64.

MALABON the Home of LA INDEPENDENCIA and LA LIBERTAD Revolutionary

Papers


Two of the most outstanding newspapers brought forth by the Philippine Revolution were the La Libertad (Ang
Kalayaan) which was published on June 19,1898 in Longos, Malabon, with Don Epifanio de los Santos as its editor
and published by Clemente Jose Zulueta and the other being the La Independencia published on Sept. 3, 1898. Both
papers were printed in the Agustinian Order-owned Asilo de Huerfanos printing press in Longos.


Photo of Gen. Antonio Luna, he was the
founder of La Independencia. newspaper
La Independencia was established on September 3, 1898, by General Antonio Luna, who had been educated in Manila
and in Europe . With many of the journalists of the earlier period dead, the new paper attracted younger Filipinos whose
schooling had been interrupted by the Revolution.

It is noteworthy that the birthplace of the revolutionary papers LA INDEPENDENCIA and LA LIBERTAD was
Malabon. The original printing press , housed in a building in Longos called Asilo de Huerfanos, was administered by
the Augustinian Order. When the Filipino soldiers took over the printing press, La Independencia became the official
mouthpiece of the Philippine Republic under Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo against the American colonizers.

The papers Asilo de Huerfanos masthead was effectively replaced by Asilo De Malabon The place also served as
the headquarters of the 4th Zone under Gen. Pantaleon Garcia.

As Antonio Luna was busy in the battlefield, he left the running of the paper to such youths as Fernando Ma. Guerrero.,
Cecilio Apostol, Jose and Rafael Palma, Epifanio de los Santos and Jose Abreu. Apolinario Mabini, adviser to
Emilio Aguinaldo President of the first Philippine Republic, was one of the outstanding contributors.

The story of La Independencia is one of the most thrilling episodes of the revolution. As the Americans carried the war
to the provinces the newspaper had to move from one place to another, always one step ahead of the advancing
Americans. For some time it was printed in a railroad car seized by the Filipinos from the Spaniards. The same railroad
car was the headquarters of the hard-pressed revolutionary army. According to Palma , sometimes the types were set by
hand in a banca.

The lyrics of the Philippine National Anthem, the inspired work of Jose Palma, were first published in La Independencia.

La Independencia lived for a year, a most worthy contribution of our heroes to Philippine Journalism, to the cause of
nationalism, and to their ceaseless struggle for freedom. By Jorge T. delos Santos



LA INDEPENDENCIA Newspaper from the collection of Jorge Delos Santos

Photo postcard of La Independencia staff, with their pen names.

FRONT row (L to R): Fernando Ma. Guerrero (Fulvio Gil), Joaquin Luna, Cecilio Apostol (Catulo)
MIDDLE row (L to R): General Antonio Luna (Taga-Ilog), Florentina Arellano, Rose Sevilla, Salvador del
Rosario (X or Juan Tagalo)
BACK row (L to R): Mariano del Rosario (Tito-Tato), Clemente Jose Zulueta (M. Kaun), Jose C. Abreu
(Kaibigan), Epifanio de los Santos (G. Solon), Rafael Palma (Hapon or Dapithapon).


LA INDEPENDENCIA Newspaper was printed in ASILO DE MALABON, also known as ASILO DE
HERFANOS


Pages of La Independencia Newspaper