Philippines in the 19th 

Century
Social Structure
The Filipinos in the 19th century had suffered from feudalistic and master slave
relationship by the Spaniards. Their social structure is ranked into three groups:

 Highest class – the people that belong in this class include the Spaniards,
peninsulares and the friars. They have the power and authority to rule over
the Filipinos. They enjoyed their positions and do what they want.

→The Spanish officials 

→The Peninsulares (Spaniards who were born in Spain). They held the most important
government jobs, and made up the smallest number of the population.

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→The Friars are members of any of certain religious orders of men, especially the four
mendicant orders (Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans).

 Middle Class – the people that belongs into this class includes the natives,
mestizos and the criollos.

→ Natives – the pure Filipinos

 →The Mestizos  are the Filipinos of mixed indigenous Filipino or European or Chinese

ancestry.
  Lowest class – this class includes the Filipinos only.

→The Indios are the poor people having pure blood Filipin which ruled by the
Spaniards.

Political System and the Sources of Abuses in the

Administrative System
The Spaniards ruled the Filipinos in the 19th century. The Filipinos became the
Spaniard’s slave. The Spaniards claimed their taxes and they worked under the power
of the Spaniards. Sources of Abuses in the Administrative System:

1. There was an appointment of officials with inferior qualifications, without

dedication of duty and moral strength to resist corruption for material
advancement. Through the power and authority the Spaniards possess,
they collected and wasted the money of the Filipinos.

2. There were too complicated functions to the unions of the church and the
state.
 3. Manner of obtaining the position.

              Through the power that the Spaniards possess, they had the right to appoint
the different positions. The appointment of positions is obtained by the highest bidder
which is the Governor-general of the country.

4. Term of office

              Term of office or term in office is the length of time a person (usually a
politician) serves in a particular office is dependent on the desire of the King of the
country.

5. Distance of the colony

              The Spanish officials traveled to various places and the needs of the
Philippines were ignored. They did not put too much attention to the needs of the other
people. There were inadequate administrative supervisions, they were unable to face
and solve the problems regarding to the Philippines. There were also overlapping of
powers and privileges of officials which made them competitive.

6. Personal interest over the welfare of the State

7. They were corrupt during the 19th century and the Alcaldias/Alcalde is

considered as the most corrupt over the other corrupts. The
Alcaldias/Alcalde includes the administrators, judges and military
commandants. They usually have P25/mo liberal allowances and privileges
to take a certain percentage of money from the total amount of taxes. There
were also monopoly trades or business practices known as indulto para
comerciar.

Educational System
There are lots of criticisms received in the educational system of the Philippines in the
late 19th century. Below are the following:

1. Overemphasis on religious matters

         The power of religious orders remained one of the great constants, over the
centuries, of Spanish colonial rule. The friars of the Augustinian, Dominican, and
Franciscan orders conducted many of the executive and control functions of
government on the local level. They were responsible for education and health
measures. These missionaries emphasized the teachings of the Catholic religion
starting from the primary level to the tertiary level of education.

2. Obsolete teaching methods

Their methods are outdated.

3. Limited curriculum

          The students in the primary level were taught the Christian Doctrines, the reading
of Spanish books and a little of the natives’ language. Science and Mathematics were
not very much taught to the students even in the universities. Aside from the Christian
Doctrines taught, Latin was also taught to the students instead of Spanish.

4. Poor classroom facilities

5. Absence of teaching materials

6. Primary education was neglected

7. Absence of academic freedom

         The absence of academic freedom in Spain’s educational system was extended to

the schools that Spaniards established in the Philippines. Learning in every level was
largely by rote. Students memorized and repeated the contents of book which they did
not understand. In most cases knowledge was measured in the ability of the students to
memorize, largely hampering intellectual progress.

8. Prejudice against Filipinos in the schools of higher learning

         In entirety, education during the Spanish regime was privileged only to Spanish
students. The supposed Philippine education was only a means to remain in the
Philippines as colonizers. For this reason, the Filipinos became followers to the
Spaniards in their own country. Even auspicious Filipinos became cronies, to the extent
that even their life styles were patterned from the Spaniards.

