Timeline of the Philippine Political Development

PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD (1500)  There was already government in charge

before the Spaniards arrived. The
Philippines was then an archipelago
divided into many autonomous and self-
contained political units known as
"barangay."
 This unit is headed by a chief known as
datu. In other parts of the archipelago, the
rulers were called rajah, sultan, or hadji.
The datu possessed extensive legislative,
executive, and judicial authority.
 The chieftain had the authority to make
laws, enforce them, and make decisions in
situations. The datu was also the military's
commander-in-chief.
 There was already a legal system in place
in the barangay. The majority of the rules,
which originated from native customs and
practices, were unwritten and handed
down orally from generation to generation.
The other is written laws, which are laws
written by our ancestors due to their
mastery of the art of writing (baybayin or
alibata).
THE SPANISH PERIOD (1521-1898)  The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in the
Philippines in 1521 became the foundation
for the Spanish Crown's occupation of the
archipelago.
 The Spanish takeover brought changes in
archipelago’s governmental structure.
 The Philippines were ruled indirectly by
the king of Spain through Mexico and the
council of Indies in Spain. The Philippines
were directly governed by Spain until
1898, when Mexico achieved
independence in 1821.
 The Spaniards consolidated power under a
centralized government, which was led by
governor-general. He had executive,
administrative, legislative, judicial,
diplomatic, ecclesiastical and military
powers.
 A Royal Audiencia was established as an
independent body to hear and resolve
 cases.
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD (1868-1898)  The Propaganda Movement, headed by
main personalities such as Jose Rizal,
Marcelo H. del Pilar, and Gracion Lopez
Jaena, advocated for reforms so that
Filipinos would have the same rights and
freedoms as Spaniards.
 The inability of the Propaganda to effect
reform in society gave rise to the Kataas-
taasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng
mga Anak ng Bayan, a secret organization.
 The Katipunan, established in 1892 by
Andres Bonifacio and a group of patriots,
pursued independence from Spain and set
in motion the 1896 revolution.
AMERICAN PERIOD (1898-1941)  In 1898, after America’s capture of
manila, he United States forces established
a military government in the Philippines.
 The military governor was appointed by
the US President, who was also the
commander in chief of the US Armed
Forces, to rule the Philippines. Generals
Wesley Merritt, Elwell Otis, and Arthur
MacArthur, Jr. served as military
governors.
 The democratic political institutions
established, including electoral and party
politics, constitutional law, the secret
ballot, and the legislature.
PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH (1935-  The Commonwealth was created as a
1946) provisional administration in order to
prepare the nation for full independence.
 1937 Philippine women's suffrage
plebiscite, the right of women to vote in
elections.
 Filipino, a Tagalog-based dialect, was
designated as the national language by the
Philippine Constitution of 1937.
THIRD PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1946-1973)
Manuel Roxas (1946-1948)  The first President of the independent
Third Philippine Republic after the United
States ceded its sovereignty over the
Philippines.
 Former Hukbalahap or Hukbo ng Bayan
Laban sa Hapon (People's Army against
 the Japanese) troops staged an uprising
against the Philippine government during
the Hukbalahap Rebellion. It began in
1942, during the Japanese occupation of
the Philippines, and continued under
Manuel Roxas' presidency.
Elpidio Quirino (1948-1953)  The Congress passed Republic Act No.
333, amending Commonwealth Act No.
502, establishing Quezon City as the
Philippines' capital in place of Manila on
July 17, 1948.
 He resurrected President Quezon's
"fireside chats," in which he informed the
public about the Republic's activities
through periodic radio broadcasts from
Malacañan Palace, in order to get the
government closer to the people.
Ramon Magsaysay (1953-1957)  On March 17, 1957, Ramon Magsaysay's
presidency was cut short when his
presidential plane crashed, killing him and
24 other passengers. Magsaysay's funeral
was attended by an estimated 5 million
people on March 31, 1957, and then he
was known as the "Idol of the Masses" in
the Philippines.
 President Magsaysay's administration was
instrumental in the war against
communism's spread in Asia. He admitted
the Philippines to the Southeast Asia
Treaty Organization (SEATO), which was
established on September 8, 1954 in
Manila during the "Manila Conference."
