SPANISH ERA

By Angel Galotera on

 


Issues in the Constitution, Taxation, and Agrarian Reform



The Constitution 

There was no constitution in the Philippines during the Spanish Era because the first Philippine Constitution, the Malolos Constitution, was introduced in 1899 during the American Era and the Spanish Era ended in 1898. However, the government was composed of two branches during the Spanish Era, which were the executive and the judicial. Since the laws were coming from Spain, there was no legislative branch at the time. In the Philippines, the only laws created are those ordered by the Governor General, and the Governor General also served as the country's leader and was considered as a representative of Spain. Only minor positions were held by Filipinos. Their rights and preferences were almost entirely neglected, and they were excluded from access to public education. The laws that did exist to protect them weren't imposed and they started to control the lives of the Filipinos. Religious rights and participation in politics in the government of the Philippines were severely restricted by Spain, and also imposed harsh trade restrictions. As a result, Filipinos became interested in the overthrow of Spanish rule and started the revolution which is the Katipunan, a secret organization led by Andres Bonifacio, to rebel against the brutal Spanish rule that had controlled the Philippines since Ferdinand Magellan's expedition in the 16th century. The revolution's aim was to free and create the Philippines independence.


 
Taxation 

Forced labor or polo y servicio, is one of many networks of tax payment during the Spanish era. ‘Polo y Servicio’ is a 40 day compulsory work imposed by Spanish colonial government on adult Filipino males raging from the age 16 to 60 years old to construct bridges, galleon ships, churches, roads, etc. The workers of the polo system would be displaced and get assigned to any project the Spanish government wanted. Spain substituted cedulas for tribute, allowing them to keep track of people who could pay their taxes.

Many Filipinos had been frustrated, injured and killed as a result of the polo system. They were frequently overworked, underpaid, and had their wages deducted to pay their taxes. Many fathers were unable to feed their families and themselves as a result of this system. The project locations were mostly hazardous and in unhealthy conditions. Numerous rebellions had occurred as a result of the unjust conditions in the polo y servicio.



Land/Agrarian Reform 

The pueblo agricultural program, run by the Spanish government, assigns a native rural family 4 to 5 hectares of land to farm. There were no landless people involved in pueblo agriculture. On the downside, native families are only permitted to hold land; they are not permitted to possess it. The land that was allotted to them belonged to the Spanish king, and it was there that they paid their colonial homage to the Spanish by producing agricultural goods. Encomienda large tracts of land given to Spaniards (encomiendero) to manage and have the right to receive tributes from the natives tilling it. The encomienderos' collection of tributes turned into illegal land rentals from the local native population as a result of the abuse of this system. Another method, known as compras y vandalas, requires trolls to either surrender or sell their agricultural harvests to the Spanish government so that the Spanish can resell them for a profit. Due to the need for landholders to register for their holdings and the fact that only those who were aware of these decrees benefited, the ownership of the lands is restricted to a small number of families.



Reference/s: 
The Spanish Period. (n.d.). Philippines visitphilippines.org. Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://www.visitphilippines.org/about-philippines/the-spanish-period/
The Philippine Constitution. (2018, May 11). elms.STI.edu. https://elms.sti.edu/files/4039736/04_Handout_1(4).pdf?lmsauth=45656615d55d3170ff1e328586274abd37498389
Philippine Taxation and the History of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. (2018, May 11). elms.STI.edu. https://elms.sti.edu/files/4039736/04_Handout_2(2).pdf?lmsauth=d954fc5cc3a6382c23aece4a45adca3c6309995d
Agrarian Reform FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). (2018, May 11). elms.STI.edu. https://elms.sti.edu/files/4039736/04_Handout_3(2).pdf?lmsauth=2a8775faee345cbd2d14332dc373a0963f6d8723

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