READING IN PHLIPPINE HISTORY

ANTONIO PIGAFETTA

- Italian scholar and explorer from the Republic of Venice

- Joined the Portuguese captain Ferdinand Magellan and his crew on their trip to the Maluka
island
- One of the 18 original crew of Magellan who completed the first circumnavigation of the
world

EMILIO AGUINALDO

- Born: March 22, 1869 in Cavite, Philippines

- Made his first foray into politics as Cavite’s capitan municipal on January 1, 1895 and joined
the Masons
- Died: February 6, 1964 in Quezon city, Philippines
- Between 1928 and 1946, he produced in long hand the first volume of his memoirs, “Mga
Gunita ng Himagsikan (1964)”
- March 7, 1895 – Santiago Alvarez encouraged Aguinaldo to join the “Katipunan”
- joined the organization and used the nom de guerre Magdalo, in honor of Mary Magdalene
and Aguinaldo's cousin Baldomero Aguinaldo was appointed leader.

BATTLE OF IMUS

- August 1896 – Aguinaldo marched from Kawit with 600 men and launched a series of
skirmishes at Imus which eventually ended in open hostilities against Spanish troops
stationed there.
- September 1, 1896 – With the aid of Captain Jose Tagle of Imus, they laid siege against Imus
Estate to draw the Spanish out.
- September 3, 1896 – Gen. Aguirre came back with 3,000 men and spanish troops were fired
at by the concealed rebels upon arriving Isabel II bridge. Almost all the Spaniards that were
sent there were trapped and annihilated, among them was Gen. Aguirre.

TWIN BATTLES OF BINAKAYAN-DALAHICAN

- Governor-General Ramón Blanco y Erenas ordered the 4th Battalion of Cazadores from
Spain to aid him in quelling the rebellion in Cavite.
- November 3, 1896 – The battalion arrived carrying a squadron of 1,328 men and some 55
officers. Apart from that, Blanco ordered about 144,000 men who recently came from Cuba
and Spain to join in suppressing the rebellion
- November 9, 1896 – Spanish forces laid simultaneous attacks on the two fortified rebel
strongholds with many Spaniards losing their lives.
 - The attack on Filipino positions by the Spaniards at Dalahican completely failed, suffering
more than 1,000 casualties in the process.
- By nightfall on November 11, the battle was over.

BATTLE OF ZAPOTE BRIDGE

- The newly appointed Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja decided to launch a two-

