Question: who became the first governor-general of the philippines
Answer: Governor - General of the Philippines Residence Fort San Pedro ( 1565 -- 1572 ) Palacio del Gobernador ( 1572 -- 1863 ) Malacañang Palace ( 1863 -- 1945 ) Mansion House ( 1942 -- 1945 ) Appointer Viceroy of New Spain Monarch of Spain Monarch of Great Britain President of the United States Emperor of Japan Precursor Various , the barangay system Formation 27 April 1565 First holder Miguel López de Legazpi ( under Spain ) Dawsonne Drake ( under Great Britain ) Wesley Merritt ( under the United States ) Masaharu Homma ( under Japan ) Final holder Diego de los Ríos ( under Spain ) Dawsonne Drake ( under Great Britain ) Frank Murphy ( under the United States ) Tomoyuki Yamashita ( under Japan ) Abolished 6 October 1945 Succession President of the Philippines