Module 5.

4: The Revolution: First Phase

Rizal and the Revolution

An important meeting held on 3 May 1896 concluded with a plan to rescue Rizal from Dapitan
to lead the revolution.  This task was assigned to Dr. Pio Valenzuela by Bonifacio, who had known
Rizal during the Liga days.  Unfortunately, Rizal expressed his opposition to the idea of launching an
unprepared revolution against a strong nation protected by well-armed defense force, he pointed out
that a revolution without suffiecient arms should not be started against an armed nation. In the end,
he suggested that if the revolution is inevitable, the revolutionary members should seek the help of
the rich and influential people to convince them to support the cause of the revolution. Knowing that
the society had no competent military leadership, he suggested that the service of Antonio Luna be
secured by the organization as to be he direct all military operations against the enemy because of his
military expertise and affiliation with rich and influential Filipinos.

After the talk of Valenzuela and Rizal in Dapitan, Valenzuela sailed back to Manila and reported
the result of his mission to Bonifacio. The latter, having been apprised of Rizal’s opinions, admitted
that it would be fatal for them to start a revolution without enough arms with which to fight the
enemy.

Discovery of the Katipunan

  The quarrel between two employees of the printing shop publishing Diario de Manila resulted
in the discovery of Katipunan.  This happened after Apolonio dela Cruz was given a P2 raise in
salary and Teodoro Patiño was not given any.  A heated argument sparked between them which led
Patiño to confide the secrets of the Katipunan to his sister Honoria at the convent where she was
staying, her tearful reaction attracted the attention of one of the nuns. The nun in turn, persuaded
Patiño to tell everything he knew to Fr. Mariano Gil, the parish priest of Tondo.  After hearing the
revelations, Fr. Gil contacted the authorities and urged them to raid the printing shop.  Documents,
oaths signed in blood, receipts and ledgers related to Katipunan were confiscated from the shop.

The Cry of Pugadlawin/Balintawak

The news of the discovery of the Katipunan spread throughout Manila and the suburbs.
Bonifacio, informed of the discovery, secretly instructed his runners to summon all the leaders of the
society to a general assembly to be held on August 24. They were to meet at Balintawak to discuss
the steps to be taken to meet the crisis. That same night of August 19, Bonifacio, accompanied by his
brother Procopio, Emilio Jacinto, Teodoro Plata, and Aguedo del Rosario, slipped through the
cordon of Spanish sentries and reached Balintawak before midnight. Pio Valenzuela followed them
the next day. On the 21st, Bonifacio changed the Katipunan code because the Spanish authorities had
already deciphered it. In the afternoon of the same day, the rebels, numbering about 500, left
Balintawak for Kangkong, where Apolonio Samson, a Katipunero, gave them food and shelter. In
the afternoon of August 22, they proceeded to Pugadlawin. The following day, in the yard of Juan A.
Ramos, the son of Melchora Aquino who was later called the "Mother of the Katipunan", Bonifacio
asked his men whether they were prepared to fight to the bitter end. Despite the objection of his
brother-in-law, Teodoro Plata, all assembled agreed to fight to the last. "That being the case,
" Bonifacio said, "bring out your cedulas and tear them to pieces to symbolize our
determination to take up arms!" The men obediently tore up their cedulas, shouting "Long live
the Philippines!" This event marked the so-called "Cry of Balintawak," which actually happened in
Pugadlawin.
First Skirmishes

In the midst of this dramatic scene, some Katipuneros who had just arrived from Manila and
Kalookan shouted "Dong Andres! The civil guards are almost behind us, and will reconnoiter the
mountains." Bonifacio at once ordered his men to get ready for the expected attack of the Spaniards.
Since they had inferior arms the rebels decided, instead, to retreat. Under cover of darkness, the
rebels marched towards Pasong Tamo, and the next day, August 24, they arrived at the yard of
Melchora Aquino, known as Tandang Sora. It was decided that all the rebels in the surrounding
towns be notified of the general attack on Manila on the night of August 29, 1896.