pronged assault to defeat the revolutionaries lead by Aguinaldo.
- February 15, 1897 - The Spaniards launched the powerful Cavite offensive to drive and crush
Filipino revolutionaries under General Emilio Aguinaldo and his Magdalo forces which held
numerous victories against the Spanish in the early stages of the revolution.
- February 17, 1897 – Aguinaldo ordered soldiers to plant dynamite along the bridge and
place pointed bamboo sticks in the river beds below the bridge.
- 12,000 Spaniards began to cross the bridge. The trap was sprung and the dynamite was
detonated, killing several Spanish troops and injuring many more
- Renewed and fully equipped with 100 cannons, 23,000 Spanish cazadores forces under
Major General Jose de Lachambre have seen town after town, falling back to the Crown.
- Starting the offensive at Pamplona, Cavite and Bayungyungan, Batangas Lachambre's men
would later march deep into the heart of Aguinaldo's home province.
- February 19, 1897 – Silang fell to the Spanish juggernaut despite attempts by Filipino forces
to defend and then later, recover it.
- February 28, 1897 – Spanish forces marched into Dasmariñas to reclaim the town.
- A week after at the Tejero's Convention, Emilio was voted in absentia as the president of
the reorganized revolutionary government.
- Colonel Vicente Riego de Dios was sent by the assembly to fetch Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo who
was in Pasong Santol
- March 1897 – A stalemated battle between the revolutionary army of Crispulo and the
Spanish forces, led by José de Lachambre, occurred in this trail.
- The Republic of the Philippines was proclaimed with Aguinaldo being elected as President,
Mariano Trias as Vice-President, Artemio Ricarte as Captain-General, Emiliano Riego de Dios
as the Director of War and Andres Bonifacio was elected Director of the Interior.
- accused the Magdalo faction of treason and issued orders contravening orders issued by the
Aguinaldo's faction.
- In April 1897, Aguinaldo ordered the arrest of Bonifacio on some information alleging
Bonifacio's involvement in some events at Indang.
- After the trials Andrés and his brother Procopio were ordered to be executed by firing squad
under the command of General Lazaro Macapagal on May 10, 1897 at Mount Buntis,
Maragondon, Cavite.
- Emilio Aguinaldo had opted to have the Bonifacio brothers immediately exiled rather than
have them executed
- In late May 1897, with good concealment of retreating soldiers, Aguinaldo, managed to
evade the Spanish to establish link up with Gen. Mamerto Natividad.
- General Manuel Tinio's revolutionary army in Nueva Ecija, decisively winning the Battle of
Aliaga, "The glorious Battle of the Rebellion", only a few weeks after the retreat.
- June 24, 1897 – Aguinaldo arrived at Biak-na-Bato in San Miguel, Bulacan and established a
headquarters there. (Located in Biak-na-Bato National Park in what is now known as
Aguinaldo Cave.)
- In late October 1897, Aguinaldo convened an assembly of generals at Biak-na-Bato, where it
was decided to establish a constitutional republic. A constitution patterned closely after the
Cuban Constitution was drawn up by Isabelo Artacho and Felix Ferrer.
- Aguinaldo was named president of the Supreme Council
- March 1897 – Fernando Primo de Rivera had been encouraging prominent Filipinos to
contact Aguinaldo for a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
- August 9, 1897 – Manila lawyer Pedro Paterno met with Aguinaldo at Biak-na-Bato with a
proposal for peace based on reforms and amnesty. In succeeding months, Paterno
conducted shuttle diplomacy, acting as an intermediary between de Rivera and Aguinaldo.
- December 14–15, 1897 – Aguinaldo signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, under which Aguinaldo
effectively agreed to end hostilities and dissolve his government in exchange for amnesty
and $800,000 as an indemnity.
- December 23, 1897 – Aguinaldo and other revolutionary officials departed for Hong Kong to
enter voluntary exile
- April 25, 1898 – the Spanish–American War began. While the war mostly focused on Cuba,
the United States Navy's Asiatic Squadron was in Hong Kong, and commanded by
Commodore George Dewey, it sailed for the Philippines.
- May 1, 1898 – In the Battle of Manila Bay, the squadron engaged and destroyed the Spanish
navy's Pacific Squadron and proceeded to blockade Manila.
- Dewey agreed to transport Aguinaldo from Hong Kong to the Philippines aboard the USS
McCulloch, which left Hong Kong with Aguinaldo on May 16 and arriving at Cavite on May
19. Aguinaldo promptly resumed command of revolutionary forces and besieged Manila
- May 24, 1898 – Aguinaldo issued a proclamation in which he assumed command of all
Philippine forces and established a dictatorial government with himself as dictator
- May 28, 1898 – Aguinaldo gathered a force of about 18,000 troops and fought against a
small garrison of Spanish troops in Alapan, Imus, Cavite. The battle lasted for five hours,
from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
- Aguinaldo unfurled the Philippine flag for the first time, and hoisted it at the Teatro
Caviteño in Cavite Nuevo (present-day Cavite City) in front of Filipino revolutionaries and
more than 300 captured Spanish troops.
- June 12, 1898 – Aguinaldo issued the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain
and on June 18, he issued a decree formally establishing his dictatorial government.
- June 23, 1898 – Aguinaldo issued a decree replacing his dictatorial government with a
revolutionary government, with himself as President.
  NATIONAL INSTITUTE (1997) DOCUMENTS OF THE 1898 DECLARATION OF PHILIPPINE
INDEPENDENCE, THE MALOLOS CONSTITUTION AND THE FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC
MANILA: NATIONAL HISTORICAL INSTITUTE (PROCLAMATION)

BIAK NA BATO

- June 24, 1897, Emilio Aguinaldo and his men arrived in Biak-na Bato, San Miguel de
Mayumo.
- November 01, 1897- Provisional Constitution of The Philippine Republic.
- November 01, 1897- Biak na bato was inaguarated.
- Pedro Paterno (mestizo) was sent to mediate.

