RHIST – Readings in Philippine History
First Semester, AY 2020-21
LEARNING EVIDENCE 1:
The Tejeros Convention (1897):
A Guided Critical Analysis of the Accounts Based on Primary and Secondary
Text Sources
Primary Source:
Santiago Alvarez’
“Memoirs of a General”
Author’s Santiago Alvarez was a
background revolutionary general and a
founder and honorary president
of the first directorate of the
nationalista party. Also knows as
“ kidlat ng apoy” (lighting of fire)
because of his inflamed bravery
and dedication as commander of
cavite’s famous battles
( particularly that in dalahican) ,
he was rejoiced in the present-
day cavite city as the “hero” of
the battle of dalahican.
When was
the account Santiago Alvarez wrote his
written? memoirs in 1927 when he was
fifty-five years old. It was then
published from July 24, 1927 to
April 15, 1928, in the Tagalog
weekly, Sampaguita.
Secondary Source:
Teodoro Agoncillo’s
“Seeds of Discontent”
Teodoro Agoncillo was one of the
pre-eminent Filipino historians of
the 20th century. He and his
contemporary Renato Constantino
were among the fisrt Filipino
historians who earned renown for
promoting a distinctly nationalist
point of view of Filipino history. He
was also an essayist and a poet.
Life born in lemery, batangas,
Agoncillo obtained a bachelor’s
degree in philosophy from
university of the Philippines in
1934 and a master’s degree in the
arts from the same university.
The account was written in 1947
and was later published in 1956.
  March 25, 1897 –  December 1896 – Bonifacio
assembly at Tejeros left for Cavitwe
convened  January 2, 1897 – Bonifacio
 March 26, 1897 – another wrote to his uncle, Mariano
meeting called by Pres. Alvarez about the
Mention of Baldomero Aguinaldo, but Magdiwang rebels; a
dates only some Magdiwang parade took place in
leaders attended. Noveleta
 March 27, 1897 –  April 1897 – Spaniards
revelations surfaced captured the town
about the meeting that  March 22, 1897 – a battle
had taken place in Tanza happened between the
Spaniards and Magdalo
soldiers in Salitran;
Aguinaldo’s birthday; and a
meeting at Tejeros occured.
 Supremo Andres  Supremo Andres Bonifacio
Bonifacio  Emilio Aguinaldo
 Emilio Aguinaldo  Daniel Tirona
Key personal ties  Santiago V. Alvarez  President Baldomero
(Magdiwang) Aguinaldo
 Daniel Tirona – broke the
meeting rules and insulted
the elected Jose del
Rosario
 Mariano Alvarez
 President Baldomero
Aguinaldo – leader of
Magdalo
Sequencing of  The Tejeros Convention  Katipunan in Cavite divide
Events was the meeting held on into 2 factions:
March 22, 1897 between Magdalo and Magdiwang
the Magdiwang and  Bonifacio was called in his
Magdalo factions of the theatre of Battle in
Katipunan at San Montalban and Mariquina to
Francisco de Malabon, mediate on the rift between
Cavite. Magdalo and Magdiwang.
 Mr. Severino de las Alas  Esteban San Juan invited
and Andres Bonifacio had them for a parade around
an argument triggering Imus and had a parade.
General Apoy.  With the growing
 The argument was then suspension of both parties
settled by Trinidad who is against each other, a
Jose Rizal’s sister along convention assembly was
with his widow. held in Imus which was
  Misunderstandings arise
between Andres Bonifacio
and Daniel Tirono,
causing the former to aim
his revolver at the latter.
 Bonifacio declared all
happenings during the
convention as null and
void and left quickly.
 President Baldomero
Aguinaldo requested a
reconciliation meeting at
Terejos.
 The Magdalo faction did
not appear.
 Those elected in Tejeros
Convention knelt before
the crucifix and took their
oath under Fr. Cenon
Villafranca
 Magdalo troops guard the
oath-taking ceremonies
inside the parish in Tanza.
