The governor-general of the Philippines (Filipinas; Filipino: Gobernador-Heneral ng Pilipinas/Kapitan Heneral ng Pilipinas) was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed by Mexico City and Madrid (1565–1898) and the United States (1898–1946), and briefly by Great Britain (1762–1764) and Japan (1942–1945). They were also the representative of the executive of the ruling power.
Governor-General of the Philippines | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gobernador y Capitán General de Filipinas Gobernador-Heneral ng Pilipinas フィリピン総督 | |||||
Residence | Fort San Pedro (1565–1572) Palacio del Gobernador (1572–1863) Malacañang Palace (1863–1945) Mansion House (1942–1945) | ||||
Appointer | Viceroy of New Spain Monarch of Spain Monarch of Great Britain President of the United States Emperor of Japan | ||||
Precursor | Various, the barangay system | ||||
Formation | April 27, 1565 | ||||
First holder | Miguel López de Legazpi (under Spain) Dawsonne Drake (under Great Britain) Wesley Merritt (under the United States) Masaharu Homma (under Japan) | ||||
Final holder | Diego de los Ríos (under Spain) Dawsonne Drake (under Great Britain) Frank Murphy (under the United States) Tomoyuki Yamashita (under Japan) | ||||
Abolished | October 6, 1945 |
On November 15, 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established as a transitional government to prepare the country for independence from American control. The governor-general was replaced by an elected Filipino president of the Philippine Commonwealth, as the chief executive of the Philippines, taking over many of the duties of the governor-general. The former American governor-general then became known as the high commissioner to the Philippines.
From 1565 to 1898, the Philippines was under Spanish rule. From 1565 to 1821, the governor and captain-general was appointed by the viceroy of New Spain upon recommendation of the Spanish Cortes and governed on behalf of the monarch of Spain to govern the Captaincy General of the Philippines. When there was a vacancy (e.g. death, or during the transitional period between governors), the Real Audiencia in Manila appointed a temporary governor from among its members.
After Mexico won its independence in 1821, the country was no longer under the Viceroyalty of New Spain (present-day Mexico) and administrative affairs formerly handled by New Spain were transferred to Madrid and placed directly under the Spanish Crown.
Under New Spain (1565–1764)
British occupation of Manila (1761–1764)
After the Spanish defeat at the Battle of Manila in 1762, the Philippines was briefly governed simultaneously by two Governors-General, one of the Spanish Empire and one of the British Empire.
Great Britain shortly occupied Manila and the naval port of Cavite as part of the Seven Years' War, while the Spanish Governor-General set up a provisional government in Bacolor, Pampanga to continue administering the rest of the archipelago.
British governor-general
No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | Monarch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
46a | Dawsonne Drake (1724–1784) | November 2, 1762 | May 31, 1764 | George III (1760–1820) |
Spanish governor-general
No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | Viceroy of New Spain | Monarch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
47 | Simón de Anda y Salazar (1709–1776) | October 6, 1762 | February 10, 1764 | Joaquín de Montserrat 1st Marquess of Cruillas (1760–1766) | Charles III (1759–1788) |
Under New Spain (1764–1821)
After the British returned Manila to the Spanish in 1764, the Spanish Governor-General Francisco Javier de la Torre resumed administration of the Philippines under the authority of the Viceroy of New Spain in modern-day Mexico (New Spain) as part of the Spanish Empire.
The Philippines, along with the rest of the Spanish Empire, became part of the First French Empire in 1808 after Napoleon overthrew Ferdinand VII and installed Joseph Bonaparte as king until his abdication in 1813, as part of a disastrous consequence of Napoleon's 1812 Russian campaign, the Peninsular Wars, particularly the Battle of Vitoria, and of forming the Sixth Coalition.
Direct Spanish control (1821–1898)
After the 1821 Mexican War of Independence, Mexico became independent and was no longer part of the Spanish Empire. The Viceroyalty of New Spain ceased to exist. The Philippines, as a result, was directly governed from Madrid, under the Spanish Crown.
