Reading

Acta de la
proclamacion de
independencia del
pueblo Filipino
The Philippine Declaration of
Independence occurred in Kawit,
Cavite on 12 June 1898 where
Filipino revolutionary forces
under General Emilio Aguinaldo
proclaimed the sovereignty and
independence of the Philippine
islands from Spanish colonization
after the latter was defeated at the
Battle of Manila Bay on 1 May
1898 during the Spanish-
American War. It was declared a
national holiday and was
witnessed by thousands of people
who gathered in Kawit to witness
the historic event.
Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista
The Act declared that the
Filipinos “are and have the
right to be free and
independent,” and that the
nation from this day
commences to have a life of
its own, with every political
tie between Filipinas and
Spain severed and annulled”.
Mrs. Marcela Agoncillo,
Lorenza Agoncillo
and
Delfina Herboza
The event saw the National Flag of
the Philippines, designed by General
Aguinaldo and made in Hongkong by
Mrs. Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza
Agoncillo and Delfina Herboza
unfurled for the first time. This was
followed by the performance of the
“Marcha Filipina Magdalo” now
known as “Lupang Hinirang”, the
National Anthem. The composer,
Julian Felipe. was a music teacher
from Cavite. The lyrics to the anthem
were sourced a year after from the
poem of Jose Palma entitled
“ Filipinas”.
General Aguinaldo
explained the
symbolism of the
Filipino flag. Each
of the three colors
has an appropriate
meaning:
a. the lower red stripe
represents patriotism and valor
b. the upper blue stripe
signifies peace, truth and
justice
c. the white triangle stands for
equality
The three stars indicate the
three geographical areas of
Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The eight rays of the sun refer to
first eight provinces of Manila,
Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija,
Bataan, Laguna, Batangas and
Cavite which took up arms against
Spain and were placed under
martial law by the Spaniards at
the start of the Philippine
Revolution in 1896.(Agoncillo and
Guerrero, History of the Filipino
People; Zaide, S. The Philippines:
A Unique Nation, 2015).
The purpose of
Ambrosio Rianzares
Bautista for declaring
the Philippine’s
independence
Is to proclaim the sovereignty and the
independence of the Philippines from
the colonial rule of the Spanish Empire.
During the Spanish colonization,
Philippine’s experienced maltreat and
was abused by Spanish friar after was
ruled under the Mexico-based Vice
royalty of New Spain and directly
governed by Spain. That’s why
Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista wrote and
presents the “Acta de la proclamacion
de independencia del pueblo Filipino”
or the Act of Proclamation of
Independence of the Filipino People, to
get the freedom that what Filipino’s
aiming for.
The justifications that
lead Declaration of
Philippine
Independence are as
follow:
 Basically, when Spaniard do
something wrong or a crime,
the Spanish government left
this Spaniards unpunished and
the archbishop or friars ignore
this or simply having trial
without hearing. This bias act
of the Spaniards pushed Don
Bosyong to create this as a
stand point in declaring
independence further, this
unjust system was too much
for Don Bosyong.
 Through this, Don Bosyong
made an argument to firmly
declare its independence
considering the international law
nullifies the Spain possession or
taking Philippines as their
sovereignty, therefore Spain has
no right to claim the Philippines.
In addition, the revolutions at
that time have the upper hand to
announce their rights and claim
from this, many revolutions
sprouted that leads to the defeat
of the Spaniards.
 Hanging the filipino martyrs
portrays how the Spaniards
cross the line, this are
religious figures or disciple
of God but, still they hanged
them because they conspire
on the military uprising. This
leads to the revolution in
Caloocan which are from the
idea of gaining liberty and to
break from the oppression
and suffering from the
Spaniards.
 In other words Emilio is the
supreme head of the nation due to
fact that he fight for our freedom
and independence from the hands
of spain and us. That alone is a
vital milestone or significant event
in our Philippine history. Further,
the statement that explains about
Rizal enlightenment towards the
structure of the Philippine before,
through Rizal we were awakened
about the unfair, not sincere
intentions to us with the Spaniards,
also through the revelation of Rizal
it has a big impact or help towards
Emilio’s dictatorship.
The Proclamation
commenced with the
characterization of
the conditions in the
Philippine during the
Spanish colonial period.
The document specifically
mentioned abuses and
inequalities in the colony.
The proclamation of
independence also
invokes that the
established republic
would led under the
dictatorship of
Emilio Aguinaldo.
No mention was made about the
more serious problem that
affected the masses more
profoundly such as the land and
agrarian crisis felt by Filipino
peasants in the nineteenth
century. Teodoro Agoncillo,
stated that Philippine Revolution
was an agrarian revolution. The
common revolutionary soldier
fought in the revolution for the
hope of owning the lands that
were tilling once the
friar estates.
In connection of Democratic-
Imperialist view, which the
American are said to be superior or
benevolent. On the other hand, the
Americans help us to defeat the
Spaniards for this our heroes show
gratitude through the colors of our
flag. But, what happened the
Americans reject the declaration of
independence that later lead to
Philippine-American War. The
Americans want to guide us, but the
real agenda is that we follow blindly
follow their doing or made
our country at that time
Americanized.
[Link] historical truth about this
important event in Philippine
history.
[Link] reflects this general
revolutionary sentiments.
3. “Philippine Revolution was an
Agrarian Revolution”
4. The Treaty of Paris Agreement
[Link] to the Victorious
Revolutionary Government of
Aguinaldo.
6. Katipunan as the pioneer of the
Revolutionary Movement.