Governer General, Alcalde Mayor, Polo Y Servicio

Alcalde Mayor

These officials were usually Spaniards appointed by the Governor-General and served for a limited term, looking over each province

Where does it come from

The title comes from the Spanish words alcalde (mayor or magistrate) and mayor (chief), meaning the chief provincial official.

Bandala System

Farmers were forced to sell their crops to the Spanish government at very low prices.

Who was the Alcalde Mayor replaced with

Civil Governor (Gobernador Civil).

What is a Governor-General

to act as the supreme chief executive and direct representative of the ruling monarch

What is Polo Y Servicio

It required all able-bodied Filipino and Chinese mestizo males aged 16 to 60 to perform 40 days of manual labor per year on public works like roads, bridges, churches, and galleon ships.

What were the Healthy men between 16 and 60 years old called

Polistas

1884

The labor was reduced from 40 days to 15 days

Palla

the daily exemption fee or fine that wealthy men paid to the Spanish colonial government to avoid doing polo y servicio, which was the mandatory forced labor system required for adult males

Sumuroy Revolt

The revolt began in 1649 in response to the abuses of the Spanish friars and the heavy taxes imposed by the Spanish government, led by Juan Sumuroy

Why was Polo Y Servicio implemented?

to secure free or cheap manpower for building public and military infrastructure, supporting the colonial economy, and maintaining control over the Spanish East Indies without paying high labor costs.

Positive effects of Polo Y Servicio

• Infrastructure Development

• Economic and Administrative Utility