Political Policies The following were the branches of government working with the King in managing the Philippines: Council of Indies (1565-1837) Council of Ultamar (1837-1836) Ministry of Colony (1863-1898) There are degrees and laws of the King that were implemented even if those are not responsive to the conditions of the country The Philippines was a colony of Spain in a span of 333 years (1565-1898). But it was until 1821, were the country was governed by the King of Spain in the form of viceroy or substitute of the king of Mexico that was also colonized by Spain When Mexico was liberated, the governance of the King of Spain was directed The Colonial Government The one that covers the entire archipelago is the national government and under it are the leaders of the provinces, cities or towns, and barangays or villages The Governor General the highest leader of the Spanish Government Gobernador or Capitan Heneral was the official naming to such The first governor general who reign in 1565-1572 was Miguel Lopez de Legazpi The last spanish governor general was General Diego de los Rios Functions and power of the governor general as chief executive are as follows: executor of the decrees and laws of the king of Spain manager in all government offices and tax collection appointment and dismissal of officials and staff except those appointed by the king reception of consulates from other countries declaration of war or reconciliation with other countries in the East administrator of parts of the Philippines during the Spanish Period such as the Marianas and Palau (islands in the Pacific) commander in chief of the armed forces suspending the execution of laws or royal decrees if necessary. This power is called cumplase The king of Spain is called Royal Patron and since the governor is the king's envoy to the Philippines, he serves as Vice-Royal patron. He has the power to: recommend archbishops and priests in various parishes strengthen the established parishes and dioceses mediate in disputes between priests or other Church officials As the president of royal audiencia or audiencia real, the highest court in the country, the governor general has the power to lead in prosecute, grant pardons, and grant amnesty to offenders Monitoring and succession to the Power of the Governor General Residencia only court that investigates the tenure of the governor general and other officials makes reports about the governor general's rule and sends them to the king of Spain its purpose is to reduce corruption and collusion in government among the governors general convicted by the residencia and Guido de Lavezaris for selling a government position in connivance with his wife Lavezaris was acquitted by the king of Spain and the council of the indies

1. Structure and Forms of Spanish Colonialism
August 26, 2023
Political Policies
- The following were the branches of government working with the King in managing
the Philippines:
- Council of Indies (1565-1837)
- Council of Ultamar (1837-1836)
- Ministry of Colony (1863-1898)
- There are degrees and laws of the King that were implemented even if those are not
responsive to the conditions of the country
- The Philippines was a colony of Spain in a span of 333 years (1565-1898). But it was
until 1821, were the country was governed by the King of Spain in the form of
viceroy or substitute of the king of Mexico that was also colonized by Spain
- When Mexico was liberated, the governance of the King of Spain was directed
The Colonial Government
- The one that covers the entire archipelago is the national government and under it
are the leaders of the provinces, cities or towns, and barangays or villages
The Governor General
- the highest leader of the Spanish Government
- Gobernador or Capitan Heneral was the official naming to such
- The first governor general who reign in 1565-1572 was Miguel Lopez de Legazpi
- The last spanish governor general was General Diego de los Rios
- Functions and power of the governor general as chief executive are as follows:
- executor of the decrees and laws of the king of Spain
- manager in all government offices and tax collection
- appointment and dismissal of officials and staff except those appointed by the
king
- reception of consulates from other countries
- declaration of war or reconciliation with other countries in the East
- administrator of parts of the Philippines during the Spanish Period such as
the Marianas and Palau (islands in the Pacific)
- commander in chief of the armed forces
- suspending the execution of laws or royal decrees if necessary. This power is
called cumplase
- The king of Spain is called Royal Patron and since the governor is the king's envoy to
the Philippines, he serves as Vice-Royal patron. He has the power to:
- recommend archbishops and priests in various parishes
- strengthen the established parishes and dioceses

2. Structure and Forms of Spanish Colonialism
August 26, 2023
- mediate in disputes between priests or other Church officials
- As the president of royal audiencia or audiencia real, the highest court in the
country, the governor general has the power to lead in prosecute, grant pardons, and
grant amnesty to offenders
Monitoring and succession to the Power of the Governor General
1) Residencia
- only court that investigates the tenure of the governor general and other
officials
- makes reports about the governor general's rule and sends them to the king of
Spain
- its purpose is to reduce corruption and collusion in government
- among the governors general convicted by the residencia and Guido de
Lavezaris for selling a government position in connivance with his wife
- Lavezaris was acquitted by the king of Spain and the council of the indies
2) Visitador
- this is the prosecutor sent by the king or viceroy of Mexico to the Philippines
- his duty is to observe the condition of the country
- this also generate report that will be presented to the king back in Spain
- the governors general and high government officials who are found guilty are
also punished by him
- Don Francisco Rojas was the visitador sent by King Philip IV in 1621-1665
to investigate the conflict between the Governor General and the Royal
Audiencia
3) Royal Audiencia
- as the governor general's observer, the Royal Audiencia also has the duty to
be its advisor
- also makes an annual report that is sent to the king
- it also serves as the auditor general of what the government spends every year
- to run the government whenever a governor general dies or loses confidence
- the archbishop or bishop like archbishop Manuel Antonio Rojo (1761-1764)
can also take over as governor general
- during the Spanish era, the Royal Audiencia was the highest court. It was
created as a court on May 15, 1583, by royal decree
- the first session took place in Manila on June 15, 1584

3. Structure and Forms of Spanish Colonialism
August 26, 2023
- the first president of the Royal Audiencia and governor general Santiago de
Vera
- as the supreme court, it hears all criminal and civil cases appealed from lower
courts
- it also has executive and executor powers
- the Royal Audiencia was dissolved in 1589 due to disagreements between the
governor general and the oidores (judges), but was re-established in 1595
- the court of First Instance was established in the provinces in 1886 and the
municipal court in the towns in 1887
Reference:
Domingo, Florencia C., Rama, Michael DC., Rama, Jennifer G., and Cruz, Jayson
A. (2006). Revised Edition 2010. Pilipinas: Isang Sulyap at Pagyakap. EdCrish
International, Inc.: Palanan, Makati City.