ACTA DE LA PROCLAMACION DE LA

INDEPENDENCIA DEL PUEBLO

FILIPINO
Historical Context

- the first phase of the Philippine Revolution ended in a stalemate

between Spaniards and the Filipino rebels

- In December 1897, a truce was declared between the two forces

with the Filipino leaders led by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, (Pact of
Biak na Bato)agreeing to be exiled to Hongkong while the
Spaniards paid an indemnity for the damages caused as a result
of the conflict (800,000 Mexican Pesos )

- But lasted only for only two months before it collapsed

- The renewed conflict would have been disastrous for the
Filipinos if not for deteriorating diplomatic relations between
Spain and the United States

- Spanish-American War of 1898, American defeated Spanish in

the Battle of Manila Bay (May 1, 1898) headed by Commodore
George Dewey

- Even before the outbreak of the war or the Battle of Manila Bay,
Aguinaldo had already been meeting with the Americans in
Singapore
- Aguinaldo talked with consul E. Spencer Pratt regarding US-
Filipino collaboration against the Spaniards

- Remained in Hongkong and met with the American consul

general Rounseville Wildman, paid him P117,000 to purchase
rifles and ammunition

- A first shipment worth P50,000 was made but the other half was
never delivered
- On May 19, 1898, Aguinaldo finally returned to the Philippines
on board the U.S. cruiser McCulloch

- Aguinaldo conferred with Dewey on Philippine conditions and

was supplied with arms captured from the Spaniards

- Aguinaldo announced the resumption of the revolution, Filipino

flocked to the province and join the army, and by the end of
May, Aguinaldo was in command of an army of 12,000 troops
- Thus the beginning of the second phase of the revolution

- On May 28, the Filipino forces won their first victory in Alapan,
Imus. The newly-made Filipino flag was hoisted in Alapan then
later unfurled at the Teatro Caviteño in Cavite Nuevo (now
Cavite City)in front of the Filipinos and captured Spanish
soldiers

- Earlier, on May 24, Aguinaldo announced the creation of

dictatorial government, the formation of this type of rule was
necessity when the growing nation needed a strong leader
- He emphasized that the dictatorship was only temporary as it
would be prelude to the establishment of a republican form of
government

- On June 12, 1898, Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence

from Spanish rule at a ceremony in his house in Kawit, Cavite.

- The event saw the unfurling of the Flag of the Philippines, made
in Hong Kong by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and
Delfina Herboza
- The Act of the Declaration of Independence was prepared,
written, and read by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista in Spanish.
The Declaration was latter signed by 177 people, among them a
United States Army officer who witnessed the proclamation

- Filipino composer Julian Felipe was tasked to arrange the

instrumental composition under the orders of late President
Emilio Aguinaldo, which was entitled Marcha Filipina-
Magdalo. The musical piece is said to be based on Spain’s
National anthem Marcha Real and France’s Le Marseillaise and
was renamed as Marcha Nacional Filipina.
- For more than a year, the anthem remained without words. Towards the
end of August 1899, a young poet-soldier named Jose Palma(younger
brother of Dr. Rafael Palma) wrote the poem entitled Filipinas. This poem
expressed in elegant Spanish verses the ardent patriotism and fighting
spirit of the Filipino people. It became the words of the anthem. At last
the national anthem was complete -- with music and words.

- 1898 : National Anthem Melody : Marcha Nacional Filipina

- 1899 : National Anthem in Spanish : Filipinas
- 1934 : National Anthem in English : The Philippine Hymn
- 1956 : National Anthem in Filipino: Lupang Hinirang
About the Author

Although the actual of the proclamation was Ambrosio Rianzares

Bautista, the initiator of Philippine independence that led to the making of
proclamation was Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo

- Emilio Aguinaldo Y Famy was born March 22, 1869 in Cavite el Viejo
(Kawit, Cavite), the second to the youngest of eight of Carlos
Aguinaldo and Trinidad Famy

- A wealthy and influential family with Carlos as goberndorcillo for

several times. following his father’s death in 1883, Emilio assisted his
mother in the family business
- Followed his father’s footsteps and was chosen capitan municipal of
Kawit in 1884

- Joined the Katipunan choosing the name Magdalo, a name that was
also given to another branch of the Katipunan, which he set up in his
province

- When the revolution began in 1896, the Katipunan in Cavite succeeded

in driving away the Spaniard. But territorial and logistical problems
occurred.

