GALEÓN May 2020 Volume 15 No. 2 15 pages Historical scholarship. Relevance. Meaning. Official Newsletter of the Cavite Studies Center. DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-DASMARIÑAS THE PHILIPPINE FLAG Symbol of Filipino unity, love of country, and national pride Through centuries, the Filipinos’ quest for freedom took them to bloody struggles against two colonial masters - the Spaniards and the Americans. Although the people in our archipelago were not yet united when Magellan set foot on the Philippine soil, various cultural and political groups had already claimed their rightful ownership of their ancestral lands, and boasted of their rich and colorful culture in parallel with the western tradition. Despite the death of Magellan at the shores of Mactan, the Filipinos’ defense capability was evidently still far from the military might of the Western conquerors. Amidst this lack of military power, our forebears still managed to wage war against the Spaniards from 16th century to the 19th century until the Filipino intellectuals started to rise in power and clamor for peaceful reform. These struggles before the last decade of the 19th century proved to be insufficient to forge the needed political change in the Philippines. A powerful unifying (continued on page 2) Wagayway Festival: Its genesis Unfurling a flag that signifies a nation´s stability –conveying love and respect for freedom Wagayway Festival started on May 24, 2008 when it was launched by Imus Mayor Emmanuel L. Maliksi and Vice-Mayor Armando I. Ilano as proponents. Its objective was for the town to have a new identity and be widely recognized as the “Flag Capital of the Philippines.” Unlike other festivals that focus on food, agriculture, and religious patrons, Wagayway Festival centers on heroism and nationalism. The week-long celebration is held annually and is participated in by students, professionals, non-government organizations, local government units, and other public and private sectors in the City of Imus. It is topped with a variety of activities (continued on page 6) May 2020 Volume 15 No. 2 15 pages GALEÓN (The Philippine Flag… from page 1) month since it was launched in Pugad Lawin, KKK regional chapters rose up in arms against the respective local govern- ments in their jurisdic- tions. In all their successes and reverses, it would be worthy to mention that the Katipunan supreme government and its chapters had adopted a flag to symbolize their cry for independence and call for unity and genuine change. These flags be- came a constant reminder to the revolutionists of their goals which brought their minds to the level of sacrificing their lives in the name of their ideals as symbolized by the flag. The current Philip- pine flag was also conceptualized amidst the Philippine revolution. President Emilio Agui- naldo, while exiled in Hong Kong, already envisioned a free Philip- pines and a strong republic. To have a symbol for these ideals, he requested Mrs. Marcela Dr. Emmanuel F. Calairo, waving the Philippine flag during the EDSA People Power Agoncillo to sew a flag to Revolution 2001. (Inquirer Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 43, Dec. 30, 2001) become the Philippine national flag. President power was still lacking amongst the various groups that clamored for reform whether inside and outside the Philippine capital. Aguinaldo brought this Due credit should be accorded to the founders of the Katipunan who with flag to the Philippine shore, declared to the all means, devoid of necessary weapons to win the struggle, still bid for political independence against the more powerful Spanish colonial government. The United States that we Katipunan’s initiatives gained popular support from the people and in less than a already have a symbol our republic.(continued on page 7) 2 May 2020 Volume 15 No. 2 15 pages GALEÓN Editorial ANG DIWA NG LABANAN SA ALAPAN Palmo R. Iya, PhD Director, Cavite Studies Center “Para mabatid ang tadhana ng bayan, dapat buksan ang aklat ng kanyang nakaraan.” Itinuturo ng pahayag na ito ng ating Ang tagumpay ng Alapan at ang unang pagwagayway pambansang bayaning si Gat Jose Rizal na ang ng watawat ay sumasagisag hindi lamang sa pagbawi Kasaysayan ay isang sandigan ng ating kinabukasan. ng ating kalayaan kundi sa paghubog ng isang Kay Rizal, ang pagbalik sa nakaraan ay susi upang bansang may iisang pinagmulan, may pagkakaisa, mabatid ang magiging tadhana ng ating bansang pagtutulungan, at pagmamalasakit sa isa’t isa dahil Pilipinas. Kung babalikan natin ang kasaysayan ng lahat ay nagtuturingang magkakapatid. ating pagpapalaya bilang isang bansa, makikita Kung gayon, ang hamon sa bawat isa sa atin ay natin kung bakit makahulugan at malalim ang pinag- buhayin ang diwa at simulaing napapaloob sa uugatan ng petsang Mayo 28, 1898. Sa araw na ito labanan sa Alapan. Sa panahong ito ng COVID-19 naganap ang dalawang natatanging kaganapan sa pandemic, nahaharap tayo sa isang malaking pagsubok at krisis, sa isang uri ng labanan na hindi ating kasaysayan – ang matagumpay na Labanan sa natin nakikita ang ating mga kalaban. Gayumpaman, Alapan, Imus at ang unang pagwawagayway ng sa panahon ng krisis