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Test of Authenticity & Credibility of Katipunan and the

Revolution: Memoirs of a General and The Revolt of the
Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan books
Readings in the Philippine History (Polytechnic University of the Philippines)

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Name: Diana Rose I. Orilla
Brief Description of the
SOURCE Source
Katipunan and the
Revolution: Memoirs of
a General
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Readings in Philippine History
A. Test of Authenticity
The Competence of the Author
 The book was written  Given that Santiago
by Santiago V. Alvarez, the author as an
Alvarez, the son of eyewitness of the event
Mariano M. Alvarez, in Tejeros convention,
originally written in the book itself is enough
Filipino language. for the researchers,
students, teachers and
 It was published first etc. in providing
by the Tagalog weekly information about what
Sampagita in 1920s happened during the
then, later on, Ateneo convention in Tejeros.
de Manila University
published it in 1992  Also, the information
together with the that the author has
English translation of written is very detailed,
the book translated for an example, the
by Paulina Carolina dialogues are verbatim
Malay. somehow, since he
participated in the
conversation, and the
dialogues gave clarity to
what the people present
in the convention are
saying, it is not just
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Origin of the Information Date of the Information and
Narrated Milieu
 The information was
narrated and read first
in a paper using a
pencil for the writing
tool.
 Santiago V. Alvarez,
himself is the origin as
he participated in the
election and one of
the members present
in the event and all
the details came from
the memory he has in
that particular day.
 He wrote it himself, in
Filipino, providing a lot
of details to the event
in Tejeros.
 The event happened in
March 25, 1897 as per
Santiago V. Alvarez's
narration and its
environment that time is
the revolutionary one, or
in the process of the fight
for the independence of
the Philippines in the
hands of Spain, and it
does conform with the
convention since it
tackled about the election
for the new government
of the Philippine
Republic.
 Uncertainly, the date I
guessed when the notes
or information about the
Tejeros convention was
written, was in the same
date when the event
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interpreted in simple
and lacking words.
 The book is considered
as primary source since
it is written by the
eyewitness and also a
participant of the
convention in Tejeros,
that's why it is enough
to supplement the
history and the people
who search for the truth
in what happened in
that event.
The Revolt of the  The author of the  Teodoro Agoncillo's
Masses: The Story of book is Teodoro book is considered as a
Bonifacio and the Agoncillo, who is secondary source since
Katipunan famous for writing its details came from
Philippine history different primary
books and articles. sources in which he
found, and it means that
he interpreted it in his
 In 1956, the book own way, definitely he
was published by the has biases when he
College of the Liberal wrote the book.
Arts of the University
of the Philippines  Mainly, he got Emilio
first. Aguinaldo as one of the
sources for writing this
book which makes the
 The second edition book authentic since it
was made in 2002 came from a former
and the printing of it member of the
happened in 2005. Katipunan and President
of the Philippines.
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happened and the
following day, March 25-
27, 1897. It’s because he
said in the preface of the
book that he wrote notes
regarding the Katipunan’s
movement before since
1896 to 1901, when he
was still an active
member of the
organization. It's not
stated in the preface
when exactly did he write
his memoirs.
 Aeta de Tejeros is one  According to the book, it
of its origin, which was indicated that the
was signed by the convention in Tejeros
forty-four happened in the birthday
revolutionists who of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo,
protested against the which was on March 22,
election results which 1897, and its milieu is the
happened in Tejeros, concurrent battle for the
base on the freedom of the
bibliography of the Philippines to the Spanish
book. colonizers.
 The year the book was
 Also, the author passed as an entry in a
stated in his contest of the country in
dedications that Gen. the year 1947, so it is
Emilio Aguinaldo assumed that it was
cooperated in written in that year too.
providing information The milieu of it is the
that is written in time when the Republic
Agoncillo’s book, supervised the contest of
making him one of different written entries
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 He is also known for

writing different books
of Philippine History
which makes him more
of a sufficient author for
providing information of
the events in the past by
compiling different
primary sources and
connecting it to explain
the history of the
Philippines.

