Document:

“The Katipunan and the Revolution”

(Ang Katipunan at ang Himagsikan)
by Gen. Santiago V. Alvarez
 Presented by:
HISTORY (ENGLISH) GROUP 2

Andrecio, Edward L.
Erivera, Anna Marie P.
Miranda, Mauro S.
Silva, Pol L.
Victa, Ma. Socorro D.
1. Background of the Author
Santiago, Alvarez y Virata
Nickname: “ Apoy “
- One of the most valiant generals of the
revolution.
- A revolutionary general and a founder
and honorary president of the first
directorate of the Nacionalista Party.
- Also known as Kidlat ng Apoy (En: Lightning of
Fire; Fiery Lightning) because of his inflamed
bravery and dedication as commander
of Cavite's famous battles (particularly that in
Dalahican).
 Santiago, Alvarez y Virata
- celebrated in present-day Cavite City as the
Hero of the Battle of Dalahican.
- the only child of revolutionary Gen. Mariano
Alvarez (1818–1924) and Nicolasa Virata.
- He enrolled at the University of Santo
Tomas but later transferred to the Colegio de
San Juan de Letran where he obtained a
Bachelor of Arts. He then took up law at the
Liceo de Manila.
- He organized the Makabuhay Association in
1912 which aimed for mutual assistance and
2. Historical Background of the
Document
 Title and Author
•“The Katipunan and the Revolution:
Memoirs of a General”

Written by Santiago V. Alvarez

» Revolutionary general of the Katipunan
» A founder and honorary president of the first directorate
of the Nacionalista Party
» Hero of the Battle of Dalahican
• The memoirs are
reproduced in this
volume together
with the English
translation by
Paula Carolina
Malay (1992).
 Historical Background
•The Tagalog text of Gen. Alvarez’s memoirs was serialized in 36
installments, from July 24, 1927 to April 15, 1928, in the Tagalog weekly,
Sampaguita.

Sampaguita Magazine was mentioned in several publications:

1. Introduction to Modern Filipino Literature (1974)
by Epifanio San Juan
2. Bibliography of Filipino Novels, 1901-2000 (2010)
by Patricia May B. Jurilla
3. Southeast Asian Cartoon Art: History, Trends and Problems (2014)
edited by John A. Lent
4. Asian Comics (2015)
by John A. Lent
• Alvarez’ memoirs were based on:
–notes he kept about the events of the Revolution;
and,
–the records which were entrusted to him by “the
original founders of the Katipunan” (p.4).

Thus, he was not only an eyewitness but also an

active participant of the events he narrated in this
work.

10
•When he wrote his memoirs in 1927, Alvarez was
already 55 years old.

•He felt compelled to write them so “I could shed

more light on the different facets of the
Revolution,… in the interest of the honorable
truth…” (pp. 3, 4).

•The memoirs begin on March 14, 1896, when he

accompanied Emilio Aguinaldo and Raymundo
Mata, both fellow Cavitenos, to Manila for their
initiation into the Katipunan by Andres Bonifacio
himself.
No. 3. Content Presentation and
Analysis of the Important
Historical Information Found in
the Document.
 Thoughts to ponder

This meeting, which was originally scheduled

on 24 March 1897, was postponed for the
next day because of the death of Lt. Gen.
Crispulo Aguinaldo, General Emilio Aguinaldo’s
brother, on that day in the Battle of Salitran.
(Page 82, line 12)
 Points of Analysis
• 1. The meeting is called the Tejeros
Convention.
• 2. The meeting should have been done on 24
March 1897 but was postponed.
• 3. The meeting happened on 25 March 1897.
• 4. Lt. Gen. Crispulo Aguinaldo died in the
Battle of Salitran.
 Possible Questions
•1. Why hold the meeting in Tejeros?
•2. Who were the attendees of the meeting?
•3. Why was Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo not in the
meeting?
•4. Why
March 25, 1897?
 Thoughts to ponder
It must be mentioned that, before the assembly
was convened, Secretary of War Ariston
Villanueva of the Magdiwang Council received
confidential information that Mr. Daniel Tirona
of the Magdalo faction was set to undermine
the proceedings of the assembly and that he
had already succeeded in enjoining many
among the Magdiwang leaders to ally with him.
Secretary Villanueva kept silent, but
nevertheless alerted Captain General Apoy, who
 Points of Analysis
• 1. Confidential
information was
received by Secretary
of War Ariston
Villanueva about Daniel
Tirona’s actions.
• 2. Villanueva alerted
Daniel Tirona
Gen. Apoy.
• 3. Many of the
Magdiwang leaders
 Possible Questions
• 1. Where did the information come from?
• 2. How did Gen. Santiago Alvarez get that
information?
• 3. Why Daniel Tirona?
 Thoughts to ponder
After Chairman Lumbreras had declared the
assembly open, he announced the main topic
of discussion, which was how to bolster the
defenses in the areas still under Magdiwang
control. Presently, Mr. Severino de las Alas
rose to speak, and when he was recognized he
said… (see page 83, 3rd paragraph)
 Points of Analysis
• 1. The main objective of the meeting was to
bolster the defenses in the areas still under
Magdiwang control.
• 2. Mr. De las Alas said to tackle a major issue
such as what kind of government should be
established.
• 3. Chairman Lumbreras replied, “the
Katipunan holds authority over the islands. It
has a government of law and a definite
program.
 Possible Questions
• 1. Why did the Magdiwang defenses need to
be strengthened?
• 2. Why was there a need to establish a new
government?
• 3. Who proposed that there should be a new
government?
• 4. Why was there a conflict between the
Magdalo and the Magdiwang?
 Thoughts to ponder

The presiding officer, Mr. Lumbreras,

refused to resume his role of chairman.
He wanted to yield the chair to the
Supremo whom he thought to be the
rightful chairman. (page 84, last paragraph)
 Points of Analysis
• 1. Mr. Lumbreras was the chair of the Convention.
• 2. He relinquished his chairmanship to Supremo.
 Possible Questions

•1. Why did Mr.

