CRY OF

BALINTAWAK OR
PUGAD LAWIN
It is surprising that there are
different versions on the
dates for the first cry of the
revolution as well as the venue.
This controversy up to this time
remains unsolved. It is believed
that the so-called Cry took place
in Balintawak; but others would
say that it really happened in
Pugad Lawin. Nevertheless,
there are different versions to
consider in knowing the real
date and
place of the Cry. These include
Pio Valenzuela’s Controversial
“Cry of Pugad Lawin”,
Santiago
Alvarez’s “The Cry of Bahay
Toro”, Gregoria de Jesus’
version of the “First Cry”,
and
Guillermo Masangkay’s “The
Cry if Balintawak”.
Pio Valenzuela’s
Controversial “Cry of
Pugad Lawin”
(August 23, 1896)
This controversial version of
the “Cry of the Pugad Lawin”
has been authorized by no
other than Dr. Pio Valenzuela,
who happened to be the
eyewitness himself of the event.
In his
first version, he told that the
prime staging point of the Cry
was in Balintawak on
Wednesday of
August 26, 1896. He held
this account when the
happenings or events are still
vivid in his
memory. On the other hand,
later in his life and with a
fading memory, he wrote his
Memoirs of
the Revolution without
consulting the written
documents of the Philippine
revolution and
claimed that the “Cry” took
place at Pugad Lawin on
August 23, 1896. Below is his
account on
this topic
CRY OF BALINTAWAK OR PUGAD LAWIN

Various accounts of the Cry give different dates and places. A guardia civil, Lt. Olegario Diaz, Identified
the cry to have happened in Balintawak on August 25 1896. Teodoro Kalaw, Filipino historian, marks the
place to be in Kangkong, Balintawak on the last week of August 1896. Santiago Alvarez a Katipunero and
son of Mariano Alvarez, leader of the magdiwang faction in Cavite, put the Cry in Bahay Toro in Quezon
City on August 24 1896. Pio Valenzuela, known Katipunero and privy to many events concerning the
Katipunan stated that the Cry happened in Pugad Lawin on August 23 1896. Historian Gregorio Zaide
identified the Cry to have happened in Balintawak on August 1896, while Teodoro Agoncillo put it at
Pugad Lawin on August 23, 1896, according to statements by Pio Valenzuela. Research by historians
Milagros Guerrero, Emmanuel Encarnacion, and Ramon Villegas claimed that the event took place in
Tandang Sora’s barn in Gulod, Barangay Banlat, Quezon City, on August 24, 1896.

PRIMARY SOURCE: ACCOUNTS OF THE CRY

Guillermo Masangkay’s The “Cry of Balintawak”

(August 26, 1896)

(Source: Zaide, Gregoria and Zaide, Sonia. (1990). Documentary Sources of Philippine History. Vol. 5. Manila: National Book Store)

This version is written by the Katipunan General Guillermo Masangkay. He is an

eyewitness of the historic event and a childhood friend of Bonifacio. According to him, the first

rally of the Philippine Revolution happened on August 26, 1896 at Balintawak. Correspondingly,

the date and site presented were accepted by the preliminary years of American government.
Below is General Guillermo Masangkay’s version of the “Cry of Balintawak”

On August 26th [1896-Z.], a big meeting was held in Balintawak, at the house of Apolonio
Samson, then the cabeza of that barrio of Caloocan. Among those who attended, I remember,
were Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Aguedo del Rosario, Tomas Remigio, Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Plata, Pio
Valenzuela, Enrique Pacheco, and Francisco Carreon. They were all leaders of the Katipunan and
composed the board of directors of the organization. Delegates from Bulacan, Cabanatuan, Cavite
and Morong (now Rizal,) were also present.

the arms and food for the soldiers. Valenzuela used Rizal’s argument about the rich not siding with the
Katipunan organization. Andres Bonifacio, sensing that he would lose in the discussion then, left the
session hall and talked to the people, who were waiting outside for the result of the meeting of the
leaders. He told the people that the leaders were arguing against starting the revolution early,
and appealed to them in a fiery 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?

“Revolt!” the people shouted as one.

Bonifacio then asked the people to give a pledge that they were to revolt. He told them

that the sign of slavery of the Filipinos were (sic) the cedula tax charged each citizen. “If it is

true that you are ready to revolt,” Bonifacio saved, “I want to see you destroy your cedulas. It

will be the sign that all of us have declared our severance from the Spaniards.”