No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | Monarch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
(53) | Mariano Fernández de Folgueras Acting Governor-General (1766–1823) | September 16, 1821 | October 30, 1822 | Ferdinand VII (1813–1833) | |
54 | Juan Antonio Martínez | October 30, 1822 | October 14, 1825 | ||
55 | Mariano Ricafort Palacín y Abarca (1776–1846) | October 14, 1825 | December 23, 1830 | ||
56 | Pasqual Enrile y Alcedo (1772–1836) | December 23, 1830 | March 1, 1835 | ||
Isabella II (1833–1868) | |||||
57 | Gabriel de Torres | March 1, 1835 | April 23, 1835 | ||
58 | Joaquín de Crame Acting Governor-General | April 23, 1835 | September 9, 1835 | ||
59 | Pedro Antonio Salazar Castillo y Varona Acting Governor-General | September 9, 1835 | August 27, 1837 | ||
60 | Andrés García Camba (1793–1861) | August 27, 1837 | December 29, 1838 | ||
61 | Luis Lardizábal | December 29, 1838 | February 14, 1841 | ||
62 | Marcelino de Oraá Lecumberri (1788–1851) | February 14, 1841 | June 17, 1843 | ||
63 | Francisco de Paula Alcalá de la Torre | June 17, 1843 | July 16, 1844 | ||
64 | Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa 1st Count of Manila (1795–1851) | July 16, 1844 | December 26, 1849 | ||
65 | Antonio María Blanco Acting Governor-General | December 26, 1849 | July 29, 1850 | ||
66 | Juan Antonio de Urbiztondo, Marquis of La Solana (1803–1857) | July 29, 1850 | December 20, 1853 | ||
67 | Ramón Montero y Blandino Acting Governor-General | December 20, 1853 | February 2, 1854 | ||
68 | Manuel Pavía y Lacy 1st Marquess of Novaliches (1814–1896) | February 2, 1854 | October 28, 1854 | ||
(67) | Ramón Montero y Blandino Acting Governor-General | October 28, 1854 | November 20, 1854 | ||
69 | Manuel Crespo y Cebrían (1793–1868) | November 20, 1854 | December 5, 1856 | ||
(67) | Ramón Montero y Blandino Acting Governor-General | December 5, 1856 | March 9, 1857 | ||
70 | Fernando de Norzagaray y Escudero (1808–1860) | March 9, 1857 | January 12, 1860 | ||
71 | Ramón María Solano y Llanderal | January 12, 1860 | August 29, 1860 | ||
72 | Juan Herrera Dávila Acting Governor-General | August 29, 1860 | February 2, 1861 | ||
73 | José Lémery e Ibarrola (1811–1886) | February 2, 1861 | July 7, 1862 | ||
74 | Salvador Valdés Acting Governor-General | July 7, 1862 | July 9, 1862 | ||
75 | Rafaél de Echagüe y Bermingham (1815–1915) | July 9, 1862 | March 24, 1865 | ||
76 | Joaquín del Solar e Ibáñez Acting Governor-General | March 24, 1865 | April 25, 1865 | ||
77 | Juan de Lara e Irigoyen | April 25, 1865 | July 13, 1866 | ||
78 | José Laureano de Sanz y Posse Acting Governor-General (1819–1898) | July 13, 1866 | September 21, 1866 | ||
79 | Antonio Osorio y Mallén (1808-1881) Acting Governor-General | September 21, 1866 | September 27, 1866 | ||
(76) | Joaquín del Solar e Ibáñez | September 27, 1866 | October 26, 1866 | ||
80 | José de la Gándara y Navarro (1820–1885) | October 26, 1866 | June 7, 1869 | ||
Francisco Serrano 1st Duke of la Torre Regent (1868–1870) | |||||
(81) | Manuel Maldonado Acting Governor-General | June 7, 1869 | June 23, 1869 | ||
82 | Carlos María de la Torre y Navacerrada (1809–1879) | June 23, 1869 | April 4, 1871 | ||
Amadeo I (1870–1873) | |||||