9. Friar control over the system

         The friars controlled the educational system during the Spanish times. They
owned different schools, ranging from the primary level to the tertiary levels of
education. The missionaries took charge in teaching, controlling and maintaining the
rules and regulations imposed to the students.

Economic Development and the Rise of Filipino

Nationalism
The country was opened to foreign trade at the end of the 18th century which resulted in
the rapid rise of foreign firms in Manila. This stimulated agricultural production and
export of sugar, rice hemp and tobacco. The number of families which prospered from
foreign commerce and trade were able to send their sons for an education in
 Europe. Filipinos who were educated abroad were able to absorb the intellectual
development in Europe.

Factors Contributed to the Development of Filipino Nationalism:

 Opening of the Philippines to International Trade and the Rise of the

Middle Class

     Manila was opened to foreign trade which brought prosperity to the Filipinos and
Chinese mestizo resulting to the existence of middle class.

 Influx of European Liberalism

     Ideas of the enlightened philosophers like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rosseau,
masonry and the French Revolution reached the Philippines.

     Liberty, religious freedom, democracy, human rights such as suffrage, freedom of

speech, press and form associations and assemblies.

 Opening of the Suez Canal on November 17, 1869

     Connects Mediterranean and red sea; shortened distance between Europe and
Orient

     Results: (a) Philippines became closer to Europe and Spain (b) encouraged
European travelers to come to our country (c) exodus of literal ideas from Europe to the
Philippines (d) more educated and young Filipinos were able to study abroad

 Spanish Revolution of 1868 and the Liberal Regime of  Carlos Maria
Dela Torre(1869-1871)
     Glorious September Revolution of 1868: Queen Isabela II was overthrown resulting
to the rise of liberalism in Spain. Generals Juan Prim and Francisco Serrano appointed
dela Torre as the governor-general in the Philippines (true democrat). Most liberal
governor-general walked the streets in civilian clothes and dismissed his alabaderos
(halberdiers) – the governor’s security guards – and went unescorted.

 Accomplishments:

(1) abolished censorship of the press and allowed unlimited discussions of political
problems and proclaimed freedom of speech

(2) abolished flogging as a punishment

(3) curtailed abuses particularly the tribute and the polo

(4) allowed secular priests to be assigned to vacant parishes or seminaries and created
an office which would prevent abuses by members of the regular religious orders

(5) reformed the Royal Audiencia to bring about speedier administration of justice

(6) decreed educational reforms, ordered the setting up of medical, pharmacy, and
vocational schools

(7) created the Council of the Philippines on December 4, 1870 which was a
consultative body to study Philippine problems and propose solutions to them.

 Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-1873), the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 and the

Execution of GomBurZa (February 17, 1872)

     Monarchy was restored in Spain (Prince Amadeo of Savoy, son of Victor Emmanuel
I) ascended the throne in 1870.
     April 4, 1871: Isquierdo became the governor-general; “with crucifix in one hand and
a sword in the other” restored press censorship (b) prohibited all talk on political matters
and secularization of the parishes (c) disapproved the establishment of arts and trades
in Manila (d) dismissed natives and mestizos in the civil and military service.

→Cavite Mutiny (January 20, 1872)

     About 200 Filipino soldiers and workers in Fort San Felipe mutinied, under the
leadership of Sgt La Madrid; caused by Izquierdo’s abolition of the exemption of the
Filipino workers from polo and paying tributes; mutineers were able to kill the fort
commander and some soldiers; mutiny leaders and participants were arrested and shot
to death

→GomBurZa (fought for the Filipinization of parishes and champions of liberalism and

humanitarianism)
     They were charged of sedition and rebellion due to the false testimony of Francisco
Zaldua (former Bicolano soldier and was bribed by the Spanish prosecutors to implicate
them as the masterminds of the mutiny). Military Court: three priests guilty and
sentenced them to die by garrote.

 Originally, Rizal’s plan was to take up priesthood and become a Jesuit

father. When he heard of the martyrdom of GomBurZa, he changed his
mind and swore to dedicate his life to vindicate the victims of Spanish
oppression.