READINGS in Philippine History

Chapter Four: 1896 Revolution

The 1896 revolution was the culmination of Filipino restlessness. Prior to this,
there were already widespread revolts from ordinary natives, and discontents from the
early educated Filipinos. Finally, there was the reform movement or propaganda
movement waged by various groups in Europe, including educated Filipinos in Madrid
and Barcelona. In 1888, a purely Filipino organization named La Solidaridad was
established in Barcelona. Similar to other reform movements, La Solidaridad sought
changes in the Philippines. The group expressed themselves in the form of speeches,
arts, and writing. A newspaper, also named La Solidaridad, was used as a mouthpiece
of the group. Its first issue on February 15, 1889 expressed its desire in the following:

The aims, therefore, of La Solidaridad are described as to collect, to

gather, libertarian ideas which are manifested daily in the field of politics, science,
art, literature, commerce, agriculture and industry.
We shall also discuss all problems relating to the general interest of the
nation and seek solutions to those problems in high-level and democratic
manner.
***
With regard to the Philippines, since she needs the most help, not being
represented in the Cortes, we shall pay particular attention to the defense of her
democratic rights, the accomplishment of which is our patriotic duty.
That nation of eight million souls should not, must not be the exclusive
preserve of theocracy and traditionalism.

http://msc.edu.ph/centennial/solidaridad.html

The La Solidaridad became active from 1888 until 1895, exposing the evils of
Spanish colonialism in Spain and Europe. For lack of fund, the newspaper ended its
publication, and the members of La Solidaridad eventually parted ways with Jose Rizal
going back to the Philippines.
In the Philippines, a more radical movement took root as early as 1892. This
movement called itself the Kataastaasan Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga
Anak ng Bayan (Highest and Most Respected Society of the Sons of the People). The
objective of the Katipunan was to free the country from Spain, and to do so via armed
struggle. The Katipunan’s philosophy of the situation and their justification for the aim
of driving the Spaniards are gleaned from a Katipunan document “Casaysayan” made
in 1892.

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 Source: Archivo General Militar de
Madrid: Caja 5677, leg.1.37.

http://www.kasaysayan-kkk.info/foundational-
documents/-casaysayan-pinagcasunduan-manga-daquilang-
cautosan-january-1892

Casaysayan
Pag sasaysay ng mga
cadahilanan ng pag jiualay ng
Capuloang ito sa nag aanquing Yna.

Ang umodioc sa amin na

jumiualay sa E........ ay ang malabis
niyang ugali, matigas na loob,
catacsilan at iba pang manga
carumaldumal na gaua na jindi dapat
gamitin ng sino mang Yna sa alin
mang anac, gaya ng manga
sumusunod.

1. Ang cataasan at ualang auang

pag singil ng buis namin, maguing sa
aming catauan, maguing sa mga are o
cayamanan namin.

2. Ang pag caltas sa caunting quiquitain namin cung cami ay gumamit nang
anomang industria; yaon ay isang paraang cami ay mang jina at juag maca
bangon.

3. Ang mataas na pag singil sa Aduana tungcol sa ano mang calacal na mag
daan sa caniya.

5. Cun jindi cami macabigay sa canilang Acicudang jare nang buis dajil sa
casalatan, lalo na cun ang ipinag babayad na industria ay jindi pinagtutuboan at
bagcos pinangunguluguijan ay papatungunang utang, at cun ualang salape, ay
sasamsamin ang aming pagaare at jindi na gumagaua nang siyasat na cung nag
tubo ay mag bayad at cung nangulugui ay patauarin.

The revolution was led by Andres Bonifacio, who came from the masses, and
therefore had a different take of the situation. Before the Katipunan would be ready
for war, its existence was discovered in August 1986. The discovery led to several
arrests. As a result, many of the members retreated towards the northern direction
where many of them converged at Pugad Lawin in Balintawak. It was in this place
where they tore their cedula to symbolize the cut from the Spanish colonialism. The

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READINGS in Philippine History

event is remembered as the Cry of Pugad Lawin in August 23, 1896. The first attack
by the Katipuneros was launched in a military station at San Juan del Monte on August
30 and then it spread all over metro Manila.

