IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FIRST CRY:

● Title: Gregoria de Jesus’ Version of the First “Cry” (August 25, 1896)
●
● The activities of the katipunan reached nearly all corners of the philippine archipelago,
so that when its existence was discovered and some of the members arrested, they
immediately returned to caloocan
● On August 25, 1986 the First Cry happened near Caloocan
● In the hills of Balintawak, Bonifacio together with his men gather for the war of liberation

STORY:
“The activities of the Katipunan had reached nearly all corners of the Philippine
Archipelago, so that when its existence was discovered and some of the members arrested,
we immediately returned to Caloocan. However, as we were closely watched by the agents
of the Spanish authorities, Andres Bonifacio and other Katipuneros left the town after
some days. It was then that the uprising began, with the first cry for freedom on August 25,
1896. Meanwhile, I was with my parents. Through my friends, I learned that Spanish
were coming to arrest me. Immediately, I fled town at eleven o’ clock at night, secretly going
through the rice fields to La Lorna, with the intention of returning to Manila. I was treated like an
apparition, for, sad to say, in every house where I tried to get a little rest, I was driven
away as if people therein were frightened for their own lives. Later, I found out that the
occupants of the houses which I had visited were seized and severely punished-- and some
even exiled. One of them was an uncle of mine whom I had visited on that night to kiss his
hand, and he died in exile.”

JUSTIFICATION
1. The first justification as to why our group chose Gregoria De Jesus' perspective of the first cry
is that given that she wrote a talambuhay and the written account came from her talambuhay
entitled Mga Tala ng Aking Buhay. She was able to write down what she actually saw and
experienced during the first cry which is why we believe that she has a clear memory of when,
who and what really happened.

2. Gregoria de Jesus is known as the Lakambini of the Katipunan and apart from this she is the
wife of Andres Bonifacio, the supremo or leader of the Katipuneros. We standby her perspective
on the First Cry because since she is the wife of Andres Bonifacio, she is by his side so she
would know all the events planned by Andres Bonificacio and the Katipuneros. Furthermore,
she is a participant of the event and along with Bonifacio and the other Katipuneros who were
present during the First Cry which makes them eyewitnesses of the event. In addition, according
to her version she mentioned that Bonifacio and his men gathered in the hills of Balintawak
which further proves that she was present during the event.

3. She was the keeper of the secret documents of the Katipunan. At the age of 18, Gregoria has
been part of the revolution. Later on, she was appointed to become the vice president of the
women’s chapter and the keeper of transcriptions, seals, documents and weapons of the
Katipunan. During the event of her proclamation, Gregoria has sworn to the validity of her
written documents. Given her professional background, she is capable enough to give
information of the event with a clear depiction of the scene. In addition, she was also known as
the first Filipina to provide a translation of documents and code decipherer of the katipunan
alphabets.

4. Gregoria De Jesus’s version of the First Cry is relevant up to present because not only did it
portray the actual happenings during the First Cry but it also represents women empowerment
which is relevant even up to date. Through Gregoria’s version, we are able to look at the event
through a woman’s perspective on freedom which was being fought for back then. In addition,
through her account we are able to see the abilities of a Filipino woman despite being faced with
hardships.