Governor-General of the Philippines
The governor-general of the Philippines from 1565 to 1898 and the United States (1898–1946), and briefly by Great Britain (1762–1764) and Japan (1942–1945). They were also the representative of the executive of the ruling power.
On November 15, 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established as a transitional government to prepare the country for independence from American control. The governor-general was replaced by an elected Filipino president of the Philippine Commonwealth, as the chief executive of the Philippines, taking over many of the duties of the governor-general. The former American governor-general then became known as the high commissioner to the Philippines.
From 1565 to 1898, the Philippines was under Spanish rule. From 1565 to 1821, the governor and captain-general was appointed by the viceroy of New Spain upon recommendation of the Spanish Cortes and governed on behalf of the monarch of Spain to govern the Captaincy General of the Philippines. When there was a vacancy, the Real Audiencia in Manila appointed a temporary governor from among its members.
After Mexico won its independence in 1821, the country was no longer under the Viceroyalty of New Spain and administrative affairs formerly handled by New Spain were transferred to Madrid and placed directly under the Spanish Crown.
British occupation of Manila (1762–1764)
After the Spanish defeat at the Battle of Manila in 1762, the Philippines was briefly governed simultaneously by two Governors-General, one of the Spanish Empire and one of the British Empire.Great Britain shortly occupied Manila and the naval port of Cavite as part of the Seven Years' War, while the Spanish Governor-General set up a provisional government in Bacolor, Pampanga to continue administering the rest of the archipelago.
Under New Spain (1764–1821)
After the British returned Manila to the Spanish in 1764, the Spanish Governor-General Francisco Javier de la Torre resumed administration of the Philippines under the authority of the Viceroy of New Spain in modern-day Mexico as part of the Spanish Empire.The Philippines, along with the rest of the Spanish Empire, became part of the First French Empire in 1808 after Napoleon overthrew Ferdinand VII and installed Joseph Bonaparte as king until his abdication in 1813, as part of a disastrous consequence of Napoleon's 1812 Russian campaign, the Peninsular Wars, particularly the Battle of Vitoria, and of forming the Sixth Coalition.
Direct Spanish control (1821–1899)
After the 1821 Mexican War of Independence, Mexico became independent and was no longer part of the Spanish Empire. The Viceroyalty of New Spain ceased to exist. The Philippines, as a result, was directly governed from Madrid, under the Spanish Crown.United States Military Government (1898–1902)
The city of Manila was captured by American expeditionary forces on August 13, 1898. On August 14, 1898, the terms of the Spanish capitulation were signed. From this date, American government in the Philippines begins. General Wesley Merritt, in accordance with the instructions of the United States President, issued a proclamation announcing the establishment of United States military rule.During the transition period, executive authority in all civil affairs in the Philippine government was exercised by the military governor.
| No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | Secretary of War | President |
| 1 | Wesley Merritt | August 14, 1898 | August 30, 1898 | Russell A. Alger | William McKinley | |
| 2 | Elwell Stephen Otis | August 30, 1898 | May 5, 1900 | Russell A. Alger | William McKinley | |
| Elwell Stephen Otis | August 30, 1898 | May 5, 1900 | Elihu Root | William McKinley | ||
| 3 | Arthur MacArthur Jr. | May 5, 1900 | July 4, 1901 | Elihu Root | William McKinley | |
| 4 | Adna Chaffee | July 4, 1901 | July 4, 1902 | Elihu Root | William McKinley | |
| 4 | Adna Chaffee | July 4, 1901 | July 4, 1902 | Elihu Root | Theodore Roosevelt |
Insular Government (1901–1935)
On July 4, 1901, executive authority over the islands was transferred to the president of the Second Philippine Commission who had the title of Civil Governor, a position appointed by the President of the United States and approved by the United States Senate. For the first year, a Military Governor, Adna Chaffee, ruled parts of the country still resisting the American rule, concurrent with Civil Governor, William Howard Taft. Disagreements between the two were not uncommon. The following year, on July 4, 1902, Taft became the sole executive authority. Chaffee remained commander of the Philippine Division until September 30, 1902.After his retirement as Civil Governor, Governor Taft was appointed Secretary of War and he secured for his successor the adoption by Congress of the title Governor-General of the Philippine Islands thereby "reviving the high designation used during the last period of Spanish rule and placing the office on a parity of dignity with that of other colonial empires of first importance". The term "insular" refers to U.S. island territories that are not incorporated into either a state or a federal district. All insular areas were under the authority of the U.S. Bureau of Insular Affairs, a division of the US War Department.