At ten in the morning of August 25, some women came rushing in and notified Bonifacio that
the civil guards and some infantrymen were coming. Soon after, a burst of fire came from the
approaching Spaniards. The rebels deployed and prepared for the enemy. In the skirmish that
followed, the rebels lost two men and the enemy one. Because of their inferior weapons, which
consisted mostly of bolos and a few guns, the rebels decided to retreat. On the other hand, the
Spaniards, finding themselves greatly outnumbered, also decided to retreat. So both camps retreated
and thus prevented a bloody encounter. This was the first skirmish fought in the struggle for national
emancipation.

On August 26, Spanish reinforcements were dispatched to Pasong Tamo to drive away the
rebels. But the latter, who were going to or were already in Balara, could not be found. The
Spaniards, frustrated in their attempt to contact the Filipino contingent, shot, instead, two innocent
farmers who were leisurely going on their way home. Returning to Manila, the Spanish soldiers
boasted that a great fight has taken place at Pasong Tamo, and that they had driven the rebels to the
interior. This was the origin of the so-called "Cry of Balintawak", which neither happened on August
26 nor in Balintawak.

Meanwhile, the rebels, skirting the mountain trails day and night, finally arrived in Mariquina.
Later in the day, however, they abandoned it and proceeded to Hagdang Bato on August 27. The
following day, Bonifacio issued a manifesto inciting the people to take up the Filipino cause and to
get set for a concerted attack on the Spaniards on August 29. The manifesto read:

This manifesto is for all of you. It is absolutely necessary for us to stop at the earliest
possible time the nameless oppressions being perpetrated on the sons of the people who are now
suffering the brutal punishment and tortures in jails, and because of this please let all the
brethren know that on Saturday, the revolution shall commence according to our agreement.
For this purpose, it is necessary for all town to rise simultaneously and attack Manila at the
same time. Anybody who obstructs this sacred ideal of the people will be considered a traitor
and an enemy, except if he is ill or is not physically fit, in which case he shall be tried according
to the regulation we have put in force.

The intended attack on Manila did not materialize, however, probably because there were not
sufficient arms with at which to carry out the plan. Instead, Bonifacio and Jacinto led their men in an
attack on the powder magazine at San Juan del Monte on August 30. The defending Spaniards,
outnumbered and weak, fought a delaying batttle untilreinforcements could arrive. With the arrival
of fresh Spanish troops, Bonifacio and lost the battle and were driven back with heavy casualties.
Martial Law

In order to prevent the spread of revolution, Governor-General Ramon Blanco issued a decree on
August 30 placing under martial law the first eight provinces which rose in arms - Cavite, Manila,
Batangas, Laguna, Bulakan, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija. The decree furthered provided that
those who would surrender within forty-eight hours after the publication of the decree would be tried
by the military court. Some Filipinos, among them Pio Valenzuela took advantage of the provision.

The Filipinos were not frightened by the decree issued by Blanco. The colonial government
contiinued its policy of repression in order to cow the people into silence.

Rizal’s Execution

The height of Spanish brutality came when their government in the Philippines ordered Rizal’s
trial and execution. From Dapitan where he was exiled, he was brought to Manila then go to Cuba as
his request to serve Spanish soldiers in Cuba. However, instead of bringing him to Cuba he was
brought to Fort Santiago for imprisonment. He was suspected by the colonial government of igniting
the revolution. Thus, on December 30,1896 he was executed. But instead of frightening the Filipinos
they were encouraged rather than discouraged to fight heroically for their country and its
independence.

Bonifacio goes to Cavite

Meanwhile, in Cavite, Emilio Aguinaldo, the young mayor of Kawit, Cavite had the rebels
against the Spaniards. He won victory after victory and the people, admiring his qualities as a
military leader, called himHeneral Miong. His famous victory was in Imus, when on September 5, he
defeated the Spanish army contingent under the command of Gov.Gen Ernest de Aguirre. The latter,
in his haste to avoid being captured, left his sword behind him. Aguinaldo took his sword and kept it
as a momento to his victory.

