PHILIPPINE HISTORY IN A GLIMPSE
The Early Philippines
The Philippines is named after King
Philip II of Spain (1556-1598) and it was a
Spanish colony for over 300 years.
Today the Philippines is an archipelago of
7,000 islands. However, it is believed that
during the last ice age they were joined
to mainland Asia by a land bridge,
enabling human beings to walk from
there.
The first people in the Philippines
were
hunter-gatherers.
However,
between 3,000 BC and 2,000 BC people
learned to farm. They grew rice and
domesticated animals. From the 10th AD
century Filipinos traded with China and
by the 12th Century AD Arab merchants
reached the Philippines and they
introduced Islam.
Then in 1521 Ferdinand Magellan
sailed across the Pacific. He landed in the
Philippines and claimed them for Spain.
Magellan baptized a chief called
Humabon and hoped to make him a
puppet ruler on behalf of the Spanish
crown. Magellan demanded that other
chiefs submit to Humabon but one chief
named Lapu Lapu refused. Magellan led
a force to crush him. However the
Spanish soldiers were scattered and
Magellan was killed.
The Spaniards did not gain a
foothold in the Philippines until 1565
when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi led an
expedition, which built a fort in Cebu.
Later, in 1571 the Spaniards landed in
Luzon. Here they built the city of
Intramuros (later called Manila), which
became the capital of the Philippines.
Spanish conquistadors marched inland
and conquered Luzon. They created a
feudal system. Spaniards owned vast
estates worked by Filipinos.
Along with conquistadors went
friars who converted the Filipinos to
Catholicism. The friars also built schools
and universities.
The Spanish colony in the
Philippines brought prosperity - for the
upper class anyway! Each year the
Chinese exported goods such as silk,
porcelain and lacquer to the Philippines.
From there they were re-exported to
Mexico.
The years passed uneventfully in
the Philippines until in 1762 the British
captured Manila. They held it for two
years but they handed it back in 1764
under the terms of the Treaty of Paris,
signed in 1763.
The Philippines in the 19th Century
In 1872 there was a rebellion in
Cavite but it was quickly crushed.
However nationalist feeling continued to
grow helped by a writer named Jose
Rizal (1861-1896). He wrote two novels Noli
Me Tangere (Touch me Not) and El
Filibusterismo (The Filibusterer) which
stoked the fires of nationalism.
In 1892 Jose Rizal founded a movement
called Liga Filipina, which called for
reform rather than revolution. As a result
Rizal was arrested and exiled to Dapitan
on Mindanao.
Meanwhile Andres Bonifacio formed a
more extreme organisation called the
Katipunan. In August 1896 they began a
revolution. Jose Rizal was accused of
supporting the revolution, although he
did not and he was executed on 30
December 1896. Yet his execution merely
inflamed Filipino opinion and the
revolution grew.
Then in 1898 came war between the USA
and Spain. On 30 April 1898 the
Americans defeated the Spanish fleet in
Manila
Bay.
Meanwhile
Filipino
revolutionaries had surrounded Manila.
Their leader, Emilio Aguinaldo declared
the Philippines independent on 12 June.
However as part of the peace treaty
Spain ceded the Philippines to the USA.
The Americans planned to take over.
War between American forces in
Manila and the Filipinos began on 4
February 1899. The Filipino-American
War lasted until 1902 when Aguinaldo
was captured.
The Philippines in the 20th Century
American rule in the Philippines was
paternalistic. They called their policy
'Benevolent Assimilation'. They wanted to
'Americanize' the Filipinos but they never
quite succeeded. However they did do
some good. Many American teachers
were sent to the Philippines in a ship
called the Thomas and they did increase
literacy.
In 1935 the Philippines were made a
commonwealth
and
were
semi-independent.
Manuel
Quezon
became president. The USA promised
that the Philippines would become
completely independent in 1945.
However in December 1941 Japan
attacked the US fleet at Pearl Harbor. On
10 December 1941 Japanese troops
invaded the Philippines. They captured
Manila on 2 January 1941. By 6 May 1942
all of the Philippines were in Japanese
hands.
However American troops returned to
the Philippines in October 1944. They
recaptured Manila in February 1945.
The Philippines became independent on
4 July 1946. Manuel Roxas was the first
president of the newly independent
nation.
Ferdinand Marcos (1917-1989) was elected
president in 1965. He was re-elected in
1969. However the Philippines was
dogged by poverty and inequality. In the
1960s a land reform program began.
However many peasants were frustrated
by its slow progress and a Communist
insurgency began in the countryside.
On 21 September 1972 Marcos declared
martial law. He imposed a curfew,
suspended Congress and arrested
opposition leaders.
In February 1986 Marcos called an
election. The opposition united behind
Cory Aquino the widow of Benigno.
Marcos claimed victory (a clear case of
electoral fraud). Cory Aquino also claimed
victory and ordinary people took to the
streets to show their support for her. The
followers of Marcos deserted him and he
bowed to the inevitable and went into
exile.
Things did not go smoothly for Corazon
Aquino. (She survived 7 coup attempts).
Furthermore, the American bases in the
Philippines (Subic Bay Naval Base and
Clark Air Base) were unpopular with
many Filipinos who felt they should go.
In 1992 Mount Pinatubo erupted and
covered Clark in volcanic ash forcing the
Americans to leave. They left Subic Bay in
1993.
In 1992 Fidel Ramos became president.
He improved the infrastructure in the
Philippines including the electricity
supply. Industry was privatized and the
economy began to grow more rapidly.
However, at the end of the 1990s
the Philippine economy entered a crisis.
Meanwhile, in 1998 Joseph Estrada,
known as Erap became president.
Estrada was accused of corruption and
he was impeached in November 2000.
Estrada was not convicted. Nevertheless,
people demonstrated against him and
the military withdrew its support. Estrada
was forced to leave office and
Vice-president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
replaced him. She was re-elected in
2004.
What is History? How is it different from
other disciplines or other forms of
writing? How is it the same?
History is……
● a recitation of unrelated facts that do
not contribute to a larger story.
● an agreed upon set of facts or a
forever-fixed story that is never
subjected to changes and updates.
● a simple acceptance of what is written
about a historical topic, event or
person
● a simple historical chronology of
famous dates, incidents and people.
● a strict reliance solely on the past with
no examination of how the past has
influenced the present or how it may
influence the future.
● about one absolute truth, one
particular perspective, or one set of
facts and figures.
● a chronological storytelling in its finest
form; it sequentially weaves together
many
related
historical
and
contemporary events and ideas that
linked to a larger story.
SOME OTHER DEFINITIONS OF THE
NATURE HISTORY
The Marcos dictatorship was exceedingly
corrupt and Marcos and his cronies
enriched themselves.
Then, in 1980 opposition leader Benigno
Aquino went into exile in the USA. When
he returned on 21 August 1983 he was
shot. Aquino became a martyr and
Filipinos were enraged by his murder.
WHY STUDY HISTORY?
History- both knowledge of the past and
the practice of researching and making
sense of what happened in the past- is
critically important to the welfare of
individuals, communities and the future
of
our
nation.
According
to
processhistory.com, the study of history
is essential for the following:
To Ourselves:
Identity- History nurtures personal
identity in an intercultural world. History
serves as the trademark of a group of
people, distinguishing them from the
rest wherever they are. This distinct
identity is unique and you carry with it a
profound superiority.
Critical Skills- History teaches critical 21st
century skills and independent thinking.
The practice of history teaches research,
judgment of the accuracy and reliability
of sources, validation of facts, awareness
of multiple perspectives and biases,
analysis
of
conflicting
evidence,
sequencing to discern causes, synthesis
to present a coherent interpretation,
clear and persuasive written and oral
communication
and
other
skills
(processhistory, 2015).
To Our Communities:
Vital Places to Live and Work- History lays
the groundwork for strong, resilient
communities. No place really becomes a
community until it is wrapped in human
memory: family story, tribal traditions,
and civic consciousness. By way of
analogy, even in the bible, the famous
story of the prodigal son illustrates that
nothing in this earth is more precious
than the love of a family to a son who
became astray because of material
interest. History would probably bring us
to the old memories of the significant
things in the past.
Economic Development- History is a
catalyst for economic growth. People are
drawn to communities that have
preserved a strong sense of historical
identity and character (processhistory,
2015). Learning from the many mistakes
of our ancestors, we have to really move
on and make a change. History is
perhaps attached to our old culture and
beliefs that many would not want to go
away. Economic growth is somehow
related to how people effect change
such as for example the old manner of
farming and doing things.
To Our Future:
Engaged Citizens- History helps people
craft better solutions. At the heart of
democracy is the practice of individuals
coming together to express views and
make action. Students of history become
better individuals when they see and
perform their vital roles in the
community. When young people go out
of the shells and start engaging
themselves to the many programs,
activities and the like of the community,
then we can truly say that they are
engaged citizens of their respective
place.
Leadership- History inspires local and
global leaders. History provides leaders
with inspirations and role models for
meeting the complex challenges that
face our communities, nations, and the
world. Our national politics can speak of
this. Many of the highest officials of the
government started as local leaders such
as mayors, governors etc. This would only
show that local governments are the
training grounds of future national
leaders.
Legacy- History, saved and preserved, is
the foundation for future generations.
History
is
crucial
to
preserving
democracy for the future by explaining
our shared past (processhistory, 2015).
Nothing beats history. We may die. Our
ancestors may die but the only legacy
they can leave behind is their
experiences and good stories which are
worthy of emulations.
HISTORY DIFFERENTIATED
History vs. Past
The past is not the same as history. The
past involves everything that ever
happened since the dawn of time- every
thought and action of man or woman on
earth, every leaf that fell in the tree and
every chemical change in this universe
and others.
History by contrast, is a process of
interpreting evidence or records from the
past in a thoughtful and informed way. It
is the narrative that gives meaning,
sense, and explanation to the past in the
present.
History vs. Prehistory
History and prehistory show differences
between them in their nature and
substance. The main difference between
history and prehistory is the existence of
records.
History vs. Herstory
The word “history” is etymologically
unrelated to the possessive pronoun his.
Traditionally, history has been defined as
“the study of the past as it is described in
written documents.” Feminists argued
that is has been men (“his” “story”) who
usually have been the ones to record the
past.
Herstory, by contrast, is history written
from a feminist perspective, emphasizing
the role of women, or told from a
woman’s point of view. It is a neologism
coined as a pun with the word “history”
as part of a feminist critique of
conventional historiography, which in
their opinion is traditionally written as
“his story”, e.i., from the masculine point
of view. What about women? Should an
event in the past was written down be
called
“herstory?”
(“History,”2018;
“Herstory”, 2018)
HISTORICAL SOURCES
PRIMARY SOURCES
A primary source provides direct
or first-hand evidence about an event, an
object, a person, or a work of art. These
primary sources provide the original
materials on which other research is
based and enable students and other
researchers to get as close as possible to
what actually happened during a
particular event or era. Published
materials can be viewed as primary
sources as long as they come from the
time period that is being discussed, and
were written or produced by someone
with first-hand experience of the event.
For instance, the stenographic notes of a
court trial and the news reporter’s
account of the trial are primary sources.
All
physical
objects,
including
photographs, and cultural institutions
and practices are primary sources
themselves and all accounts written
about them by those who had actually
seen and experienced are primary
sources.
History as an academic discipline heavily
relies on primary sources, as evaluated by
a community of scholars, who report
their findings in books, articles and
papers. As one historian says, “Primary
sources are absolutely fundamental to
history”. Generally, a historian capitalizes
on all available primary sources that were
created by the people involved at the
time being studied. In reality some
sources have been destroyed, while
others are not available for research. The
most reliable eyewitness reports of an
event may be memoirs, autobiographies,
or oral interviews taken years or even
centuries ago. Manuscripts that are
sources for classical texts can be copies
of documents, or fragments of copies of
documents. For this reason, history is
usually
taught
in
schools
using
secondary sources.
Historians who are into publishing
academic articles with fresh or new
perspectives prefer to go back to
available primary sources and to seek
new ones. Primary sources, be it accurate
or not, offer new inputs into historical
questions and most modern history
dwells on archives and special collections
for the purpose of finding useful primary
sources. It is then essential to classify the
sources to determine its independence
and reliability. In context such as
historical writing, it is indeed advisable to
use primary sources but in the absence
of one, the author may use the
secondary sources with great caution.
