ABSTRACT
CITIES developed in the Philippines as a phenomenon of the Hispanic colonial order, not from the generative processes of the indigenous societies. Even so, Philippine cities of the early twentieth century were compound products of a series of colonial innovations, some short-lived, others still reflected in basic urban patterns. This essay examines the growth, hierarchy, and changing nature of the principal Philippine settlements during the long period of Spanish rule (1565-1898). It attempts to provide the necessary background for understanding these cides and towns as they emerged into the modern era.