Carlos P. Garcia (1957-1961)  Garcia was well-known for enacting the
Filipino First Policy. This program
favoured local entrepreneurs over
international investors. He was also in
charge of reforms in retail trade, which
had a major impact on the country's
Chinese businessmen.
 He maintained the strong traditional ties
with the US and sought closer relations
with non-communist countries.
 In response to the country's difficult
circumstances, Garcia implemented what
has become known as "The Austerity
Program." "The yoke of alien dominance
 of business, finance, commerce, and
manufacturing," he vowed. Garcia is often
credited for helping to revitalize Filipino
culture.
Diosdado Macapagal (1961-1965)  One of Macapagal's main campaign
promises was to clean up the government
corruption that had grown under former
President Garcia's term.
 He signed a decree on May 12, 1962,
designating Tuesday, June 12, 1962, as a
special public holiday in honor of the
country's declaration of independence
from Spain on that date in 1898.
 The Agricultural Land Reform Code (RA
3844) was adopted in 1963 by President
Diosdado Macapagal as a step forward in
land reform in the Philippines.
Ferdinand E. Marcos (1965-1972-covers  On September 23, 1972, President
Third Philippine Republic; 1972-1986- Ferdinand Marcos announced that martial
Fourth Philippine Republic) law had been declared in the Philippines.
 Vigorous campaign against smuggling,
kidnapping, drug trafficking, and other
crime syndicates was given emphasis
FIFTH PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1987 - present)
Corazon C. Aquino (1986-1992)  The 1987 Constitution granted the
judiciary the authority and duty to
safeguard democracy by ensuring that
every Filipino receives justice. President
Aquino has called for a joint effort with
the Supreme Court to restore the country's
justice system's physical infrastructure.
 President Corazon Aquino signed a bill
into law on September 13 that allows
pharmaceutical companies to use only
generic names for products they
manufacture and distribute, rather than
specifying brand names.
 On July 6, 1987, then-President Corazon
Aquino signed the Philippine Family Code
(Executive Order no. 209) into law.
Marriages, civil separations, property ties
between partners, and parental control are
all governed by the basic law governing
individuals and family relations.
 The Local Government Code of 1991
declares that the State's geographical and
 political subdivisions would have real and
substantive local autonomy to allow them
to reach their maximum potential as self-
sufficient societies and to make them more
successful collaborators in achieving
national goals.
Fidel V. Ramos (1992-1998)  Fidel Ramos has stated that he supports
the reinstatement of the death penalty. In
1987, the Philippines became the first
Asian nation to ban capital punishment for
all offences.
 Ramos began introducing economic
reforms during his presidency with the aim
of opening up the once-closed national
economy, encouraging private industry,
attracting more international and domestic
investment, and reducing corruption.
 In 1996, he played a key role in the
signing of the final peace deal between the
government and Nur Misuari's Moro
National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Joseph Ejercito-Estrada (1998-2001)  The death penalty was promoted by the
Estrada administration as an antidote to
crime.
 After an aborted impeachment trial in
which he was charged with plunder and
perjury, he was removed from power in
2001 amid a widespread revolt in Metro
Manila.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2001-2010)  Arroyo adopted a divisive holiday
economics scheme, rearranging holidays
to provide longer weekends in order to
fuel domestic tourism and give Filipinos
more time with their families.
 The Strong Republic Transit System was
established in Manila, Philippines, to
integrate the numerous rail lines that
provide public transportation. Former
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
launched the initiative on June 14, 2003.
Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III (2010-2016)  Under Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III's
presidency, public-private partnerships
were hailed as a potent tool for
accelerating the country's growth.
 President Benigno Aquino III established
the Philippine Truth Commission to
 ascertain the truth about allegations of
widespread bribery and corruption in the
former administration.
Rodrigo R. Duterte (2016-present)  The Philippine drug war refers to the
Philippine government's anti-drug policies
and activities under President Rodrigo
Duterte.
 President Rodrigo Duterte signed the
Universal Health Care Bill into law,
bringing major health-care improvements
to the Philippines.
 Ten year validity of Passport and Five year
validity of Driver's license