Filipino’s Firsts

History has a lot to say – those that are already known and those that remains as history.
Things are not the same as what they are today without the things or happenings from the past.
We’ll never know the significance of something or someone without knowing what they did or
what their contributions are. However, there are some that makes our heart skip a beat if we first
heard about them and makes us even more eager to know and to learn as we gather information
about it. The cry for freedom – that is what these two events that I’ve chosen from the past is all
about. Hence, as a “not-that-into-history” person, it gave me some chills when I read deeper
about the Battle of Mactan and the Act of Philippine Declaration.

After reading the article from the handout as well as those from the internet (since I was
really curious, I really browsed a lot), until now I am still hooked up with what happened in the
Battle of Mactan which I now recognize as the “First Fight”. I admit that I still have a lot of
questions regarding this event but as they say, there’s always two sides of the story and it
depends on which side are you going to take. And after reading most of it, I myself consider this
event from the past as one of the most significant events in our country’s (Philippines) history.

There are a lot of accounts saying that the 1,500 natives that Pigafetta has stated in his
chronicle is exaggerated. Some also say that Lapu-Lapu isn’t really a hero and that the Battle of
Mactan was just all about the death of Magellan. However, the fact that Magellan has
underestimated Lapu-Lapu cannot be denied and is a lesson learned for everyone, as what Lao
Tzu said: “There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.”

This event wasn’t just all about the death of Magellan – the considered first explorer that
landed in the Philippines. This was and is still an eye-opener to all of us on how powerful and
fearless Filipinos are when they work together as a team. In fact, a lot is still mesmerized up to
this day with how good the teamwork of the natives was during the battle. There are a lot of
reasons behind the battle from different accounts but nevertheless, it’s clear that Magellan and
his fleet was taking advantage of the Filipinos – taking their riches, recruiting them to join
Catholicism, and they have probably already started colonizing the Philippines back then. Well,
this is my conspiracy since historians are saying that the colonization of the Spaniards was a
counter-attack for the death of Ferdinand Magellan. But who knows what really happened? But
nonetheless, Lapu-Lapu was the only one who was brave enough to lead and stand his ground –
not to be colonized and become under these foreigners.

According to the accounts I have read, a lot were already being suspicious with Magellan
that time but only Lapu-Lapu had the bravery to lead a fight against Magellan and his fleet
because these foreigners has the latest weapons. As a fruit of his bravery, Lapu-Lapu is now
known as the first Philippine hero and as a symbol for independence in the Philippines; even
after centuries of violence and colonization that has followed, Filipinos still proudly honors him
as the man who rallied them in a fight for control of their own destiny.

This battle signifies the very first fight of Filipinos against foreigners who were trying to
evade our land. They didn’t just make us see how fearless and powerful we maybe but it also
made us believe that nothing can ever tear us down if we work together. Alongside this is the rise
of our first Philippine hero, Lapu-Lapu. Thus, I consider that The Battle of Mactan is the first
fight for our freedom against foreign invaders.

If one is a symbol of fearlessness and bravery, this one is the fruit of hard work and
perseverance – The Act of Philippine Declaration. This event is not just the greatest achievement
of the first Philippine President, Aguinaldo, but the greatest and [for me] is the most significant
of all times. After the undeniable truth of being colonized by the Spaniards for more than three
hundred years, we were granted liberty. After years of becoming slaves in our own land, years of
settling less for what we really deserved and after somewhat blinded by foreigners, we were
finally granted freedom and independence on the 12th day of June in year 1898.

However, what we thought was over hasn’t really ended. The act written and read by
Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista isn’t yet the full grant of our freedom and independence since that
same year, we were sold by Spain to the United States for $20 million in the 1898 Treaty to
Paris. The declaration itself strengthens every Filipino since it makes us see our worth and it lets
us stand as Filipinos – hence, the declaration reminds us not only on what our flag represents but
it makes us see and feel that we should always raise our country’s flag proudly because on that
day forward, we were granted liberty.

Despite all the debates regarding Aguilnaldo’s move on the declaration, this event has
been a very great turning point for all of us. Aguinaldo believed that by pushing through the
declaration would inspire people to fight more eagerly against Spaniards as well as to lead the
foreign countries to recognize the independence of our country. Though some may have lost
their belief in Aguinaldo because of the Treaty, what he believed really did happen. This was the
day of the first declaration that granted us our own freedom and independence in the land of our
own despite of the tragedies that happened after. This was the day when we, Filipinos learned to
stand our ground and fight for what’s ours and what we really deserve. After years of planning
the revolution, it happened and finally, liberty was achieved.

Yes, we may not have achieved our full grant of freedom and independence on June 12,
1898 but this was the start of something great and that doesn’t make this event any less
significant. Hence the saying “Great things start from small beginnings” [but the revolution
wasn’t small, it was huge]. This is what we get for working hard and for not losing hope that one
day, we’ll be granted the freedom and independence we deserve; hence, our “First Payoff”.

These two events are what I likely refer to as our significant FIRSTS. Now the real
question is, are we really free? After reading articles regarding these significant events, I have
come to realize that up to this day, we are still fighting for our own freedom because it never
really ended. These events are both symbols of how fearless and resilient Filipinos are. These
events in our history are both eye openers for all of us today; we should not waste the efforts of
our ancestors and those that has come before us who has given up their lives for the freedom we
have now. These are two accounts from the past that has changed a lot for what is happening in
the present.

Hence, let’s continue to fight for what we deserve. Yes, we have achieved our freedom
and independence then but let’s not stop there. Together, let’s make a better and brighter
Philippines just like what our ancestor did. Let’s fight for what we know is right.

Now ask yourself, what could be the next significant FIRST for Filipinos that can
somehow be a great part of our history?
Attached hereto is a short Spoken Word Poetry I was supposed to perform as an introduction to
our video presentation for the text-analysis regarding the Act of Philippine Declaration:

SALAMAT Sa taong isang libo’t walong daan at siyam

na pu’t walo,
“Ang mamatay ng dahil sayooooo….”
Iwinagayway ang bandila at kalayaan ng
Tatlong daang taon, nakulong sa isang
Pilipinas ay idineklara
kahon
At dito, dito nagsimula ang Unang
Isang kahon kung saan sa sariling bayan
Republika ng Pilipinas.
nakabaon –
Ngunit hindi dito huminto ang
Isang kahon kung saan walang karapatan
pakikipaghimagsik ng mga Pilipino
ang sariling mga mamamayan
Sapagka’t ipinagpatuloy ng mga dayuhang
At hinayaang maapakan ng mga dayuhan.
Amerikano

Ang pagsakop at pamumuno –

Sa taong isang libo’t walong daan at siyam
Mula taong isang libo’t siyam na daan at
na pu’t dalawa,
dalawa
Ating sinubukang kumawala –
Hanggang sa naipasa ang isang batas –
Binuo ang Katipunan at nagplano ng
Ang Batas Kalayaan ng Pilipinas.
rebelyon
Salamat, Salamat
Ngunit sa taong isang libo’t walong daan at
siyam na pu’t anim, Dahil sa ika apat ng Hulyo

Ito’y nabuwag dahil sa mga Espanyol na Sa taong isang libo’t siyam na daan at apat
sobrang sakim. na pu’t anim

Sapagka’t ipinaglaban at tuluyang Ibinigay at tuluyan ng dineklara

ipaglalaban!
Ang buong Kalayaan ng Pilipinas – ang
At sa ika labindalawa ng Hunyo, aking bansa.
Ating tunghayan, The Act of Philippine
Declaration …