Vandermatin C.

Delgado
BSDC 1-A
Interpretation of Xiao Chua on the Malolos Republic and the Philippine Independence
Malolos Republic
The Malolos Republic is considered as the first Constitutional Democratic Republic in Asia
because of the first movement of the revolt of Andres Bonifacio in 1896. However, “he was no
longer on the scene when the Republic was formed”. Emilio Aguinaldo was the el president who
took the oath of office that day and appointed Apolinario Mabini to be the president of the
cabinet and secretary of Foreign Affairs.
Historian Teodoro Agoncillo call the events in Malolos the Crisis of the Republic because
according to him “the politics that took place within the republic, especially the slanders against
Mabini, it also seems to be a reflection of the politics that existed among our leaders until now”
The opening of the Congress on September 15, 1898 was held inside the Barasoain church. That
night, during the feast People in Congress enjoyed the finer things in life while the normal
Filipino people are suffering.
Philippine Independence
115 years ago, June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the Independecia of the
Philippines through the central window of his mansion in Cavite Viejo, now Kawit, Cavite. The
balcony now visible above a white buffalo was only added by the 1920s.
Aguinaldo was said to have donated the mansion and the lot to the Philippine government “to
perpetuate the spirit of the Philippine Revolution of 1896 that put an end to Spanish colonization
of the country.”
The long document of the Acta de la Proclamacion de Indepencia del Pueblo Filipino was read
by its writer Ambrosio Rianzares-Bautista and signed by 97 Filipinos and by an alleged
American army officer named Colonel M.L. Johnson.
This day is important in our history because it is not only a proclamation of independence that
came from us, but it was born out of the victory of the revolution against the Spaniards.
To conclude in my opinion, both video contains facts and evidences from both primary and
secondary sources. I believe that Xiao Chua is a reliable researcher and historian in the sense that
based from the videos that I have watched regarding on the Malolos Republic and the Philippine
Independence, it shows details about the Philippine’s History. I have compared his interpretation
to different reliable sources online and it complements the message from the video and other
different sources. However, in the part of the video where Xiao Chua said that when Ian Alfonso
showed him a clearer photo he concluded that the rope from the photo separates the people of the
congress and the spectators. With that being said, it showed that Xiao Chua gave his opinion
about the photo regarding the opening of Congress in Barasoian church.
As a student studying about the history of the Philippines, this video enlightened me about the
first Constitutional Democratic Republic in Asia, the Malolos Republic and about the
Proclamation of the Philippine Independence. I have gain better knowledge and insights as to
why the Proclamation of the Philippine Independence is one of the most important part of our
History to us the Filipino people and to our country. A victory attained because of the Filipino’s
heroic action through revolution against the Spanish Colonization. In addition, the Malolos
republic is something for us Filipino to be proud of in a way that, even before the colonization,
our country already has government that controls and make decisions for the welfare of its
people and country. It is important for us to embrace the truth that reflects the Philippines’
history, it was the start of Democratic Elite dominating ever since, until this day.