PROCLAMATION ON THE PHILIPPINES
INDEPENDENCE
BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHOR:
Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista
• Born on December 7, 1830 in Binan, Laguna
• Died on December 4,1903 at the age of 72.
• Son of Gregorio Enriquez Bautista and
Silvestra Altamira
• Served as solicitor general of the revolutionary
government
• Lawyer and General Emilio Aguinaldo's
confidante
• He attended preparatory school in Biñan and
studied law at the University of Santo Tomas
(UST), obtaining a degree in 1865.
• He then practiced law in Manila and offered free
legal services to poor clients. Whilst practicing
law, Bautista, on his way to Malolos, Bulacan,
was captured by a group of bandits, who
subsequently learned that he had saved many of
their friends as a defender of the poor in court
cases against rich Filipinos and Spaniards. The
bandits apologized t Bautista and set him free.
• Bautista, who was arrested and jailed at the
outbreak of the Revolution, was the one who
authored the "Act of Declaration of Philippine
Independence".
• He was also the one who read the declaration
during the June 12, 1898 Independence
proclamation by General Aguinaldo in Kawit,
Cavite.
• Bautista patterned the act on the American
declaration of Independence, which was signed
by 98 persons, among them an American army
officer who witnessed the proclamation.
• Member of La Liga Filipina, Cuerpo de
Compromisers, and La Propaganda
• In 1896, he was arrested and imprisoned by
Spaniards at Fort Santiago as he was
suspected to be involved in the Philippine
Revolution
• On July 14, 1899, Bautista was elected to the
position of president in Tarlacs Revolutionary
Congress and was later appointed judge of the
Court of First Instance of Pangasinan.
SUMMARY
⚫ June 12, 1898 - The Philippine Declaration of
independence was proclaimed in Cavite el Viejo
(present day Kawit, Cavite).
⚫ Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio
Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and
independence of the Philippine Islands from the
colonial rule of Spain.
EMILIO AGUINALDO
• He was born in Kawit, Cavite on March 22,
1869.
• He joined the Katipunan in 1895 and used the
call sign Magdalo after Mary Magdalene.
• He bacame the Supreme leader of the
Dictatorial Government when the Philippines
became independent in 1898 and the President
of the first Republic pursuant to the Malolos
Constitutional of 1899.
• 1896 - the Philippine Revolution began.
Eventually, the Spanish signed an agreement
with the revolutionaries.
• Commodore George Dewey - sailed from Hong
Kong to Manila Bay leading a squadron of U.S.
Navy ship.
FUN FACTS ABOUT GEORGE DEWEY
⚫ On April 27, 1898, he sailed from China aboard USS
Olympia with orders to attack the Spanish at Manila
Bay.
⚫ He stopped at the mouth of the bay late the night of
April 30, and the following morning he gave the
order to attack at first light, saying the now famous
words "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley."
⚫ Emilio Aguinaldo went exile in Hong Kong. At the
outbreak of the Spanish- American War.
⚫ May 1, 1898 - the United States defeated the
Spanish in the Battle of Manila Bay. – the U.S. Navy
transported Aguinaldo back to the Philippines.
⚫ The event saw the unfurling of the National Flag of
the Philippines, made in Hong Kong by Marcela
Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herboza.
and the performance of the Marcha Filipina Magdalo,
as the national anthem, now known as Lupang
Hinirang, which was composed by Julián Felipe and
played by the San Francisco de Malabon marching
band.
⚫ The Act of the Declaration of Independence was
prepared, written, and read by Ambrosio Rianzares
Bautista in Spanish.
⚫ The Declaration was signed by ninety eight people,
among them an American army officer who
witnessed the proclamation who attended the
proceedings, Mr. L. M. Johnson, a Coronel of
Artillery.
⚫ The proclamation of Philippine independence was,
however, promulgated on 1 August, when many
towns had already been organized under the rules
laid down by the Dictatorial Government of General
Aguinaldo.
⚫ The declaration was not recognized by the U.S. nor
Spain and Spain later sold the Philippines to the
United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris ended the
Spanish-American War.
PURPOSE OF DECLARATION
1. To proclaim the sovereignty and independence
of the Philippines from the colonial rule of the
Spanish empire.
2. End the 333 years of Spanish colonization.
August 1896 - June 12, 1898 - was a revolution and
subsequent conflict fought between the people and
insurgents of the Philippines and the kingdom of Spain
including its Spanish empire and Spanish colonial
authorities in the Spanish east indies.
December 27, 1897 - General Emilio Aguinaldo and 25
other revolutionary leaders sailed for Hongkong from
Saul, Pangasinan, on board the streamer Uranus, in
Compliance with the terms of the Pact of Biak - na - Bato.
Spanish American War - April 21, 1898 - August 13,
1898 (3months, 3weeks and 2 days).
Battle of Manila Bay - Also known as Battle of Cavite,
took place on May 1, 1898, during Spanish American war.
This battle was the most decisive naval battle in history
and marked the end of the Spanish Colonial Era in the
Philippines History.
Treaty of Paris - Signed on December 10, 1898 in Paris,
France. This treaty was effective on April 11, 1899. It’s
the beginning of the age of the US as a world power. The
cession of the Philippines involved a payment of
20million US Dollars from the US to Spain.
Battle of Alapan - this battle was the first military victory
of General Emilio Aguinaldo after his return to the
Philippines from Hongkong. In Alapan, Imus, Cavite
happened this, on May 28, 1898. 5 hours, from 10 am to
3pm.
