Maura Law

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The Maura Law was a law that laid the basic foundations for municipal government in the Philippines. It is named after its author, Don Antonio Maura, the Spanish Minister of Colonies at the time. It was promulgated on May 19, 1893, and put into effect starting in 1895. The law's preamble stated that the law was intended to "... insure to the natives, in the future, whenever it may ba possible, the necessary land for cultivation, in accordance with traditional usages." Article 4, however, provides that "... title to all agricultural lands which were capable of adjustment under the Royal decree of ... 1880, but the adjustment of which has not been sought at the time of promulgation of this decree ... will revert to the State. Any claim to such lands by those who might have applied for adjustment of the same but have not done so at the above-mentioned date, will not avail themselves in any way nor at any time." Those who had pending applications for titles were given one year to secure their documentation. No extensions were made, and any paper titles issued after April 17, 1895]] were deemed to have no force and effect.^[1]

The Maura Law established tribunales, municipales and juntas provinciales, and these foundations laid by the Maura Law were later adopted, revised, and strengthened by the American and Filipino governments that succeeded Spanish rule in the country.