 Former President
Ferdinand Marcos
named him as National
Scientist of the
Philippines in 1985 for
his great contributions
in writing the Philippine the primary sources
history, making him of the information
more valuable and written in the book. about the history of the
reliable. Philippines.
B. Test of Credibility

Similarities and Difference with

SOURCE Objectives of the Event Persons involved in the Event Biases of the Author Other Independent Testimonies
Katipunan and the  First objective of the  The Magdiwang  Santiago V. Alvarez is  Its similarity to the Revolt
Revolution: Memoirs of event is to discuss members present in the one of the of the Masses: The Story
a General the strengthening of Tejeros convention are eyewitnesses of the of Bonifacio and the
the defenses of the Andres Bonifacio, Tejeros convention in Katipunan is that, both of
areas that are still Jacinto Lumbreras, March 25, 1897; also the specific chapters in
under the Mariano M. Alvarez, he is an active the two books are
Magdiwang. It was Pascual Alvarez, Ariston member of Katipunan tackling about what

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the main discussion Villanueva, Mariano C. and part of the happened in the Tejeros
before Severino de Trias, Diego Mojica, Magdiwang faction. Convention particularly
las Alas have Emiliano R. de Dios, With regards to that the election, providing
suggested a new Santiago V. Alvarez, information, it clearly the same objectives of
topic to tackle about Artemio Ricarte, Santos gives an impression the event and ending of
or to deal with. Nocon, Luciano San that he is biased on the narration.
Miguel, Pablo Mojica, his own party which is
Severino de las Alas, and the Magdiwang.  However, Santiago V.
 Election of the new Santiago Rillo. Alvarez’s testimony in his
officers for the book was more detailed
government of the  In his book, since he is an eyewitness
Philippine Republic  While in the Magdalo, particularly in the part and an active participant
became the second the only members of Tejeros convention of the Katipunan and in
objective as it was present in the narration narration, he narrated the event, making his
argued by the are Baldomero that most of the book as one of the
members; two of Aguinaldo, Daniel members in the long primary sources.
them insisted that it Tirona, and Cayetano table was the
should be the main Topacio. Magdiwang, only  Its differences can be
goal of the three were from the seen through the date of
convention to resolve Magdalo. the convention, the
the minor issues the  Mr. Antonio mentioned members
organization has. Montenegro  Also, he stated that present in the event and
Daniel Tirona from their biases.
 Jose del Rosario Magdalo was
 Third objective was persuading and  In Alvarez’s book, it was
to execute the getting allies in to indicated that the Tejeros
election and the  Trining convincing the other convention happened on
appointment of members to side with March 25, 1897. Also,
officers fairly by him, and him being Antonio Montenegro’s
establishing a rule  Josephine the one who council in the two
that no one should distributed the ballots factions is not
question about the then followed by a mentioned.
educational Persons mentioned after the warning from Diego
attainment and state event Mojica, a Magdiwang
of living of the member, that the  The last difference of
appointed officer in a  Magdiwang Troops some of the ballots Santiago V. Alvarez’s book
certain position. were filled up already. is that it only focused on
 Fr. Cenon Villafranca that day of the

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 And lastly, Bonifacio
addressing that the
election is nulled and
void due to the
circumstance that
Daniel Tirona
questioned him as
the appointed
Secretary of the
Interior. It is one of
the objectives
because most of his  Nicolas Portilla-
allies have agreed
and left immediately
with him.  Fr. Manuel Trias
 Base on that
scenarios, he is
obviously biased to
his party, and
supporting the idea
that the Magdalo
faction is against
them or sabotaging
their plans as a whole
because of the
incidents involving
Daniel Tirona which
he narrated in his
memoirs. Also, he
narrated that the
Magdalo and other
elected officers in the
Tejeros convention
have set a meeting
secretly and have not
acknowledged what
Bonifacio said before
he left the said event
and took their
positions, only basing
Magdiwang on the eyewitnesses
and rumors Alvarez convention in Tejeros and
knew. the two following days.

The Revolt of the  One of the objectives  Teodoro Agoncillo  Its similarity to Katipunan
Masses: The Story of of the event was to  The Magdiwang being the researcher and the Revolution:
Bonifacio and the discuss first what members present in the of this particular Memoirs of a General is
Katipunan they are planning for Tejeros convention are event, his biases are that, both of the specific
the defense of their Andres Bonifacio, limited since he is not chapters in the two
capital area which is Jacinto Lumbreras, one of the primary books are tackling about
Cavite. Mariano M. Alvarez, sources of the past what happened in the
Pascual Alvarez, Ariston event. He just found Tejeros Convention

