Before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers in the Philippines in the 16th century, the

Barangays were well organized independent villages and in some cases, cosmopolitan sovereign
principalities, which functioned much like a city-state. Historically the first barangays started as
relatively small communities of around 50 to 100 families. Spain reigned over the Philippines for
333 years from 1565 to 1898.Since Spain was far from the country, the Spanish King ruled the
Islands through the viceroy of Mexico, which was then another Spanish colony. The Spanish
king ruled the Philippines, through a Governor General. Spain established colonial government
in the Philippines that was composed of national government and the local governments that
administered provinces, cities, towns and municipalities. Republic of Biak-na-Bato officially
referred to in its constitution as the Republic of the Philippines, was the first republic declared in
the Philippines by the revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo and his fellow members of Katipunan.
The constitution of the Republic of Biak-na-Bato was written by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo
Artacho who copied the Cuban constitution. The Philippine Republic more common known as
the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a revolutionary government in the
Philippines. American recognized the independence of the Republic of the Philippines on July
4,1946. With the signing of Treaty in Paris on December 10,1898, Spain ceded the Philippines to
the United States. Commonwealth when was won by Manuel L. Quezon and a Filipino
government was formed on the basis of principles superficially similar to the U.S. constitution.
Japanese occupied the Philippines when the Empire of Japan occupied Commonwealth of the
Philippines during the World War II. The invasion of the Philippines started on December
8.1941, ten hours after the attack of Pearl Harbor wherein General Douglas MacArthur was
ordered out, leaving his men t Corregidor. Third Republic of the Philippines was inaugurated on
July 4, 1946.It marked the culmination of peaceful campaign for the Philippines Independence- 2
land marks of which were the enactment of Jones Law in 1946 and the Philippines Independence
Act of 1934 of also known as Tydings McDuffie. Under 3rd Republic it is composed by Roxas,
Quirino, Magsaysay, Garcia, and Macapagal Administrations. The 4th Republic which is the
Marcos Era and Martial Law. The opposition boycotted presidential elections then develop on
June 1981, which pitted Marcos and won by a margin of over 16 million votes. The 5th Republic
is considered as the world’s eye was on the Philippines after it successfully toppled down almost
a decade of dictatorship rule through a peaceful administration tagged as the EDSA People’s
Power Revolution wherein Corazon Aquino is being elected the president. Under this republic it
is governed by Corazon Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Gloria Arroyo,
Benigno Aguino III and the future governments that will govern in our country.