19th Century

Philippine Economy, Society

& The Chinesse Mestizo .
PRESENTED BY :

 PASARDAN, JOHN MARK

 FLORIA, JUNRAY
Learning Objectives
◎Locate Rizal 's life in the Philippines within the wider context
of the development in the nineteenth century.

◎Explain the impartment role of the Chinese mestizos and

their ranks within the changing Philippine economy
and society.

◎Discuss the interplay pf several factors that

contributed to the changing landscape of Philippine
society and economy.
The Changing Landscape of
Philippine Economy and Society
Many scholars consider the 19th century as an era of
profound change in the Philippines.
During this period, vast economic, political, social and cultural
currents were felt.
In the late 18th century, monarchy in Spain experienced a dynamic
shift from the Habsburgs to the Bourbons.
With the goal of invigorating the profitability of the colonies like the
Philippines, Bourbons policies and reforms were out
By the time Basco arrived, the Galleon Trade, the main economic
institution existing in the Philippines, was already losing enterprise.
The global wave became the silver lining

Many imperial powers in Europe and the west were undergoing industrialization,
there was an increase of demand for raw materials presented an opportunity
in the agricultural potential in the Philippines.

Basco established the Royal Philippine Company in 1785 to finance

agricultural projects and manage the new trade being established
between Philippines and Spain also other Asian markets.

Resistance also came from various sectors like Catholic Church

that was not receptive of the labor realignments by the planned
reforms, and traders that still holding the Galleon Trade.
 CHINESE MERCHANTS
IN BINONDO IN THE
19TH CENTURY

 Global events continued to affect the Philippines

at the beginning of the 19 century.
 In 1810, the Mexicans War of Independence rattled the Spanish Empire that may
lead to the loss of the precious Latin American colonies.
 Manila opened to world trade by 1834, as a result foreign merchants and traders
came and resided in Manila.
 In the half of the 19th century, majority exports of the Philippines came
from cash crops like tobacco, sugar, cotton, Indigo, abaca and coffee.
Today, Binondo is famous as the world's oldest Chinatown: a slice of China outside the
mainland. The Binondo area, from the streets of Escolta and Divisoria to the bustle of
Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz all the way to Ongpin and the many who lived there and
contributed to its rich history has had a huge influence on the rest of Manila,
as well as the nation.
THE CHINESE MESTIZO INDIO
One of the one hundred ethnic groups • The Malayan, native born inhabitants of the
in the Philippines is the Chinese Mestizo, also Philippine islands were called "indio"
known as the Mestizo de Sangley. or "indigenta."
Chinese immigrants married indigenous people • This class or group occupied the lowest
during the Spanish colonial era, giving rise to level in a highly stratified class society.
the Chinese Mestizo.
• Any person born of a Chinese father and an Indio
mother was classified a Chinese mestizo.
• Subsequent descendants were listed as Chinese
mestizo.
• A mestiza who married a Chinese or mestizo, as
well as their children, was registered as a mestizo.
 INDIO
• The Malayan, native born inhabitants of the
Philippine islands were called "indio" or
"indigenta."
• This class or group occupied the
lowest level in a highly
stratified class society.
 REASONS BEHIND THE
RISE OF THE
CHINESE MESTIZO
Although the Chinese who settled in the islands before the
Spanish colonization had intermarried with native women,
the emergence of the Chinese mestizo as a legally distinct
class began only with the Spanish colonial regime.
 Repulsion of Chinese expulsion orders in 1788
 Government granting them freedom of occupation and residence

In the latter half of the nineteen Century, immigration into the archipelago,
largely from the maritime province of Fujian on the southeastern coast of China,
increased, and a growing proportion of Chinese settled in outlying areas.

 Chinese offering indispensable services

Performing multiple services as traders, artisans and domestic servants,

the Chinese became indispensable to the needs of the capital.
Encouraged to come and settle, the Chinese population increased
by leaps and bounds.
 Marriage between Catholic Chinese
and Catholic Indios
With the rapid increase of Chinese population, the Spaniards saw a potential threat
to their own rule. They feared that the Chinese would be unloyal to the Spanish regime.
However, since the Spaniards wanted their indispensable services, they made
a policy wherein the Chinese would be converted through marriage
between Catholic Chinese and Catholic Indios.
 RECLASSIFICATION OF POPULATION FOR TAX PAYMENT
As the Chinese mestizo population increased, the question of their legal status arose.
The legal status of the Chinese mestizo were ultimately resolved in 1741 when the whole
population was reclassified for purposes of tribute or tax payment into four classes:
Spaniards and Spanish mestizos who were exempted from the tribute;
Indios, Chinese mestizos, and Chinese who were all tribute-paying classes
although each class was assessed a different amount.
 FACTORS AFFECTING
THE RISE OF
CHINESE MESTIZOS
LEADING TO
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
 Long before the Spanish conquest of the country, Chinese merchants carried on trading
activities with native communities along the China coast. During most of the Spanish colonial era,
the Chinese controlled trading and commercial activities, serving as retailers, artisans, and food
providers for various Spanish settlements in the country.

