Tribute System and Cedula in the Philippines

Tribute System

• The tribute was a tax imposed on Filipinos during the Spanish colonial period.
• It was originally 8 Reales per family, but increased to 12 Reales Fuertes (1.5 Pesos).
• The tribute was a personal tax, meaning it was levied on individuals, including mestizos (people of mixed Spanish and Filipino descent).
• Spaniards residing in the Philippines were exempt from paying the tribute.
• The tax was collected in various forms like gold, copper, textiles, rice, livestock, and forced labor called Servicio y Polo.
• The collection of tribute was based on a system where native chieftains were responsible for taxes within their districts.
• The collection of tribute started after the Spanish conquest of the Philippines and continued for over 300 years, until 1884.

The Cedula

• The cedula was a certificate of identification introduced in 1884 to replace the tribute.
• It was mandatory for all residents of the Philippines, including Spaniards, foreigners, and natives.
• The cedula served as a passport for travel within the islands.
• Exceptions to the cedula requirement included Chinese who paid a separate poll tax, remontados (indigenous groups in remote areas), infieles (non-Christians), and residents of Jolo, Balabac, and Palawan.

Agrarian Disputes

• Agrarian problems were prevalent in the Philippines during the late 19th century.
• Dr. Jose Rizal recognized the complexity of these issues, which he viewed as socio-economic challenges.
• He believed that unresolved agrarian issues could lead to economic instability, loss of faith in the justice system, and potential revolts.

History of Friars in the Philippines

• Lands were granted to Spanish conquistadors (conquistador) in the 16th and 17th centuries.
• These grants were called caballerias, consisting of 42.5 hectares of land.
• Spanish hacienderos (landowners) failed to develop their lands due to several factors:
  • Transient Spanish population
  • Limited market for livestock products
  • More profitable opportunities in the Galleon trade
• Religious orders acquired lands through various means, forming large estates called haciendas.
• These haciendas were used for raising livestock and agricultural production.
• The inquilino system was established, where tenants rented lands from the friars and subleased them to sharecroppers (kasama).
• The Inquilinato system was a key feature of the friar estates, with tenants (Inquilino) renting land for a fixed price (canon) and providing services to the landlord.
• The Inquilinos then subleased the land to sharecroppers.
• The friar estates were recognized as being a factor that led to the 1896 revolt.

Hacienda de Calamba Conflict

• Don Manuel Jauregui donated land to the Jesuits in 1759.
• Jesuits owned the land for 8 years before being expelled from the Philippines by King Charles.
• The Hacienda de Calamba was confiscated by the government and managed by the Office of Jesuit Temporalities
• In 1803, the property was sold to Don Clemente de Azansa.
• In 1833, the Dominicans purchased the Hacienda when Don Clemente died.

The Katipunan

• The Katipunan (Kataastaasang Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan) was a revolutionary society founded in 1892.
• It was founded by members of La Liga Filipina after Dr. Jose Rizal’s deportation and the banning of his works.
• The Katipunan sought to achieve independence from Spain through armed rebellion.
• It had a hierarchical structure, composed of branches governed by the Sangguniang Balangay, provincial councils governed by the Sangguniang Bayan, and the Supreme Council (Kataastasang Sanggunian).
• The Supreme Council consisted of a President, Secretary, Fiscal, Treasurer, and six Councilors.
• The Katipunan Assembly, consisting of the Supreme Council members and presidents of provincial and popular councils, served as the legislative body.

Tribute System & Cedula

• The tribute system was the main source of government revenue in the Philippines during Spanish rule.
• The tribute was collected by the Cabezas de Barangay for the families under their charge.
• The Alcalde Mayor collected the tribute for the province.
• The Mayors, Corregidores, or petty governors collected the tribute for their municipality.
• The tribute was remitted to the treasury in Manila.
• In 1884, the tribute system was abolished.
• The cedula personal was a certificate of identification required from all residents over the age of 18 years old.
• The cedula was required for various activities, including taking up commissions or entering public employment, entering a provincial or municipal office, making any contracts, bringing any action before a court, and much more.
• Chinese individuals paid a different poll tax.
• The remontados and infieles were not subject to local administration and did not need a cedula.

Inquilinato System

• Inquilinato was a system where individuals rented land from landlords (usually friars).
• Inquilinos would then sublease the land to sharecroppers (kasama) who would farm the land.
• The Inquilinato system emerged in the mid-eighteenth century as the economy expanded based on exporting crops.
• Inquilinos were required to pay a fixed price (canon) to the landlord and provide additional services.

Hacienda de Calamba Conflict

• The Hacienda de Calamba was a large estate owned by Dominican friars.
• The land had originally belonged to Don Manuel Jauregui who donated it to the Jesuits.
• The Jesuits were expelled from the Philippines, and the hacienda was confiscated by the government. It was sold to Don Clemente de Azansa who later died and sold the land to the Dominicans.
• The Rizal family were tenants on the hacienda, renting 380 hectares.
• In 1883, Paciano Rizal, Jose Rizal’s brother, wrote that the friars were collecting rents without issuing receipts and increasing annual rents regardless of the low sugar prices.
• Mariano Herboso made additional allegations in 1887, claiming that the friars were increasing rentals, maintaining a poor irrigation system, and failing to issue receipts.
• The colonial government demanded a report on income and production from the hacienda tenants, which was submitted with a petition authored by Jose Rizal.
• In 1891, friars evicted tenants, including the Rizal family, who refused to pay rents.

The Katipunan

• The Katipunan was a revolutionary secret society founded in 1892.
• The Katipunan was founded as a response to the deportation of Jose Rizal and the banning of his works.
• The Katipunan had a complex organizational structure, with small branches (Sangguniang Balangay), provincial councils (Sangguniang Bayan), and a Supreme Council (Kataastasang Sanggunian).
• The Supreme Council was comprised of the president, secretary, fiscal, treasurer, and six councilors.
• The Katipunan had a legislative body known as the Katipunan Assembly, which included members of the Supreme Council and presidents of popular and provincial councils.
• Initiation into the Katipunan included a rigorous process, with members undergoing questioning focused on the condition of the Philippines in different historical periods.

Explore the historical tribute system imposed on Filipinos during the Spanish colonial period and its transition to the cedula identification system. Learn about the various forms of tribute, the responsibilities of native chieftains, and how these systems shaped colonial life until their reform in 1884.