Lumbreras relinquish
his position as
Chairman of the
Tejeros Convention?
 Thoughts to ponder
In my capacity as “President-supremo” of the
Most Venerable Katipunan of the Sons of the
People, I agree and sympathize with your
aspirations. But I wish to remind you that we
should respect all decisions properly discussed
and approved in all our meetings. We should
respect and abide by the wishes of the majority.
(page 85, line 13)
 Points of Analysis
• 1. The election pushed through.
• 2. Bonifacio, the President-supremo, reminded all
to respect the results of the election.
 Thoughts to ponder
When the ballots had been collected and the
votes were ready to be canvassed, Mr. Diego
Mojica, the Magdiwang secretary of the
treasury, warned the Supremo that many
ballots distributed were already filled out and
that the voters had done this themselves. The
Supremo ignored this remark. (Page 85, 5th
paragraph)
 Thoughts to ponder

Mr. Andres Bonifacio, the Supremo, won

over Mr. Mariano Alvarez. The crowd broke
into shouts of “Mabuhay!”. Mr Daniel
Tirona requested for a restoration of order
and then spoke aloud… (continue to pg 86,
2nd paragraph)
 Points of Analysis
• 1. Bonifacio won as Director of the Interior
and praised by the participants.
• 2. Daniel Tirona questioned this and
suggested a Magdalo member for the position.
• 3. Bonifacio pulled out his revolver and took
aim.
• 4. Aguinaldo requested Tirona to apologize
but Tirona slipped away.
 Possible Questions
• 1. Why did Daniel Tirona question Bonifacio’s
eligibility for the position?
• 2. Who was Daniel Tirona?
 Thoughts to ponder

Mr. Baldomero Aguinaldo, the Magdalo

president, did not leave San Francisco de
Malabon that night, in order to convince the
Magdiwang leaders to reconvene the
disrupted meeting the following day. They
agreed to his proposal ….. (Continue reading
to pg 87, line 7)
 Points of Analysis
• 1. Baldomero
Aguinaldo was the
Magdalo President
• 2. He convinced the
Magdiwang to attend
another meeting
scheduled the next
day, March 26, 1897.
Baldomero Aguinaldo
 Possible Questions
•1. Who was the
Magdiwang President?
•2. Why did Gen.
Baldomero Aguinaldo
convince the Magdiwang
to attend another meeting
which he himself did not
attend?
Gen. Mariano M. Alvarez
 Thoughts to ponder
The next morning, 27 March 1897,
eyewitnesses who had spied on the
proceedings revealed that, indeed, a
meeting had taken place at the Tanza
parish house and that the Supremo’s
decisions regarding the election at the friar
estate house were not respected. (pg 87,
paragraph 5)
 Points of Analysis
• 1. A meeting was held on March 26, 1897 at
the Tanza Parish House.
• 2. The decision of the Supremo was not
respected.
• 3. Those elected at the Tejeros Convention
knelt before a crucifix.
 Possible Questions

• 1. What was the meeting all about?

• 2. Why in the Tanza Parish House?
• 3. Who were the attendees of the
meeting?
 4. Contribution and Relevance of the
Document in Understanding the Grand
Narrative of Philippine History
• 1. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo as first president of
the Philippine revolutionary government
• 2. Unresolved conflict between Bonifacio and
Aguinaldo leading to the controversial death
of the former
• 3. The power of "partitocracy" as shown
primarily by Magdalo and also Magdiwang
• 4. The reality of power struggle between
Magdiwang and Magdalo
• 5. The great defense of the Philippine
revolutionists against Spain

Wall art:

“Fusion Dance
ng Magdiwang
at Magdalo
Rangers”
5. Relevance of the Document
The events in the Tejeros Convention
were meant to settle the issue on the very
first president of our nation – an issue of
the presidency. This question of
leadership ironically became a revelation
of the true colors of our leaders and a
mere protection of group interests.
 Was the election “personality”-
based or “issue” – based ?
• We could sense the character of the Supremo
– he was willing to accept defeat in the first
two top and key positions.
• -willing to accept defeat in the elections in the
first 2 key positions
• - interest in reconciling with the Magdalo by
coming to the twice scheduled reconvention
set by
• Aguinaldo, the valiant warrior of Magdalo,
sacrificed his presence in the elections to
• The bickering of the attendees (supposed to
be Cabinet members) was a battle of
“personalities” not “principles, ” guiding
principles to attain independence and love of
country
• We can say that Magdiwang, a representative
of the Katipunan and well–renowned in the
country, was not considered. Geographically,
the Magdalo, a representative of the “Cavite
Republic,” an inch near Manila, became the
seat of the central government.
 Reality Check in the Tejeros
Convention
• 1. Election is affected by political color.
• 2. Elections in the Philippines is “personality –
based,” which is supposed to be issue
oriented.
• 3. What happened in the Tejeros Convention
has set a pattern in the Philippine electorate.