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 But Severino de las
Alas, one of the
Magdiwang council,
countered Jacinto
Lumbreras’
announcement of
the main topic, by
saying they should
first agree what kind
of government to
establish in order to
take control of the
whole country,  While in the Magdalo,
making it the second
objective of the
event as members
have considered
doing an election of
the new officers for
the government of
the Republic of the
Philippines.  Jose del Rosario
 Third objective was
to disregard what are
the elected officers’
job are and their
educational
background.
 Lastly, the election
that happened in
Tejeros have been
announced by
Bonifacio, as
ineffective and
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Villanueva, Mariano C.
Trias, Diego Mojica,
Emiliano R. de Dios,
Santiago V. Alvarez,
Artemio Ricarte, Santos
Nocon, Luciano San
Miguel, Pablo Mojica,
Severino de las Alas,
Teodoro Gonzales and
Santiago Rillo.
the only members
present are Baldomero
Aguinaldo, Daniel
Tirona, Cayetano
Topacio and Antonio
Montenegro.
primary and
secondary sources in
order to explain what
happened in the past.
But him, interviewing
and basing on Emilio
Aguinaldo's narration,  Teodoro Agoncillo’s book
somehow, showed
that he is biased to
what Emilio Aguinaldo
have narrated to the
interview.
 The part wherein
Agoncillo just focused
on what Bonifacio felt  The credibility of The
that time in the last
part of the chapter
gave him away of his
prejudice to
Bonifacio's actions as
maybe influenced by
Emilio Aguinaldo’s
narration. He stated in
the chapter of the  It has a lot of differences
book, Seed of
Discontent, the
feelings and
superiority of
Bonifacio towards his
co-members in
Katipunan.
 Also, he did not
discuss the event in
Tejeros in details as it
was like just a
particularly the election,
providing the same
objectives of the event
and ending of the
narration.
differs to Santiago V.
Alvarez’s book because it
is more of a
summarization only since
he got the information
from different primary
and secondary sources.
Revolt of the Masses: The
Story of Bonifacio and
the Katipunan is not that
established since it is
considered as a
secondary source only.
with Katipunan and the
Revolution: Memoirs of a
General particularly with
the mentioned date of
the Tejeros convention,
Agoncillo implied in his
book that the event
happened in March 22,
1897, the birthday of
Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.
Also, he got to determine
what faction Antonio
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Montenegro belongs to
which is the Magdalo.

 In addition to its
summarization of the differences with the
convention, yet he other book, he indicated
focused about that Jacinto Lumbreras
annulled because of Bonifacio’s reactions who was the presiding
the violation of the and sentiments even officer of chairman of the
rule said in the third in the end of the convention, was the
objective of this chapter. acting president of the
event. Magdiwang council.
C. Finding/Conclusion
Through disseminating and examining the different details in the two books, I conclude that the Santiago V. Alvarez’s book is an authentic
and primary source and Teodoro Agoncillo’s book is a secondary source however, in terms of credibility; we cannot rely on them completely
because they indicated the date of the Tejeros convention differently. But, when it comes to the sequence of the narration of the event,
they are the same. Furthermore, the other details weren’t matching since the other book lacks with that particular detail from the opposite
book. They both explained what happened in the Tejeros convention comprehensively but with biases since they have different sources as
Santiago V. Alvarez, the author of the first book is an eyewitness, a member of the Magdiwang faction and the son of Mariano Alvarez,
while the author of the second book is a researcher who compiled different primary and secondary sources to gather the information he
In your examination of needed in order to write his book. In reading those excerpt from the two books, I didn’t notice or see any signs of fabrication because they
the sources, what did both tell the same story and result of what happened in the Tejeros convention especially in the election part, its objectives matches with
you find out? each other and that’s what important in determining if both are reliable for getting an information regarding the event.

References:

Pascual, M. D., De Amboy, S., Agustin, M. R., Gambito, J. C. & Pelleja, M. (2020). Readings in Philippine History. Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Manila:
Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Agoncillo, T. A. (2005). Revolt of the masses: The story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan. Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Alvarez, S. V. (1996). Katipunan and the revolution: Memoirs of a general (P.C. Malay, Translation). Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.

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Read the Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs of a General by Santiago Alvarez and The Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan by
Teodoro Agoncillo and examine their respective claims about the Tejeros Convention. Your answers should be written comprehensively in the matrix below. You
can use the readings from the Lesson 3 Module.

The Revolt of the Masses -https://www.dropbox.com/s/wigbxqb9488yq6f/The%20Revolt%20of%20the%20Masses.pdf?dl=0

Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs of a General by Santiago

Plagiarism will warrant an automatic 5.0. You can answer in Filipino or English. Calibri 10 and convert to pdf before with Subject (Last Name, First Name MI –
Course and Section)

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