Determine if Primary Source
Ask yourself:
1. Was it produced, written, or painted
during a specific time period?
2. Did the person live during the time or
event?
Different Kinds of Primary Sources:
Literary or Cultural Sources:
1. Novels, plays, poems (both published
and in manuscript form)
2. Television shows, movies, or videos
3. Paintings or photographs
Accounts that describe events, people, or
ideas:
1. Newspapers
2. Chronicles or historical accounts
3. Essays and speeches
4. Memoirs, diaries, journals, and letters
5. Philosophical treaties or manifestos
Determine if Secondary Source
Information about people:
1. Census records
2. Obituaries
3. Newspaper articles
4. Biographies and autobiographies
Examples of Secondary Sources:
Finding information about a place:
1. Maps and atlases
2. Census information
3. Statistics
4. Photographs
5. City directories
6. Local libraries or historical societies
Finding information about an
organization:
1.
Archives
(sometimes
held
by
libraries, institutions, or historical
societies
Three Types of Written Sources
1.
Narrative sources or literary sources
tell a story or message. These include
diaries, films, biographies, leading
philosophical works and scientific
works.
2. Diplomatic sources include charters
and other legal documents which
observe a set format.
3. Social
documents
are
records
created by organizations, such as
register of births and tax records.
SECONDARY SOURCES
Secondary
sources
generally
describe, discuss, interpret, comment
upon, analyze, evaluate, summarize, and
process
primary
sources.
These
secondary source materials can be
articles in newspapers or popular
magazines, book or movie reviews, or
articles found in scholarly journals that
discuss or evaluate someone else’s
original research. All writings by people
who have never experienced nor
observed personally the objects and have
based
their
writings
upon
the
information gathered from those who
have knowledge of the events are
secondary sources.
In historiography, when a study of
history is subject to historical scrutiny, a
secondary source becomes a primary
source. The historian’s publication can
likewise
be
a
primary
source.
Documentary films are considered
secondary or primary sources depending
on how much the film maker modifies
the original source.
Whether a source is regarded as
primary or secondary in a given context
may change, depending upon the
present state of knowledge within the
field. For example, if a document refers to
the contents of a previous but
undiscovered letter, that document may
be considered ‘primary’, since it is the
closest known thing to an original
source, but if the letter is later found, it
may then be considered ‘secondary’.
Ask yourself:
1. Was it produced, written, or painted
after a specific time period?
2. Did the person live after the time or
event?
1. Books with endnotes and footnotes
2. Reprint of artwork
3. A journal or magazine which
interprets or reviews previous
findings
4. Conference Proceedings
5. Literary Criticism
6. Book reviews
TERTIARY SOURCES
Tertiary sources are publications
that
summarize
and
digest
the
information in primary and secondary
sources to provide background on a
topic, idea or event.
Examples of Tertiary Sources:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Dictionaries
Almanacs
Fact books
Directories, Guidebooks and Manuals
IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICAL
SOURCES
1. Useful in writing and learning history
2. Can be useful in doing historical
research that is important in
establishing historical truth.
3. However, a student should not
scrutinize these sources to avoid
deception. Rather, the student must
dwell on internal and external
criticism.
HISTORICAL CRITICISM
External Criticism
The practice of verifying the authenticity
of evidence by examining its physical
characteristics. This also refers to the
genuineness of the document a
researcher used in a historical study.
Some questions that illustrate external
criticism include: Who was the author,
what
was
his/her
qualifications,
personality, and position? How soon after
the events was the document written
and how was the document was written
and is it related to other document?
Internal Criticism
This is the examination of
truthfulness of the evidence. It looks at
the content of the document to
determine its authenticity. This is referred
to as the textual criticism, it involves
factor such as competence, good faith,
position, and bias of the author (Sanchez,
1980). It also involves determining the
intention of the source of data while
external criticism conducts document
analysis using science.
To simplify, the authenticity of the
document is determined by external
criticism,
whereas
credibility
is
established by internal criticism.
The purpose of criticism is to validate
historical
sources
that
tend
to
manipulate conclusions which are
indeed deceptive in the analysis and
study of history. We don’t entertain lies in
studying history.
KATIPUNAN AND THE REVOLUTION:
MEMOIRS OF A GENERAL
By Santiago Alvarez
Translated by Carolina Malay
Who is Santiago V. Alvarez?
Born July 25, 1872 and died
October 30, 1930, he was the only child of
revolutionary general Mariano Alvarez
and Nicolasa Virata, was born in Imus but
was raised in Noveleta, Cavite. He was
known as Kidlat ng Apoy (Lightning of
Fire) because of his inflamed bravery and
participation in the Battle of Dalahican.
Santiago was among the first in Cavite to
take up arms against Spain. All through
the Revolution, he fought side by side
with his father. In the 36- hour battle in
Dalahican,
one
of
the
bloodiest
encounters during the Revolution, he
scored a decisive victory and repulsed
the Spanish troops.
When the American civil government
was established in the Philippines in 1901,
Santiago assisted in the organization of
the Nacionalista Party, where he later
became president of its directorate. The
memoirs was published in the year 1902
in Sampaguita, a Tagalog weekly, in 36
installments (from July 24, 1927 to April
15, 1928). These were reproduced in book
from and translated in English by Paula
Carolina S. Malay.
Malay
graduated
from
the
University of the Philippines. She taught
economics at various universities during
the 1950s and 1960s. She turned to
translation and writing during the
martial law period.
A Summary of the Memoirs of a
General
The events I have related in this account
of the Katipunan and the Revolution
reverberate with shouts of “Long live our
patriots!” and “Death to the enemy!”
These were in answer to the enemy’s
assaults with mausers and cannons, the
latter fired from both land and sea. The
Magdiwang government honored me
with an appointment as captain general,
or head of its
army.
Gen.
Artemio Ricarte was
lieutenant general.
I will now attempt to write down what I
saw and what I know about the Katipunan and
the Revolution. First, I shall narrate the events
relating to the Revolution beginning from March
14, 1896; then I shall deal with the organization
and the activities of the Most Venerable Supreme
Society
of
the
Sons
of
the
People
(Kamahalmahalan at Kataastaasang Katipunan
ng mga Anak ng Bayan). The Katipunan account
is based on records which were entrusted to me
by the original founder of the Katipunan. In the
interest of honorable truth, I shall now attempt to
write a history of the Katipunan and the
Revolution which I hope will be acceptable to all.
However, I realize that it is inevitable that, in the
narration of actual happenings, I shall run the risk
of hurting the feeling of contemporaries and
comrades- in- arms. I would like to make it clear
that I shall try to be as possible and that it is far
from my intention of depreciate anyone’s
patriotism and greatness.
I shall be honored if these memoirs
become a worthy addiction to what Gen. Artemio
Ricarte as already published in this weekly
The memoirs continued on the narration
of Gen Santiago Alvarez encounter with
Emilio Aguinaldo and Raymundo Mata in
Manila as he accompanied them for their
initiation into the Katipunan secret
society. He narrated the arrival until the
time they went to one of the quarters of
the caretaker of the central telephone
exchange on San Jacinto Street in
Binondo until the time they are escorted
to go to the Katipunans’ headquarters.
He even narrated that before they leave
the quarter his two companions were
blindfolded until they reached the house
of Andres Bonifacio, the Katipunan
Supremo. They were escorted in a room
in which the ritual will be executed. After
the event he narrated that he was asked
by Emilio Aguinaldo to accompany him
to see Andres Bonifacio again to learn
more about the Katipunan. He continued
narrating that they travelled to and from
Manila aboard Spanish vessels called
“Ynchausti boats”. They bore names like
“Isabel”, “Dominga”, and others. He
described his encounter with Andres
Bonifacio together with her wife Gregoria
de Jesus. He said that they are welcomed
cordially with fraternal embraces, they
happily exchanged news and talked
about the progress of the Katipunan.
He also mentioned in his memoirs the
day Bonifacio went to Cavite to establish
a council of the Katipunan. The council
was said to be known as the Magdiwang.
They selected officers as well, while both
councils approved their respective
regulation uniforms, with a common set
of rank insignias, very few were able to
comply because of unsettling events
coming one after the other. His narration
ended on Saturday September 28, 1896,
wherein Captain Apoy and General
Vibora prepared to go to the field to
inspect the fortifications to the west
along the Cavite- Batangas border, which
were under the command of Brig. Gen.
Eleuterio Marasigan and Col. Luciano San
Miguel. But before the two generals
could leave, the commander of the
troops defending Dalahikan, Major Aklan,
came to the war ministry to report that
they had sighted the enemy fortifying
the narrowest neck of Dalahikan. The
enemy activity, which had started in the
night, included the massing of Spanish
troops.
THE TABON CAVE
by Robert B. Fox
Who is Robert Bradford Fox?
He was an anthropologist and leading
historian on the prehispanic Philippines.
Fox actively served the National Museum
of the Philippines from 1948 to 1975. In
the 1960s, he led a six- year
archaeological
research
project in
Palawan, focused mainly on the caves
and rockshelters of Lipuun Point in the
southern part of the island. Its most
outstanding site is the Tabon Cave
complex, the large main cave where the
only Pleistocene human fossils in the
Philippines were found.
The Tabon Cave
During the initial excavation of Tabon
Cave, June and July 1962, the scattered
fossil bones of at least three individuals
were excavated, including a large
fragment of a frontal bone with the
brows and portions of the nasal bone.
These fossil bones were recovered at the
rear of the cave along the left wall.
Unfortunately, the area in which the fossil
human bones were recovered had been
disturbed by Magapode birds.
It was not possible in 1962 to establish
the association of these bones with a
specific flake assemblage, although they
were provisionally related to either Flake
Assemblage II or III. Subsequent
excavations in the same area now
strongly suggest that the fossil human
bones were associated with Flake
Assemblage III, for only the flakes of this
assemblage have been found to date to
this area of the cave, the available data
would suggest that Tabon
Man may be dated from 22,000 to 24,000
years ago. But, only further excavations in
the cave and chemical analysis of human
and animal bones from disturbed and
undisturbed levels in the cave will define
the exact age of the human fossils.
The fossil bones are those of Homo
sapiens. These will form a separate study
by a specialist which will be included in
the final site report from Tabon Cave. It is
important to point out. However because
of a recent publication (Scott 1969), that a
preliminary of the fossil bones of Tabon
Man shows that it is above average in
skull dimensions when compared to the
modern Filipino. There is no evidence
that Tabon Man was "... amass brainy
individuals..." (Scott 1969, 36). Moreover,
Scott's
study
includes
many
misstatements about the Tabon Caves.
Always the problem when writers work
from "conversation."
Homo sapiens is unquestionably of great
antiquity in Asia. The Niah skull is
securely dated to about 38,000 B.C.,
bring"...much the earliest Homo sapiens
(modern man) found so Far East"
[Harrison (1964) 179]. Tabon man may be
tentatively dated to about 22,000 to
24,000 years ago. The controversial keilor
cranium found near Melbourne, Australia
is claimed to date to about 16,000 B.C.
[Shutler (1865), 2; McCarthy 91961), 147].
The writer believes that the first major
movement of Homo sapiens into the
Philippines occurred with the exposure
of the Sunda shelf during the last glacial
beginning,
according
to
various
estimates, some 45,000 to 55,000 years
ago, the land bridge of the previous Riss
Glacial,
estimated
as
terminating
between 100,000 to 130,000 years ago,
would appear to be too early for any
significant movements of modern man
into the islands at that time. Further
excavations in Tabon Cave and other
areas of Palawan during 1969-70, the
receipt of additional C-14 dates and more
detailed geochronological studies of the
Quezon area and the rest of Palawan will
greatly help to clarify the geologic events
of the late Pleistocene in Palawan and
their relationship to the upper Paleolithic
cultures.
Pleistocene is the geological epoch that
lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700
years ago, spanning the world's most
recent period of repeated glaciations.
Riss Glaciation: the second youngest
glaciation of the Pleistocene epoch in the
traditional,
quadripartite
glacial
classification of the Alps.