Meanwhile, the Katipunan in Cavite was divided into two factions: the Magdiwang and
Magdalo. There was rivalry between the two factions which led to several defeats of the
revolutionists. Bonifacio went to Cavite on December, 1896 to patch up. An assembly was called to
determine whether the Katipunan should be transformed into another body with governmental
powers. The Magdiwang favored the retention of the Katipunan while the Magdalo favored a change
of government. Nothing resulted in this meeting.

The Tejeros Convention

The Spanish army was now trying to subjugate Cavite, the center of the revolution. Town after
town fell into the hands of the Spaniards. Faced with this bitter fact, the rebels decided to meet at
Tejeros, San Franciscode Malabon now Gen. Trias. It was presided by Bonifacio and Artemio
Ricarte acted as the secretary. Mmbers agreed to form a new government:

The result of the election was:

President: Emilio Aguinaldo ; Vice Pres: Mariano Trias ; Captain General - Artemio Ricarte

Director of War: Emiliano Riego de Dios ; Director of Interior: Andres Bonifacio

 When Bonifacio was being proclaimed, Daniel Tirona, a Magdalo, stood up and said that
another man, Jose del Rosario of Cavite should be elected in the place of Bonifacio. Bonifacio was
hurt because it had been agreed previously that everybody would respect one elected to any position.
Bonifcaio was about to shoot Tirona when he was pacified by Ricarte so Bonifacio declared the
results of the election null and void. He being the Supremo of the Katipunan, then left with his men.

The following day, March 23, Bonifacio, Ricarte, and 45 others met and issued a document
called the Acta de Tejeros, then Bonifacio and his men proceeded to Naik. They draw another
document called the Naik Agreement in which another government would be established. General
Pio del Pilar was the commander of this army and the head of government is Bonifacio.

The Execution of Bonifacio

Aguinaldo was not happy about the Naik Agreement made by Bonifacio and men. He sent an
emissary with some soldiers to persuade Bonifcaio to heelp him continue the common fight against
the enemy. Col. Agapito Banson forced Bonifacio and his brother to come with them so they fought
back. He was captured, brought to the municipal of Indang and tried. Without strong evidence they
were declared guilty of treason. They were sentenced to shot to death. However, Aguinaldo
commuted the death penalty to banishment. But because of the arguments between General Mariano
Noriel and Aguinaldo, he withdraw his commutation order. On May 10, Major Lazaro Makapagal,
upon receiving the sealed order of Gen. Noriel, took the prisoners from their prison cells and brought
them to Mt. Tala, a part of Mt. Buntis, where the Bonifacio brothers were executed.

The Government of Central Luzon

Although the Filipino rebels were suffering one defeat after naother, the Spanish forces, on the
other hand, were suffering from tropical diseases and lack of experience. Gov.-Gen. Camilo de
Polavieja was tired of fighting the Filipinos, he was so sick so he was succeeded by Gov-Gen Primo
de Rivera. Almost all rebels were on the hands of the Spanish authorities. But Aguinaldo escaped,
proceeded to Batangas, tried to capture by the Spaniards but to elude them until he reached Biak na
Bato in San Miguel, Bulakan where he established his headquarters. When the people of Zambales,
Pangasinan, the Ilokos, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija heard of Aguinaldp’s arrival, they renewed their
offensive against Spain. When they met him in Mt. Puray, they established the Departmental
Government of Central Luzon.

The Biak- na-Bato Republic

Primo de Taveratried hard to win over the Filipinos back to Spain, but failed. Early part of July,
Aguinaldo established the Baik-na-Bato Republic. Felix Ferrer and Isabelo Atacho copied word for
word except for an article the Cuban Constitution of Jimaguayu. The Constitution, in its Preamble,
declared the aim of the Revolution as the separation of the Philippines from Spain.

