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Home , Gregorio del Pilar, Katipunan, Mariano Ponce, Pedro Paterno

The Republic of Biak-na-Bato

The flag used by the Republic of Biak-na-Bato. Overview

The Philippine began in August 1896 with the founding of the by Andres Bonifacio. Intended to be a secret anti-colonialist group, their goal was to free the from Spanish rule. Though their initial attack on failed, the group had inspired the other nearby provinces to begin revolting as well. With Bonifacio’s death a year later, the revolution was lead by , who formed his own government – the Republic of Biak-na-Bato, named after the place where he hid from the Spanish cordon. The constitution drafted on November 1 by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo Artacho, called the Provisional Constitution of the Philippine Republic, was based on the Cuban Constitution (also known as the Jimaguayu Constitution). The Republic’s leaders were also inaugurated and given their respective positions. The Republic, however, only lasted a month, and ended with the signing of a peace treaty between the and the Spaniards, along with Aguinaldo’s self-exile to Hong Kong.

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The Inaugurated Leaders of Biak-na-Bato

The members of the Republic’s Supreme Council that were elected and inaugurated in Biak-na-Bato, San Miguel, on November 2, 1897 were the following:

• Emilio Aguinaldo – President

• Mariano Trias – Vice-President

• Antonio Montenegro – Secretary of Foreign Affairs

• Emiliano Riego de Dios – Secretary of War

• Isabelo Artacho – Secretary of the Interior

• Baldomero Aguinaldo – Secretary of the Treasury

The Revolutionary Demands

Despite the decree issued by Governor-General Primo de Rivera on July 2, 1897, more and more people were joining the revolution. President Aguinaldo then released his revolutionary demands from the hideout in Biak-na-Bato, which were: 1. The Spanish were to dismiss all the Spanish friars in the country and return the lands they had taken from the Filipinos to their rightful owners. 2. That the Philippines would have a representative in the Spanish Cortes. 3. Freedom of the press and tolerance to any and all

religious sects. 4. No distinction should be made between the Insulares and The Filipino negotiators for the Pact of Biak-na-Bato. Seated Peninsulares with regards to pay or treatment. from left to right: Pedro 5. To do away with the government’s power to expel Paterno and Emilio Aguinaldo Filipinos. with five companions. 6. That all people would be equal in the eyes of the law.

The Pact of Biak-Na-Bato

In December 1897, the Governor-General met with the revolutionaries to discuss any negotiations for peace between the warring parties. The Pact of Biak-na-Bato consisted of three documents: • Program – this stated that Governor-General Primo de Rivera would pay all of those who fought in the revolution (a sum of 800,000 pesos) and in return, Aguinaldo and his men would exile themselves to Hong Kong.

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• Act of Agreement – this stated that those who fought in the revolution would be granted amnesty and be given the privilege to travel between the Philippines and abroad. • The third document stated that the Spaniards would have to pay not only those who fought in the revolution, but also pay the civilian population as indemnity for the damages they had caused during the war. This amount totaled to 1,700,000 pesos. The Aftermath

Leaving behind General to supervise the surrender of the revolutionaries, President Aguinaldo and 25 of the other leaders left on a steam ship bound for Hong Kong on December 25, 1897. Though they had left and though the government announced that all hostilities

ceased on January 23, 1898, neither sides fulfilled their parts of the Filipino revolutionaries exiled to agreement. The Spanish government never put into place the Pact’s Hong Kong. Sitting on Emilio demanded reforms and the Filipinos secretly continued their plans to Aguinaldo's right is Lt. Col. Miguel revolt. Primo de Rivera, nephew and aide-de-camp of and father of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera. Standing behind Aguinaldo is Col. Post Biak-na-Bato . Miguel was held hostage until Aguinaldo's What Happened After? indemnity was paid. Standing behind Miguel and to his right is Though the leaders were in exile, the fight for independence continued. . As it was later found in a letter written on February 19, 1898 in Hong Kong, said that President Aguinaldo had signed the Pact of Biak-Na-Bato because of terms stating that those fighting in the revolution could retreat, regain their strength, and resume the battle against Spanish rule. Though the Spanish government tried to quell these uprisings and even resorted to a massacre in Manila, more and more Filipinos found ways to fuel the spirit of the revolution. Minor revolts broke out all throughout the country, in several different provinces. In Bolinao on March 7, 1898, revolutionaries stormed a cable station and took over the telegraph line to Manila. Candon in Ilocus Sur was finally freed from the Spaniards when it was taken over by Federico Isabelo Abaya and his men. The revolt known as the Tres de Abril, led by Leon Kilat (whose real name was Pantaleon Villegas), was made to avenge the massacred sailors in Camba Street, Manila. A provincial revolutionary government was established in Central Luzon by General Francisco Makabulos on April 17, 1898, with the aim to watch over the revolution in that area until such a time that a proper government for the Republic was established. Ultimately, the Spaniards had to deal with another storm looming – the Spanish-American war.

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Potential Location-based Advertisement

The Bulacan Provincial Capitol, City Bulacan Today

Today, Bulacan is one of the most progressive provinces in the Philippines. As of 2010, the population of those living in Bulacan was said to be around 3,124,433 people, making it the most populated province in the country. The industries that the province is known for include: • Marble • Jewelry • Pyrotechnics • Leather • Aquaculture • Agriculture • Furniture • Native delicacies Now known as the “Gateway to the Northern Philippines,” many corporations have established their respective plants along around Bulacan. Alongside this industrialization, it is also home to several recognized institutions, including University, Bulacan State University, and Centro Escolar University.

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Things to Ponder

How well did you understand the article? Try answering these questions. • Can you name at least three of the six inaugural leaders of Biak-na-Bato?

• What led to the creation of the Pact? Why was it deemed necessary by its

founders?

• If a similar Pact were enacted today, how would it impact the regular

citizen? What are the most significant effects? What are no longer

applicable to modern society?

• Why did the Pact ultimately fail? What factors played into its demise?

• If you were a member of the Pact, what would you change about it?

• What is the significance of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato to the Philippine

Revolution?

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References

Halili, Maria Christine; Philippine History 2011 Ed. Rex Bookstore, Inc. ISBN 978-971-23- 5636 Agoncillo, Teodoro C. (1990) [1960], History of the Filipino People (8th ed.), : Garotech Publishing, ISBN 971-8711-06-6 Zaide, Sonia M. (1994), The Philippines: A Unique Nation, All-Nations Publishing Co., ISBN 971-642-071-4

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