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Polo y servicio was the forced labor system without compensation[1] imposed upon the local population in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.[2] In concept, it was similar to Repartimiento, a forced labor system used in the Spanish America.[3]
The word polo refers to community work, and the laborer was called polista.[4] The community activities that polistas have to perform may include cutting of trees for timber, and building Galleon trade ships,[5] churches, government buildings, roads, and bridges.[6]
Polo y servicio required males from 16 to 60 years old for a 40-day period per year.[4] The laborers could be placed on any community project, and anyone who refused to follow was fined and imprisoned.[7]
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Polo y servicio was imposed to local indigenous male population in the Philippines since the late sixteenth century.[7]
In 1863, a strong earthquake struck Manila, and killed more than a thousand people and destroyed much of the city.[8] To support with the city reconstruction, a decree was promulgated to extend the polo y servicio, called prestación personal at that time, to Spanish and other foreigners in the Philippines.[7]
In 1867, the Spanish colonial government mandated male Chinese residing in the Philippines, between 18 and 60 years old, to render forced labor.[7] Similar to the local population, the Chinese laborers were tasked to build churches, government buildings, and roads.[9] Chinese who had the money preferred paying the falla of three pesos to be relieved from the forced labor system.[7]
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Polo y servicio contributed to the construction of several churches and government projects in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, such as:
For colonial Spain, the forced labor system was necessary to establish a reliable source of labor in the Philippines.[7] It was also a source for government revenue as males who want to avoid polo y servicio had to pay the falla, which was the equivalent of one and half reales per day.[14]
However, the system crippled the ability of the local male population to feed themselves and their families, which caused hunger.[4] In particular, the system affected the agricultural sector because of the lack of male farmers, which resulted in low harvests.[15]
Moreover, it led to injury and death of many men working in hazardous projects.[4]
Polo y servicio also resulted in numerous rebellions and movements against colonial Spain, such as:[15]
Sumuroy Rebellion
In Northern Samar, Agustin Sumuroy held a rebellion against polo y servicio on 1649.[citation needed] He rebelled against the sending of his fellowmen to the shipyards in Cavite, which is quite far from his hometown in Northern Samar.[16] A rebel government was successfully established in the mountains, however he was captured and executed in 1650.[17]
Maniago Revolt
In Pampanga, Francisco Maniago rebelled in 1660 due to forced labor.[18] His fellowmen were made to work for eight months as timber cutters and were not paid. Maniago mutinied and set their campsite on fire.[19] As a result, he and Governor-General Sabiniano Manrique de Lara met to negotiate conditions to end the rebellion.[20]
Dagohoy Revolution
In Bohol, Francisco Dagohoy, from 1744 to 1829, led the longest revolution against Spain in the Philippine history.[21] Polo y servicio is one of the reasons for Dagohoy's revolution.[22]
Cavite Mutiny
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Governor-General Carlos Maria Dela Torre granted privileges to arsenal laborers in Fort San Felipe in Cavite, like exemption from paying tributes and rendering forced labor.[23] However, Rafael Izquierdo withdrew these privileges when he succeeded De La Torre and became governor-general.[24] Thus, the Cavite Mutiny sparked in 1872.[25]
The mutinity was immediately stopped but three Filipino priests, Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora—known as Gomburza—were implicated as the masterminds of the mutiny and executed.[26]
Propaganda Movement
The Propaganda Movement was consisted of several prominent Filipinos, such as Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and Marcelo del Pilar.[27][28] Established in 1880–1895, the propagandists started the formation of a nationalist ideology in the Philippines.[29] Among the aims of the movement was to abolish polo y servicio.[30]
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Polo y servicio was abolished in 1898 after the Philippine revolution and the country's independence from Spain.[31]
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