PrincipalÃa
The principalia or guiding layer was the top layer formed in the towns of colonial Philippines, composed of the gobernadorcillo (Mayor ), the Cabezas de Barangay ( leaders of the barangay ) who governed the districts, as well as the carriers of the medal for civil merit.
The inclusion in the circle of principalia was in accordance with the Royal Decree of 20 December 1863 - be either acquired or inherited - signed on behalf of Queen Isabella II of Spain by the Minister of Colonies, José de la Concha. Skills of the Spanish language were provided when you climb into this circle. For those who had inherited this honor, accounted for this requirement. The Royal Decree was published in the Philippines by the Governor General through a newsletter.
With the change of government from a monarchy under Spanish rule to democracy under the United States of America lost the principalia and their descendants their statutory power and its social privileges.
Privileges
This posh upper class was freed during the Spanish colonial era of forced labor. As aristocrats of the towns they could be compared roughly with the patricians of ancient Rome or the Italian city-states. The members of this class enjoyed exclusive privileges:
The cabezas, their wives, and first-born were exempted from the payment of tribute to the Spanish crown. Only the members of the principalia were allowed to participate in elections and be elected to public office. They were always to talk with the title Don or Doña. They also took some roles in the church true, such as the assistance of the priest in pastoral and religious activities.
In general, the social privileges of the nobles were considered to be justified, they also contributed to higher social responsibility. The gobernadorcillo received in this period, a nominal salary and received no state support for public services. Rather, the mayor had the management of its community support by by taking care of the post office or the jail, as well as to the construction and repair of public infrastructure and buildings.
History and Development
From the beginning of the colonial period in the Philippines built by the Spanish crown to the traditional socio - political structures of the barangays and simultaneously on traditional indigenous leaders, such as the Datus and thereby made their claim indirect reference. To enforce this policy adopted King Philip II of Spain on 11 June 1594 Act, further guaranteed the dignities and privileges of the government Indian chiefs, if they accepted the Catholic faith and exercised. He also ordered the Spanish governors to treat these native nobles well. The king ordered, moreover, that the natives of these nobles had to pay the same respect as before colonization, but deserves without compromising the things that the king himself or his encomenderos ( proxy).
The royal decree reads: " It is not right that the Indian chiefs of the Philippines after the conversion in a worse condition are; Rather, they should learn a dergestaltige treatment that wins their affection and makes them surrender, so that the spiritual blessings which God has let them with their conversion are given, the temporal blessings may be added and they may live happy and pleasant. Therefore, we order the governors of these islands, to treat them well and they, on our behalf, to entrust the government of those Indians, whose leader they were before. Even otherwise, the governors may see that the chiefs are favored and that the Indians pay them something as a recognition, just like she did when she was a heathen, if it does not affect the tribute which they pay to us, or what the Encomendores entitled to, is detrimental. "
By this law, the local Filipinofürsten followers ( encomenderos ) of the Spanish king who ruled the land indirectly by these nobles were, albeit under the supervision of the Spanish colonial officials. This system of indirect governance has been extremely helpful in promoting peace in the rural areas and institutionalized the role of a top layer of " principalia " or the " Principales " to the end of the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines in 1898.
The principalia was bigger and more influential than the pre- colonial indigenous nobility. They helped set up an oligarchic system in the Spanish colonies and maintain for more than three hundred years.
The legislation of the Spanish colonial government banned foreigners to acquire land in the Philippines. This contributed significantly to promote this particular form of oligarchy. In some provinces of the Philippines, many Spaniards and foreign merchants married to the Malayo - Polynesian resident nobility. For these compounds showed a new cultural group, the Mestizos. Their descendants developed into an influential part of the government and the principalia.
Symbol characters
In the later Spanish colonial period, the class of elite Christian landowners began to bear a characteristic Salakot, a Philippine headdress, which was traditionally worn by the Indians. Instead of rattan or reeds or different shells are usually used for the headdress of the Filipinos who Principales used valuable materials such as tortoiseshell or precious metals. The ornaments of this Salakots consisted of embossed silver, and were sometimes decorated with silver coins or pendants that hung from the edge of the hat.