Polo y servicio

Polo y servicio was the forced labor system without compensation[1] imposed upon the local population in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.

[7] Polo y servicio was imposed on the local indigenous male population in the Philippines since the late sixteenth century.

[8] To support with the city reconstruction, a decree was promulgated to expand the polo y servicio, called prestación personal at that time, to Spaniards 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 with working on churches, government buildings, and roads.

[7] It was also a source for government revenue as males who evaded polo y servicio had to pay the falla, amounting to 1½ reales per day.

[26] The Propaganda Movement was consisted of several prominent Filipinos, such as José Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and Marcelo del Pilar.