The Truce of the Biak-na-Bato Republic

Because of the difficultes that confronted both the Filipino rebels and the Spanish army it was
thought in some quarters, Filipino and Spanish, that some sort of understanding between the
combatants should be made. Pedro A. Paterno became the mediator between Aguinaldo and Primo
de Rivera. Paterno signed the document in behalf of the Filipino rebels, and Primo de Rivera, in
behalf of the colonial government. There were three documents signed by both parties called the Pact
of Biak-na-Bato. The agreement provided:
1. That Agguinaldo and his men would go into voluntary exile

2. That Primo de Rivera would pay Aguinaldo the sum of Ph 800,000 in three installments: (a)
400,000 upon upon his departure from the Philippines; (b) Ph200,000 when the arms surrendered to
the Spanish authorities exceeded 700; and ( c) the remaining 200,000 when a general amnesty had
been proclaimed and Te Deum had been sung.

3. That Primo de Rivera would pay an additional Ph900,000 to the families of non-combatant
Filipinos who suffered during the revolution.

On December 27, Aguinaldo together with the men of his choice, boarded a ship for Hongkong
brought with him the Ph400,000.

The Failure of the Truce

The clashes in both parties made the truce a failure. The reason of this failure lies in the facthat
both sides, Filipinos and Spaniards were suspicious of each other. There was to be sure, bad faith on
both sides. Where there is bad faith, there can be no permanent peace.

Lesson 5.5: The Second Phase of Philippine Revolution

Introduction

The clashes between Spanish forces and the Filipino rebels continued in diefferent parts of the
country like in Zambales, Ilocos Sur, Cebu, Bulacan, Caloocan, and Camarines Norte. General
Francisco Makabulos of Tarlac established a temporary revolutionary government in Central Luzon
in April 1898. The signing of the Pact did not end the war because reforms implemented were only
minor changes for what the Filipinos needed was their independence.

Learning Content
A. Aguinaldo in Hongkong
Aguinaldo brought him PhP 400,000 in Hongkong with the intention of using it to purchase
arms which they intended to use to fight again against the Spaniards.

They planned to ask the assistance of the United States to help them achieve their independence
from Spain most especially when they learned the tension between Spain and America. The US
consuls in Singapore, E. Spencer Pratt and consul of Singapore met Aguinaldo several times tried to
convince him to side with American. According to Pratt, Wildman and later Commodore George
Dewey convinced him that they will help the Filipinos regain their independence and that they were
not interested in making the Philippines their colony. Convinced of the sincerity, he returned to the
Philippines and left the amount of PhP117,000 to Wildman for the purchase of arms but only PhP
50,000 was used.

B. The Return of Aguinaldo to the Philippines

Aguinaldo was brought back to the Philippine by the ship USS McCulluogh on May 19,1898.
Upon his arrival Aguinaldo invited all the Filipinos to side with the Americans for they will help the
Filipinos regain their independence. Before end of June almost the whole of Luzon was in their
control except Cavite.
C. Government under Emilio Aguinaldo
When Aguinaldo arrived in the Philippines, he brought with him the constitution for a federal
government written by Mariano Ponce, a Filipino exile in Hongkong.

Upon his arrival, through the advice of Ambrocio Rianzares Bautista, a prominent Manila
lawyer, he established a dictatorial government with himself as the Dictator.

The Dictatorial government which was set up on May 24 was only temporary and established the
Revolutionary Government as per advice of Apolinario Mabini. Aguinaldo became the President of
the Revolutionaru Government.

1. Apolinario Mabini
Apolinario Mabini was born in Batangas on July 23,1864. He studies at San Juan de Letran,
where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree, and finished his law at the University of Santo
Tomas. He was phisically disable because of being paralytic. He became Aguinaldo’s adviser,
member of his Cabinet and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He was known in the
Philippine history as the “Brain of the Revolution”.