In response Governor Blanco proclaimed state of war in 8 provinces. (Manila,

Bulacan, Pampanga, NE, Tarlac, Laguna, Cavite, and Batangas.)This was followed by
a reign of terror where series of raids, arrests and executions followed the declaration
of state of war. On September 12, for example, 13 persons were executed in Cavite.
On December 30, Jose Rizal was executed.

Within the organization of the Katipunan, an internal rivalry emerged. This is

between the Magdalo and Magdiwang factions of Katipunan in Cavite. Such faction
appeared to be the subject of resolution in a meeting at Imus. In that meeting on
December 31, 1896, now known as the Imus assembly, the continuation of the
Katipunan was questioned instead, and a proposal for a revolutionary government was
raised. In all these, Bonifacio’s leadership of the revolution was challenged.

Andres Bonifacio Shrine near Manila City Hall in Philippine

Months after the assembly on March 22, 1897, in another meeting aimed at
consolidating the collapsing revolutionary campaign, an election of officers for a
revolutionary government was suddenly proposed. Although the Imus assembly did
not come up with a final agreement to replace the KKK, this March 22 meeting
confirmed the suspicion that the Magadalo have already decided on the fate of the
Katipunan. In this meeting, which later was called Tejeros convention, Aguinaldo was
elected president, Mariano Trias as Vice President, Artemio Ricarte as Captain General
while Bonifacio was elected as Director of Interior. Moments after his election as
Director of Interior, Bonifacio was eased out of the same after his qualification was
questioned by the body.

This convention symbolized the change in the leadership of the revolution, from
Andres Bonifacio to Emilio Aguinaldo.

3 | Stanley F. Anongos
 Following this, Bonifacio was arrested on charges of going against Aguinaldo’s
government. He and his brother were arrested on April 29, 1897 and charged with
sedition and treason. The mock trial was conducted on May 4. They were executed
on May 10, 1897.

Pact of Biak-na-Bato

In Bulacan where Aguinaldo retreated from Cavite, a negotiation for the

cessation of war happened. A compromise between the Spanish government and the
Aguinaldo government was reached. The essential content of the agreement are the
cessation of war, introduction of reforms by the Spanish government, indemnity of 1.7
million pesos by the Spanish government to the Aguinaldo government, and the exile
of Aguinaldo.

Aguinaldo left the Philippine on December 27, 1897 as part of the negotiation.
Aguinaldo was accompanied by some trusted generals and they opted for Hongkong
with the first tranche of the indemnity (800, 000 pesos) in their pockets.

Despite his absence, and in violation of the agreement, the revolution against
Spanish government continued. Revolutionaries became active again in Pampanga,
Laguna, Bulacan, Pangasinan, NE, Tarlac, Camarines Norte, and La Union and Ilocos.
There was even an attempt to revive the Katipunan. The Spanish government, relying
on the Biak na Bato negotiation, branded these continuing revolution as tulisanes.

Igorot Resistance to Spanish Interests

Even before the Philippine revolution

of 1896, there were populations that remained
free from Spanish colonialism. The Igorots,
together with the Muslims in Mindanao were
the two biggest groups that were not colonized.
During the entire 300 plus years of Spanish
rule, these groups remained independent.

A note on the word Igorot should be

made. Historically speaking, the groups that
were referred by Spanish documents as Igorots
were the inhabitants of Benguet and Bontoc.
Other groups in the Cordillera region were https://www.facebook.com/Ang
LagalagPH
called distinct names such as Mandayas for the
Apayaos, Itneg for the upper Abra area, Ifugao for Ifugaos. This would explain the
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READINGS in Philippine History

reluctance of many people outside of Benguet and Bontoc to be considered as Igorots.