THREE DOUMENTS

- PROGRAM OR TRUCE OF BIAK NA BATO, Nov. 18, 1897.

- -ACT OF AGREEMENT, Dec. 14, 1897.
- -QUESTION OF INDEMNITY, Dec. 15, 1897.

DECEMBER 25, 1897 AGUINALDO ARRIVED IN HONGKONG .

JANUARY 23, 1898 END OF HOSTILITIES BY SPANISH GOVERNMENT.

AMBROSIO RIANZARES BAUTISTA

- Born in Biñan, Laguna on December 7, 1830

- Finished his law degree at the University of Santo Tomas and practiced his profession in
Manila.
- acted as an adviser of Emilio Aguinaldo before Apolinario Mabini.

DOCUMENTS OF THE 1898 DECLARATION OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE.

DICTATORIAL GOVERNMENT

- Emilio Aguinaldo decided to establish a Filipino Government in the wake of his military
victories.
- Mariano Ponce prepared a draft for the establishment of Philippine Government.
- Consul Wildman advised Aguinaldo to establish a dictatorial government which could lead
later on as a republican government like United States.
- Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, Aguinaldo’s adviser told him to form a dictatorial
government.
- May 24, 1898 – Aguinaldo issued a decree to nullify the orders issued under the Biak-na-
Bato Republic and asserted that Dictatorial Government was temporary in nature.
DECLARATION OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE

- June 12, 1898 – proclamation of the independence of the Philippines at Cavite el Viejo
(Kawit)
- Philippine National Flag – made in Hongkong by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo and
Delfina Herboza.
- Julian Felipe – show his musical composition draft, Marcha Filipina Magdalo and eventually
changed to Marcha Nacional Filipina.
- Act of Declaration of Independence – prepared by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, signed by
98 people, however was promulgated on August 1.

REORGANIZATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

- Decree of June 18, 1898 – prepared by Apolinario Mabini which provides for the
reorganization of local government in those provinces already freed from Spanish control

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

- June 20, 1898 – outlined in a supplementary decree because of the complex problems
connected with the establishment of courts.

REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT

- May 24 to June 23, 1898 – the dictatorial government lasted only for a month 4 Depts.
Were created: (1) Department of Foreign Affairs, Navy and Commerce; (2) Department of
War and Public Works; (3) Department of Police and Internal Order, Justice, Education and
Hygiene; and (4) Department of Finance, Agriculture and Manufacturing Industry.
- July 15, 1898 – first cabinet appointments:
-
1. Baldomero Aguinaldo – Secretary of War and Public Works.
2. Leandro Ibarra – Secretary of Interior.
3. Mariano Trias – Secretary of Finance.
4. Apolinario Mabini – Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
September 28, 1898 – Aguinaldo increased the number of depts. To six: (1) Foreign Affairs,
War, Interior, Welfare, Justice and Treasury
THE MALOLOS CONSTITUTION

- The Malolos Congress

September 15, 1898 – Inaugurated at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan Made up of
85 members who belonged to the Filipino middle class.
- Elected officers were as follows:
-
1. President: Pedro Paterno
2. Vice-Pres.: Benito Legarda
3. First Secretary: Gregorio Araneta
4. Second Secretary: Pablo Ocampo

MOST IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE MALOLOS CONGRESS:

