Pinpin
* Jose Dela Cruz(Husing Sisiw 1746-1829)
* Francisco Baltazar(1789-1862)
(On Religion)
With the help of the soldiers, the missionaries easily conquered territories of the colony and converted the
natives
to Christianity.

The various missionaries who used their religious influence to facilitate the teaching of Gospel and propagation
of Catholic Christian faith were
* the Augustinians(1565)
* the Franciscans(1577)
* the Jesuits(1581)
* the Dominicans(1587)
* the Recollects(1606)
(On Social Results)
The Filipino conversion to Christianity inevitably meant the adoption of fiesta as a socio-religious event
celebrating the
feast of the patron saint of the Catholic town as an occasion of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest and other
blessings.
(On Education)
- In 1863, the Spanish government enacted and implemented an educational reform primarily
designed to improve the state of education throughout the archipelago.
- The decree provided for the establishment of at least one school for boys and one for
girls in every town.
- The decree also provided for the establishment of a normal school for male teachers
under the supervision of the Jesuits and created a commission of eight
members headed by the Governor General.

* University of Santo Tomas - oldest pontifical university in the Philippines founded

by Dominicans in 1611
* Colegio De San Juan De Letran - founded in 1601
* Colegio De Sta. Potentiana - 1589
* Colegio De Sta. Isabel - 1632
* College of La Concordia - 1869
* Assumption Convent - 1892

Governor General - chief executive of the Philippines

Royal Audiencia(Supreme Court)
Autos Acordados - acts agreed upon by the members of Royal Audiencia
Archbishop and the clergy who were influential in the king’s court
The complaints which subordinate public officials & private Spanish officials
Governor Guido Laverzaris - first Spanish gov.gen. Who subjected to a residencia (1572-75)
Vistador - an investigator which the king sent to the colony to investigate conditions in the Philippines.
ALCADIAS - provinces governed by ALCALDE MAYOR
CORRIGIMIENTO - special districts that represents unpacified regions
CORREGIDOR - usually an army that governs Corrigimiento
 PUEBLO - town
Governadorcillo - administrate a pueblo
TENIENTE MAYOR - Chief lieutenant
JUEZ DE SEMENTERAS - Justice of the fields
JUEZ DE GANADOS - justice of the cattle
JUEZ DE POLICIA - justice of police
DIRECTORCILLO - municipal secretary
CABEZA DE BARANGAY - administrate a barangay or barrios
AYUNTAMIENTO - city government
CABILDO city council
Alcalde(mayor)
Regidores(counsilors)
Aguacil mayor (chief constable)
Escribano (secretary)

Miguel Lopez De Legazpi who was the first governor general of the Philippines, from 1565-1572. He will always
be remembered for his diplomacy with the natives. At a time of rigid racial discrimination, Legazpi desired that
Spaniards and native Filipinos to live together as one community. He is also remembered for founding the cities
of Manila and Cebu.

Jose Basco y Vargas(1778-1787). He laid the foundation of the agricultural progress of the Philippines by
adopting economic programs designed to make colony financially independent from Mexico. He established the
“Economic Society of the Friends of the Country”, an organization which helped much in the development of
agriculture in the Philippines. In 1782, he established the tobacco monopoly, and in 1784, he issued a decree
which prohibits creditors from seizing farm equipment of farmer debtors and their artistry during the planting and
harvesting seasons.