It is a lesson about the relationship between the Catholic and Secular clergy in the Philippines. It also relates the conflicts within the Church affected in Philippine history and Rizal's political beliefs
LESSON NO. 7 (LAND OWNERSHIP AND THE RISE OF FRIAR LANDS)
LAND OWNERSHIP AND THE RISE OF FRIAR LANDS
• During the precolonial period, lands belonged to the community where the inhabitants of
the barangay or village lived. Though the best lands were reserved for the datu, any person
can ask permission from the datu where to settle.
• With the coming of the Spaniards, a regalian doctrine on the ownership of land was
adopted. This means all lands belonged to the King. Lands were given to encomenderos as
a reward for helping in the pacification of the islands. These are called personal
encomiendas. Technically the encomenderos do not own the land but was only its trustee.
The word encomienda comes from the word “encomendar” which means to commend or
entrust.
• Later the practice of titling lands was practiced. Some lands were given to individuals for
having done something meritorious to the government such as being allies during a foreign
invasion.
• The religious orders were given lands to support their evangelical activities. Later they
receive land from pious donors. As their financial power grew, religious orders were able
to buy lands from their owners.
• In the case of Dominicans, lands were not only used for agricultural purposes but also for
businesses such as shops. South of Manila the Dominicans manage the hacienda de Naic,
in Cavite extended their borders to San Pedro Laguna.
• The reason for the Dominicans in owning the haciendas is the same as those of other
religious orders: income from these lands through the rent paid by the farmers support
Dominican institution such as the University of Santo Tomas, the Colegio se San Juan de
Letran and the Hospital de San Gabriel.
• All the religious orders had landholdings. The Dominicans, Franciscan, Recollects and
Agustinians had holdings up to the end of Spanish Rule.
THE INQUILINO ROLE IN THE AGRARIAN PROBLEM
• Vast lands owned by individuals and institutions were leased to primary tenants called
inquilinos. These inquilinos were mostly mestizos and they were more managers rather
than actual farmers. Physically it was impossible for them to farm the entire hacienda,
which is the reason they had to hire sharecroppers or kasamas, which was term for tenant
farmers. Payment is depending on the arrangement they entered into. It can be a 70/30 or
a 50/50 arrangement.
, • In many instances the kasama was forced to borrow from his inquilino and the borrowing
rates were usurious.
• The inquilino on the other hand is in charge of getting the products of the kasamas and they
look they look for the best prices of the products possible. The inquilinos paid the landlord
the dues for the use of the land plus a portion of the harvest. As for the landlords, they
would only wait for the harvest and collect the rent when it is due.
THE HACIENDA OF CALAMBA: THE ROLE OF RIZAL AND HIS FAMILY
• After getting married to Teodora, Francisco Engracio Mercado decided to move to the
neighboring town of Calamba where the Dominicans had a hacienda. In fact, the entire
town was a Dominican hacienda. Calamba was originally owned by the Jesuits but it
became government property when they were expelled in 1768. The Government managed
the hacienda up to 1808 until it was placed on public auction. Jose G. Azanza won in the
public bidding and managed the Hacienda de Calamba until 1831. That year Azanza
suffered from financial difficulties and he was forced to sell the hacienda to the
Dominicans. The hacienda was over two thousand hectares from the boundary of Biñan
and Santa Rosa to the foothills of Mount Makiling.
• The Dominicans leased the land to inquilinos or primary tenants and Francisco Engracio
Mercado was one of these inquilinos. Don Francisco developed friendly relations with the
Dominicans and was able to leased 500 hectares. To cultivate this vast estate Don Francisco
hired sharecroppers to do the actual cultivation. Don Francisco manage the farm, Doña
Teodora manage a store and a ham press which produced preserved meats. Later he was
able to build a second bahay na bato in another part of Calamba. The Rizal house had a
library of more than a thousand books, which was a rarity at that time. As one of the
principalia Don Francisco accommodated visitors to Calamba consisting of priest and
government officials.
• Don Francisco saw to it that the good relations with the Dominicans remain friendly and
cordial. Every time the Dominican administrator dropped by to collect the rent he would
be gifted with a fat turkey. Paciano managed to get very good terms from the Dominicans.
No rent was to be charged for the first five years as the farmers were clearing up the land
for cultivation. To keep the goodwill of the Dominicans Paciano wrote to his brother Jose
in 1883 to refrain from upsetting the friars because they were very kind to his family. At
that time Rizal was already in Spain questioning his faith, the feudal system in the
Philippines and domination of the Church in the lives of the Filipinos. He was already
influenced by Freemasons in his many encounters in Spain.
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