Carbon 14 dating: a way of determining
the age of certain archeological artifacts
of a biological origin up to about 50,000
years old. It is used in dating things such
as bone, cloth, wood and plant fibers that
were created in the relatively recent past
by human activities.
But certainly history has an unending
discovery of what might really happen in
the past or what might be the origin of
the things around us. Like the recorded
earlier species of the Homo sapiens
which was the Homo erectus who may
have lived here in Cagayan Valley as early
as 400,000 BC together with now extinct
species like the pygmy elephant,
rhinoceros, giant turtle and crocodile. For
many years we believe to Homo erectus
as the oldest species of homos until
Professor Armand Mijares revealed the
discovery on what we call now the Homo
luzonensis found inside Callao Cave in
Peñablanca, Cagayan.
CALLAO MAN
by Armand Salvador B. Mijares
Who is Armand Salvador B. Mijares?
He is a University of the Philippines
Associate Professor Armand Salvador B.
Mijares, who led an international
multidisciplinary team in discovering the
newest human species here in Cagayan
Valley. The project that led to the
discovery of Homo luzonensis was
funded by the Wenner-Gren Foundation,
the Leakey Foundation Research Grant,
and the University of the Philippines via
the Enhanced Creative Work and
Research Grant in cooperation with the
National Museum of the Philippines, the
Cagayan Provincial Government, and the
Protected Area Management Board –
Peñablanca.
His group started excavating in the year
2003 but later stopped for they did not
find anything, for Southeast Asian
archeologist would only excavate cave
sites up to two meters. But later in the
year 2004 when a discovery in
Indonesian island was found it prompted
Prof. Armand to dig deeper, luckily little
by little they are unveiling another
account of history from the fossils that
they have discovered. This latest
discovery uncovers another story in our
history. For as we connect one from the
other, we will be able to know what
possibly is the root of our ancestors.
THE PREHISPANIC SOURCE MATERIALS
FOR THE STUDY OF THE PHILIPPINE
HISTORY
By William Henry Scott
Who is William Henry Scott? William
Henry Scott was born July 10, 1921 died
October 4, 1993. He was a historian of the
Gran Cordillera Central and Prehispanic
Philippines. He rejected the description
of anthropologist as applying to himself.
During the time when Ferdinand Marcos
declared Martial law in 1972, Scott was
arrested as a subversive and placed in
military detention. Scott was given "a
memorable and triumphant welcome
back in Sagada" following his acquittal.
He continued to be critical of the Marcos
regime. Scott's first well known academic
work is The Discovery of the Igorots.
Who is Pedro Alcantara Monteclaro’s
Maragtas?
Pedro Alcantara Monteclaro is the
one who wrote Maragtas, or History of
Panay from the first inhabitants and the
Bornean immigrants from which the
Bisayans are descended to the arrival of
the Spaniards, was published by Kadapig
sang Banwa (Advocate of the Town) at
the El Tiempo Press, Iloilo, in 1901. It is
written in mixed Hiligaynon and
Kin-iraya, the author having been a
native of the border region between
these two Visayan dialects.
A second edition was published by
the Makinaugalingon Press in 1929, and a
third edition in 1957 by Sol Gwekoh under
a copyright held by the author's son
Juanito L. Monteclaro, which differs from
the original only in certain orthographic
reforms and a more colloquial version of
the title.
Pedro Monteclaro was born in Miag-ao,
Iloilo, on 15 October 1850, graduated from
the Seminario Colegio de Jaro in 1865,
was twice married, and had five children.
He served as Teniente Mayor in 1891, and
Gobernadorcillo
in
1892-1894,
and
became a local hero during the
Revolution and the American invasion
both for his leadership and diplomacy.
He served as Liaison Officer during the
American occupation of the area, and
was the first President of Miag-ao
(1901-1903), during which period he
began the researches which resulted in
his publication of the Maragtas. He was
also known as a poet in both the
vernacular and Spanish, and a few of his
Visayan songs have survived. He died on
13 April 1909, and is memorialized in the
name
of
the
local
Philippine
Constabulary base, Camp Monteclaro, at
whose gate his statue stands.
The word maragtas is used by the author
as the equivalent of the Spanish historia,
and glossed in the 1957 edition with
Visayan sayuron (account), though
commentators have regularly sought
some Sanskrit origin for the word.
(Guillermo Santiago-Cuino, for example,
considered it a corruption of a Sanskrit
term meaning "great people" or "great
country.")
Present-day speakers of
Visayan, however, know the word only as
the title of this book or of some
prehispanic manuscript believed to be its
origin. It is in consideration of this latter
opinion that the provenance and
contents of the book must be examined
in detail. Provenance: Consideration of
the provenance (place where something
originally came or began, or a record
tracing the ownership history that helps
to confirm their authenticity and value)
of the Maragtas must begin with the
author's own statement as set forth in his
"Foreword to the Readers," which is here
quoted in full: I wrote this Maragtas, a
history of the first inhabitants of the
island of Panay, with great reluctance for
fear I might be considered too
presumptuous. I would therefore have
refrained from writing it but for my
burning desire to reveal to the public the
many data which I gathered from
records about the first inhabitants of the
island of Panay, the arrival of the Datus
from Borneo, their possession and
settlement of our land, their spread to
different parts of the Island, and their
customs and habits until the Spaniards
came and ruled the Philippines.
In order that the readers of this Maragtas
should not accuse me of having merely
composed this book from imagination, I
wish to mention two manuscripts I
found. One of these was given to me by
an 82-year old man, who had been the
first teacher of the town and who said it
had been given him by his father who, in
turn, got it from his father, the old man's
grandfather. The long years through
which the manuscript must have passed
wore out the paper so much that it was
almost impossible to handle. Worse yet,
it was only written in a black dye and
smeared with sap which had burned the
paper and made it almost useless. The
other manuscript I found in a bamboo
tube where my grandfather used to keep
his old papers. This manuscript, however,
was hardly legible at all, and was so
brittle I could hardly handle it without
tearing it to pieces. Having located one
manuscript, I concluded there would
most likely be another copy somewhere,
so I decided to inquire of different old
men and women of the town. My search
was not in vain for I then came across the
aforementioned old man in the street,
who even gave me the manuscripts
dealing with what happened in the town
of Miag-ao from the time of its
foundation. I copied these records in a
book on 12 June 1901, as a memoir for the
town of Miagao, but did not publish
them for the reasons stated. Besides, I
was waiting for someone better qualified
to write a history of the Island of Panay
from the time of its first inhabitants.
I should like my readers to know that my
purpose in writing this Maragtas is not to
gain honor for myself but to transmit to
others what I read in the records I collected.
The author therefore claims the
Maragtas as an original work based on
various data that he collected, which
-considering its many ethnographic,
linguistic and historic details, its many
Spanish terms, and such modern
theories as a geological connection
between Palawan and Borneo, is exactly
what it sounds like.
The publisher's introduction is equally
clear: The following account of history
called Maragtas written by Mr. Pedro A.
Monteclaro deseribes the different ways
of life of the first inhabitants of Panay
Island... and] is of great importance as a
collection of many different passages
which hereto fore have been scattered.
The dramatic description of the two
nearly illegible documents among these
data is intended, as the author explicitly
states, to show that the work is not sheer
fiction: he carefully records the exact
date when he first copied them down
but neither states nor implies that they
are transcribed in the present work;
moreover, the contents of one of
them-"what happened in the town of
Miag-ao from the time of its foundation"does not directly concern the subject
matter and is relegated to the last page
of the epilogue. n the same epilogue, he
emphasizes his having consulted "all the
old men of every town" by giving his
reason-"my documents did not give me
clear and complete data on the things of
the past."
Summary of the Maragtas
The Maragtas consists of a publisher's
introduction by Salvador Laguda, the
author's "Foreword to the Readers," six
chapters and an epilogue entitled,
"Author's concluding statements to his
countrymen in the island of Panay."
Although the author of the Maragtas did
not provide any data or clues by which
the authenticity of this code could be
established, an interesting parallel
appeared in Cuillermo Santiago-Cuino s
"El Codigo de Maragtas" in the 20
February 1938 issue of FI Debate, which
professed to have been translated direct
from "ancient Filipino writing."
It was based on written and oral sources
then available, and contains three sorts
of subject matter folk customs still being
practiced or remembered by old folks,
the description of an idealized political
confederation whose existence there are
reasonable grounds to doubt and for
which there is no evidence, and a legend
recorded in 1858 of a migration of
Bornean settlers, some of whom are still
remembered as folk heroes, pagan
deities, or progenitors of part of the
present population of Panay. There is no
reason to doubt that this legend
preserves the memory of some actual
event itself or to decide which of its
details are historic facts and which are
the embellishments of generations of
oral transmission.
The Boxer Codex
The Boxer Codex, sometimes
known as the Manila Manuscript
contains illustrations of ethnic groups in
the Philippines, ethnic groups across
Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Micronesia
at the time of their initial contact with
the Spaniards with additional Taoist
mythological deities and demons, and
both real and mythological birds and
animals copied from popular Chinese
texts and books in circulation at the time
The Boxer Codex depicts the
Tagalogs, Visayans, Zambals, Cagayanes
or possibly Ibanags, and Negritos of the
Philippines in vivid color. The technique
of the paintings, as does the use of
Chinese paper, ink, and paints, suggests
that the unknown artist may have been
Chinese. It is believed that the original
owner of the manuscript was Luis Pérez
Dasmariñas, son of Governor General
Gómez Pérez
Dasmariñas, who was
killed in 1593 by Sangleys or Chinese
living in the Philippines. Luis succeeded
his father in office as Governor-General of
the Philippines. Since Spanish colonial
governors were required to submit
written reports on the territories they
governed, it is likely that the manuscript
was written under the orders of the
governor.
THE FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE
WORLD
by Antonio Pigaffeta
INTRODUCTION
The Philippines had a long and arduous
history, which details can be seen in
numerous books by different authors. It
is important to note that some of these
authors were fated to witness a
significant fragment of history being
made, thus tasked themselves to
immortalize such remarkable time for
posterity. Antonio Pigafetta, who had
been the chronicler of Ferdinand
Magellan, documented what transpired
during the first ever circumnavigation.
His documentation is deemed as a
notable primary source as it helped
historians validate various historical
claims as facts. His own narration about
circumnavigation was one of the
greatest achievements in the history of
navy exploration and discovery. Apart
from
his
account
on
the
circumnavigation, this Italian seafarer
and geographer described peoples,
countries,
goods,
and
even
the
languages spoken. He gave us an idea
about pre-colonial Philippines and
narrated the first mass, an event in
Philippine history that had stirred waves
of constroversy and demanded further
scrutiny.
Who is Antonio Pigafetta?
A Venetian scholar and explorer,
Pigafetta (c. 1491 – c. 1531) traveled with
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan
and his crew under the order of King
Charles I of Spain on their voyage around
the world. He served as Magellan’s
assistant and kept an accurate journal,
which became the source of information
on Magellan’s voyage. He was one of the
18 men who returned to Spain in 1522,
out of the approximately 240 men who
set out three years earlier. Pigafetta’s
voyage
completed
the
first
circumnavigation of the world. His
journal, however, centers on the events in
the Mariana islands and the Philippines.
Pigafetta was born into a wealthy
Vicenza family and studied navigation
among other things. He served on board
the galleys of the Knights of Rhodes, and
accompanied
the
papal
nuncio,
Monsignor Chieregati, to Spain. Later, he
joined the Portuguese captain Ferdinand
Magellan and his Spanish crew on their
trip to the Maluku Islands. While in the
Philippines Magellan was killed, and
Pigafetta was injured. Nevertheless, he
recovered and was among only 18 of
Magellan’s original crew who, having
completed the first circumnavigation of
the world, returned to Spain onboard
another vessel, the Victoria. Pigafetta was
one of the 18 men who returned to Spain
in 1522, out of the approximately 240 who
set out three years earlier.
Do you think Antonio Pigafetta is
credible enough to tell us about the first
ever circumnavigation?
HISTORICAL CONTENT
MARCH 17, 1521
They came upon an island named
Homonhon in Samar, where they rested
for the day. Since that this date is
considered to be the opening day of the
Philippines.
