Gobernadorcillo

Extant record in the National Archives in Manila showing the 1855 election results in the province of Iloilo. This page shows the names of the gobernadorcillos elected by the principalía of Ajuy, Banate, and Barotac Viejo.

The gobernadorcillo (locally [ɡoβeɾnaðoɾˈsiʎo], literally "little governor") was a municipal judge or governor in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, who carried out in a town the combined charges or responsibilities of leadership, economic, and judicial administration. The gobernadorcillo was the leader of a town or pueblo (people or population). In a coastal town, the gobernadorcillo functioned as a port captain. They were appointed through an exclusive nomination provided by the Spanish law. Their term of office lasted for two years.

The position of a gobernadorcillo was honorary and mandatory in order to afford him those valid exemptions signified in the Philippine law. At the end of his biennial term he would enter and form part of the principalía, and was entitled to enjoy the honors and preeminence inherent to this state. This "mayor", who was at the same time "justice of the peace" and port captain, was directly responsible to the governor of the province in the exercise of his office.[1]: 410 

In 1893, the Maura Law was passed with the aim of making the municipal governments in the Philippine Islands more effective and autonomous. One of the changes that this law brought about was the reorganization of certain structures of town governments, among which was the designation of town head's title, that is, gobernadorcillo, also as capitan municipal, effective 1895.[2]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference enciclo47 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Por «término municipal» se entenderá en Filipinas el formado por los pueblos en que haya Capitán ó Gobernadorcillo; por «Juez municipal» el de paz ó el Capitán ó Gobernadorcillo en los casos en que hagan las veces del último; por Fiscal municipal, en donde no lo haya, el Teniente de sementeras." Ministerio de Ultramar, Ley Hipotecaria para las Provincias de Ultramar, Art. 413, 1°, Edicion Oficial, Madrid: 1893, Imprenta de la Viuda de M. Minuesa de los Rios, p. 150.