83 | Rafael Izquierdo y Gutiérrez (1820–1883) | April 4, 1871 | January 8, 1873 | ||
(84) | Manuel MacCrohon Acting Governor-General | January 8, 1873 | January 24, 1873 | ||
85 | Juan Alaminos y Vivar (1813–1899) | January 24, 1873 | March 17, 1874 | ||
Estanislao Figueras President (1873) | |||||
Francesc Pi i Margall President (1873) | |||||
Nicolás Salmerón y Alonso President (1873) | |||||
Emilio Castelar President (1873–1874) | |||||
Francisco Serrano President (1874) | |||||
86 | Manuel Blanco Valderrama Acting Governor-General | March 17, 1874 | June 18, 1874 | ||
87 | José Malcampo 3rd Marquess of San Rafael (1828–1880) | June 18, 1874 | February 28, 1877 | ||
Alfonso XII (1874–1885) | |||||
88 | Domingo Moriones y Murillo (1823–1881) | February 28, 1877 | March 20, 1880 | ||
89 | Rafael Rodríguez Arias Acting Governor-General (1819–1898) | March 20, 1880 | April 15, 1880 | ||
90 | Fernando Primo de Rivera 1st Marquess of Estella (1831–1921) | April 15, 1880 | March 10, 1883 | ||
(91) | Emilio Molíns Acting Governor-General (1824–1889) | March 10, 1883 | April 7, 1883 | ||
92 | Joaquín Jovellar y Soler (1819–1892) | April 7, 1883 | April 1, 1885 | ||
(91) | Emilio Molíns Acting Governor-General (1824–1889) | April 1, 1885 | April 4, 1885 | ||
92 | Emilio Terrero y Perinat (1827–1890) | April 4, 1885 | April 25, 1888 | ||
Maria Christina Regent (1885–1886) | |||||
Alfonso XIII (1886–1931) | |||||
93 | Antonio Moltó y Díaz Berrio Acting Governor-General | April 25, 1888 | June 4, 1888 | ||
94 | Federico Lobatón y Prieto Acting Governor-General | June 4, 1888 | June 5, 1888 | ||
95 | Valeriano Weyler 1st Marquess of Tenerife (1838–1930) | June 5, 1888 | November 17, 1891 | ||
96 | Eulogio Despujol y Dusay 1st Count of Caspe (1834–1907) | November 17, 1891 | March 1, 1893 | ||
97 | Federico Ochando Acting Governor-General (1848–1929) | March 1, 1893 | May 4, 1893 | ||
98 | Ramón Blanco 1st Marquess of Peña Plata (1833–1906) | May 4, 1893 | December 13, 1896 | ||
99 | Camilo Garcia de Polavieja 1st Marquess of Polavieja Acting Governor-General (1838–1914) | December 13, 1896 | April 15, 1897 | ||
100 | José de Lachambre Acting Governor-General (1846–1903) | April 15, 1897 | April 23, 1897 | ||
(90) | Fernando Primo de Rivera 1st Marquess of Estella (1831–1921) | April 23, 1897 | April 11, 1898 | ||
101 | Basilio Augustín[1] (1840–1910) | April 11, 1898 | July 24, 1898 | ||
102 | Fermín Jáudenes[1] Acting Governor-General (1836–1915) | July 24, 1898 | August 13, 1898 | ||
103 | Francisco Rizzo[1] Acting Governor-General (1831–1910) | August 13, 1898 | September 1898 | ||
104 | Diego de los Ríos[1] Acting Governor-General (1850–1911) | September 1898 | December 10, 1898 |
United States Military Government (1898–1902)
The city of Manila was captured by American expeditionary forces on August 13, 1898.[2] On August 14, 1898, the terms of the Spanish capitulation were signed. From this date, American government in the Philippines begins.[2] General Wesley Merritt, in accordance with the instructions of the United States President, issued a proclamation announcing the establishment of United States military rule.[2]
During the transition period, executive authority in all civil affairs in the Philippine government was exercised by the military governor.