Originally Magellan named the newly
discovered archipelago in honor of St.
Lazarus - San Lazaro but later it was
renamed. In 1542 the island was decided
to name in honor of King Philip II. And up
to now, in all the maps of the world they
are marked as Filipino.
They saw 9 men in a boat approaching
them and these men came from the
island Zuluan. These men were giving
signs of joy for Magellan's arrival.
MARCH 18, 1521
There was an exchange of gifts between
them. These people became very familiar
and friendly with native folks, and
explained many things to them in their
language, and told them the names of
some islands which they saw with their
eyes before them.
The above-mentioned people, who had
promised to return, came about midday,
with two boats laden with the said fruit
cochi, sweet oranges, a vessel of palm
wine, and a cock..
MARCH 22, 1521
The seignior of the natives was painted
(tattooed) and had many accessories like
rings and bracelets. They call the natives
caphri, or heathen.
The blood compact is where the Rajah
and Magellan drank each other’s blood
mixed with the native wine, Atuba in
southern Leyte. They sealed an implicit
political pact between Spain and the
Philippines.
MARCH 28, 1521
Because of this alliance, the Rajah
allowed Magellan and his men to come
ashore to celebrate mass. Rajah Kolambu
was also invited to the mass along with
Rajah Siagu of Butuan, his brother.
MARCH 31, 1521
It is the first Catholic mass in the
Philippines officiated by Father Pedro de
Valderama in the shore of a town named
as Limasawa in the tip of Southern Leyte.
Limasawa is known as the birthplace of
Roman Catholicism in the Philippines.
Conducted near the shores of the island,
the Holy First Mass marked the birth of
Roman Catholicism in the Philippines.
Magellan instructed his comrades to
plant a large wooden cross on the top of
the hill overlooking the sea.
APRIL 7, 1521
Ferdinand Magellan and his fleet of ships
under the flag of Spain arrived in Cebu.
Magellan was welcomed by the native
chieftain of Cebu, Rajah Humabon,
Magellan sent an ambassador and the
interpreter the the king Rajah Humabon
said that all ships were required to pay
tribute. But both parties not agreed and
then there was an exchange of warnings
between the two parties.
APRIL 8, 1521
Magellan asked his Malay slave Enrique
to assure the natives of Cebu that they
came as friends and were not enemies.
Rajah
Humabon,
Cebu
chieftain,
welcomed them and soon a blood
compact ensued. Rajah Humabon was
baptised and was named Don Carlo.
Rajah Humabon swore to help Magellan
conquer his enemies. Especially the
growing muslim community. Queen
Juana also converted to Christianity and
was handed a Wooden Child Jesus
sculpture
APRIL 27, 1521
Ferdinand Magellan arrived at the shores
of Mactan three hours before sunrise.
Magellan sent a message to the natives
saying that if they still refused to
recognize the Spanish king and pay
them tribute, they would demonstrate
how effective their swords were at
wounding people. In reply, Lapu-Lapu’s
men told Magellan that although the
Spaniards had lances, they, too, were
armed with bamboo and stakes
hardened
with
fire.
The
natives
requested Magellan’s party to wait until
morning before attacking so they could
gather more warriors, to which Magellan
obliged.
When the sun rose, Magellan, including
his crew of 49 (11 remained on the ship)
witnessed how the natives were highly
organized at warfare. The natives shot
only at their legs, for the latter were bare;
and so many were the spears and stones
that they hurled at us, that we could offer
no resistance.
Native continued to retire from the shore
always fighting up the knees in the
water. One of them wounded him on the
left leg with a large cutlass, which
resembles a scimitar, only being larger.
That caused the Ferdinand Magellan to
fall face downward, when immediately
they rushed upon him with iron and
bamboo spears and with their cutlasses,
until they killed him..
CUSTOMS OF THE TAGALOG
by Juan de Plasencia, OSF
INTRODUCTION
This literary work reflects the customs of
the Tagalog before which provides us a
background of their lifestyle, beliefs, and
traditions during the early times. This
literature is important as it preserves the
customs and beliefs of the Filipinos that
reflect who we were and influence who
we are today. The text foregrounds two
important figures: the observer (de
Plasencia) himself, with his own
background, subjectivities and biases;
and the observer’s subject (Tagalogs),
seen as the “Other". In colonial situations,
the relationship of these figures – the
colonizer and the colonized – flows in
both but unequal directions; the former
being dominant, while the latter is the
inferior one. Plasencia's Customs of the
Tagalogs is very essential and interesting
until now. Like, who wouldn't want to
know about the customs of the Tagalogs
before?
AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND
A Spanish priest of the Franciscan Order,
he spent most of his missionary life in the
Philippines, where he founded numerous
towns in Luzon and wrote several
religious and linguistic books.
Plasencia is reported to have arrived in
the Philippines in 1578 and joined forces
with another missionary, Fray Diego de
Oropesa. They both started preaching
around Laguna de Bay and Tayabas,
Quezon where he founded several towns.
The following years, they also put up a
large number of towns in the provinces
of Bulacan, Laguna and Rizal including
Caliraya, Majayjay, Nagcarlan, Lilio (Liliw),
Pila, Santa Cruz, Lumban, Pangil,
Siniloan, Morong, Antipolo, Taytay, and
Meycauayan.
He wrote a number of books intended to
promote the understanding of both the
Spanish language among the natives,
and the local languages among the
missionaries, to facilitate the task of
spreading Christianity.
Plasencia is believed to have authored
the first book printed in the Philippines,
the Doctrina Christiana, which was not
only printed in Spanish but also in
Tagalog, in both Latin script, and the
commonly used Baybayin script of the
nativesof the time, and it even had a
version in Chinese.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE
DOCUMENT
It was written on the year 1589 during the
Spanish Colonial Period. After receiving
the Lordship’s letter, Plasencia wished to
reply immediately; but he postponed his
answer in order that he might first
thoroughly inform himself in regard to
People’s request, and to avoid discussing
the conflicting reports of the Indians.
Therefore, he collected Indians from
different districts – old men, and those of
most capacity; and from them he had
obtained the simple truth, after weeding
out much foolishness, in regard to their
government, administration of justice,
inheritance, slaves, and dowries.
HISTORICAL CONTENT
The work of Plasencia is considered by
many historians as an example of a friar
account. This kind of writing is one of the
most
common
contemporaneous
accounts during the early part of the
Spanish period. The original text of
Plasencia’s Customs of the Tagalogs is
currently kept in Archivo General de
Indias in Seville, Spain. There is also a
duplicate copy of it in the Archivo
Franciscano Ibero-Oriental, in Madrid,
Spain. The original text of Plasencia’s
Customs of the Tagalogs is currently kept
in Archivo General de Indias in Seville,
Spain. There is also a duplicate copy of it
in the Archivo Franciscano Ibero-Oriental
in Madrid, Spain. In the Philippines, an
English version of it appeared in volume
VII of the Blair and Robertson collections.
Another English translation of it was
published as part of the volume for the
pre-Hispanic
Philippines
of
the
Filipiniana Book Guild series and what
will be presented below is from this
version. There is several historical
information in the document of
Plasencia: Social System, Government,
and Laws, Inheritance, Property, Marriage
and Customs, Religious Beliefs and
Practices, The Twelve Disciples of
Darkness, Superstitious Beliefs and
Burial.
SOCIAL SYSTEM. In the Social System,
the social class of Filipinos prior to
Spanish colonization, the Chieftain (Datu)
is the highest, followed by Nobles
(Maharlika) and Commoners (Aliping
Namamahay), and the Slaves (Aliping
Saguiguilir) as the lowest in the hierarchy
of the society. Datu was the chief and
captain of wars who governed them and
to whom they obeyed and reverenced.
Individuals who were identified as
Maharlika were the free-born who do not
pay any tax or tribute to the Datu. Aliping
Namamahay were the married, who
served their master and live in their own
houses and lords of their property and
gold. Aliping Namamahay served their
master in his house and on his cultivated
lands, and they may be sold.
GOVERNMENT AND LAWS. Barangay is
a term pertaining to a unit of
government. It is a group of people
consisting of 30 to 40 families and is
being ruled and governed by a Datu.
Datu's
function
includes
law
implementation, ensuring peace and
order, and giving protection within his
control as well as settling individual
disputes in the court together with the
council of leaders. They had laws by
which they condemned to death a man
of low birth who insulted the daughter or
wife of a chief; likewise witches, and
others of the same class. They
condemned no one to slavery unless he
merited the death penalty.
INHERITANCES. The succession of
thrones
played
as
part
of the
inheritances of the Filipinos at that time.
The Datu transfers his position to his 1st
son; if the 1st son dies, the 2nd son
succeeds their father; in the absence of
male heirs, it is the eldest daughter that
becomes the chieftain.
PROPERTY. The chief in some villages
had also fisheries, with established limits,
and sections of the rivers for markets. No
one could fish without paying unless he
belonged to the chief's barangay. The
lands on the mountain ridges are not
divided but owned in common by the
barangay. The lands inhabited were
divided among the whole barangay. At
the time of the rice harvest, any
individual or any particular barangay,
although he may have come from some
other village, if he commences clearing
any land may sow it.
MARRIAGE AND CUSTOMS. The first
part of courtship was referred to as
Paninilbihan. If the man succeeded in
the courtship, he asked for the parents'
permission and had to satisfy several
conditions: give a dowry, pay the
panghihimuyat, pay the wet nurse
bigay-suso, pay the parents himaraw, or
bribe for the relatives called sambon.
Marriage belonging to different social
class were not common during those
times. There are also various instances of
divorcement which grounds include
adultery, abandonment by the husband,
insanity, and cruelty. The cases of divorce
in relation to dowry depend on who
acted the divorce. If the wife initiated the
divorce before childbirth and has
married another, all her dowry and an
equal additional amount go to the
husband. If the wife did not marry after
leaving the husband, the dowry has to be
returned to the husband. If the husband
left his wife, he lost only half of the dowry
and the rest is returned. If he possessed
children during the divorce, the whole
dowry and fine went to the children and
held by their grandparents or relatives.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES.
Filipinos had traditional beliefs even in
the precolonial period. They believe in
the immortality of soul and life after
death. They worship various Gods that
are associated with their environment.
The existence of the number of gods of
whom they made offerings are some of
the following: Bathalang Maycapal
-Creator, Agni-Fire God, Idinayale-God of
agriculture, Lalahon-Goddess of Harvest,
Sidapa-God of Death, Siginarugan-God
of Hell, Balangaw-Rainbow God, Diyan
Masalanta-Goddess
of
Love,
and
Mandarangan-War God. Their beliefs
included animals, sun, moon, and even
rocks along the seashores are adored.
There was no old tree to which they did
not attribute divine honors. Diseases
were thought to be caused by the
temper of the environmental spirits. The
Anitos or Diwata are adored private idols
to whom permissions were asked from
them to go. They were believed to have
jurisdictions over mountains and open
country, sowed fields, and seas. By
carving on ivory or gold called licha or
larawan, it is being made to keep a
memory of the dead.
THE TWELVE DISCIPLES OF
DARKNESS.
When Spanish friars arrived to evangelize
the Philippines, they spread propaganda
about indigenous beliefs as a strategy for
converting
natives to Catholicism.
Anything the friars didn’t understand
was deemed "unChristian" and evil. They
found no written records on the native
religion because everything was based
on oral tradition which was passed down
through generations.
1. CATOLONAN, commonly known all
over the Philippines, was either a man or
a woman. These priests were honorable
one among the natives and were held
ordinarily by people of rank, this rule
being general in all the islands.
2. MANGAGAUAY. These priests even
induced maladies by their charms, which
in proportion to the strength and efficacy
of the witchcraft, are capable of causing
death.
3. MANYISALAT. These priests had the
power of applying such remedies to
lovers that they would abandon and
despise their own wives, and in fact could
prevent them from having intercourse
with the latter.
4. MANCOCOLAM, whose duty was to
emit fire from himself at night, once or
oftener each month. This wallows in
ordure and filth which falls random
houses.