Etymologically, Igorot was coined with the use of two old Austronesian words as
“gorot”, meaning, mountain, and “I” referring to the source/place or from where one
belongs. It is the etymological sense that this work adopts the word Igorot to refer to
all people in the Cordillera as Igorots or “from the mountains”.

The Spaniards entered the Cordillera for many reasons but gold was initially
the primary aim. As soon as the colonizers learned of Igorot gold in the region,
expeditions were immediately sent to secure it. In the 1600, several attempts like those
of Aldana, Carino, and Quirante. They have taken samples of ores and were brought
to Manila for tests. The attempt at reducing the Igorots to Christianity was another
motivation for the Spaniards. The Augustinians entered the mountain from the Ilocos
areas while the Dominicans penetrated Ifugao in the east. Another reason for Spanish
intrusion into the Cordillera was simply to extend the conquered territories or to protect
the conquered areas of the lowlands.

Still another motivations was the punitive expeditions, which were meant to
punish the Igorots for the resistance they have been showing. However, it was the
sabotage of the tobacco monopoly that really angered the Spaniards to sponsor
succeeding punitive expeditions against the Igorots. The most successful of these
expeditions was the Galvey expeditions. Guillermo Galvey led a 10-year campaign
against the Igorots from 1829-1839, burning tobacco plantations and communities, and
crushing Igorot opposition. It was the Galvey expeditions that finally opened the region
to Spanish conquest. By the later part of 1840’s up to the 1850’s, the Spaniards were
able to set up military posts in key areas in the Cordillera. These posts were called
Commandancia Politico-Militares, which were manned by military people and
intended for collection of taxes.

Confronted by the intrusions, the Igorots responded in different ways but almost
always resisting all the plans of the intruders. In many instances, Igorots simply
abandoned their communities when they learn of Spanish arrival. They would retreat
into deeper parts of the mountain and wait until the Spaniards are gone. If the Igorots
were ready, though, they would engage the Spanish troops with their traditional
weapons as spears, head axes, and bolos. Although the Igorot weapons were of inferior
kind, they relied heavily on ambushes utilizing the mountainous landscape to their
advantage. In some recorded instances, the Igorots used the weaknesses of the Spanish
weapons they came to learn and won over the more supposedly superior weapons.

In the Christianization efforts, the Spaniards were able to convert some Igorots
into Christianity. Most of these converts have been relocated in the lowland areas of
Ilocos, La Union and Nueva Viscaya. Overall though, the Igorots remained pagans.

Whereabouts of their gold have also been denied to Spaniards and other
foreigners.

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 These responses have been largely successful so that at the end of the Spanish
colonial rule, the Igorots remained independent.

Price of Igorot Independence

A discussion of the Igorot resistance is incomplete without considering the price

that the Igorots had to pay for their freedom. One is the periodic destruction of their
homes. Most often than not, the Spaniards burned villages along their route. These
were reconstructed by the Igorots only to be destructed with next Spanish expedition.

Another is the estrangement between the lowlanders and the Igorots. Before
Spanish colonization, it has been the case that the two were partners in trade. The
lowlanders brought up salt, animals, threads, and fish to the highlands. Igorots brought
down gold, beeswax, and other forest products. With the colonization of the lowlands
and the resistance of Igorots, the friendly relation soured. This is basically because the
lowlanders were colonized while the Igorots remained independent. Specifically, the
lowlanders were used by the Spaniards in their attempts at subjugating the Igorots. The
lowlanders usually accompanied the colonizers as guides and soldiers. One can add
the long period of time that the Spaniards have portrayed negative images of Igorots to
the lowlanders painting them as “headhunters”, “pagans”, and “savages’.

After the period of colonization, it became ironic that the Filipinos who resisted
colonialism were indifferently treated by later Philippine government. They have often
been understood as the others or the “minority”. The reduction of Igorots as “cultural
minority” has placed them into some kind of second-class citizens.

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