No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | President |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wesley Merritt (1836–1910) | August 14, 1898[3] | August 30, 1898[4] | William McKinley (1897–1901) | |
2 | Elwell Stephen Otis (1838–1909) | August 30, 1898 | May 5, 1900 | ||
3 | Arthur MacArthur Jr. (1845–1912) | May 5, 1900[5] | July 4, 1901 | ||
4 | Adna Chaffee[6] (1842–1914) | July 4, 1901 | July 4, 1902 | ||
Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909) |
Insular Government (1901–1935)
On July 4, 1901, executive authority over the islands was transferred to the president of the Second Philippine Commission who had the title of Civil Governor, a position appointed by the President of the United States and approved by the United States Senate. For the first year, a Military Governor, Adna Chaffee, ruled parts of the country still resisting the American rule, concurrent with Civil Governor, William Howard Taft.[7] Disagreements between the two were not uncommon.[8] The following year, on July 4, 1902, Taft became the sole executive authority.[6] Chaffee remained commander of the Philippine Division until September 30, 1902.[9]
After his retirement as Civil Governor, Governor Taft was appointed Secretary of War and he secured for his successor the adoption by Congress[10] of the title Governor-General of the Philippine Islands thereby "reviving the high designation used during the last period of Spanish rule and placing the office on a parity of dignity with that of other colonial empires of first importance".[2] The term "insular" (from insula, the Latin word for island)[11] refers to U.S. island territories that are not incorporated into either a state or a federal district. All insular areas were under the authority of the U.S. Bureau of Insular Affairs, a division of the US War Department.[12][13]
No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | President |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William Howard Taft (1857–1930) | July 4, 1901 | February 1, 1904 | William McKinley (1897–1901) | |
Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909) | |||||
2 | Luke Edward Wright (1846–1922) | February 1, 1904 | November 3, 1905 | ||
3 | Henry Clay Ide (1844–1921) | November 3, 1905 | September 19, 1906 | ||
4 | James Francis Smith (1859–1928) | September 20, 1906 | November 11, 1909 | ||
William Howard Taft (1909–1913) | |||||
5 | William Cameron Forbes (1870–1959) | November 11, 1909 | September 1, 1913 | ||
Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921) | |||||
– | Newton W. Gilbert (1862–1939) Acting Governor-General | September 1, 1913 | October 6, 1913 | ||
6 | Francis Burton Harrison (1873–1957) | October 6, 1913 | March 5, 1921 | ||
Warren G. Harding (1921–1923) | |||||
– | Charles Yeater (1861–1943) Acting Governor-General | March 5, 1921 | October 14, 1921 | ||
7 | Leonard Wood (1860–1927) | October 14, 1921 | August 7, 1927 | ||
Calvin Coolidge (1923–1929) | |||||
– | Eugene Allen Gilmore (1871–1953) Acting Governor-General | August 7, 1927 | December 27, 1927 | ||
8 | Henry L. Stimson (1867–1950) | December 27, 1927 | February 23, 1929 | ||
Herbert Hoover (1929–1933) | |||||
– | Eugene Allen Gilmore (1871–1953) Acting Governor-General | February 23, 1929 | July 8, 1929 | ||
9 | Dwight F. Davis (1879–1945) | July 8, 1929 | January 9, 1932 | ||
– | George C. Butte (1877–1940) Acting Governor-General | January 9, 1932 | February 29, 1932 | ||
10 | Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (1886–1944) | February 29, 1932 | July 15, 1933 | ||
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945) | |||||
11 | Frank Murphy (1890–1949) | July 15, 1933 | November 14, 1935 |
High Commissioner to the Philippines (1935–42 and 1945–46)
On November 15, 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was inaugurated as a transitional government to prepare the country for independence. The office of President of the Philippine Commonwealth replaced the Governor-General as the country's chief executive. The Governor-General became the High Commissioner of the Philippines with Frank Murphy, the last governor-general, as the first high commissioner. The High Commissioner exercised no executive power but rather represented the colonial power, the United States Government, in the Philippines. The high commissioner moved from Malacañang Palace to the newly built High Commissioner's Residence, now the Embassy of the United States in Manila.
After the Philippine independence on July 4, 1946, the last High Commissioner, Paul McNutt, became the first United States Ambassador to the Philippines.