na ito, muling nabubuhay ang pambansang watawat sa Teatro Caviteño sa diwa ng kabayanihan at bayanihan sa ating pangunguna ng Pangulong Emilio Famy Aguinaldo. kalagitnaan. Itinanghal ang mga frontliners nating Nang araw na iyon, isang puwersang Espanyol na healthcare workers kasama na ang mga sundalo at kinabibilangan ng 270 mga kawal ang dumagsa sa pulis bilang mga bagong bayani ng panahon. Tulong Alapan upang kumpiskahin ang mga armas na at suporta sa mga nangangailangang frontliners at mga naghihirap na mga kababayan natin ay ibinagsak sa baryo para sa mga hukbong Pilipino. ipinagkaloob ng iba’t ibang sektor mula sa mga Nagkaisa ang mga Pilipinong manghihimagsik sa pribadong mamamayan/institusyon at maging sa Alapan upang pigilan ang puwersang Espanyol. ating pamahalaan lalong-lalo na sa panahon ng Masidhi ang labanang naganap mula ika-10:00 n.u. – Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). ika-3:00 n.h. na sa kalauna’y pinagwagian ng mga Bilang mga Lasalyanong maka-Diyos at Pilipino. Sa gitna ng mga sigaw ng “Viva la makabayan, sa panahong ito ng pandemya, independencia!” at “Mabuhay!” sinamantala ng panatilihin nating buhay ang diwa ng Labanan sa Pangulong Aguinaldo ang tinawag niyang Alapan at ng Araw ng Watawat. Ating ipagpatuloy ang “maluwalhating pagkakataon” upang iwagayway laban ng nakararaming Pilipino tungo sa maginhawa mula sa kanyang himpilan ang bandilang tinahi ni at makabuluhang buhay na siyang hinangad at Marcela Agoncillo sa Hong Kong. ipinaglaban ng ating mga dakilang ninuno. Ang Labanan sa Alapan noong Mayo 28, 1898 Patnubayan at pagpalain tayong lahat ng Diyos ang nagsilbing “pambungad ng mga sunod-sunod Maykapal sa dakilang layunin ng ating pagka-Pilipino na tagumpay” ng ikalawang yugto ng himagsikang anumang gawain at departamento tayo kabilang. Pilipino laban sa Espanya. Tanging layunin ng Maligayang pagdiriwang ng “Pambansang himagsikang ito na tapusin ang 300 taong paghihirap mga Araw ng Bandila.” Mabuhay! ng sambayanan sa ilalim ng kolonyal na pananakop. 3 May 2020 Volume 15 No. 2 15 pages GALEÓN THE FIRST TRIUMPHS* th The next day (28 May 1898), just when we were distributing arms to the revolutionists of Kawit, in the above mentioned district a column, composed of over 270 Spanish Naval Infantry, appeared in sight. They were sent out by the Spanish General, Sr. Peña, for the purpose of seizing the said consignment of arms. Then it was that the first engagement of the Revolution of 1898 (which may be rightly styled a continuation of the campaign of 1896-97) took place. The battle raged from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., when the Spaniards ran out of ammunition and surrendered, with all their arms, to the Filipino Revolutionists, who took their prisoners to Cavite. In commemoration of this glorious achievement, I hoisted our national flag in presence of a great crowd, who greeted it with tremendous applause and loud, spontaneous and prolonged cheers for “Independent Philippines” and for “the generous nation” – the United States of America. Several officers and Marines from the American fleet who witnessed the ceremony evinced sympathy with the Filipino cause by joining in the natural and popular rejoicing General Emilio F. Aguinaldo, of the people. President of the First Philippine Republic. TheThis second glorious triumph triumph was was effected merely inthe Binakayan, prelude to at a a place known as Polvorin, where the Spanish garrisonsuccession consisting of brilliant of about victories, 250 men and was when attacked the 31st by Mayour raw levies and surrendered in a few hours, their stockcame of – ammunitionthe date fixed being for generalcompletely uprising exhausted. of the whole of the PhilippinesI again availed – the peoplemyself of rose the asopportunity one man toto crushhoist our the national flag and did so from an upper story of the Polvorinpower of facing Spain. the sea, with the object of causing the sacred insignia of our Liberty and Independence to be seen fluttering in the breeze by the warships, representing all the great and civilized nations of the world, which were congregated in the harbour observing the providential evolution going on in the Philippines after upwards of three hundred years of Spanish domination. Scarcely had another hour elapsed before another flag was seen flying over the steeple of the Church at Bakoor – which is also in full view of vessels in the harbor – being the signal of another triumph of our troops over the Spanish forces which held that town. The garrison consisted of about 300 men, who surrendered to the Revolutionary Army when their ammunition was exhausted. And so the Revolution progressed, triumph following triumph in quick succession, evidencing the power, resolution, and ability of the inhabitants of the Philippines to rid themselves of any foreign yoke and exist as an independent State, as I affirmed to Admiral Dewey and in respect of which he and several American Commanders and officers warmly congratulated me, specially mentioning the undeniable triumphs of the Philippine Army as demonstrated and proved by the great number of prisoners we brought into Cavite from all parts of Luzon.