In the few Spanish towns in the islands the local government was similar to that which prevailed in America, which in turn was derived from Spain.  That of Manila may be taken as an example.  The corporation, El Cabildo (chapter) consisted of two ordinary alcaldes, eight regidores, a registrar, and a constable.  The alcaldes were justices, and were elected annually from the householders by the corporation.  The regidores were aldermen and with the registrar and constable held office permanently as a proprietary right.  These permanent positions in the cabildo could be bought and sold or inherited. [72]

Turning now to the ecclesiastical administration, we find there the real vital organs of the Philippine governmental system.  To the modern eye the islands would have seemed, as they did to the French scientist Le Gentil, priest-ridden.  Yet it was only through the Friars that Spain retained her hold at all. [73] A corrupt civil service and a futile and decrepit commercial system were through their efforts rendered relatively harmless, because circumscribed in their effects.  The continuous fatherly interest of the clergy more than counterbalanced the burden of the tribute. [74] They supervised the tilling of the soil, as well as the religious life of the people; and it was through them that the works of education and charity were administered. [75]

The head of the ecclesiastical system was the Archbishop of Manila, who in a certain sense was the Patriarch of the Indies. [76] The other high ecclesiastical digntaries were the three bishops of Cebu, of Segovia in Cagayan, and of Cazeres in Camarines; and the provincials of the four great orders of friars, the Dominicans, Augustinians, the Franciscans, the barefooted Augustinians, and the Jesuits. [77] In the earlier days the regular clergy (members of the orders) greatly outnumbered the seculars, and refused to acknowledge that they were subject to the visitation of bishop or archbishop.  This contention gave rise, at times, to violent struggles.  During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the proportionate number of seculars increased.  In 1750 the total number of parishes was 569, of which 142, embracing 147,269 persons, were under secular priests.  The numbers in charge of the orders were as follows: 

Villages. 	Souls. 
Augustinians,			115		252,963
Franciscans,			 63		141,193
Jesuits,				 93		209,527
Dominicans,				 51		 99,780
Recollects,				105		 53,384

making a total of 569 parishes and 904,116 souls. [78]

These proportions, however, fail to give a correct idea of the enormous preponderance of the religious orders; for the secular priests were mostly Indians and could exercise nothing like the influence of the Friars upon their cures. [79]