High Commissioner to the Philippines (1935–42 and 1945–46)
On November 15, 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was inaugurated as a transitional government to prepare the country for independence. The office of President of the Philippine Commonwealth replaced the Governor-General as the country's chief executive. The Governor-General became the High Commissioner of the Philippines with Frank Murphy, the last governor-general, as the first high commissioner. The High Commissioner exercised no executive power but rather represented the colonial power, the United States Government, in the Philippines. The high commissioner moved from Malacañang Palace to the newly built High Commissioner's Residence, now the Embassy of the United States in Manila.After the Philippine independence on July 4, 1946, the last High Commissioner, Paul McNutt, became the first United States Ambassador to the Philippines.
| No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | President |
| 1 | Frank Murphy | November 14, 1935 | December 31, 1936 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | |
| – | J. Weldon Jones Acting High Commissioner | December 31, 1936 | April 26, 1937 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | |
| 2' | Paul V. McNutt | April 26, 1937 | July 12, 1939 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | |
| – | J. Weldon Jones Acting High Commissioner | July 12, 1939 | October 28, 1939 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | |
| 3' | Francis Bowes Sayre Sr. | October 28, 1939 | October 12, 1942 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | |
| 4 | Harold L. Ickes | October 12, 1942 | September 14, 1945 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | |
| 4 | Harold L. Ickes | October 12, 1942 | September 14, 1945 | Harry S. Truman | |
| 5 | Paul V. McNutt | September 14, 1945 | July 4, 1946 | Harry S. Truman |
Japanese military governors (1942–45)
In December 1941, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was invaded by Imperial Japan as part of World War II. The next year, the Japanese sent a military governor to control the country during the wartime period, followed by the formal establishment of the puppet Second Philippine Republic under Jose P. Laurel.On September 2, 1945, the position of Governor-General of the Philippines was abolished. The Philippines' independence from the United States was proclaimed by the Treaty of Manila on July 4, 1946, installing Manuel Roxas as the fifth President of the Philippines and ushering in the Third Philippine Republic.
| No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | Emperor |
| 1 | Masaharu Homma | January 3, 1942 | June 8, 1942 | Hirohito | |
| 2 | Shizuichi Tanaka | June 8, 1942 | May 28, 1943 | Hirohito | |
| 3 | Shigenori Kuroda | May 28, 1943 | September 26, 1944 | Hirohito | |
| 4 | Tomoyuki Yamashita | September 26, 1944 | September 2, 1945 | Hirohito |
Vice-governors of the Philippines
On October 29, 1901, the position of Vice-Governor was created. The Vice-Governor was appointed by the President of the United States to act as the Governor-General in case of illness or temporary absence.| No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end |
| 1 | Luke Edward Wright | October 29, 1901 | January 31, 1904 | |