No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | President |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Frank Murphy (1890–1949) | November 14, 1935 | December 31, 1936 | Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945) | |
– | J. Weldon Jones (1896–1982) Acting High Commissioner | December 31, 1936 | April 26, 1937 | ||
2 | Paul V. McNutt (1891–1955) | April 26, 1937 | July 12, 1939 | ||
– | J. Weldon Jones (1896–1982) Acting High Commissioner | July 12, 1939 | October 28, 1939 | ||
3 | Francis Bowes Sayre Sr. (1885–1972) | October 28, 1939 | October 12, 1942 | ||
4 | Harold L. Ickes (1874–1952) | October 12, 1942 | September 14, 1945 | ||
Harry S. Truman (1945–1953) | |||||
5 | Paul V. McNutt (1891–1955) | September 14, 1945 | July 4, 1946 |
Japanese military governors (1942–1945)
In December 1941, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was invaded by Imperial Japan as part of World War II. The next year, the Japanese sent a military governor to control the country during the wartime period, followed by the formal establishment of the puppet Second Philippine Republic under Jose P. Laurel.[14]
On September 2, 1945, the position of Governor-General of the Philippines was abolished. The Philippines' independence from the United States was proclaimed by the Treaty of Manila on July 4, 1946, installing Manuel Roxas as the fifth President of the Philippines and ushering in the Third Philippine Republic.
No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | Emperor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Masaharu Homma (1887–1946) | January 3, 1942 | June 8, 1942 | Emperor Shōwa (1926–1989) | |
2 | Shizuichi Tanaka (1887–1945) | June 8, 1942 | May 28, 1943 | ||
3 | Shigenori Kuroda (1887–1952) | May 28, 1943 | September 26, 1944 | ||
4 | Tomoyuki Yamashita (1885–1946) | September 26, 1944 | September 2, 1945 |
Vice-governors of the Philippines
On October 29, 1901, the position of Vice-Governor was created. The Vice-Governor was appointed by the President of the United States to act as the Governor-General (known at that time as the Civil Governor) in case of illness or temporary absence.[15]
No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Luke Edward Wright (1846–1922) [16] | October 29, 1901 | January 31, 1904 | |
2 | Henry Clay Ide (1844–1921) [16] | February 1, 1904 | March 30, 1906 | |
3 | William Cameron Forbes (1870–1959) [16] | July 31, 1908 | November 10, 1909 | |
4 | Newton W. Gilbert (1862–1939) [16] | February 14, 1910 | November 30, 1913 | |
5 | Henderson S. Martin [16] | December 1, 1913 | June 28, 1917 | |
6 | Charles Yeater (1861–1943) [17] | June 29, 1917 | January 25, 1922 | |
7 | Eugene Allen Gilmore (1871–1953) [18] | January 26, 1922 | June 20, 1930 | |
– | Nicholas Roosevelt (1893–1982) Ad interim [19] | July 29, 1930 | September 24, 1930 | |
8 | George C. Butte (1877–1940) [20] | December 31, 1930 | June 30, 1932 | |
9 | Joseph R. Hayden (1887–1945) [21] | November 7, 1933 | November 15, 1935 |
Timelines
1750–1800
1800–1850
1850–1898
1898–1946
See also
- Filipino styles and honorifics
- List of sovereign state leaders in the Philippines
- List of recorded datu in the Philippines
- President of the Philippines
- List of presidents of the Philippines
- Audiencia
- List of Viceroys of New Spain
- Spanish Empire
- History of the Philippines
- Military History of the Philippines
- United States Territory
- Governor-General
- Lists of office-holders
- Gobernadorcillo
Notes
References
- Governors of the Philippines
- Cahoon, Ben (2000). "Philippines". World's Statesmen.
- Don Peterson (2007-2nd Qtr), 1898: Five Philippine Governors-General Serve Rapid Fire Terms, Philippine Philatelic Journal.
- Tanner, Dr. J.M. (1901-11). Improvement Era Vol.5 No. 1. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
- Elliott, Charles Burke (1917). The Philippines: To the End of the Commission Government, a Study in Tropical Democracy. The Bobbs-Merrill Company.
Further reading
- Barrows, David P. (1916). "The Governor General of the Philippines Under Spain and the United States". The American Historical Review. 21 (2). Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Historical Association: 288–311. doi:10.2307/1835051. JSTOR 1835051 – via Jstor.
- Barrows, D.P. (2022). A History of the Philippines. DigiCat. ISBN 978-93-5462-590-9.