Differences
between the The events from this book focused
two accounts more on the election that occurred in
( in general) Tejeros convention, and also what
happened during the election day in
Tejeros. It is focused on a specific
event and how does the delegation
of the people had been done. And it
wasn’t mentioned in here that
Andres Bonifacio wrote a letter to
his uncle, and it is said that the
Tejeros Convention occurred on
March 25. 1897.
meant to mend the rift
between two factions.
 The assembly ended with
no tangible results and was
rescheduled.
 The Magdiwang organized
another assembly while the
Magdalo battled the
Spanish.
 Election occurred.
 Daniel Tirona objected with
the election of Jose Del
Rosario as better officer.
 Bonifacio pulled a gun
against Tirona.
 Election was annulled.
 Bonifacio sent a letter to his
uncle in law, Mariano
Alvarez mentioning that he
was belittled during the
assembly. He also wrote to
Emilio Jacinto stating that
he was against the idea of
establishing a new
government.
Tejeros Convention occurred on
March 22, 1897 which was
Aguinaldo’s birthday. It was not
mentioned that the Magdalo President
Baldomero Aguinaldo intended to
continue the disrupted assembly,
however the Magdalo members didn’t
show up on the agreed place.
Agoncillo’s events covered up what
happened before the Tejeros
convention ensued. He mentioned
important events that took place
before or prior to the said convention.
The author is one of the members of Magdiwang and was also present in the Tejeros
convention which leads it to being bias because he was only able to write his
experience and the group where he belonged from his own perspective. He was not an
ordinary spectator trying to recollect what had transpired before his eyes He was in a
position to know the authenticity of the narratives that historians can only dream of. His
privilege of being part of the leaders of the Katipunan enabled him a concrete picture of
events. In writing this memoir, he stated that: “I will attempt to write down what I saw
and what I know about the Katipunan and the Revolution”, a subtle way of assuring his
readers of the truthfulness of his account. Santiago Alvarez wanted to write a narrative
of the Revolution as it happened, “in the interest of honorable truth, acceptable to all”.
He wanted to shed lights on the different facets of the Revolution, for the youth whom
he considered as the direct beneficiary of his work. He argued that he “personally
labored to write his memoirs instead of others after his death, believing that his notes
would be of little value since it was disjointed and unclear to anyone other than himself”.
Aside from honoring the fallen compatriots during the dark days of the Revolution, he
was also inclined to believe that his work will serve as a worthy addition to what General
Artemio Ricarte has done in terms of publishing the latter’s memoir. He also intended
this work as an encouragement to other generals of the Revolution to write their own
recollection.In this work, readers are given a chance to concretize their own historical
analysis. Alvarez supplied his reader the raw materials to develop an independent
inquiry devoid of coloration. On the internal struggle within the Katipunan, he gave his
reader a new insight, a new perspective. Of course, his is a point of view of a
disgruntled nationalist, a recipient of unfortunate turn of events, being on the side of the
Magdiwang. He undeniably captured the feeling of a patriot in his portrayal of the
tragedy of Bonifacio’s life. He made you realize the heavy burden of waging a
revolution, its complexities, and its uncertainties. He elucidated on the motives of each
actor, and painted the general atmosphere of the period. Meanwhile, the secondary
source was more complex than the primary source because it narrated events that
occurred before, during and after the assembly. But there was also events that weren’t
at all mentioned in the primary source and vice versa.This article showcased how the
rivalry between the two factions has begun and developed that continued until the
proceeding meetings and election. Furthermore, I have noticed that there was a
discrepancy of information between the two articles. It is seen on the date of when the
Tejeros Convention was happened. The article “Katipunan and the Revolution” stated
that it was held on March 25, 1897 while the other article, “Seeds of Discontent”,
asserted that the convention happened on March 22, 1897. Given this information
incongruity, it may result to confusion for readers and the validity of the articles was
doubted. Latterly, both sources have awaken the youth about the history, thus it helped
student especially in the modern day realize how a memoir of someone can be a huge
impact of the history.