5. HOCLOBAN which originates in
Catanduanes is a powerful witch who
causes death, can heal as well, and can
destroy a home.
6.
SILAGAN which originated in
Catanduanes eats a liver and causes
violence and death.
7. MAGTATANGAL is a creature whose
head separates and body walks with the
intention of showing himself to people.
8. OSUANG, which is equivalent to”
sorcerer” they say that they have seen
him fly and that he murdered men and
ate their flesh.
9. MANGAGAYOMA. They made charms
for lovers out of herbs, stones, and wood,
which would infuse the heart with love.
10. SONAT, which is equivalent to”
preacher” It was his office to help one to
die, at which time he predicted the
salvation or condemnation of the soul.
11. PANGATAHOJAN, was a soothsayer
and predicted the future. This office was
general in all the islands.
12. BAYOGUIN, signified a” cotquean,” a
man whose nature inclined toward that
of a woman or termed as homosexual.
SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS. The Filipinos’
superstitious beliefs were evidenced by
their idea of creatures such as Tiyanak,
Kapre, Tikbalang, Dwende, Aswang. It is
also referred to as the beliefs in the
magical power of amulet and charms
such as gayuma or love potion,
anting-anting and kulam. Most of them
thought that the spirit of the dead can
incarnate
itself
in
animals.
The
Pre-Spanish Filipinos said that those who
are stabbed to death, eaten by
crocodiles, or killed by arrows climb on a
rainbow to heaven and evolve into gods
BURIALS. This burial ceremony included
burying their dead in certain wooden
coffins, in their own houses. They bury
with the dead, gold, cloth, and other
valuable objects - saying that if they
depart rich they will be well received in
the other world, but coldly if they go
poor.
THE KARTILLA OF KATIPUNAN
Jim Richardson
Background of the Author
Emilio Jacinto was born in 1875 on the
15th of December. He was the only son of
a man named Mariano Jacinto and a
woman named Josefa Dizon. Shortly
after he was born, his father passed away.
This untimely death forced his mother to
send Emilio to live with his uncle, Don
Jose' Dizon. His mother believed that his
uncle could care for the young Emilio
better then she could after the death of
Mariano.
Emilio attended the San Juan de Letran
College when he first embarked on his
college career. However, he later
attended the University of San Tomas in
order to study law. Emilio left college
before completing his law degree.
The Kartilla
Taught in schools and universities, the
Kartilla is the best-known of all
Katipunan texts. Making manifest the
KKK’s principles and teachings, it was
printed as a small pamphlet for new
members. It is the only document of any
length set in print by the Katipunan prior
to August 1986 that is known to be still
extant.
The earliest reference to the Kartilla yet
found is in the minutes of a Supreme
Assembly meeting held in December
1895. Whether it is the KKK branches or
the individual recruits who are to be the
charged this amount is not clear, and nor
is it known whether the title phrase -----“To those who want to join this
Katipunan”- Truly means recruits, or in
practice should be taken to mean, “To
those who have joined this Katipunan”.
Authorship of the Kartilla has always
been credited to Emilio Jacinto, and
there is little doubt this attribution is
sound: it dates back to the Sensacional
memoria of Isabelo delos Reyes, whose
sources included several senior of KKK
veterans, and it has never been
challenged. Bonifacio, the story goes, had
originally intended that his “Decalogue”
should be printed and handed to new
recruits, but then read Jacinto’s Kartilla
and decided it was superior. The two
texts, though, are not comparable.
Bonifacio seeks only to enumerate the
duties of Katipunan members, Jacinto
couches his primer, four times as long,
rather as a statement of aspirations and
ethical values. Bonifacio lists ten
obligations; Jacinto presents twelve
“guiding
principles”
and
fourteen
“teachings”.
Mga Aral ng Katipunan ng mga Anak ng
Bayan
(Teachings of the Katipunan of the Sons
of the People)
1.The life that is not consecrated to a lofty
and reasonable purpose is a tree without
a shade, if not a poisonous weed.
2. To do good for personal gain and not
for its own sake is not virtue.
3. It is rational to be charitable and love
one's fellow creature, and to adjust one's
conduct, acts and words to what is in
itself reasonable.
4. Whether our skin be black or white, we
are all born equal: superiority in
knowledge, wealth and beauty are to be
understood, but not superiority by
nature.
5. The honorable man prefers honor to
personal gain; the scoundrel, gain to
honor.
6. To the honorable man, his word is
sacred.
7. Do not waste thy time: wealth can be
recovered but not time lost.
8. Defend the oppressed and fight the
oppressor before the law or in the field.
9. The prudent man is sparing in words
and faithful in keeping secrets.
10. On the thorny path of life, man is the
guide of woman and the children, and if
the guide leads to the precipice, those
whom he guides will also go there.
11. Thou must not look upon woman as a
mere plaything, but as a faithful
companion who will share with thee the
penalties of life; her (physical) weakness
will increase thy interest in her and she
will remind thee of the mother who bore
thee and reared thee.
12. What thou dost not desire done unto
thy wife, children, brothers and sisters,
that do not unto the wife, children,
brothers and sisters of thy neighbor.
novels, Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo illustrated myriads of
abuses perpetrated against the Indios (as
the Filipinos were called), many of which
triggered various revolts from different
parts of the archipelago. The publication
of the said novels stirred national
consciousness
that
consequently
inspired the establishment of the KKK.
The KKK as mentioned in previous
modules was a secret organization
formed by Andres Bonifacio. It gained
popularity among people who had
enough of the croocked colonial system,
the stark economic and political
inequalities, the mayhem, the slavery
and other types of atrocities. The goal
was to attain freedom and create an
independent government that will serve
the interests of the Filipino people. This
fervor was enough for them to take up
arms against Spain even if it had cost
them their lives. The revolution was
arduous and bloody, and it tested the
faith and loyalty of some Filipinos.
Despite of its flaws, we can all agree that
it inspired such remarkable valor among
priviledged and commoners alike.
Together,
they
fought
with
this
resounding battlecry, ‘’Mabuhay ang
Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang Inang Bayan!’’
Don Emilio Aguinaldo, in his writing,
“Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan” narrated
what happened during the revolution,
how our forefathers endured the battle
in the name of freedom. Read and
internalize his narration below.
PAGLALARAWAN SA MAY AKDA
13. Man is not worth more because he is a
king, because his nose is aquiline, and his
color white, not because he is a priest, a
servant of God, nor because of the high
prerogative that he enjoys upon earth,
but he is worth most who is a man of
proven and real value, who does good,
keeps his words, is worthy and honest; he
who does not oppress nor consent to
being oppressed, he who loves and
cherishes his fatherland, though he be
born in the wilderness and know no
tongue but his own.)
14. When these rules of conduct shall be
known to all, the longed-for sun of
Liberty shall rise brilliant over this
unhappiest portion of the globe and its
rays shall diffuse everlasting joy among
the confederated brethren of the same
rays, the lives of those who have gone
before, the fatigues and the well-paid
sufferings will remain. If he who desires
to enter (the Katipunan) has informed
himself of all this and believes he will be
able to perform what will be his duties,
he may fill out the application for
admission.
MGA GUNITA NG HIMAGSIKAN
By Emilio Aguinaldo
INTRODUCTION
The Philippines was a colony of Spain for
333 years. Needless to say, our culture
bears a hispanic heritage. One of the
greatest legacies of the colonization is
the country’s Christianization which still
prevails until today. Our customs and
traditions mirrror the teachings of
Christianity that had been imposed on
our forefathers.
Despite of the strong Spanish influences,
some Filipinos aimed for independence.
People clamored for liberty and freedom
from oppressions. Jose P. Rizal, in his two
Sino si Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo?
Si Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo Y Famy ay
ipinanganak noong ika-22 ng Marso 1869
sa Cavite el Viejo, o mas kilala ngayon
bilang Kawit. Siya ay ang pangpito sa
walong
anak
nina
Carlos
Jamir
Aguinaldo at Trinidad Famy- Aguinaldo.
Ang pamilyang Aguinaldo ay kilala dahil
ang kanyang amang si Carlos Aguinaldo
ay ang itinalagang gobernadorcillo. Hindi
nakapagtapos ang Heneral sa Colegio de
San Juan de Letran dahil sa cholera
outbreak noong 1882.
Sa kabilang banda, siya ay naging
Cabeza de Barangay ng Binakayan
noong siya’y 17 taong gulang pa lamang.
Noong 1895, ang Batas Maura na
kumikilala sa mga pamahalaang lokal ay
ipinisatupad. Sa gulang na 25, si Emilio
ang
naging
kauna-unahang
gobernadorcillo ng Cavite el Viejo. Siya ay
sumali sa Katipunan sa ilalim ng
Magdalo at nahalal bilang president ng
Pamahalaang Panghihimagsik sa Bario
Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon noong
ika-22 ng Marso 1897.
Itinatag niya ang kalayaan ng
bansa noong ika-12 ng Hunyo 1898 sa
balkonahe ng kanyang bahay sa Kawit.
Siya ang kauna-unahang presidente ng
Pilipinas at itinatag ang Malolos
Republic. Siya ang pinakabata at
pinakamatandang namatay na president
sa gulang na 94 anyos dahil sa Coronary
Thrombosis noong ika-6 ng February
1964.
Inilathala ni Heneral Aguinaldo
ang unang libro ng kanyang “Mga Gunita
ng Himagsikan” noong 1923-1946. Ayon
sa isinulat na libro ng heneral, ang
kanyang mga gunita ay batay sa
talaarawan na kanyang itinago at mga
dokumento.
PAGSUSURI NG KONTEKSTO
Dumanas ang ibang Pilipino nang
matinding pagmamaltrato ng mga
Kastila sa loob ng madaming taon.
Naitatag ang Katipunan upang tugunan
ang hirap na dinadanas ng mga Pilipino.
Nagkaroon ng dalwang pangkat sa
lalawigan ng Cavite. Ito ang Magdiwang
at Magdalo. Pinamunuaan ni Mariano
Alvarez ang Magdiwang at Baldomero
Aguinaldo naman ang Magdalo. Hindi
nagkaunawaan ang dalawang pangkat
na ito. Nais ng Magdalo na palitan ang
Katipunan bilang isang rebolusyonaryo
habang Magdiwang naman ay gusting
panatilihin ang umiirial na pamamahala.
Ayon sa paglalahad ni Heneral Artemio
Ricarte, nanguna sa paglaban sa hukbo
ng Kastila sa San Francisco de Malabon,
bagamat taliwas ang Sangguniang
Magdalo sa paghihimagsik, sila ay
nahikayat at napilit na sumali sa labanan
matapos makamit ang tagumpay sa
pakikidigma. Dahil dito, nagkaroon ng
madugo at masalimuot na labanan sa
pagitan ng mga Pilipino at Espanyol.
Ang gunita ni Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo
patungkol sa himagsikan ay ang
paglalahad ng mga salaysay at alaala sa
mga taong lumahok sa labanan.
Sinambit dito ang kanilang karanasan sa
pagtatanggol,
pagtataguyod,
at
sakripisyo upang mabawi ng mga
naghihimagsik ang kanilang teritoryo at
upang kamtan ang inaasam na kalayaan
para sa bayan.
PAGSUSURI NG NILALAMAN
Naganap ang nabigong paglusob sa
Imus noong ika-31 ng Agosto, 1896, ayon
kay Heneral Aguinaldo. Pagsapit ng gabi
ay dumating ang pangkat ng pangulo
ng
Sangguniang
Madalo
na
si
Baldomero Aguinaldo upang sumaklolo
at hinarap ang Kalaban sa naturang
lugar.
Sa kabilang dako, dinala naman ni Emilio
Aguinaldo ang hukbo ng Cavite el Viejo
sa Binakayan upang dito nila lulusubin
ang Infanteria Marina dahil sa kanilang
palagay na kung sila ay lulusob sa kuta
ng kalaban na matatagpuan sa puntod
ng kulanta, sa Polvorin, hindi nila ito
matatalo dahil ito ay malapit sa kutang
Artelleria ng Arsenal ng Cavite. Kung
kaya’t hihintayin nilang dumaan ang
mga ito sa Bakayan. Ngunit sila ay
nabigo dahil bago sila makapasok sa
kabayanan ay nakasagupa na nila ang
mga Guardia Civil, at nagana pang
sagupaan sa plasa ng munisipyo at
simbahan ng Imus. Napatay nila ang
dalawang
kasapi
ng
kalaban
at
nakamkam nila ang dalawang baril
ngunit naiwan nila si Teniente Marcelino
Cajulis na sugatan sa munisipyo.
