Prior to Spanish colonization, the Philippines was composed of independent barangays ruled by datus. Each barangay had its own laws and social hierarchy, and sometimes barangays joined together in confederations. Under Spanish rule, the barangays were consolidated into centralized provinces under the authority of a governor-general in Manila, who had executive, legislative, and judicial powers over the entire country. After the Philippine Revolution, several revolutionary governments were established, including the Katipunan, Biak-na-Bato Republic, and Revolutionary Government, before the Philippines came under U.S. control and a series of colonial governments. During Japanese occupation, the Japanese military administered the country before establishing a puppet republic.

3. THE PRE-SPANISH GOVERNMENT
OF THE PHILIPPINES

4. THE PRE-SPANISH GOVERNMENT
OF THE PHILIPPINES
 Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, the Philippines
was composed of settlements or villages, each called
barangay, named after balangay, a Malayan word
meaning “boat”.

5. THE PRE-SPANISH GOVERNMENT
OF THE PHILIPPINES
 Every barangay was virtually a state, for it possessed
the four basic elements of statehood. At times,
however, some barangays joined together as
“confederations” mainly for the purpose of mutual
protection against common enemies.

6. THE PRE-SPANISH GOVERNMENT
OF THE PHILIPPINES
 Each barangay was ruled by a chief called datu in
some places, and rajah, sultan or hadji in others. He
was its chief executive, law giver, chief judge, and
military head. In the performance of his duties,
however, he was assisted usually by a council of
elders (maginoos) which served as his advertisers. In
form, the barangay was monarchy with the wealth, or
physical prowess.

7. THE PRE-SPANISH GOVERNMENT
OF THE PHILIPPINES
 The people of the barangay were divided into four
classes, namely: the nobility (maharlika), to which the
datu belonged, the freemen (timawa), the serfs
(aliping namamhay), and the slaves (aliping sagigilid).
SOCIAL CLASSES IN THE BARANGAY

8. THE PRE-SPANISH GOVERNMENT
OF THE PHILIPPINES
 The early Filipinos had both written and unwritten
laws. The written laws were promulgated by the
datus. The two known written codes in the pre-
Spanish era are the “Maragtas Code” which was said
to have been written about 1250 A.D by Datu
Sumakwel of Panay, and the Kalantiaw Code written
in 1433 A.D by Datu Kalantiaw, also of Panay.
EARLY LAWS

9. THE PRE-SPANISH GOVERNMENT
OF THE PHILIPPINES
 It can be said that the laws of the barangay were
generally fair. The system of government, although
defective was not so bad considering the conditions
in other lands in the age during which it flourished.
COMPARISON WITH OTHER ANCIENT GOVERNMENTS

11. PHILIPPINES DURING
THE SPANISH PERIOD

12. PHILIPPINES DURING
THE SPANISH PERIOD
 It was based on the discovery made by Ferdinand
Magellan in 1521, consummated by its conquest by
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi 45 years later and long
possession for almost four centuries, until it was
terminated in 1898, when by the Treaty of Paris, the
Philippines was ceded by Spain to the United States.
SPAIN’S TITLE TO THE PHILIPPINES

13. PHILIPPINES DURING
THE SPANISH PERIOD
 From 1565 to 1821, the Philippines was indirectly
governed by the King of Spain through Mexico. From
1821 when Mexico obtained her independence from
Spain, to 1898, the Philippines was ruled directly
from Spain.
SPANISH COLONIAL GOVERNMENT

14. PHILIPPINES DURING
THE SPANISH PERIOD
 From 1863, the military of Ultramar (colonies)
exercised general powers of supervision over
Philippine affairs. Three times during the Spanish
period (1810-1813, 1820-1823, and 1836-1837), the
Philippines was given representation in the Spanish
cortes, the legislative body of Spain.
SPANISH COLONIAL GOVERNMENT

15. PHILIPPINES DURING
THE SPANISH PERIOD
 The government which Spain established in the
Philippines was centralized in structure and national
in scope. The barangays were consolidated into towns
each headed by a GOBERNADORCILLO, popularly
called capitan, and the towns into provinces, each
headed by a governor who represented the Governor
General in the province.
GOVERNMENT IN THE PHILIPPINE UNITARY

16. PHILIPPINES DURING
THE SPANISH PERIOD
 The power of the government were actually exercised
by the Governor-General who resided in Manila. He
was “Governor-General” “Captain-General”, and
“vice-royal patron.” As Governor-General, he had
executive, administrative, legislative and judicial
powers.
THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL

17. PHILIPPINES DURING
THE SPANISH PERIOD
 As Captain-General, he was Commander-in-Chief of
all the Armed Forces in the Philippines. As the vice-
royal patron, he exercised certain religious powers.
Because of these broad powers, it has been said that
the Governor General enjoyed more powers than the
King of Spain himself. This was justified, however,
because of the distance of the Philippines from Spain.
THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL

18. PHILIPPINES DURING
THE SPANISH PERIOD
 In the administration of the Philippines, the
Governor-General was assisted by many boards and
officers, particularly the Board of Authorities and the
Council of Administration.
THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL

20. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period

21. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 The Katipunan was secret society that precipitated
our glorious revolution on August 26, 1896. It was
organized by Andres Bonifacio. The central
government of the Katipunan was vested in a
Supreme Council (Kataastaasang Sanggunian). In each
province there was a Provincial Council (Sangguniang
Balangay) and in each town, a Popular Council
(Sanggunian Bayan).
THE KATIPUNAN GOVERNMENT

22. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 The Judicial Power was exercised by a Judicial Council
(Sangguniang Hukuman).
The Katipunan was replaced by another government
whose officials headed by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo as
President, were elected in the Tejeros Convention
held on March 22, 1897.
THE KATIPUNAN GOVERNMENT

23. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 On November 1, 1897, a republic was established by
Gen. Aguinaldo in Biak-na-Bato (now San Miguel de
Mayumo, Bulacan). It had a constitution which was to
take effect for two years only.
THE BIAK NA BATO REPUBLIC

24. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 . It declared that the aim of the revolutions was the
“separation of the Philippines from the Spanish
monarchy and their formation into an independence
state.” The Biak-na-Bato Republic lasted up to
December 15, 1897, with conclusion of the “Pact of
Biak-na-Bato.”
THE BIAK NA BATO REPUBLIC

25. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 Following the outbreak of the Spanish-American war
on April 25, 1898, Gen. Aguinaldo in view of the
chaotic conditions in the country, established the
Dictatorial Government on May 24, 1898.
THE DICTATORIAL GOVERNMENT

26. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 The most important achievements of the Dictatorial
Government were the Proclamation of the Philippine
Independence at Kawit on June 12, 1898 and the
reorganization of local governments.
THE DICTATORIAL GOVERNMENT

27. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 In the administration of the Philippines, the
Governor-General was assisted by many boards and
officers, particularly the Board of Authorities and the
Council of Administration.
THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT

28. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 On June 23, 1898, Gen. Aguinaldo established the
Revolutionary Government replacing the Dictatorial
Government.
THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT

29. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 The decree-making such change stated that the aims
of the new government were “struggle for the
independence of the Philippines, until all nations
including Spain will expressly recognize it,” and “to
prepare the country for the establishment of a real
Republic.”
THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT

31. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period

32. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 The American military rule in the Philippines began
on April 4, 1898, the day after the capture of Manila.
The existence of was gave the President of the United
States the power to establish a Military Government
in the Philippines, as Commander-in-Chief of all
Armed Forces of the United States.
THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT

33. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 His authority was delegated to the military governor
who exercised as long as the war lasted, all powers of
government – executive, legislative and judicial.
The first American Military Governor was General
Wesley Merritt, the second was General Elwell E.
Otis, and the third and last was Major General Arthur
MacArthur.
THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT

34. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 Pursuant to the so-called Spooner Amendment (on
the army appropriation act passed in the US Congress
on March 3, 1901) which ended the military regime in
the Philippines, the Civil Government was
inaugurated in Manila on July 4, 1901.
THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT

35. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 The Civil Governor whose positions was created on
October 29, 1901. The Civil Governor, also exercised
legislative powers. He remained as President of the
Philippine Comission, the sole law-making body of
the government from 1901 to 1907.
THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT

36. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 From 1907 to 1916, the Philippine Commission acted
as the upper house of the legislative branch with the
Philippine Assembly serving as the lower house. With
the passage of the Spooner Law in 1916, these two
bodies gave way to the Philippine Legislature. The
Philippines was represented in the United States by
two Resident Commissioners who were elected the
Philippine Legislature.
THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT

37. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 The next stage in the political development of the
Filipinos was the establishment of the
Commonwealth Government of the Philippines
pursuant to an act of the United States Congress on
March 24, 1934, commonly known was the Tydings-
McDuffie Law.
COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

38. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 Among other things, the law provided for a transition
period of ten years during which the Philippines
Commonwealth would operate and at the expiration
of said period on July 4, 1896, the independence of
the Philippines would be proclaimed and established.
COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

39. Philippines' Revolutionary Era:
Governments and Republics of that Period
 The new government of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines, deemed successor to the Government of
the Philippine Islands, was inaugurated on November
15, 1935, following the first national election under
the 1935 Constitution held on September 12, 1935,
with Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña, as
President and Vice-President, respectively.
COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

41. Governments of the Philippines during
the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines

42. Governments of the Philippines during
the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines
 It was established in Manila on January 3, 1942, one
day after its occupation. Under a proclamation issued
by the Japanese High Command, the sovereignty of
United States over the Philippines was declared
terminated.
THE JAPANESE MILITARY ADMINISTRATION

43. Governments of the Philippines during
the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines
 A Civil government known as the Philippine Executive
Commission composed of Filipinos with Jorge B.
Vargas as Chairman, was organized by the military
forces of occupation. The commission exercised both
the executive and legislative powers.
THE PHILIPPINE EXECUTIVE COMMISSION

44. Governments of the Philippines during
the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines
 The laws enacted were, however, subject to the
approval of the Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese
Forces. The Judiciary continued in the same form as it
was under the Commonwealth. However, it
functioned without the independence which it had
traditionally enjoyed.
THE PHILIPPINE EXECUTIVE COMMISSION

45. Governments of the Philippines during
the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines
 On October 14, 1943, the so-called Japanese-
sponsored Republic of the Philippines was
inaugurated with Jose P. Laurel as President. It was
the same character as the Philippine Executive
Commission.
JAPANESE-SPONSORED REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

46. Governments of the Philippines during
the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines
 Like the latter, the ultimate source of its authority
was the Japanese military authority and government,
on August 17, 1945. President Laurel proclaimed the
dissolution of the Republic.
JAPANESE-SPONSORED REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

47. REFERENCES:
 WEBSITE
 http://aboutfilipino.com/government-of-the-philippines-
during-the-spanish-era

48. JReyes/JBernadino