Tribute and Polo: Instruments for

Spanish Colonization

BY: ROVILYN FULLO

Forced Labor

Forced labor or polo y servicio is a practice of compulsory labor exacted by a state or by agencies of a state, other than as a punishment for a criminal offense. 

The Spanish officials in the Philippines ordered the Filipinos to work in the construction of churches, roads, bridges, ships and in the industries of hauling and cutting timber.

Conditions for Forced Labor

That the Filipinos to be drafted for work must be paid for their work.

That the Filipino laborers should not be made to work in distant places where they could not return to their families.

That the drafting of laborers should not coincide with the planting and harvest

seasons.

That men who are physically incapable should not be overworked.

That forced labor should be resorted to only in cases of absolute necessity.

That the number of laborers drafted should be diminished as soon as laborers from other

countries had volunteered to work.

The provisions of the policy on forced labor protected Filipino from exploitation.

EffectsFilipinos were not

paid their wages.They were separated

from their families.They were not given

food as required by law.

They were overworked.

Falla

A Fee to paid to be exempted from force labor.

This fee was unreasonably high, and oftentimes the laborer could not afford to pay it.

TributeA gift, payment, declaration, or other

acknowledgment of gratitude, respect, or admiration.

A payment in money or other valuables made by one ruler or nation to another in acknowledgment of submission or as the price of protection or security.

Filipinos were compelled to pay a tribute in cash or in kind, in full or installment basis to the Spanish Colonial Government.

Persons who will pay a tribute

Above Sixteen (16) years oldBelow sixty(60) years old.

Sanctorum A small portion of tribute goes for the

Church. The King abolished it in 1884 and the

cedula personal (present equivalent of the residence certificate class A) was introduced.

The End