Batay
sa
paglalahad
ni
Heneral
Aguinaldo, nagtungo sa kumbento ng
Cavite el Viejo, ang kuwartel ng Heneral,
si Jose Tagle noong ika-1 ng Setyembre,
1896, upang humingi ng abuloy bilang
paghahanda
sa
kauna-unahang
pagsalakay sa mga kalaban sa Imus,
Cavite. Ito ay agad niyang sinang-ayunan.
Ngunit, nabigo sila at nagapi dahil ito
ang kauna-unahang beses na gumawa
ng taktikang pagsulob si Aguinaldo.
Ayon pa rin sa Heneral noong ika-2 ng
Setyembre, 1896, “ang pangkat na
pinanguluhan ni Heneral Baldomero
Aguinaldo, ay siya kong inatasang
lilibawa sa dakong hilaga o norte, sa
kanyang pagsalakay. Sa dakong timog ó
sur, ay ang kawal naman ng Capitan
Municipal sa Imus, si G. José Tagle, at sa
pangharapan o liwasan ng kumbento at
simbahan, ay ang aking pangkat, at ako
pa rin ang nangunguna sa pagharap sa
mga kalaban.”
Sa pagtutuloy, giniba nila ang
pinto ng simbahan gamit ang palakol at
maso at nagawa nilang pumasok. Ngunit
ang inabutan lamang ay si Padre
Buenaventura. Ayon sa pagsasalaysay ni
Emilio, “Ito’y kapagkarakang humarap sa
akin nang paluhod at humingi ng tawad.
Kanyang ipinagtapat sa akin pagkatapos
na kaaalis pa raw lamang ng mga Frayle
at Guardia Civil na nagpanakbuhan sa
takot, ng kanilang marinig ang tugtog
ng banda ng musika at nang
matanawan nila sa torre ang makapal na
kawal naming dumarating. Dahil dito,
muling nagtipon ang kanilang mga
kawal. Hinati na naming muli ang grupo
sa tatlong pangkat. Isinagawa ang
pagkubkob ng timog at kanluran na
nababakuran ng matibay na hacienda.”
“At palibhasa’y sa katibayan ng
asyenda na tila sinadya iyon, at sa
karamihan ng kaharap nilang mga
guwardiya sibil, pare at legong prayle at
taongbayan pang basal ang ugali na
pumanig doon, ay hindi ito nakuhang
wasakin karaka kaya nga’t lumawig ang
labanan hanggang sa umaga na
kinabukasan. Siyang pagkatalo sa nasa
asyenda na nangakukulong sila at lalang
ng madlang paraan. Tinibag namin ang
mga pader, sinunog ang kamalig ng
palay, hanggang akalaing idamay ang
Bahay-uldóg
sa
kinaroroonan
ng
kinakaaway,” dagdag pa ng heneral.
Isinaad din ni Aguinaldo ang
naging resulta ng pagsalakay. Aniya, sa
kadahilanang
mayroong
taglay at
maangkop na armas ang kanilang
kalban,
maraming
nalagas
sa
mapaghmagsik
na
grupo
kaya
napahinto ang kanilang pagsulong.
Tanging
ang
kanyang
Sarhento
Cuadrillero na si Guillermo Samoy
lamang ang nakasunod sa kanya sa may
pinto ng hacienda at habang pinapalakol
at binabareta nila ito, lalong lumalakas
nag pamumutok ng kalaban sa
pangunguna ni Fray Eduarte.
Ipinagdiwang
sa
Imus
ang
pagkamatay ng ilan sa mga kalaban
tulad nina Tinyente Enrique Chacon,
Juan Perez na isang kabo, Isabelo del
Rosario, kasalukuyang kasalukuyang juez
de paz (justice of the peace) noon o kilala
bilang asong ganid ng prayel, dalawang
pari na (isa rito ay si Padre Jose Maria
Learte na kura ng Imus), dalawang uldog
at isang kabong guwardiya sibil na
pawing kastila. Sa kabilang dako naman,
ang pagkaurong sa Bakood (Bacoor) na
ikinasawi ng dalawang kawal at ni
Victorino Sambile na isang bihag. Ito ay
ayon naman sa paglalahad ni Carlos V.
Ronquillo.
Agarang ibinatid ni Kornel Tagle
ang tagumpay na nakamit nil laban sa
kaaway kay Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo na
kung saan ay nakalikom sila ng 30 baril
na
Remington,
dalawang
ripleng
Winchester, isang kanyon de montaña,
at mahigit libong bala. Tinugunan
naman si ng Heneral, “Naniniwala ako na
sa pakikihamok nating ito sa kaharian ng
Espanya, upang makalagot sila sa
kaalipinan, ay nasa piling natin ang Diyos
na lalong makapangyarihan sa lahat.
Alam ng Maykapal na iisa lamang ang
ating layon, dili iba’t ang mahango sa
dustang kalagayan ang ating Inang
bayan.”
Mawawari sa mga winika ni
Heneral Aguinaldo ang lakas ng
pananalig ng mga mapaghimagsik na
Pilipino sa Poong Maykapal na kung
saan Siya ay itinuturing nilang kakampi.
Ayon pa sakanya, isang malaking
tagumpay ang mapalayas ang mga
prayle at guardia civil na kumukuta roon
at tuluyang makubkob ang hacienda.
Nagging mahalaga rin ang pagtulong ng
mga baying nasa ilalim ng Sangguniang
Magdalo gaya ng Cavite el Viejo sa
pagtatanggol ng Imus.
Sa pagpapatuloy ng labanan,
dumating ang tropa nina Togores at
Garcia. Nagkaroon ng engkwentro sa
pagitan ng Kolumnang Togores-Garcia at
pulutong nina Aguinaldo. Naparuong
nila ang hukbo ng Heneral sapagkat
tumulong din sa labanan ang hukbo ni
Aguirre. Ayon kay Ronquillo, ipinadala ni
Gobernador Heneral Blanco si Aguirre
upang pamunuan ang hukbo at upang
makubkob
muli
ang
Imus
sa
pamamagitan ng dalawang piyesa ng
canon
Plasencia
sa
tulong
ng
napakaraming sundalo.
Ayon sa isinalaysay ni Heneral
Aguinaldo, ang naganap na labanan
noong ika-2 ng Setyembre 1896 ang
kauna-unahan niyang pagkabigo sa
hukbo ng mga Espanyol.
Dumating naman si Gil Ignacio,
ang pangulo ng balangay “Gargano” ng
katipunan,
sa
Kwartel
ni
Emilio
Aguinaldo upang humingi ng tulong
sapagkat ang Pulang Lupa (Parañaque)
ay napupuno ng Infanteria, Caballeria, at
Artilleria.
Nagtungo ang pangkat ni Heneral
Aguinaldo sa Imus noong ika-3 ng
Setyembre 1896. Pinutol nila ang tulay ng
Isabel II sa tabi ng hacienda ng Imus na
siya naming ikinagulat at ikinagulo ng
mga espanyol. Dahil dito, halos buong
hapong nagkaroon ng walang humpay
na putukan sa pagitan ng magkaibilang
pangkat.
Nag-iwan ng halos dalawang karitong
bangkay nang matapos ang labanan.
Nakamkam ng mga naghihimagsik ang
70 na Remington at sableng naiwan ni
Heneral
Aguirre.
Nagpasyiya
ang
Sangguniang Bayang Magdalo na ilipat
ang pamahalaang Panghihimahagsik sa
bahay hacienda ng Imus at naghirang ng
panibagong mga pinuno:
Pangulo: G. Baldomero Aguinaldo
Secretario de Guera: G. Candido Triá Tirona
Secretario de Hacienda: G. Cayetano Topacio
Secretariode Fomento: G. Glicerio Topacio
Secretario de Agricultura: G. Felix Cuenco
Secretario de Justicia: G. Sixto Espinosa
Teniente General en Jefe Abanderado: G.
Emilio Aguinaldo
Ayon pa kay Aguinaldo, “Ang
panibagong pamahalaan ay nagpasinaya
agad sa pagkakatatag ng maestranza ó
gawaran ng sandata at iba pa, sa
kapakanan ng himagsikan sa isang
kamalig ng hacienda. Pinatayuan ko ito
ng mga aparatus ng ginagamit sa
pagrerecarga ng mga kartuchos ng
baryo para sa sariling gamit at pagbubuo
ng baril na nasisira sa pangangasiwa ni
Coronel Eduardo Legaspi alias Dodong.
Dito rin ipinapagawa ang mga kanyong
tubong bakal ng mga kaldera, na
nililikawan at binabalutan muna ng
kawad bago lalapatan pa ng magkabiyak
na kahoy molave ó gijo, tuloy bubukluran
ng sunud-sunod na plantsuelang bakal.
Ang mga kanyong tanso ay dito rin
ginagawa at binubuo, pati ang mga
kampana ng simbahan na binabasag
bago tutunawin at bago ihuhulog sa
buuan para maging kanyon. Ito’y sa
pamamatnugot ni Heneral Ignacio Pawa,
isang Tsino.” (Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan
, p.132)
Ang
bagong
pinaglipatan
ay
pinamalagian
hanggang
noong
kalahatian ng Marso 1987 matapos kunin
ng mga Espanyol at siya naming
ikinamatay ng kapatid ni Heneral
Aguinaldo na si Tenyente Heneral G.
Crispulo Aguinaldo.
Buhat ng mahigit 40,000 Infanteryiang
Espanyol, napagpasiyahan ng bagong
Gobernador Heneral na si Camilo Garcia
de Polavieja na lusubin ang Cavite na
itinakda noong ika-15 ng Pebrero 1897 sa
pangunguna ni Heneral Lachambre.
Nagpulong ang Sangguniang Bayang
Magdalo
at
Sangguniang
Bayang
Magdiwang na lumalayong magsanib at
magkaroon ng iisang pamahalaan at
tumugon sa planong isinagawa ng mga
Espanyol subalit hindi ito napagtibay.
Dahil sa kaganapang ito, nakapagsambit
ng mabigat na salita si Heneral Artemio
Ricarte. Aniya, ang kakulangan ng isa ay
pinupunan
ng
isa,
ang
isa
ay
sinasaklolohan ng isa, at ang dalawa ay
magkasangga sa anumang sitwasyon
ngunit sa huli, ang dalawa ay nagwalang
bahala sa kapahamakang inaabot ng isa
hanggang
sila’y
nagtatanimang
unti-unti, lumala hanggang sa muntik na
ipagbaka ng mga magkababayan din. (p.
18, “Himagsikan nang manga Pilipino
Laban sa Kastila.)
Pasikat pa lang ang araw noong ika-16
ng Pebrero 1897 noong magsimula ang
kagimbal-gimbal na putok ng kanyon at
baril sa mga tanggulan sa pagitan ng Las
Piñas at Bakood (Bacoor), Silang, at
Santa Rosa (Laguna de Bay). Sina Koronel
Pio del Pilar, Mariano Noriel, at Agapito
Bonson ang namahala sa mga tanod na
naghihimagsik sa Bacoor kasama ang
kawal ng Imus sa pamumuno ni
Komandante Lucas Camerino at mga
kawal galing sa Noveleta (Magdiwang)
na sina San Gabriel at Montalan kasama
si G. Andres Bonifacio.
Iginiit ni Ricarte na noong Pebrero 16 ay
halos hindi na maaninag ang tanawin na
nilukuban ng putukan at panganganyon
sa pagitan ng Bacoor at Imus, gayon din
sa Silang at Santa Rosa sa Laguna.
Bagamat napakalawak na ng pinsala,
maraming beses pa rin nagtangka ang
mga Kastila na salakayin ang mga
naghihimagsik
ngunit
hindi
sila
nagtatagumpay. Ipinagtanggol ng mga
naghihimagsik ang garrison sa Bacoor sa
pangunguna nina Koronel Pio del Pilar,
Mariano Noriel at Agapito Bonson.