With tears in their eyes, the people as one man, pulled out their cedulas and tore them to

pieces. It was the beginning of the formal declaration of the separation from Spanish rule. With

their cedulas destroyed, they could no longer go back to their homes because the Spaniards

would persecute them, if not for being katipuneros, for having no cedulas. And people who had

no cedulas during those days were severely punished

When the people’s pledge was obtained by Bonifacio, he returned to the session hall and

informed the leaders of what took place outside. “The people want to revolt, and they have

destroyed their cedulas,” Bonifacio said. “So now we have to start the uprising; otherwise the
people by hundreds will be shot.” There was no alternative. The board of directors, in the spite

of the protests of Plata, Pantas, and Valenzuela, voted for the revolution. And when this was

decided, the people outside shouted: “Long Live the Philippine Republic!”

I still remember Bonifacio as he appeared that day. Although a mere bodeguero

(warehouseman) and earning ₱25 (Mex.) a month, he was a cultured man. He always wore an

open coat, with black necktie, and black hat. He always carried an umbrella. At the meeting that

morning of August 26, Bonifacio took off his coat and was wearing only his shirt, with collar and

tie. Bonifacio’s hobby was weaving bamboo hats. During his spare time, he wove dozens of them

and sold them in Manila. Thus, he made extra money

At about 5 o’clock in the afternoon, while the gathering at Balintawak was celebrating the decision of
the Katipunan leaders to start the uprising, the guards who were up in trees to watch for any possible
intruders or the approach of the enemy, gave the warning that the Spaniards were coming

Led by Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto and other leaders of the Katipunan, the men were

distributed in strategic positions and were prepared for attack of the civil guards. I was with a

group stationed on the bank of a small creek, guarding the places where the Spaniards were to

pass in order to reach the meeting place of the katipuneros. Shots were then fired by the civil

guards, and that was the beginning of the fire which later became such a huge conflagration.

Pio Valenzuela’s Controversial “Cry of Pugad Lawin”

(August 23, 1896)

(Source: Zaide, Gregoria and Zaide, Sonia. (1990). Documentary Sources of Philippine History. Vol. 5. Manila: National Book Store.)

Source: Zaide, Gregoria and Zaide,

(

Sonia. (1990). Documentary Sources

of Philippine History. Vol. 5.
Manila:
National Book Store
Source: Zaide, Gregoria and Zaide,
(

Sonia. (1990). Documentary Sources

of Philippine History. Vol. 5.
Manila:
National Book Store.
This controversial version of the “Cry of the Pugad Lawin” has been authorized by no

other than Dr. Pio Valenzuela, who happened to be the eyewitness himself of the event. In his

first version, he told that the prime staging point of the Cry was in Balintawak on Wednesday of

August 26, 1896. He held this account when the happenings or events are still vivid in his

memory. On the other hand, later in his life and with a fading memory, he wrote his Memoirs of

the Revolution without consulting the written documents of the Philippine revolution and

claimed that the “Cry” took place at Pugad Lawin on August 23, 1896. Below is his account on

this topic:

“The first place of refuge of Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Procopio Bonifacio,

Teodoro Plata, Aguedo del Rosario, and myself was Balintawak, the first five arriving there on

August 19 and I, on August 20, 1896. The first place where some 500 members of the Katipunan

met on August 22, 1896, was the house and yard of Apolonio Samson at Kangkong. Aside from

the persons mentioned above, among those who were there were Briccio Pantas, Alejandro

Santiago, Ramon Bernardo, Apolonio Samson, and others. Here, views were only exchanged,

and no resolution was debated or adopted. It was at Pugad Lawin, in the house, store-house, and
yard of Juan Ramos, son of Melchora Aquino, where over 1,000 members of the Katipunan met

and carried out considerable debate and discussion on August 23, 1986. The discussion was on

whether or not the revolution against the Spanish government should be started on August 29,

1986. Only one man protested and fought against a war, and that was Teodora Plata

[Bonifacio’s brother-in-law-Z]. Besides the persons named above, among those present at this

meeting were Enrique Cipriano, Alfonso Pacheco, Tomas Remigio, Sinforoso San Pedro, and

others. After the tumultuous meeting, many of those present tore their cedula certificates and

shouted “Long live the Philippines! Long live the Philippines!”

Santiago Alvarez’s The “Cry of Bahay Toro”

(August 24, 1896)

(Source: Zaide, Gregoria and Zaide, Sonia. (1990). Documentary Sources of Philippine History. Vol. 5. Manila: National Book Store)

Sunday, August 23, 1896

As early as 10 o’clock in the morning, at the barn of Kabesang Melchora [Melchora Aquino-Z.],
at a place called Sampalukan, barrio of Bahay Toro, Katipuneros met together. About 500 of these
arrived, ready and eager to join the “Supremo” Andres Bonifacio and his men

Monday, August 24, 1896

There were about 1,000 Katipuneros … The “Supremo” decided to hold a meeting inside

the big barn. Under his leadership, the meeting began at 10 o’clock in the morning …

It was 12 o’clock noon when the meeting adjourned amidst loud cries of “Long live the

Sons of the Country” (Mabuhay ang mga anak ng Bayan)!