The Government of the Philippines in transition Flashcards
This deck covers: > The Pre-Spanish Government > Government during the Spanish Period > Government during the Revolutionary era > Government during the American regime > Governments during the Japanese occupation > The previous Philippine Republics > The Provisional Government of 1986
A. The Pre-Spanish Government
Q: What was the Unit of government during the pre-Spanish government?
Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Philippines was composed of settlements or villages, each called barangay (consisting of more or less 100 families), named after barangay, a Malayan word meaning “boat” (thereby confirming the theory that the early Filipinos came to the Philippines in boats).
Every barangay was virtually a state, for it possessed the four (4) basic elements of statehood. At times, however, some barangays joined together as “confederations” mainly for the purpose of mutual protection against common enemies.
A. The Pre-Spanish Government
Q: What is a Datu?
Each barangay was ruled by a chief called Datu in some places, and rajah, sultan, or hadji in others. He was its chief executive, lawgiver, 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 advisers. One could be a datu chiefly by inheritance, wisdom, wealth, or physical prowess.
In form, the barangay was a monarchy with the datu as the monarch.
A. The Pre-Spanish Government
Q: What were the social classes in the barangay during the pre-Spanish government?
The people of the barangay were divided into four (4) classes, namely: the nobility (maharlika), to which the datu belonged, the freemen (timawa), the serfs (aliping namamahay), and the slaves (aliping sagigilid).
A. The Pre-Spanish Government
Q: What are the Early laws in the pre-Spanish Government?
A legal system already existed in the Philippines, even in pre-colonial times. The early Filipinos had both written and unwritten laws. The written laws were promulgated by the datus.
The two (2) known written codes in the pre-Spanish era are the “Maragatas 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 to Panay. The unwritten laws consisted of customs and traditions passed down from generation to generation.
A. The Pre-Spanish Government
Q: What are the comparisons between the Pre-Spanish government and other ancient governments?
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 condition in other lands in the age during which it flourished.
An eminent scholar has written: “The Filipino people, even in prehistoric times, had already shown high intelligence and moral virtues; virtues and intelligence clearly manifested in their legislation, which, taking into consideration the circumstances and the epoch in which it was framed, was clearly as wise, as prudent, and as humane, as that of the nation’s then at the head of civilization.
B. Government during the Spanish period
Q: During the Spanish colonization, what was Spain’s title to the Philippines?
It was based on the discovery made by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and consummated by its conquest by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi 45 years later and long possession for almost four (4) centuries until it was terminated in 1898 when by the Treaty of Paris, the Philippines was ceded by Spain to the United States.
B. Government during the Spanish period
Q: During the Spanish colonization, what was the Spanish Colonial Government?
From 1565 to 1821, the Philippines was indirectly governed by the King of Spain through the Virreinato de Nueva España (Viceroyalty of New Spain, now Mexico) because of the distance of the Philippines from Spain. From 1821, when Mexico obtained her independence from Spain to 1988, Spain ruled directly from Spain.
The council in Spain responsible for the administration of the Philippines was the Council of the Indies.
In 1837, it was abolished, and legislation for the Philippines was temporarily performed by the Council of Ministers. From 1863, the Ministry of Ultramar (colonies) exercised general powers of supervision over Philippine affairs.
Three (3) times (under the 1812 Cadiz Constitution) during the Spanish period (1810 - 1813, 1820-1823, and 1836-1837), the Philippines (together with Puerto Rico and Cuba, also colonized by Spain) was given representation in the Spanish Cortes, the legislative body of Spain. They were considered provinces of Spain.
B. Government during the Spanish period
Q: During the Spanish colonization, what was the Government in the Philippines Unitary like?
The government that Spain established in the Philippines was centralized in structure and national in scope. The barangays were consolidated into towns (pueblos), each headed by a gobernadorcillo (little governor), popularly called capitan, and the cities into provinces, each headed by a governor who represented the Governor General in the province. A basic principle introduced by Spain to the Philippines was the union of the church and the state.
Cities governed under special charters were also created. Each of these cities had an ayuntamiento or cabildo (city council). Cebu was the first city established in 1565 in the Philippines. The second was Manila, in 1571.
B. Government during the Spanish period
Q: During the Spanish colonization, what role did the Governor General have?
B. Government during the Spanish period
Q: During the Spanish colonization, what was the Judiciary like?
B. Government during the Spanish period
Q: During the Spanish colonization, what was the evaluation of the Spanish government in the Philippines?
C. Governments during the Revolution era.
Q: What is the Katipunan Government?
C. Governments during the Revolution era.
Q: What is the Biak-na-Bato Republic?
C. Governments during the Revolution era.
Q: What is the Dictatorial Government?
C. Governments during the Revolution era.
Q: What is the Revolutionary Government?
C. Governments during the Revolution era.
Q: What is the First Philippine Republic?
D. Governments during the American regime.
Q: What is the Military Government during the American colonization?
D. Governments during the American regime.
Q: What is the Civil Government during the American colonization?
D. Governments during the American regime.
Q: What is the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines during the American colonization?
E. Governments during the Japanese occupation
Q: During the Japanese occupation, what was the Japanese Military Administration?
E. Governments during the Japanese occupation
Q: During the Japanese occupation, what was the Philippine Executive Commission?
E. Governments during the Japanese occupation
Q: During the Japanese occupation, what is the Japanese-sponsored Republic of the Philippines?
F. The Previous Philippine Republics
Q: When did the president of the United States proclaim independence to the Philippines?
F. The Previous Philippine Republics
Q: Who thought that the 1935 Constitution was a fundamental law?
