Political history of the Philippines Aspect of history surrounding the Philippines' politics Early polities in what is now the  Philippines  were small entities known as  barangays , although some larger states were established following the arrival of Hinduism and Islam through regional trade networks. The  arrival of Spanish settlers  began a period of Spanish expansion which led to the creation of the  Captaincy General of the Philippines , governed out of  Manila . While technically part of  New Spain , the Philippines functioned mostly autonomously. The reliance on native leaders to help govern led to the creation of an elite class known as the  principalia . Spanish control was never firmly established over much of its claimed territory, with some inland and Islamic regions remaining effectively independent. Emilio Aguinaldo , who led the  Philippine Revolution  against Spain, and  Manuel L. Quezon , President of the autonomous  Commonwealth of the Philippines  under the Unit