 Chinese merchants carried on a rich trade

between Manila and the China coast.
Imports from China are distributed into the area of Central Luzon,
to the immediate north and east of Manila. Chinese also acted as provisions
of Manila and other Spanish settlements, buying food in the rural areas and
bringing it to the colonial settlements. Some Chinese were engaged in
various forms of retail trade; others worked as artisans, producing goods
for the use of Spanish in Manila and other settlements.
 OFFERING VARIOUS SERVICES
Spanish policy encouraged immigrants to become agricultural laborers. Some became
gardeners, supplying vegetables to the towns, but most shunned the fields and set themselves
up as small retailers and moneylenders.
 EMERGENCE OF HACIENDAS OF SUGAR, COFFEE, AND HEMP,
TYPICALLY OWNED BY ENTERPRISING CHINESE-FILIPINO MESTIZOS
To promote the economic development of the Philippines, the Spanish government
reversed its previous immigration policies, and Chinese immigration, in almost
unrestricted volume, was permitted. The Chinese were allowed to settle almost
anywhere in the archipelago. This resulted in the penetration of Chinese
enterprise into provinces w Chinese had never been before.
 THEY DOMINATE THE RETAILING AND THE SKILLED CRAFT
OCCUPATIONS IN THE COUNTRY.
They dominate the retailing and the skilled craft occupations in the country.
Chinese also acted as provisions of Manila and other Spanish settlements,
buying food in the rural areas and bringing it to the colonial settlements.
Some Chinese were engaged in various forms of retail trade;
others worked as artisans, producing goods for the use of Spanish in Manila
and other settlements.
 MOST CHINESE IN THE PHILIPPINES
ARE BUSINESS OWNERS
Their lives center around the family business, usually small and medium enterprises.
These family businesses play a significant role in the Philippine economy.
A handful of these entrepreneurs run large companies and are respected
as some of the most prominent business tycoons in the country.
TABLE 1. TOP 10 RICHES MEN IN THE PHILIPPINES ( 2022 ) The personalities highlighted in
RANK NAMES NET WORTH the table are Filipinos who resided
1 SY SIBLINGS $ 12.6 B in the Philippines for quite a long
2 MANUEL VILLAR $ 7.8 B period. They may have claimed
3 ENRIQUE RAZON JR. $ 5.6 B Filipino citizenship; however, these
4 LANCE GOKONGWEI & SIBLINGS $ 3.1 B personalities' family names
5 ABOITIZ FAMILY $ 2.9 B
are not of Filipino
6 ISIDRO CONSUNJI & SIBLINGS $ 2.65 B
ancestry and
7 TONY TAN CAKTIONG & FAMILY ethnicity.
$ 2.6 B
8 JAIME ZOBEL DE AYALA & FAMILY $ 2.55 B
9 RAMON ANG $ 2.45 B
10 ANDREW TAN $ 2.4 B
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
OF THE
PHILIPPINES DURING
19TH CENTURY
SOCIAL CLASSES
Peninsulares - Full-blooded Spanish living in the Philippines and born in Spain.

Insulares - Full-blooded Spanish living in the Philippines and born

in the Philippines as well.

Ilustrados(The Enlightened Ones) - Wealthy group of individuals born in the

Philippines and were able to study
abroad.

Chinese/Spanish Mestizos - People with mixed racial origins and

economically sufficient.
KNOWN PEOPLE WHO ARE
CHINESE MESTIZO

DR . JOSE RIZAL GENERAL EMILIO APOLINARIO

AGUINALDO MABINI
KNOWN PEOPLE WHO ARE
CHINESE MESTIZO

FATHER MARIANO GOMEZ,

FATHER JOSE BURGOS AND
FATHER JACINTO ZAMORA
( KNOWN AS GOMBURZA )
KNOWN PEOPLE WHO ARE
CHINESE MESTIZO

SERGIO OSMEÑA JOSE P. LAUREL

KNOWN PEOPLE WHO ARE
CHINESE MESTIZO

ELPIDIO QUIRINO RAMON MAGSAYSAY FERDINAND E.

MARCOS
 THE
END...

THANK YOU !!!