- With Bonifacio’s intervention it only worsened the situation and the

only solution was to create a revolutionary government
- Elections for pamahalaang panghihimagsik were held in Barrio
Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon (now Gen. Trias) on March
22,1897(Tejeros Convention)

- Aguinaldo was elected as President with Mariano Trias (Vice-

President), Artemio Ricarte (Captain General), Emiliano Riego de Dios
(Director of War), Andres Bonifacio (Director of Interior)

- It was disrupted following a protest over Bonifacio’s educational

attainment for such position.

- Bonifacio angrily declared the result of elections null and void and
walked out
- The Magdalo’s considered the election binding and new government
was founded

- When Bonifacio tried to put up his own government with an armed

group, he was arrested and tried for sedition

- Found guilty, the supremo and his brother Procopio were executed on
May 10, 1897

- The internal dissent caused by Bonifacio’s death weakend the

Katipunan further

- The Spaniards regained Cavite and Aguinaldo was forced to retreat to

the mountains of Biak na Bato
- In January of the following year, dressed in a white suit at Barasoain
Church in Malolos City, Aguinaldo was sworn in as the first president
of the new, self-governed Philippine republic.

- The United States, however, was not eager to accept the Philippines'
new government. While the United States and Spain had been fighting
the Spanish-American War, the Philippines had been ceded by Spain to
the United States in the Treaty of Paris in December 1898.
- After three years at war, Aguinaldo was captured by American General
Frederick Funston on March 23, 1901. After swearing an oath of
allegiance to the United States, on April 19, 1901, Aguinaldo officially
declared peace with the United States.

- By this time, the United States was ready to support limited Philippine
independence. It wasn't until 1946 that the Philippines would have
absolute control of its own sovereignty.
- Aguinaldo retreated to a private life as a farmer but never forgot the
men who fought alongside him. In their honor, he would later establish
the Veterans of the Revolution, an organization that arranged their
pensions, as well as affordable payment plans for land purchases.

- Aguinaldo took another stab at politics when he ran for presidency in

1935 against Manuel Quezon but lost. In 1950 he became a
presidential advisor on the Council of State.
- Aguinaldo died of a heart attack at Veterans Memorial Hospital in
Quezon City, Philippines, on February 6, 1964, at the age of 94. His
private land and mansion, which he had donated the prior year,
continue to serve as a shrine to both the revolution for Philippine
independence and the revolutionary himself.
About the Text

- on June 10, 1896, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo issued a one-sentence

decree appointing his Auditor General of War, Ambrosio Rianzares
Bautista, as a “special commissioner” to write the Act of the Declaration
of Independence.

- a sixteen-page document that contained the aspirations of freedom

from Spanish rule

- a text of this document was read in Kawit in the celebration of

Declaration of Independence
 - copies were made and distributed, however there was problem in
determining how many witnesses really signed the declaration

- the copies classified under Philippine Revolutionary Papers (PRP) in

the National Library had varying numbers

- later research by historian-writer Jim Richardson placed the total

number of signees at 177
Relevance

- the declaration is that sole document that proves the value Filipino
place on their freedom

- at present it has been questioned especially in relation to our dealings

with United States

- it must be understood that the independence we attained in 1898 was

freedom that was fought for with the lives of Filipinos

- however, is something we might have failed to achieve and protect

properly. It in this context that the Acta must be studied again.
Context Analysis Questions

1.According to the declaration, how did the Spanish

colonization begin?

2.Who were the inspirations of the revolution?

3.What role did the Americans play in the narrative?

4.Give at least 3 highlights of the declaration