Tumugon rin ang tropa sa Noveleta sa
pamumuno ng mga kapitang sina
Gabriel at Montalan, kasama ang hukbo
sa Imus sa ilalim ni Mayor Lucas
Camerino, at Brigadyer-Heneral Lucino at
si Andres Bonifacio. Sa halos araw-gabing
labanan,
nanatili
ang
mga
naghihimagsik
sa mga tanggulan
hanggang noong ika-26 ng Marso 1897.
Ngunit sila ay lumikas din dahil nakamit
ng Espanyol ang Imus noong ika-25 ng
Marso.
Sa patuloy na paglalahad ng Heneral,
umalis ang mga Kastila sa Imus noong
mga huling araw ng Marso taong 1897.
Sila ay dumaan sa lumang sakahan sa
timog ng kabayanan ng Cavite el Viejo.
Pumasok sila sa lupang sakop ng San
Francisco de Malabon hanggang sa
Bakaw ng naturang bayan. Nakuha nila
ang Noveleta matapos umurong sina
Aguinaldo ngunit hindi nila nakamkam
ang tanggulang kinukutaan ng mga
naghihimagsik.
Bagamat
sila
ay
umurong, para na rin silang nagwagi
dahil sa mga iniwang labi ng mga kastila.
Sa panahong iyon, ayon sa pagsasalaysay
ni Emilio Aguinaldo, dinadaing niya ang
karamdaman dala ng malaria kung
kaya’t inatasan niya sina Heneral
Baldomero
Aguinaldo,
Heneral
Pantaleon Garcia at iba pa na sila na ang
bahalang magtanggol sa kabayanan ng
Imus.
Inilarawan din ng Heneral ang kanyang
karanasan. “Sadyang ipinag-adya ako ng
Maykapal gayon din ang ating Inang
Bayan. Ang totoo, ako’y di halos
makatakbo sa pag-urong na ito
sapagka’t nanghihina na ako, bakit ako’y
inaapoy
ng
lagnat
kaya
nagpagapang-gapang lamang ako sa
bambang (kanal) ng patubig sa
kabukiran at sa ibaba ng tulay ng kung
tawagin ay “Kay Julian.” Patang-pata ako
noon pagka’t nagkataon noon na ang
dati kong karamdamang “Malaria” ay
muli na namang sumumpong sa akin.”
Sa pagsasalaysay ni Heneral Ricarte,
nakuha rin ng mga naghihimagsik ang
mga kwartel ng mga Guardia Sibil sa
Noveleta, San Francisco de Malabon,
Quintana, Naik, Pulangi, Magallanes,
Alfonso, Silang, Paliparan ng Dasmariñas,
at Imus. Nagamit nila ang mga armas na
nalikom at ang amunisyon, kabilang din
ang mga kinukumpuni gaya ng mga
lantaka na gawa sa bakal at ang mga
kanyong inihagis sa pundisyon sa Imus,
na siyang pinangunahan ni Heneral Jose
Ignacio Paua, isang Kristyanong Tsino na
taga-Maynila na naninirahan sa San
Francisco de Malabon.
Sinaad din ni Heneral Ricarte na noong
ika-4 ng hapon, habang lumilikas ang
mga Espanyol, nakaenkwentro nila ang
pangkat ni Bonifacio at ng Magdiwang.
Ngunit nanatili ang pwersa ng Espanyol
sa malayong lugar ng Bacao dahil
nabigo sina Bonifacio na itulak sila sa
Imus.
Naging himpilan naman ng Kapulungan
ng mga Naghihimagsik ang Imus noong
Hunyo 1897 at muling mabawi ang Imus
noong ika-28 ng Marso taong 1898.
Ang
alaala
ng
mapait
na
pangyayari sa kamay ng mananakop ay
nananatili at nagpapasiklab ng poot sa
mga naninirahan sa mga lugar na
pinangyarihan ng putukan, labanan, at
patayan. Sa nangyaring labanan sa
pagitan ng mga Kastila at ng mga
Naghihimagsik,
kahit
ordinaryo
o
relihisyong tao tulad ng paring Recoleto
na si Padre Jose Maria Liarte, na tinadtad
ang katawan, at ng iba pag resedenteng
Espanyol na pinana at pinagtataga
hanggang mawalan na ng buhay.
Introduction:
For this topic, we are going to study
Filipino Grievances against Governor
Wood which served as impeachment
request to the Governor. Although
Governor
Wood
established
improvements in some areas, his
personality caused strong antagonism
between him and Filipino political
leaders. They feared that the autonomy
gained from previous administration
might be lost. The struggles between
Wood and Filipino leaders enhanced the
nationalistic spirit of the people.
However,
the
crisis
against
his
administration was eased shortly as
Governor Wood died due surgery failure
in the United States.
Unlike other sources discussed from
previous modules, this primary source
was authored and collaborated by two
politicians, Jose Abad Santos and George
Jacobo
FILIPINO GRIEVANCES AGAINST
GOVERNOR WOOD
by: Jose Abad Santos and Jorge Bacobo
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jose Abad Santos was born in San
Fernando, Pampanga.
He was a
Pencionado
and
studied
law
in
Northwestern University in Evanston,
Illinois.
He
was
appointed
Undersecretary of Justice in 1921 but
gave up the position at the height of the
cabinet crisis in 1923. He served as chief
legal counsel of the Senate President
and the Speaker of the House of
Representative and it was during this
time when he joined the Anti-Wood
campaign. He was appointed Associate
Justice of the Supreme Court in 1932 and
became Chief Justice nine years later. On
April 11, 1942, the Japanese army arrested
him in Barili, Cebu and he was
subsequently brought to Mindanao. On
May 7, 1942, he was executed in
Malabang, Lanao in the presence of his
son Pepito.
Jorge Bocobo was born in Gerona,
Tarlac on October 19, 1886. In 1907, he
earned his Bachelor of Law degree from
Indiana University under the Pensionado
program of the colonial government. He
was a close associate of Manuel L.
Quezon and served as one of his speech
writers. He became president of the
University of the Philippines from 1934 to
1939 and Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court from 1942-1944. He died
on July 23, 1965.
GOVERNOR LEONARD WOOD AND THE
FILIPINOS
Governor Leonard Wood
After Woods replaced the highly popular
Harrison on October 5, 1921, he vetoed 64
of 217 bills passed by the Legislature
compared to only five under Harrison.
According to the Filipinos, the bills were
dismissed on the flimsiest motives. Wood
for his part saw the vetoed bills as poorly
made or unconstitutional. The strictness
of Wood was perceived as an affront to
the newly found liberties by Filipino
leaders like Quezon. Wood was also
aghast to learn that the government was
in a financial crisis and it was subsidizing
losing corporations like the Philippine
National Bank, the Manila Railway
Company, and Manila Coal Company
which became inefficient because of
having too many employees, many of
whom were recommended by Filipino
officials. Wood moved to streamline
these corporations and make them
self-sufficient. The threat of removing
officials placed there by patronage of
Filipino officials made Wood their
personal enemy.
The
point
of
confrontation
between Wood and the Filipino officials
led by Quezon came to the fore with the
Cabinet Crisis of 1923. This crisis was
sparked over Wood’s order to reinstate
an American police detective named Ray
Conley. Conley was the head of vice
squad of the Manila Police tasked with
running after the operators of gambling
and opium den and their patrons. He
was charged with accepting bribes from
gambling den operators apparently as
revenge by criminal elements because of
his efficient drive against them. The city
mayor of Manila, Ramon Fernandez, and
the Secretary of Interior, Jose P. Laurel,
believed in Conley’s guilt. The Court of
First Instance, however, found the
evidence against Conley as insufficient
and inconsistent, and ordered the case
against the detective dismissed. Wood
ordered Conley reinstated but Conley’s
enemies
wanted
him
charged
administratively of keeping a mistress
and having made false statement that
the mistress was his wife. Laurel tried to
have
Conley
investigated
administratively but Wood objected
saying that this would make Conley’s
accusers his judges. Wood himself
encouraged the investigation of Conley
on the charge of keeping a mistress and
making false statement. An independent
Committee
of
Investigation
was
convened and it found Conley not guilty
of the charges. Wood then sent a
memorandum
to
Laurel
ordering
Conley’s
reinstatement.
Laurel
transmitted a letter to Mayor Fernandez
requesting
compliance
and
then
tendered his resignation as Secretary of
the Interior. Conley who was later
reinstated, retired with full benefits.
Filipino officials then accused Wood of
meddling in the details of the local
government which should have been
handled by the Filipinos. Quezon saw this
incident as an opportunity to embarrass
Governor Wood by resigning form the
Council of State. At the time, the ruling
Nacionalista party was facing the
prospect of defeat in the 1923 elections.
Quezon needed a villain to fight and
keep himself in power. Following
Quezon’s resignation, Mayor of Manila,
Speaker of the House, Manuel Roxas, and
all the Filipino Department Secretaries
also resigned. Wood accepted the mass
resignation of the Filipino officials.
Quezon, as President of the Philippine
senate, refused to confirm for his part,
and refused to confirm all officials
appointed by Wood to replace the
officials who resigned. The Cabinet Crisis
plagued the rest of Wood’s term until his
death on August 7, 1927 while being
operated on for a brain tumor.
THE PROTEST
"In the face of this critical situation, we,
the constitutional representatives of the
Filipino people, met to deliberate upon
the present difficulties existing in the
Government of the Philippine Islands
and to determine how best to preserve
the supremacy and majesty of the laws
and to safeguard the right and liberties
of our people, having faith in the sense of
justice of the people of the United States
and inspired by her patriotic example in
the early days of her history, do hereby, in
our behalf and in the name of the
Filipino people, solemnly and publicly
make known our most vigorous protest
against
the
arbitrary
acts
and
usurpations
of
the
present
Governor-General of the Philippine
Islands, particularly against Executive
Order No.
SPEECH
OF
CORAZON
AQUINO
DURING THE JOINT SESSION OF THE
UNITED STATES CONGRESS
Philippines being in Martial Law under
the leadership of Ferdinand Marcos
experienced a lot of brutality from the
government. This urged Corazon Aquino
to be a strong advocate for the
restoration of democratic country to
bring back the power to Filipino people.
To declare freedom from Marcos regime,
to mark a new beginning for Filipinos
and to appeal financial assistance to
cope with all the adversities the
Philippines is facing during her time
were the intentions of her speech. She
also credited her husband Ninoy Aquino
for conceptualizing achieving peace
through peaceful means in her speech.
Corazon being the first female president
successfully restored civil rights and
abolish 1973 constitution and made
remarkable
contributions
to
the
Philippines.
AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND
President Corazon C. Aquino was the 11th
president and the first female president
of the Philippines. When President
Ferdinand Marcos called for a snap
election in 1986, she became the
opposition’s
presidential
candidate.
When she narrowly lost the election,
Aquino and her supporters challenged
the results. This resulted to the so-called
EDSA revolution, prompting Marcos to
seek exile in Hawaii. On the 25th of
February 1986, Aquino was sworn into
office.
Speech of Her Excellency
Corazon C. Aquino
President of the Philippines
During the Joint Session of the United
States Congress
Three years ago, I left America in grief to bury my
husband, Ninoy Aquino. I thought I had left it also
to lay to rest his restless dream of Philippine
freedom. Today, I have returned as the president
of a free people.
In burying Ninoy, a whole nation honored him. By
that brave and selfless act of giving honor, a
nation in shame recovered its own. A country that
had lost faith in its future found it in a faithless and
brazen act of murder. So in giving, we receive, in
losing we find, and out of defeat, we snatched our
victory.
For the nation, Ninoy became the pleasing
sacrifice that answered their prayers for freedom.
For myself and our children, Ninoy was a loving
husband and father. His loss, three times in our
lives, was always a deep and painful one.
Fourteen years ago, this month was the first time
we lost him. A president-turned-dictator, and
traitor to his oath, suspended the Constitution and
shut down the Congress that was much like this
one before which I am honored to speak. He
detained my husband along with thousands of
others – senators, publishers and anyone who had
spoken up for the democracy as its end drew near.
