Basco's Economic Plan

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org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Basco_y_Vargas
accessed September 24, 2016
Jos Basco y Vargas

Jos Basco y Vargas, 1st Count of the Conquest of Batanes
Islands (Spanish: Jos Basco y Vargas, primer conde de la conquista de las
islas Batanes (17331805) was a naval officer of the Spanish navy who served
as the 53rd governor of thePhilippines under the Spanish Empire, from 1778 to
1787. He was one of the most economic minded governors-general that served
in Spanish ruled Philippines.
Governor General of the Philippines[edit]
He established the Sociedad Econmica de los Amigos del Pas, or
the Economic Society of Friends of the Country, which revived
the tobacco industry in the Philippines. He established the bases for the takeoff
of the agriculture of Philippine export with a tolerance policy towards the,
theoretically illegal, activity of the foreign retailers, mainly English and North
American who went to Manila to complete their product shipments. He also made
the colony independent, by freeing it from the control of New Spain, which is
today part of Mexico and other Pacific Islands including Philippines.
In 1782, Basco sent an expedition to undertake the formalities of acquiring the
consent of the Ivatans to become subjects of the king of Spain. On June 26,
1783, Joseph Huelva y Melgarjo became the first governor of Batanes. The new
province was named Provincia de la Concepcion and Governor General Basco
was named Conde de la Conquista de Batanes and the capital town,Basco,
was named after him.[1] By January 21, 1789, King Carlos III granted in prize to
his numerous services the title of Count of Conquista of the Batanes Islands;
grace to which he added to the appointments of Squad leader and Governor of
Cartagena.[2]Basco was replaced by Pedro de Sarrio on November 22, 1787.
The Galleon Trade

http://www.philippine-history.org/galleon-trade.htm
accessed September 24, 2016
When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, our ancestors were already trading with China,
Japan, Siam, India, Cambodia, Borneo and the Moluccas. The Spanish government
continued trade relations with these countries, and the Manila became the center of
commerce in the East. The Spaniards closed the ports of Manila to all countries except
Mexico. Thus, the ManilaAcapulco Trade, better known as the "Galleon Trade" was born.
The Galleon Trade was a government monopoly. Only two galleons were used: One sailed
from Acapulco to Manila with some 500,000 pesos worth of goods, spending 120 days at
sea; the other sailed from Manila to Acapulco with some 250,000 pesos worth of goods
spending 90 days at sea.
It also allowed modern, liberal ideas to enter the country, eventually
inspiring the movement for independence from Spain. And because
the Spaniards were so engrossed in making profits from the Galleon
Trade, they hardly had any time to further exploit our natural
resources.
Bascos Reforms
Filipino farmers and traders finally had a taste of prosperity when
Governor General Jose Basco y Vargas instituted reforms intended to
free the economy from its dependence on Chinese and Mexican
trade. Basco implemented a general economic plan aimed at
making the Philippines self sufficient. He established the Economic
Society of Friends of the Country, which gave incentives to farmers for planting cotton,
spices, and sugarcane; encouraged miners to extract gold, silver, tin, and copper; and
rewarded investors for scientific discoveries they made.
Tobacco Monopoly
The tobacco industry was placed under government control during the administration of
Governor General Basco. In 1781, a tobacco monopoly was implemented in the Cagayan
Valley, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Isabela, Abra, Nueva Ecija, and Marinduque. Each
of these provinces planted nothing but tobacco and sold their harvest only to the
government at a pre-designated price, leaving little for the farmers. No other province
was allowed to plant tobacco. The government exported the tobacco to other countries and
also part of it to the cigarette factories in Manila.
The tobacco monopoly successfully raised revenues for the colonial government and made
Philippine tobacco famous all over Asia. Continue to Secularization of Priests During the
Spanish Period.

Basco's Economic Plan

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https://en.wikipedia.

Jos Basco y Vargas

The Galleon Trade

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