The Declaration of Independence

The declaration of Philippine Independence was on June 12,1898 at the balcony of
Aguinaldo’s residence in Kawit,Cavite. The declaration was written by Amrosio R. Bautista
which was signed by 98 persons including A. Bautista, Ladislaw Diwa, Felipe Calderon,
Artemio Ricarte, and Col. M. Johnson, an American Artillery officer. During the proclamation,
the Filipino flag was unfurled. It was sewn by Marcel Agoncillo, the wife of Felipe Agoncillo in
Hongkong.
As the Philippine glag was being raised, thw “Marcha Filipina Magdalo” was played by the
band from San Francisco de Malabon. It was composed by Julian Felipe, a musician from
Cavite. And it became the official hymn of the Philippines. The lyrics of the hymn came more
than a year when Jose Palma, a Filipino poet-soldier wrote a poem entitled Filipinas which was
adopted for the national hymn.
The leaders from Luzon ratified the proclamation of Philippine independence on August
1,1898. A few days later, Aguinaldo issued a proclamation addressed to all foreign governments
to recognize independence of the Philippines.

The Revolutionary Government

When the Revolutionary Government was established Apolinario Mabini became the
adviser of Aguinaldo. Mabini’s first act was to prepare decrees reorganizing the local
governments in provinces already under the control of the Filipinos and their judicial system.
These were promulgated by Aguinaldo on June 18 and 20,1898.

The Malolos Congress

Delegates to a revolutionary congress were elected in areas already liberated from Spanish
rule. Aguinaldo, as President, was to appoint delegates from areas which were still under the
Spanish rule. The congress acted as the advisory body.
Based on the decree issued, Aguinaldo called the Revolutionary Congress to a seesion held
at the Barasoin Church in Malolos. The session was opened on September 15,1898. They elected
the officers of the Congress after the inauguralspeech of Aguinaldo. Elected officers were: Pedro
 Paterno, preisdent; Benito Legarda, vice-president; Gregorio Araneta, 1st Secretary; and Pablo
Ocampo, 2nd Secretary.
On November 29, 1898, the Malolos Congress on September 29,1898.

The Framing of the Constitution

The members of the Malolos Congress decided to draft a constitution for the nation. It was
rejected by Mabini because the Congress is not a law-making body, instead it is only an advisory
body. But the constitutional plan of Felipe Calderon was discussed by the Congress.
On November 29, 1898, the Malolos Congress approved the Constitution. It was
promulgated by Aguinaldo on January 21,1898. It was the first constitution prepared and
produced by the Filipinos as a free people.

The First Philippine Republic

The First Philippine Republic was formally inaugurated on January 23,1899 in Malolos,
Bulacan and Emilio Aguinaldo was sworn into office as President of the First Philippine
Republic. The government was composed of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

Newspaper of the Revolution

El Heraldo de La Rvoluccion was the official newspaper of the Revolutionary Government
and it was established in September,1898. Later the name was changed to Heraldo Filipino to
Indice Official and later Gaceta Filipina. This newspaper helped to keep alive the spirit of
nationalism and patriotism among the Filipinos. Antonio Luna put up his own newspaper known
as La Indpendencia with himself as the editor.

The Government at Work

a) In 1899, the government appropriated the amount of 35,000.00 for educational purposes.
The Burgos Institute of Malolos was recognized by the Philippine government as a secondary
school. The Literary University of the Philippines was established in October 1898.
b) The government retained many of the taxes collected by the Spanish colonial
government.
c) The Philippine Army was organized on a regional basis, with each province having its
own brigade.

Philippine’s Foreign Policy

The Philippine was not recognized by the family of nations despite the efforts exerted by
some Filipinos such as Felipe Agoncillo, Faustino Lichauco, Juan Luna, Eriberto Zarcal, and
Mariano Ponce. Agoncillo pleaded to the Americans and Spaniards who were preparing the
peace treaty. But he was ignored because the Americans had already decided to annex the
Philippines.

The Treaty of Paris

Felipe Agoncillo was sent by Aguinaldo to American to work out for the recognition of the
Philippine Independence but it was not officially dealt with. On December 10,1898, the Spanish and
American Commissioners signed the treaty of Paris. By this treaty, Spain gave the Philippines to the
United States. In ruturn, the Us would give Spain the sum of $20,000,000 as payment for
improvementsSpain had made in Philippines. Also the US afreed to permit Spaniards to ship
commodities to the Philippines. For a period of ten years on the same terms as those of the United
States. Many American were against the treaty. They established the Anti-Imperialist League which
was against making the Philippines a colony of US, Agoncillo worked hard so that Philippines would
not be turned over to US since the Philippines was already independent with a good government of
its own.