But for Ninoy, a long and cruel ordeal was
reserved. The dictator already knew that Ninoy
was not a body merely to be imprisoned but a
spirit he must break. For even as the dictatorship
demolished one by one the institutions of
democracy – the press, the Congress, the
independence of the judiciary, the protection of
the Bill of Rights – Ninoy kept their spirit alive in
himself.
The government sought to break him by
indignities and terror. They locked him up in a tiny,
nearly airless cell in a military camp in the north.
They stripped him naked and held the threat of
sudden midnight execution over his head. Ninoy
held up manfully–all of it. I barely did as well. For
43 days, the authorities would not tell me what
had happened to him. This was the first time my
children and I felt we had lost him.
When that didn’t work, they put him on trial for
subversion, murder and a host of other crimes
before a military commission. Ninoy challenged its
authority and went on a fast. If he survived it, then,
he felt, God intended him for another fate. We had
lost him again. For nothing would hold him back
from his determination to see his fast through to
the end. He stopped only when it dawned on him
that the government would keep his body alive
after the fast had destroyed his brain. And so, with
barely any life in his body, he called off the fast on
the fortieth day. God meant him for other things,
he felt. He did not know that an early death would
still be his fate, that only the timing was wrong.
At any time during his long ordeal, Ninoy could
have made a separate peace with the dictatorship,
as so many of his countrymen had done. But the
spirit of democracy that inheres in our race and
animates this chamber could not be allowed to
die. He held out, in the loneliness of his cell and
the frustration of exile, the democratic alternative
to the insatiable greed and mindless cruelty of the
right and the purging holocaust of the left.
And then, we lost him, irrevocably and more
painfully than in the past. The news came to us in
Boston. It had to be after the three happiest years
of our lives together. But his death was my
country’s resurrection in the courage and faith by
which alone they could be free again. The dictator
had called him a nobody. Two million people
threw aside their passivity and escorted him to his
grave. And so began the revolution that has
brought me to democracy’s most famous home,
the Congress of the United States.
The task had fallen on my shoulders to continue
offering the democratic alternative to our people.
Archibald Macleish had said that democracy must
be defended by arms when it is attacked by arms
and by truth when it is attacked by lies. He failed
to say how it shall be won.
I held fast to Ninoy’s conviction that it must be by
the ways of democracy. I held out for participation
in the 1984 election the dictatorship called, even if
I knew it would be rigged. I was warned by the
lawyers of the opposition that I ran the grave risk
of legitimizing the foregone results of elections
that were clearly going to be fraudulent. But I was
not fighting for lawyers but for the people in
whose intelligence I had implicit faith. By the
exercise of democracy, even in a dictatorship, they
would be prepared for democracy when it came.
And then, also, it was the only way I knew by
which we could measure our power even in the
terms dictated by the dictatorship.
The people vindicated me in an election
shamefully marked by government thuggery and
fraud. The opposition swept the elections,
garnering a clear majority of the votes, even if they
ended up, thanks to a corrupt Commission on
Elections, with barely a third of the seats in
parliament. Now, I knew our power.
Last year, in an excess of arrogance, the
dictatorship called for its doom in a snap election.
The people obliged. With over a million signatures,
they drafted me to challenge the dictatorship. And
I obliged them. The rest is the history that
dramatically unfolded on your television screen
and across the front pages of your newspapers.
You saw a nation, armed with courage and
integrity, stand fast by democracy against threats
and corruption. You saw women poll watchers
break out in tears as armed goons crashed the
polling places to steal the ballots but, just the
same, they tied themselves to the ballot boxes.
You saw a people so committed to the ways of
democracy that they were prepared to give their
lives for its pale imitation. At the end of the day,
before another wave of fraud could distort the
results, I announced the people’s victory.
The distinguished co-chairman of the United
States observer team in his report to your
President described that victory:
“I was witness to an extraordinary manifestation of
democracy on the part of the Filipino people. The
ultimate result was the election of Mrs. Corazon C.
Aquino as President and Mr. Salvador Laurel as
Vice-President of the Philippines.”
Many of you here today played a part in changing
the policy of your country towards us. We,
Filipinos, thank each of you for what you did: for,
balancing America’s strategic interest against
human concerns, illuminates the American vision
of the world.
When a subservient parliament announced my
opponent’s victory, the people turned out in the
streets and proclaimed me President. And true to
their word, when a handful of military leaders
declared themselves against the dictatorship, the
people rallied to their protection. Surely, the
people take care of their own. It is on that faith
and the obligation it entails, that I assumed the
presidency.
As I came to power peacefully, so shall I keep it.
That is my contract with my people and my
commitment to God. He had willed that the blood
drawn with the lash shall not, in my country, be
paid by blood drawn by the sword but by the
tearful joy of reconciliation.
We have swept away absolute power by a limited
revolution that respected the life and freedom of
every Filipino. Now, we are restoring full
constitutional government. Again, as we restored
democracy by the ways of democracy, so are we
completing the constitutional structures of our
new democracy under a constitution that already
gives full respect to the Bill of Rights. A jealously
independent
Constitutional
Commission
is
completing its draft which will be submitted later
this year to a popular referendum. When it is
approved, there will be congressional elections. So
within about a year from a peaceful but national
upheaval that overturned a dictatorship, we shall
have returned to full constitutional government.
Given the polarization and breakdown we
inherited, this is no small achievement.
My predecessor set aside democracy to save it
from a communist insurgency that numbered less
than 500. Unhampered by respect for human
rights, he went at it hammer and tongs. By the
time he fled, that insurgency had grown to more
than 16,000. I think there is a lesson here to be
learned about trying to stifle a thing with the
means by which it grows.
I don’t think anybody, in or outside our country,
concerned for a democratic and open Philippines,
doubts what must be done. Through political
initiatives and local reintegration programs, we
must seek to bring the insurgents down from the
hills and, by economic progress and justice, show
them that for which the best intentioned among
them fight.
As President, I will not betray the cause of peace
by which I came to power. Yet equally, and again
no friend of Filipino democracy will challenge this,
I will not stand by and allow an insurgent
leadership to spurn our offer of peace and kill our
young soldiers, and threaten our new freedom.
Yet, I must explore the path of peace to
the utmost for at its end, whatever
disappointment I meet there, is the
moral basis for laying down the olive
branch of peace and taking up the sword
of war. Still, should it come to that, I will
not waver from the course laid down by
your great liberator: “With malice
towards none, with charity for all, with
firmness in the rights as God gives us to
see the rights, let us finish the work we
are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to
care for him who shall have borne the
battle, and for his widow and for his
orphans, to do all which may achieve and
cherish a just and lasting peace among
ourselves and with all nations.”
Like Lincoln, I understand that force may
be necessary before mercy. Like Lincoln, I
don’t relish it. Yet, I will do whatever it
takes to defend the integrity and
freedom of my country.
Finally, may I turn to that other slavery:
our $26 billion foreign debt. I have said
that we shall honor it. Yet must the
means by which we shall be able to do so
be kept from us? Many conditions
imposed on the previous government
that stole this debt continue to be
imposed on us who never benefited from
it. And no assistance or liberality
commensurate with the calamity that
was visited on us has been extended. Yet
ours must have been the cheapest
revolution ever. With little help from
others, we Filipinos fulfilled the first and
most difficult conditions of the debt
negotiation the full restoration of
democracy and responsible government.
Elsewhere, and in other times of more
stringent world economic conditions,
Marshall plans and their like were felt to
be necessary companions of returning
democracy.
When I met with President Reagan
yesterday, we began an important
dialogue about cooperation and the
strengthening of the friendship between
our two countries. That meeting was
both a confirmation and a new
beginning and should lead to positive
results in all areas of common concern.
Today, we face the aspirations of a people
who had known so much poverty and
massive unemployment for the past 14
years and yet offered their lives for the
abstraction of democracy. Wherever I
went in the campaign, slum area or
impoverished village, they came to me
with one cry: democracy! Not food,
although they clearly needed it, but
democracy. Not work, although they
surely wanted it, but democracy. Not
money, for they gave what little they had
to my campaign. They didn’t expect me
to work a miracle that would instantly
put food into their mouths, clothes on
their back, education in their children,
and work that will put dignity in their
lives. But I feel the pressing obligation to
respond quickly as the leader of a people
so deserving of all these things.
We face a communist insurgency that
feeds on economic deterioration, even as
we carry a great share of the free world
defenses in the Pacific. These are only
two of the many burdens my people
carry even as they try to build a worthy
and enduring house for their new
democracy, that may serve as well as a
redoubt for freedom in Asia. Yet, no
sooner is one stone laid than two are
taken away. Half our export earnings,
2billionoutof 4 billion, which was all we
could earn in the restrictive markets of
the world, went to pay just the interest
on a debt whose benefit the Filipino
people never received.
Still, we fought for honor, and, if only for
honor, we shall pay. And yet, should we
have to wring the payments from the
sweat of our men’s faces and sink all the
wealth piled up by the bondsman’s two
hundred fifty years of unrequited toil?
Yet to all Americans, as the leader of a
proud and free people, I address this
question: has there been a greater test of
national commitment to the ideals you
hold dear than that my people have
gone through? You have spent many
lives and much treasure to bring
freedom to many lands that were
reluctant to receive it. And here you have
a people who won it by themselves and
need only the help to preserve it.
Three years ago, I said thank you,
America, for the haven from oppression,
and the home you gave Ninoy, myself
and our children, and for the three
happiest years of our lives together.
Today, I say, join us, America, as we build
a new home for democracy, another
haven for the oppressed, so it may stand
as a shining testament of our two
nation’s commitment to freedom.
Analysis of Cory Aquino’s Speech
Cory Aquino’s speech was an important
event in the political and diplomatic
history of the country because it has
arguably cemented the legitimacy of the
EDSA government in the international
arena. The speech talks of her family
background, especially her relationship
with her late husband, Ninoy Aquino. It is
well known that it was Ninoy who served
as the real leading figure of the
opposition of that time. Indeed, Ninoy’s
eloquence and charisma could very well
compete with that of Marcos. In her
speech, Cory talked at length about
Ninoy’s toil and suffering at the hands of
the dictatorship that he resisted. Even
when she proceeded talking about her
new government, she still went back to
Ninoy’s legacies and lessons. Moreover,
her attributions of the revolution to
Ninoy’s death demonstrates not only
Cory’s personal perception on the
revolution, but since she was the
president, it also represents what the
document discourse was at that point in
our history.
The ideology or the principles of the new
democratic government can also be seen
in the same speech. Aquino was able to
draw the sharp contrast between her
government and her predecessor by
expressing her commitment to a
democratic constitution upholds and
adheres to the rights and liberty of the
Filipino people. Cory also hoisted herself
as the reconciliatory agent after more
than two decades of a polarizing
authoritarian politics. For example, Cory
saw
the
blown-up
communist
insurgency as a product of a repressive
and corrupt government. Her response
to this insurgency rooted from her
diametric opposition of the dictator. (i.e.
initiating reintegration of the communist
rebels to the mainstream Philippines
society.) Cory claimed that her main
approach to this problem was through
pace and not through the sword of war.
Despite Cory’s efforts to hoist herself as
the exact opposite of Marcos, her speech
still
revealed
certain
parallelisms
between
her
and
the
Marco’s
government. This is seen in terms of
continuing the alliance between the
Philippines and the United States despite
the known affinity between the said
world super power and Marcos. The
Aquino regime, as seen in Cory’s
acceptance of the invitation to address
the U.S. Congress and to the content of
the speech, decided to build and
continue the alliance between the
Philippines and the United States and
effectively implemented an essentially
similar foreign policy to that of
dictatorship.
For
example,
Cory
recognized that the large sum of foreign
debts incurred by the Marcos regime
never benefited the Filipino People.
Nevertheless,
Cory
expressed
her
intentions to pay off those debts.
Unknown to many Filipinos was the fact
that there was a choice of waiving the
said debt because those were the debt of
the dictator and not the country. Cory’s
decision is an indicator of her
government’s intention to carry on a
debt driven economy.
Reading through Aquino’s speech, we
can already take cues, not just on Cory’s
individual ideas and aspirations, but also
the guiding principles and framework of
the government that she represented.