1. Ratification on September 29 of the independence proclamation previously held at Kawit.

2. Promulgation of an act that authorized the government to issue paper money and a local loan of
20 million pesos.

3. Passage of the Public Instruction Act which regulated all schools with primary, secondary and
tertiary levels.

4. Establishment of the Universidad Literaria de Filipinas in Tarlac and the Military Academy in
Manila.

5. Enactment of the Constitution of the first Philippine Republic.

THE MALOLOS CONSTITUTION

- Is the first important Filipino document ever produced by the people’s representatives.
- Apolinario Mabini envisioned the Congress to be an advisory body of the President. But his
idea was contradicted by the Congress.
- Felipe Calderon’s plan won over the Congress which extracted from the constitutions from
Mexico, Guatemala, Belgium, Costa Rica, Brazil and France.
- October 25, 1898 - Modifications of Calderon’s draft were submitted for deliberation by the
law-making body.
- Finally, the Malolos Constitution was fully completed where the amended provision of
Article 5 states that:
- “The state recognizes the freedom and equality of all religions, as well as the separation of
the ‘Church’ and ‘State’.
- The legislative powers were exercised by the Assembly of Representatives composed of
delegates elected according to the law.
- January 2, 1899 – Aguinaldo formed his cabinet with Apolinario Mabini given the highest
position.
- January 21, 1899 – The day the Malolos Constitution was promulgated.
MALOLOS CONSTITUTION’S SALIENT FEATURES WERE AS FOLLOWS:

- Ideals of a popular, representative and responsible democratic government with 3 distinct

branches: (1) the executive, (2) legislative and (3) the judicial.
- Bill of Rights that guaranteed the rights of the people.
- The Assembly of Representatives composed of members elected was mandated by the law
to act as the legislative body.
- The power to elect the President of the Republic was vested on the Assembly.
- A Permanent Commission was created to function as a lawmaking body when Congress was
not in session
- The President of the Republic was vested with the executive power .
- The cabinet members who were appointed by the President are liable not to him but to the
Assembly.
- The Supreme Court and inferior courts were vested with the judicial power.
- The Assembly with the concurrence of the President and the Cabinet was mandated by law
to elect the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

THE FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC

- The Philippine Republic

- January 21, 1899 – Aguinaldo promulgated the Constitution. Earlier on January 2, he formed
his Cabinet as follows:
- APOLINARIO MABINI – President of the Cabinet/Secretary of Foreign Affairs
- BALDOMERO AGUINALDO – Secretary of War
- TEODORO SANDICO – Secretary of Interior
- MARIANO TRIAS – Secretary of Finance
- GRACIO GONZAGA – Secretary of Welfare
- January 23, 1899 – the Philippine Republic was inaugurated at Malolos.
- The enactment of the following decrees:
- All Spanish prisoners of war were granted pardon.
- All foreigners including Spaniards were granted the right to engage in business of the
country.

DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITIES

- Aguinaldo created diplomatic positions to persuade the foreign countries for the recognition
of Philippine Independence.
- June 24 and August 10, 1898 – Aguinaldo issued two decrees providing for the
establishment of the Hongkong Junta whose members were to represent the Philippines in
different countries.
- Aguinaldo created diplomatic positions to persuade the foreign countries for the recognition
of Philippine Independence.
 - June 24 and August 10, 1898 – Aguinaldo issued two decrees providing for the
establishment of the Hongkong Junta whose members were to represent the Philippines in
different countries.

REVOLUTIONARY PERIODICALS

Printed materials were utilized to disseminate information heralding the birth of the first
Philippine Republic. The most popular revolutionary periodicals were as follows:

- El Heraldo de la Revolucion (The Herald of Revolucion

- La Independencia (The Indepence)
- La Republica Filipina (The Philippine Republic)
- La Libertad (Liberty)
- El Pueblo (The People)

EDUCATION

- August 29, 1898, the Secretary of Interior ordered the provincial governors to reestablish
the schools that had been abandoned before.
- 35,000 pesos – the amount alloted by Aguinaldo as budget for 1899

THE TREATY OF PARIS

- and the United States held in Paris

- December 10, 1898 – the Treaty of Paris was signed
- $20,000,000 – the amount that Spain received from United States as payments for
improvements made in colony
- The Treaty of Paris did not go into effect until after the American Senate had ratified it.
- The American propaganda won and thereafter the Philippines became the territory of
United States

PRESIDENT CORAZON AQUINO’S SPEECH BEFORE THE U.S CONGRESS

- Teodoro "Teddy Boy" López Locsin Jr. (Writter of the Speech)

- born November 15, 1948)
- is a Filipino politician, diplomat, lawyer, and former journalist
- served as congressman for the 1st District of Makati from 2001 to 2010
- Time written:
April – September
- Time delivered:
September 18, 1986