The Development of Self-Government in Manila
| Published date | 01 September 1958 |
| Date | 01 September 1958 |
| Author | Bennett M. Rich |
| DOI | 10.1177/106591295801100310 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
583
THE
DEVELOPMENT
OF
SELF-GOVERNMENT
IN
MANILA
BENNETT M.
RICH*
Rutgers
University
ANILA
HAS
COME
a
long
way
since
the
fatal
day
in
1570
when
/ a
Spanish
expedition
overwhelmed
about
two
thousand
natives
-~L
1
and
set
fire
to
the
village.1
It
is
now
one
of
the
world’s
great
cities
numbering
over
one
and
one-quarter
million
people.
By
any
accepted
standard,
whether
it
be
population,
economic
significance,
cultural
develop-
ment,
or
political
importance,
Manila
occupies
a
position
of
eminence.2
Governing
any
city
of
more
than
a
million
people
is
a
vast
enterprise.
Governing
Manila
is
especially
difficult
not
alone
by
virtue
of
its
size,
but
because
of
the
unusual
control
patterns
which
have
evolved
over
a
period
of
almost
four
centuries.
To
classify
Manila’s
government
is
not
easy.
Superficially,
it
has
the
mayor-council
form.
But
this
classification
ignores
the
role
of
the
Philippine
Republic.
The
government
of
Manila
can
be
understood
only
in
light
of
the
city’s
historical
development.
I
UNDER
SPANISH
RULE
3
Following
the
initial
conquest
of
the
village
in
1570,
the
Spanish
in-
vaders
departed.
But
one
year
later
they
returned,
this
time
to
stay.
Miguel
Lopez
de
Legaspi,
the
newly
appointed
governor
and
captain
general
of
the
Islands,
established
his
residence
in
Manila
and
conferred
the
title
of
&dquo;city&dquo;
on
the
settlement.4
A
formal
municipal
organization
staffed
by
the
con-
querors
was
substituted
for
the
rule
of
village
chiefs.
To
express
their
irritation
at
the
second
coming
of
the
Spanish,
the
vil-
lagers
set
fire
to
their
own
homes -
rebuilt
since
the
initial
encounter.
How-
ever,
they
quickly
and
rather
complacently
accepted
the
new
order.
Dis-
sident
groups
in
nearby
communities
who
dared
to
challenge
Spanish
authority
were
severely
punished.
The
natives
learned
that
a
policy
of
obedience
and
co-operation
was
essential
for
survival.
The
success
of
this
,
policy
was
demonstrated
three
years
later
when
Philip
II
bestowed
upon
Manila
the
accolade
&dquo;Distinguished
and
Ever
Loyal
City.&dquo;
5
*
During
the
summer
of
1955,
at
the
invitation
of
the
Institutes
of
Public
Administration,
University
of
Michigan
and
University
of
the
Philippines,
the
author
served
on
the
staff
of
the
Institute
in
Manila.
1
Emma
Helen
Blair
and
James
Alexander
Roberston,
The
Philippine
Islands
1493-1803
(Cleveland:
Arthur
H.
Clark,
1903)
III,
149-151.
2
For
a
statement
of
the
standards
which
determine
greatness,
see
William
A.
Robson,
Great
Cities
of
the
World
(New
York:
Macmillan,
1955),
pp.
25-27.
3
Miss
Natalia
R.
Gamit,
Research
Assistant,
Institute
of
Public
Administration,
University
of
the
Philippines,
aided
in
the
collection
of
materials
relating
to
early
developments
in
Manila.
4
Blair
and
Roberston,
op.
cit,
p.
173.
5
Ibid.,
pp.
250-51.
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