| 2 | Henry Clay Ide | February 1, 1904 | March 30, 1906 | |
| 3 | William Cameron Forbes | July 31, 1908 | November 10, 1909 | |
| 4 | Newton W. Gilbert | February 14, 1910 | November 30, 1913 | |
| 5 | Henderson S. Martin | December 1, 1913 | June 28, 1917 | |
| 6 | Charles Yeater | June 29, 1917 | January 25, 1922 | |
| 7 | Eugene Allen Gilmore | January 26, 1922 | June 20, 1930 | |
| – | Nicholas Roosevelt Ad interim | July 29, 1930 | September 24, 1930 | |
| 8 | George C. Butte | December 31, 1930 | June 30, 1932 | |
| 9 | John H. Holliday | August 13, 1932 | September 1, 1933 | |
| 10 | Joseph R. Hayden | November 7, 1933 | November 15, 1935 |
Timelines
1750–1800
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from:1750 till:1750 text:"Archbishop Juan Arrechederra " color:ESP
from:1750 till:1754 text:"Francisco José de Ovando y Solis, 1st Marquis of Ovando" color:ESP
from:1754 till:1759 text:"Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban" color:ESP
from:1759 till:1761 text:"Miguel Lino de Ezpeleta" color:ESP
from:1761 till:1762 text:"Archbishop Manuel Rojo del Río y Vieyra " color:ESP
from:1762 till:1764 text:"Simón de Anda y Salazar " color:ESP
from:1762 till:1764 text:"Dawsonne Drake" color:GBR
from:1764 till:1765 text:"Francisco Javier de la Torre" color:ESP
from:1765 till:1770 text:"José Antonio Raón y Gutiérrez" color:ESP
from:1770 till:1776 text:"Simón de Anda y Salazar" color:ESP
from:1776 till:1778 text:"Pedro Sarrió" color:ESP
from:1778 till:1787 text:"José Basco y Vargas" color:ESP
from:1787 till:1788 text:"Pedro Sarrió" color:ESP
from:1788 till:1793 text:"Félix Berenguer de Marquina" color:ESP
from:1793 till:1799 text:"Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León" color:ESP
1800–50
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from:01/01/1800 till:08/07/1806 text:"Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León" color:ESP
from:08/07/1806 till:03/04/1810 text:"Mariano Fernández de Folgueras" color:ESP
from:03/04/1810 till:09/14/1813 text:"Manuel González de Aguilar" color:ESP
from:09/04/1813 till:09/09/1816 text:"José de Gardoqui y Jarabeitia" color:ESP
from:09/09/1816 till:10/30/1822 text:"Mariano Fernández de Folgueras" color:ESP
from:10/30/1822 till:10/15/1825 text:"Juan Antonio Martínez" color:ESP
from:10/15/1825 till:12/23/1830 text:"Mariano Ricafort Palacín y Abarca" color:ESP
from:12/23/1830 till:03/01/1835 text:"Pascual Enrile y Alcedo" color:ESP
from:03/01/1835 till:04/23/1835 text:"Gabriel de Torres" color:ESP
from:04/23/1835 till:09/08/1835 text:"Joaquín de Crámer" color:ESP
from:09/08/1835 till:08/27/1837 text:"Pedro Antonio Salazar Castillo y Varona" color:ESP
from:08/27/1837 till:12/29/1838 text:"Andrés García Camba" color:ESP
from:12/29/1838 till:02/14/1841 text:"Luis Lardizábal" color:ESP
from:02/14/1841 till:06/17/1843 text:"Marcelino de Oraá Lecumberri" color:ESP
from:06/17/1843 till:07/16/1844 text:"Francisco de Paula Alcalá de la Torre" color:ESP
from:07/16/1844 till:12/26/1849 text:"Narciso Clavería y Zaldua" color:ESP
from:12/26/1849 till:12/31/1849 text:"Antonio María Blanco" color:ESP
1850–98
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from:07/29/1850 till:12/20/1853 text:"Antonio de Urbistondo y Eguía" color:ESP
from:12/20/1853 till:02/02/1854 text:"Ramón Montero y Blandino" color:ESP
