History

GROUP 2

Reading the "Proclamation

of the Philippine
Independence”
Every year, the country commemorates the anniversary of the
Philippine Independence proclaimed on 12 June 1898, in the province
of Cavite. Indeed, such an event is a significant turning point in the
history of the country because it signaled the end of the 333 years of
Spanish colonization.
There have been numerous studies done on the events leading to the
independence of the country but very few students had the chance to
read the actual document of the declaration. This is in spite of the
historical importance of the document and the details that the
document reveals on the rationale and circumstances of that historical
day in Cavite.
Interestingly, reading the details of the said document in hindsight is
telling of the kind of government that was created under Aguinaldo,
and the forthcoming hand of the United States of America in the next
few years of the newly created republic. The declaration was a short
2,000-word document, which summarized the reason behind the
revolution against Spain, the war for independence, and the future of
the new republic under Emilio Aguinaldo.

The proclamation commenced with a characterization of the

conditions in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period. The
document specifically mentioned abuses and inequalities in the
colony.
The declaration says: "
...taking into consideration, that their inhabitants being already weary of bearing
the ominous yoke of Spanish domination, on account of the arbitrary arrests and
harsh treatment practiced by the Civil Guard to the extent of causing death with
the connivance and even with the express orders of their commanders, who
sometimes went to the extreme of ordering the shooting of prisoners under the
pretext that they were attempting to escape, in violation of the provisions of the
Regulations of their Corps, which abuses were unpunished and on account of the
unjust deportations, especially those decreed by General Blanco, of eminent
personages and of high social position, at the instigation of the Archbishop and
friars interested in keeping them out of the way for their own selfish and
avaricious purpose, deportations which are quickly brought about by a method of
procedure more execrable than that of the Inquisition and which every civilized
nation rejects on account of a decision being rendered without a hearing of the
persons accused."
The above passage demonstrates the justifications behind the
revolution against Spain. Specifically cited are the abuse by the
Civil Guards and the unlawful shooting of prisoners whom they
alleged as attempting to escape. The passage also condemns the
unequal protection of the law between the Filipino people and
the "eminent personages." Moreover, the line mentions the
avarice and greed of the clergy like the friars and the
Archbishop himself. Lastly, the passage also condemns what
they saw as the unjust deportation and rendering of other
decision without proper hearing, expected of any civilized
nation.
From here, the proclamation proceeded with a brief historical overview of
the Spanish occupation since Magellan's arrival in Visayas until the
Philippine Revolution, with specific details about the latter, especially after
the Pact of Biak-na-Bato had collapsed. The document narrates the spread
of the movement "like an electric spark" through different towns and
provinces like Bataan, Pampanga, Batangas, Bulacan, Laguna, and Morong,
and the quick decline of Spanish forces in the same provinces. The revolt
also reached Visayas; thus, the independence of the country was ensured.
The document also mentions Rizal's execution, calling it unjust. The
execution, as written in the document, was done to "please the greedy
body of friars in their insatiable desire to seek revenge upon and
exterminate all those who are opposed to their Machiavellian
purposes, which tramples upon the penal code prescribed for these
islands."
The document also narrates the Cavite Mutiny of January 1872 that
caused the infamous execution of the martyred native priests Jose Burgos,
Mariano Gomez, and Jacinto Zamora, "whose innocent blood was shed
through the intrigues of those so-called religious orders" that incited the
three secular priests in the said mutiny.
The proclamation of independence also invokes that the established
republic would be led under the dictatorship of Emilio Aguinaldo.
The first mention was at the very beginning of the proclamation. It
stated:
"In the town of Cavite Viejo, in this province of Cavite, on

the twelfth day of June eighteen hundred and ninety-eight,
before me, Don Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, Auditor of
War and Special Commissioner appointed to proclaim and
solemnize this act by the Dictatorial Government of these
Philippine Islands, for the purposes and by virtue of the
circular addressed by the Eminent Dictator of the same Don
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy."
The same was repeated toward the last part of the proclamation. It
states:
“We acknowledge, approve and confirm together with the orders that
have been issued therefrom, the Dictatorship established by Don
Emilio Aguinaldo, whom we honor as the Supreme Chief of this
Nation, which this day commences to have a life of its own, in the
belief that he is the instrument selected by God, in spite of his humble
origin, to effect the redemption of this unfortunate people, as foretold
by Doctor Jose Rizal in the magnificent verses which he composed
when he was preparing to be shot, liberating them from the yoke of
Spanish domination in punishment of the impunity with which their
Government allowed the commission of abuses by its subordinates."
Another detail in the proclamation that is worth looking at is its explanation of
the Philippine flag that was first waved on the same day. The document
explained:
"And finally, it was unanimously resolved that this Nation, independent

