First Cry of the Philippine Revolution against Spain: Balintawak vs Pugadlawin

Philippine history has been one of the most controversial topics for debates across the
nation. During the 19th Century, journalists used the phrase “el grito de rebelion” or “the
Cry of Rebellion” to describe a country’s expression of revolution against Spanish
colonization. In this context, it was debated for more than a century until the present,
how to call the First Cry of the Philippine Revolution. Some eyewitnesses and historians
claim that it should be called “Cry of Balintawak”, while some claim that it should be
called “Cry of Pugadlawin”. This led to different disagreements whether the expression
should be taken literally, the Cry as shouting during the first fight against Spain, or
metaphorically, using a thing to symbolize revolution. And another debate as to when
and where the first Philippine revolution against Spain took place made a lot of
historians, politicians, and even civilians to give their accounts or side of the story.
Different thoughts, views, and opinions were gathered to be compared and reconciled to
determine what really happened.

According to Pio Valenzuela, a Filipino Physician and revolutionary

leader who joined the society of Katipunan, in his memoirs he
declared that the First Cry of Philippine Revolution took place on
August 23, 1896 at the house of Juan Ramos at Pugadlawin. But
before having to conclude, Pio Valenzuela had several versions of
the Cry. In September 1896, Valenzuela stated that Katipunan
meetings took place from Sunday to Tuesday or 23 to 25 August at
Pio Valenzuela
Balintawak. Subsequently, Valenzuela then averred that the
Katipunan began meeting on 22 August while the Cry took place
on 23 August at Apolonio Samson’s house in Balintawak.
However, from 1928 to 1940, Valenzuela took back his
statement and claimed that the Cry happened on 24 August
at the house of Tandang Sora (Melchora Aquino) in
Pugadlawin, and that this was evidenced by a photograph
published in La Opinion, a news outlet, in 1928 and 1930, Photograph posted in La Opinion

and was captioned both times as having been taken at the

site of the Cry on 24 August 1896 at the house of Tandang Sora at Pasong Tamo Road.
And in 1935, Valenzuela together with other Katipuneros proclaimed that the first cry of
the revolution did not happen in Balinatawak but in a place called Pugadlawin.

Teodoro Agoncillo, a prominent 20th-century Filipino historian

who interviewed Pio Valenzuela, believed that the cry took place
on August 23 1896 at Pugadlawin being influenced by the latter.
Agoncillo emphasizes that the tearing of the Cedula (tax
receipts) symbolizes the first cry of revolution of the Filipinos
against Spanish colonization. During the Revolt of the masses
on 1956, Agoncillo claimed that the first cry was in Pugadlawin,

Teodoro Agoncillo where more than 1,000 members of the Katipunan met in the
yard of Juan A. Ramos situated in Pugadlawin in the morning of
August 23rd. Agoncillo the used his considerable influenced and
promoted for the change in the recognized site from Balintawak to Pugadlawin and with
the date 23rd of August 1896 instead of 26th of August 1896. Because of this,
Macapagal, President of the Philippines at that time, odered the Cry of Balintawak to be
called “Cry of Pugadlawin”, and that it should be celebrated every August 23. Moreover,
in 1962, Agoncillo, together with UP Student Council, placed a marker at the
Pugadlawin site where the house of Juan Ramos was situated in 1896.

Philippines Historical Committee, a forerunner of the

National Historical Institute or NHI, which included
Pio Valenzuela, reported an official stand on 1964,
which was later on disregarded, that the cry took
place on 23rd of August 1896 at Tandang Sora’s
house in Pugadlawin, in contradiction of the
statements of Valenzuela and Agoncillo, which
Shrine of Tandang Sora in the
stated that the cry took place at Juan Ramos’ house. present where the house of
In 1940, NHI identified the precise spot of Tandang Sora was situated in
1896
Pugadlawin as part of sitio Gulod, Banlat, Kalookan
City, which was later on reffered to the place of the
Cry as Tandang Sora’s and not as Juan Ramos’ house, and the date as 23 rd of August.
In 1963, NHI was influenced by Valenzuela’s memoirs and endorsed the information,
that the cry be celebrated every August 23 and that Pugadlawin be recognized at its
site, to Diosdado Macapagal, president at that time. Furthermore, on June 30, 1983,
Pugadlawin Historical Committee was created to determine the location of Juan Ramos’
1896 residence at Pugadlawin. There was an NHI files on the committee’s findings
which contained information. Regardless of the findings and in the absence of any clear
evidence, the NHI disregarded its own 1964 report that the Philippine Historical
Committee had determined in 1940 that the Pugadlawin residence was Tandang Sora’s
and not Juan Ramos’ and that the specific site of Pugadlawin was Gulod in Banlat.

