The encomienda system assigned Spanish landowners responsibility over indigenous populations in a specific area. They were responsible for collecting tribute in the form of goods, labor, or taxes from the native population to support the Spanish crown and Catholic church. This system led to abuse and exploitation of the native population. It disrupted communities and traditional leadership structures.

2. Encomienda – from the word encomendar
which means to entrust or to assign
responsibility to a person.
A certain area of land with
its inhabitants was
assigned to a particular
Spaniard who was given
the responsibility to collect
tribute and to utilize the
people in government and
church projects

3. Royal
encomienda
• Belonged to
the king
Ecclesiastical
encomienda
• Belonged to
he Church
Private
encomienda
(ended in 17th
century)
• Belonged to a
private
individual

4. Became source of abuse and corruption
The native who were unable to pay tribute
were force to flee mountains
If there’s plenty of gold and money (reales)
was scarce, the encomendero collect
money and vice versa.
If the harvest was bountiful, the
encomendero collected the products

5. Filipinos were obliged to pay
tribute in full or installment basis
to the Spanish government.
Those who pay were persons
above 16 years and those below
sixty.

6. Kinds of taxes
Direct Taxes –
tribute or tax
income
Indirect Taxes –
includes bandala
and the custom
tax
Other fees – fees
from not-so-common
products
like wine,
tobacco, betel
nut, firecrackers,
and opium

7. 1570 onwards
• Tax was 8 reales
• Anyone can pay
gold, blanket,
textile materials,
palay, etc.
Later in 1789
• 8 rose to 15
reales

8. Special tax (1635 – 19th century) – ½ real
or rice called samboangan or donativo de
Zamboanga was imposed to suppress the
Moro attacks
Vinta (1781-1851) – to adequately prepare
the vintas in defense of coastal areas from
Moro pirates
Tribute was replaced in 1884 by cedula
personal

9. Purpose was to create projects for self-enrichment
which began in 1580
Native Indios and mestizos from 16-60 years old
were to work for 40 days a year and was reduced
to 15 days a year in 1884.
They worked in construction of buildings, mines,
forests, ships as rowers.
Exemption was through the payment of a falla (1 ½
real every day for 40 days)

10. Conditions
set for
forced
labor
Filipinos be drafted for work must be paid
They should not work in distant places where they could
return to their families
Drafting of laborers should not coincide with planting and
harvest season
Physically incapable should not be overworked
It should only be resorted in cases of absolute necessity
Their number should be diminished as soon as laborers
from other countries had volunteered to work

11. Led to decline of communities and agricultural
production suffered which resulted in starvation
and death and separation of families
It was a source of corruption
Natives were also arbitrarily conscripted to serve
the military

12. Traditional leaders were assigned to
implement tribute, polo, and bandala
It brought a wide cleavage between the
traditional leaders and the people,
politically and economically.

13. Galleon de Manila or
Nao de China was the
only vessel that linked
the Philippines and
the Americas.
It established
monopoly
Natives suffered from
manning the galleons
as sailors and rowers

15. Only the privileged persons, such as high-ranking
officials of the State, the Church,
and the crew of the galleons, were allowed
to engage in trade
The prosperity of the Spaniards in Manila
depended solely on the success of the
voyage to and from Mexico.

16. The poor
conditions of
the country
became a
burden to
Spain.
To prevent
bankruptcy, the
Mexican
government
sent an annual
subsidy
amounted to
Php250,000.00
on average.
But the money
received went
only to the
pockets of
Spanish
officials,
employees, and
priests in the
form of
salaries.
It was stopped
in 1821 when
Mexico became
independent

17. Economic
Society of
Friend of
the
Country
Founded in 1781, it sought to an economic policy in the
colony
The King’s decree gave Basco the right to establish a
society “of selected persons who are capable enough to
produce useful ideas”
Divided into: factories and manufacturers; industry and
popular education; natural history; domestic and foreign
commerce; and, agricultural and rural economy
Royal
Company
of the
Philippines
Established in 1785, it aimed at promoting
progress of the Philippines and develop its natural
resources
Started to have a capital of 8 million pesos and
gave many privileges to the country but
eventually failed

18. Governor-General Jose
Basco (1778-1789)
started the monopoly on
a number of products:
• Tobacco (1782) and wine,
(1786) which adversely
affected the Ilocanos

19. The cultivation and marketing of tobaccos
was put under the supervision and control
of the Spaniards
Payment for tobacco and other products
was usually in the form of promissory note
and should be exchanged at high
discounts

20. Natives were victims of dishonesty and
cheating of agents of the government
Monopoly of bandala, which involved the
forced sellinng of requisitioned products
most especially palay, tobacco, and
coconut oil

21. The initial resistance and subsequent
subjugation of lowland communities
The opposition of the “Moros”
The successful avoidance of ethnic
communities

22. Lack of understanding of the natives made
it difficult for them to wage an effective
resistance against the Spanish invaders
Effectively controlled areas became
centers of population.
Outlying territories were free up to the
middle of 18th century

23. Arrival of Magellan (1521)
Sultanate
systems in
Mindanao
planned to
extend in
the north
During Legazpi’s time
Strongest
opposition
came in
Manila
ruled by
Rajah
Soliman
The raids
Declared
jihad
against
foreign
invaders
and
conducted
raids in
Visayas
Successful attempts
In many
cases, the
Spaniards
were
successful
but on a
shot-term
bases.

24. Some groups fled to upland areas and
increased though time who became known
later as the “cultural minority”
They were able to preserve their culture