How Long Could the Spanish Hold Out in Cuba and the Philippines

I just finished reading Evan Thomas' "The War Lovers" and in the book he said that it was unlikely that the Cubans and Philippinos could have defeated Spain without foreign assistance because of the Spanish Navy. Granted the Spanish Navy wasn't exactly the best at the time, it still beat the non-existent Cuban and Phillippine navies. I don't personally agree with that but I do think it would take them a good deal longer to defeat the Spanish without foreign aid, especially because the areas the Spanish still held could be re-enforced and resupplied by sea.

So how long do you think the Spanish could have held on to the Philippines and Cuba without foreign intervention on behalf of the natives?
 
As long as they wanted. If Madrid addressed the autonomy issues early on (which shouldn't be hard to do with people like Joan Prim, who actually spent time in Puerto Rico), then Cuba and Puerto Rico would be Spain's as long as Spain wanted. Also kudos for a surviving First Republic which keeps Cuba and Puerto Rico.
 
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