An account of the particular cry by Guillermo Masangkay

claims this occurred on the 26 th of August 1896 at Balintawak.
According to Masangkay’s narration, the big meeting was
held at the house of Apolonio Sampson located in
Balintawak, then the cabeza of that barrio in Caloocan. Allies
from Bulacan, Cabanatuan, Cavite and Morong were joined
by the leaders and board of directors of the Katipunan.
Among these were, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Aguedo
del Rosario, Tomas Remigio, Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Plata,
Guillermo Masangkay
Pio Valenzuela, Enrique Pacheco, and Francisco Carreon.
The account’s details included that the meeting was opened at about nine o’clock in the
morning that the presiding officer was Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto acting as
secretary. The meeting was held for the purpose of discussing when the uprising should
begin together with the oganization’s strategy and tactics. Ideas clashed in this meeting
as Bonifacio wanted to begin the revolution because the organization was already
discovered by the Spaniards while Teodoro Plata, Briccio Pantas, and Pio Valenzuela
opposed to the idea of starting the revolution too early. Many of its members also
questioned the idea of having and open rebellion as they were severely outnumbered
by ammunition and logistical support. As Bonifacio sensed that he certainly would lose
the discussion and the uprising will be held to a later date, he left session hall and
aggressively talked to the Katipuneros waiting outside for the result of their meeting and
gave an inspiring speech in which he said “You remember the fate of our countrymen
who were shot in Bagumbayan. Should we return now to the towns, the Spaniards will
only shoot us. Our organization has been discovered and we are all marked men. If we
don't start the uprising, the Spaniards will get us anyway. What then, do you say?”. With
this speech the Katipuneros opened their minds to an open revolution and was asked
by Bonifacio to pledge that they were to revolt by ripping of the sign that they were
enslaved which were the “cedulas” or the tax paper that charged each citizen. This
became the declaration that the Katipuneros were to revolt against the Spaniards and it
was the turning point where the Filipinos refused Spanish colonial dominion over the
country. The cry was a symbol of the cry of the people which was “Long Live the
Philippine Republic” as they tore out their cedulas. The cry was not the literal cry of the
people when they tore the cedulas, it was rather a longing in the symbol of a cry. That
with rage in the hearts of the Katipuneros, rage brought by the sympathy and sense of
care for the nation they pour their hearts out and call out the name of the nation they
were a part of, the Philippine Republic. The nation that they would die for, the nation
they fought for, the nation that they will be remembered of. The cry was not a tear, the
date was at the 26th of August and it was held at Balintawak, this was narration of
Guillermo Masangkay.

An account that says, the Cry of Balintawak was a made up story by the Spanish
soldiers who were frustrated
and boastful in their failed
attempt to drive away
rebels, is by Teodoro A.
Agoncillo. Due to the recent
news on August 19, 1896
spreading throughout
Manila and the suburbs that
Bonifacio and other members of Katipunan at Balintawak an organization like the
Katipunan was discovered,
Andres Bonifacio, one of its leaders was forced to summon all the leaders of the society
to have a general assembly to be held at Balintawak on August 24 for the discussion of
the necessary steps need to be done during the crisis. The same day, Bonifacio
accompanied by Katipuneros travelled, evaded Spanish sentries, and reached
Balintawak before midnight. As the numbers of Katipuneros reached about 500 on the
21st they decided to leave Balintawak for Kangkong where Apolonio Samson, another
Katipunero gave them food and shelter and then left for Pugadlawin on the 22 nd where
they gathered in the yard of Juan A. Ramos, the son of Melchora Aquino. In the
gathering Bonifacio asked his whether they were ready to fight with the Spaniards till
their last breath. And despite facing the contradiction of this idea by his brother-in-law,
Teodoro Plata, the Katipuneros agreed to fight. At this point, Bonifacio asked his men to
tear their cedulas as a symbol of their determination to fight and was answered
accordingly as his men tore their cedulas and shouted “Long live the Philippines”. That
certain event marked the “Cry of Balintawak” which actually happened in Pugadlawin.
As this event transpired they were still on the run from the civil guards who were almost
unto them. Because they had inferior arms against the Spaniards they fled in the cover
of the darkness and arrived at the yard of Melchora Aquino on the 24 th where they
decided that all rebels in the surrounding towns should be notified of the general attack
they are plotting on Manila on the night of August 29. The next day, on the 25 th of
August the first skirmish of the rebels and the civil guards happened where two rebels
and a Spaniard were a casualty but the skirmish ended as both sides decided to retreat
because of having inferior weapons and because of being outnumbered by the
Katipunan and the Spaniards, respectively. Here on out on the 26th, the Spanish
reinforcements were unto the back of the rebels but they did not encounter them in
Balara as they were ahead of their journey against the Spaniards. Out of frustration the
Spaniards shot two innocent farmers and returned to Manila boasting that of the great
fight they had in Pasong Tamo which became the origin of the so-called story of “Cry of
Balintawak” which actually neither had happened on August 26 and on Balintwak.

All of these accounts bear different dates, different places, and some different meaning
to the “cry” in context of history. To achieve the right detail to our national history a great
effort was exerted by certain individuals. As to some, it may give great honor and
privilege to be a part or to the least be a relative to those involve in the actual event of
history. To some, it would be a great achievement to debunk some legends or other
people’s claim to the actual event. Some just try to control the facts in favor of the
biases they have to certain places, heroes or ideals. While some thirst for the greater
good which is the deliverance of accurate and meaningful history set upon to the next
generation. The details may give meaning but this are clouded to the fact that they were
delivered by humans who have flaws in the form of memory, bias, and pride. The
difference in time and place should not take more importance to the meaning of the
event that took place in the August of 1896. The similarity of the story which is that the
cry drew a lot of Filipinos in the side of the Katipunan who went through anguish and
pain for the independence of the Motherland should be paramount to any other detail
that withdraws the meaning of the event. The Cry of Pugadlawin or the Cry of
Balintawak if discussed furthermore using secondary information will only lead to more
questions until one is answered by an answer to arrive to the right occurrence of the
event shall only stop the surge of information. As of the time being, as speculations with
given facts only remain to be a theory be it as good as it sounds to be, it is in
imagination that we can only see our peace. We can only celebrate the beauty of the
the cry that transpired in those years as they shone the smiles that we bear today. In
August of 1896, the Philippines took turns and gave hope to people living there today.