B. End of the First Philippine Republic

1. The first Philippine Republic and the freedom enjoyed by the Filipinos was a short-lived. The
independence fought by the Filipinos by means of armed revolution that was started by Bonifacio
and his Katipunan ended with the coming of a new colonizing power - the United States.
2. The republic, unrecognized by the family of nations and with the Americans determined to
take over the administration of the Philippines, met its end. The war between the Filipinos and the
Americans broke out in 1899.
3. President Emilio Aguinaldo was captured in Palanan, Isabela by the Americans on March
23,1901 and that signaled the end of the First Philippine Republic.

SELF- ASSESSMENT

A. Multiple Choice, Choose the best answer.

1. The women in the Katipunan were accepted during his presidency.

A. Bonifacio
B. Aguinaldo
C. Arellano
D. D. Basa

2. This refer to third grade member of the Katipunan, with a mask in his color and with this password.
A. Katipunan-Green-Gomburza
B. Bayani-Red- Rizal
C. Bayani-Black-Anak ng Bayan
D. Bayani-Red-Anak ng Bayan

3. In order to easily propagate the ideas of the Katipunan, Bonifacio and Jcinto they thought of publishing their articles in
this newspaper in the form of poems to be able to unite the Filipinos.
A. Diario de Manila
B. La Solidaridad
C. Kalayaan
D. Kartilla

4. Bonifacio used the pen name ______ to write poems in the Katipunan newspaper.
A. Agap-ito Bagumbayan
B. Dimas-ilaw
C. Pingkian
D. Madlang-Away

5. As a symbol of unity, Bonifacio wanted a flag to be used by members. He requested one of the Katipuneros to make a
flag of the Katipunan. Who was this woman?
A. Gregoria de Jesus
B. Melchora Aquino
C. Marcela Agoncillo
D. Benita Rodriguez

6. The 400,000.00 paid by the Spanish government to Aguinaldo was used for the purpose of
A. Purchase of arms
B. Payment for the American’s assistance
C. Personal expenses while they were in Hongkong
D. Payment for the families of the non-combatant Filipinos
7. He was the American consul to Singapore who convinced Aguinaldo to side with the Americans.
A. Wildman
B. Pratt
C. Dewey
D. McArthur

8. He wrote the constitution in Hongkong which was brought by Aguinaldo when he came back in the Philippines.
A. Cayetano Arellano
B. Ambrosio R. Bautista
C. Mariano Ponce
D. Gregorio Araneta

9. The government established by Aguinaldo when he arrived home from Hongkong

A. Revolutionary
B. Republic
C. Dictatorial
D. Totalitarian

10. The dictatorial government established by Aguinaldo was only temporary so on June 23,1898, he established the
A. Republic
B. Revolutionary
C. Constitutional
D. Totalitarian

11. He was known in Philippine History as the “Brain of the Revolution”

A. Apolinario Mabini
B. Andres Bonifacio
C. Emilio Jacinto
D. Jos e Rizal

12. The proclamation of Philippine Independence was done in the balcony of the house of Aguinaldo In Kawit, Cavite on
June 12,1898. The declaration was written and read by
A. Emilio Aguinaldo
B. Julian Felipe
C. Felipe Agoncillo
D. Ambrosio R. Bautista

13. The Filipino flag for the first time was unfurled during proclamation. This was sewn by
A. Gregoria de Jesus
B. Marcela Agoncillo
C. Melchora Aquino
D. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera

14. As the flag was being raised, the ________________ was played by the band from San Francisco de Malabon. This
was composed by Julian Felipe and it became the official hymn of the Philippines
A. Marcha Filipina Magdalo
B. Lupang Hinirang
C. Marcha Magdalo Filipino
D. Bayang Magiliw

15. Who was elected President of the Congress which was held at the Barasoin Church in Malolos, Bulacan?
A. Benito Legardo
B. Cayetano Arellano
C. Pedro Paterno
D. Gregorio Araneta