from:02/02/1854 till:10/28/1854 text:"Manuel Pavía y Lacy" color:ESP
from:10/28/1854 till:11/20/1854 text:"Ramón Montero y Blandino" color:ESP
from:11/20/1854 till:12/05/1856 text:"Manuel Crespo y Cebrían" color:ESP
from:12/05/1856 till:03/09/1857 text:"Ramón Montero y Blandino" color:ESP
from:03/09/1857 till:01/12/1860 text:"Fernándo Norzagaray y Escudero" color:ESP
from:01/12/1860 till:08/29/1860 text:"Ramón María Solano y Llanderal" color:ESP
from:08/29/1860 till:02/02/1861 text:"Juan Herrera Dávila" color:ESP
from:02/02/1861 till:07/07/1862 text:"José Lemery e Ibarrola Ney y González" color:ESP
from:07/07/1862 till:07/09/1862 text:"Salvador Valdés" color:ESP
from:07/09/1862 till:03/24/1865 text:"Rafael de Echague y Bermingham" color:ESP
from:03/24/1865 till:04/25/1865 text:"Joaquín del Solar e Ibáñez" color:ESP
from:04/25/1865 till:07/13/1866 text:"Juan de Lara e Irigoyen" color:ESP
from:07/13/1866 till:09/21/1866 text:"José Laureano de Sanz y Posse" color:ESP
from:09/21/1866 till:09/27/1866 text:"Juan Antonio Osorio" color:ESP
from:09/27/1866 till:10/26/1866 text:"Joaquín del Solar e Ibáñez" color:ESP
from:10/26/1866 till:06/07/1869 text:"José de la Gándara y Navarro" color:ESP
from:06/07/1869 till:06/23/1869 text:"Manuel Maldonado" color:ESP
from:06/23/1869 till:04/04/1871 text:"Cárlos María de la Torre y Nava Cerrada" color:ESP
from:04/04/1871 till:01/08/1873 text:"Rafael de Izquierdo y Gutíerrez" color:ESP
from:01/08/1873 till:01/24/1873 text:"Manuel MacCrohon" color:ESP
from:01/24/1873 till:03/17/1874 text:"Juan Alminos y de Vivar" color:ESP
from:03/17/1874 till:06/18/1874 text:"Manuel Blanco Valderrama" color:ESP
from:06/18/1874 till:02/28/1877 text:"José Malcampo y Monje" color:ESP
from:02/28/1877 till:03/20/1880 text:"Domingo Moriones y Murillo" color:ESP
from:03/20/1880 till:04/15/1880 text:"Rafael Rodríguez Arias" color:ESP
from:04/15/1880 till:03/10/1883 text:"Fernando Primo de Rivera" color:ESP
from:03/10/1883 till:04/07/1883 text:"Emilio Molíns" color:ESP
from:04/07/1883 till:04/01/1885 text:"Joaquín Jovellar" color:ESP
from:04/01/1885 till:04/04/1885 text:"Emilio Molíns" color:ESP
from:04/04/1885 till:04/10/1888 text:"Emilio Terrero y Perinat" color:ESP
from:04/25/1888 till:06/04/1888 text:"Antonio Moltó" color:ESP
from:06/04/1888 till:06/05/1888 text:"Federico Lobatón" color:ESP
from:06/05/1888 till:11/17/1891 text:"Valeriano Weyler" color:ESP
from:11/17/1891 till:03/01/1893 text:"Eulogio Despujol" color:ESP
from:03/01/1893 till:05/04/1893 text:"Federico Ochando" color:ESP
from:05/04/1893 till:12/13/1896 text:"Ramón Blanco" color:ESP
from:12/13/1896 till:04/15/1897 text:"Camilo Polavieja" color:ESP
from:04/15/1897 till:04/23/1897 text:"José de Lachambre" color:ESP
from:04/23/1897 till:04/11/1898 text:"Fernando Primo de Rivera" color:ESP
from:04/11/1898 till:07/24/1898 text:"Basilio Augustín" color:ESP
from:07/24/1898 till:08/13/1898 text:"Fermín Jáudenes" color:esp
1898–1946
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bar:Merritt from:08/14/1898 till:08/28/1898 text:"Wesley Merritt" color:MIL
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bar:Yeater from:03/05/1921 till:10/14/1921 text:"Yeater" color:DEM
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bar:Gilmore from:08/07/1927 till:12/27/1927 text:" " color:REP
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