from this day, must use the same flag used heretofore, whose design and
colors and described in the accompanying drawing, with design
representing in natural colors the three arms referred to. The white
triangle represents the distinctive emblem of the famous Katipunan
Society, which by means of its compact of blood urged on the masses of
the people to insurrection; the three stars represent the three principal
Islands of this Archipelago, Luzon, Mindanao and Panay, in which this
insurrectionary movement broke out, the sun represents the gigantic
strides that have been made by the sons of this land on the road of
progress and civilization,
its eight rays symbolizing the eight provinces of Manila, Cavite,
Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna and
Batangas, which were declared in a state of war almost as soon as
the first insurrectionary movement was initiated; and the colors
blue, red and white, commemorate those of the flag of the United
States of North America, in the manifestation of our profound
gratitude towards that Great Nation for the disinterested
protection she is extending to us and will continue to extend to
us."
This often overlooked detail reveals much about the historically
accurate meaning behind the most widely known national symbol in
the Philippines. It is not known by many for example, that the white
triangle was derived from the symbol of the Katipunan. The red and
blue colors of the flag are often associated with courage and peace,
respectively. Our basic education omits the fact that those colors
were taken from the flag of the United States. While it can always be
argued that symbolic meaning can always change and be
reinterpreted, the original symbolic meaning of something presents
us several historical truths that can explain the subsequent events,
which unfolded after the declaration of independence on the 12th
day of June 1898.
THE ANALYSIS OF THE
“PROCLAMATION OF
PHILIPPINE
INDEPENDENCE”
A re-examination of the document on the declaration of independence
can reveal some often overlooked historical truths about this important
event in Philippine history. Aside from this, the document reflects the
general revolutionary sentiment of that period. For example, the abuses
specifically mentioned in the proclamation like friar abuse, racial
discrimination, and inequality before the law reflect the most
compelling sentiments represented by the revolutionary leadership.
However, no mention was made about the more serious problem that
affected the masses more profoundly (i.e., the land and agrarian crisis
felt by the numerous Filipino peasants in the nineteenth century). This
is ironic especially when renowned Philippine Revolution historian,
Teodoro Agoncillo, stated that the Philippine Revolution was an
agrarian revolution.
The common revolutionary soldiers fought in the revolution for the
hope of owning the lands that they were tilling once the friar estates
in different provinces like Batangas and Laguna dissolve, if and when
the revolution succeeded. Such aspects and realities of the
revolutionary struggle were either unfamiliar to the middle class
revolutionary leaders like Emilio Aguinaldo, Ambrosio Rianzares
Bautista, and Felipe Buencamino, or were intentionally left out
because they were landholders themselves.
The Treaty of Paris was an agreement signed between Spain
and the United States of America regarding the ownership
of the Philippine Islands and other Spanish colonies in South
America. The agreement ended the short-lived Spanish-
American War. The Treaty was signed on 10 December
1898, six months after the revolutionary government
declared the Philippine Independence. The Philippines was
sold to the United States at $20 million and effectively
undermined the sovereignty of the Filipinos after their
revolutionary victory. The Americans occupied the
Philippines immediately which resulted in the Philippine-
American War that lasted until the earliest years of the
twentieth century.
The proclamation also gives us the impression on how the victorious revolutionary
government of Aguinaldo historicized the struggle for independence. There were
mentions of past events that were seen as important turning points of the movement
against Spain. The execution of the GOMBURZA, for example, and the failed Cavite
Mutiny of 1872 was narrated in detail. This shows that they saw this event as a significant
awakening of the Filipinos in the real conditions of the nation under Spain. Jose Rizal's
legacy and martyrdom was also mentioned in the document.
However, the Katipunan as the pioneer of the revolutionary movement was only
mentioned once toward the end of the document. There was no mention of the
Katipunan's foundation. Bonifacio and his co-founders were also left out. It can be
argued, thus, that the way of historical narration found in the document also reflects the
politics of the victors. The enmity between Aguinaldo's Magdalo and Bonifacio's
Magdiwang in the Katipunan is no secret in the pages of our history. On the contrary, the
war led by Aguinaldo's men with the forces of the United States were discussed in detail.
The point is, even official records and documents like the
proclamation of independence, while truthful most of the time, still
exude the politics and biases of whoever is in power. This manifests in
the selectiveness of information that can be found in these records. It
is the task of the historian. thus, to analyze the content of these
documents in relation to the dominant politics and the contexts of
people and institutions surrounding it. This tells us a lesson on taking
primary sources like official government records within the
circumstance of this production. Studying one historical subject, thus,
entails looking at multiple primary sources and pieces of historical
evidences in order to have a more nuanced and contextual analysis of
our past.
THANK YOU

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GROUP 2

Reading the "Proclamation

The proclamation commenced with a characterization of the

"In the town of Cavite Viejo, in this province of Cavite, on

"And finally, it was unanimously resolved that this Nation, independent

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