Andres Bonifacio y De Castro - November 30, 1863 -
May 10, 1897. Live in Tondo, Manila the Capital General
of the Philippines. He is the Filipino revolutionary leader
and president of the Tagalog Republic. The Father of the
Revolution and the Supreme Leader of the Katipunan.
Pamahalaang Himagsikan - Elections were held in
Barrio, Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon (Now
General Trias, Cavite) on March 1897.
President: Emilio Aguinaldo
Vice President: Mariano Trias
Captain General: Artemio Ricarte
Director of the War: Emilliana Riego de Dios
Director of the Interior: Andres Bonifacio
Biak Na Bato - was the first republic ever declared in the
Philippines by revolutionary leader Emilio Aguinaldo and
his fellow revolutionaries.
Philippine American War - was an armed conflict
between the First Republic of the US that lasted from
February 4, 1899 to July 2, 1902. While Filipino
nationalists viewed the conflict as a continuation of the
struggle for independence that began in 1896 with
Philippine Revolution.
Japanese World War - The empire of Japan entered
world war II by launching a surprise offensive which open
the attack of the Pearl Harbor at 7:48 am Hawaiian Time
on December 7, 1941. The war was happen on May 8,
1942 - July 5 1945.
September 18, 1986 - Speech of President Corazon
Aquino before the Joint Congress of the US.
Summary of Cory Aquino Speech - Ninoy Aquino
Stories, Her Democracy, Story of the People Power
Revolution, Philippine Debt, Insurgency, Compliments of
America.
Biography - Maria Corazon Conjuanco - Aquino also
known as “Cory Aquino”. Born on January, 25, 1933 in
Tarlac Province and Died on August 1, 2009. She is the
11th President of the Republic of the Philippines and the
First Women President. (February 25, 1986 - June 30,
1992).
Educational Background - Elementary: St.
Scholastica’s College Manila; High School: Assumption
College, Manila; College: College of Mount Saint Vincent,
New York and Studied Law in Far Estern University.
Family of Cory Aquino: Benigno Aquino Jr. (Husband),
Children: Maria Elena Aquino, Aurora Corazon Aquino,
Benigno Simeon Aquinpo III, Victoria Elisa Aquino and
Kristina Bernadette Aquino.
Ninoy Aquino Stories - Ninoy Aquino fight for the
Democracy of our nation and was honored by everyone.
August 21, 1983 - Assasination of Ninoy Aquino. At
Manila International Airport
Rolando Galman - the gunman of the late Senator
Ninoy Aquino.
Roots of the People Power Revolution or
“Himagsikang Bayan) - 4 Days from February 22-25,
1986.
1. Diktatoryang Pamahalaan ng Pangulong
Ferdinand Marcos - 1972 - 1981 Sunod sunod na kilos
protesta dahil sa pinatupad ni Marcos na Martial Law.
Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin - Powerful Bishop of
Manila during that time.
Juan Ponce Enrile - Defense Minister / Ministro ng
Tunggaliang Pambansa, Filipino Politician and Lawyer
and Protege of President Marcos or Apprentice.
Fidel V. Ramos - General and Politician and Secretary
of Defense during Cory Aquino Administration.
2. Pagpatay kay Ninoy Aquino Jr.
Democracy - Demokratia greek word which means from
the word demos (people) and kratos (rule).
3. Dayaan sa Snap Election (February 7, 1986) -
Nagumpisa sa pag uudyok ng America kay Pangulong
Marcos na magkaroon ng Eleksyon.
COMELEC - Official Canvasser of the election. The
result nanalo si Marcos laban kay Aquino.
NAMFREL - National Citizen’s Movement of Free
Election. - Ang resulta nila ay taliwas sa resulta ng
COMELEC.
30 COMELEC Computer Technicians - nagwalk out
dahil hindi siguro kinaya ang konsensya.
Political cartoons and caricature are a rather recent
art form, which veered away from the classical art by
exaggerating human features and poking fun and its
subject. Such art genre and technique became a part of
the print media as a form of social and political
commentary, which usually targets persons of power and
authority.
Cartoons became an effective tool of publicizing
opinions through heavy use of symbolism, which is
different from a verbose written editorial and opinion
pieces.
The unique way that a caricature represents opinion and
captures the audience’s imagination is reason enough
for historians to examine these political cartoons.
Alfred McCoy, together with Alfredo Roces, compiled
political cartoons published in newspaper dailies and
periodicals in his book Philippine Cartoons: Political
Caricature of the American Era (1900 – 1941).
Selected Political Cartoons
1. The first example shown was published in The
Independent on May 20, 1916. The cartoon
shows a politician from Tondo named Dr.
Santos, passing his crown to his brother in law,
Dr. Barcelona. A Filipino guy (as depicted
wearing salakot and Barong Tagalog) was trying
to stop Santos, telling the latter giving Barcelona
the crown because it is not his to begin with.
2. The second cartoon was also published by The
Independent on June 16, 1917. This was
drawn by Fernando Amorsolo and was aimed
as a commentary to the workings of the Manila
Police at that period. In the cartoon, we can see
a Filipino child who stole a skinny chicken
because he had nothing to eat. The police officer
was relentlessly pursuing the said child. A man
wearing a salakot, labeled Juan de la Cruz was
grabbing the officer, telling him to leave the
small-time pickpockets and thieves and to turn
at the great thieves instead. He was pointing to
huge warehouses containing bulks of rice, milk
and grocery products.
3. The third cartoon was a commentary on the
unprecedented cases of colorum automobiles in
the city streets. The Philippine Free Press
published this commentary when fatal
accidents involving colorum vehicles and taxis
occurred too often already.
4. The fourth cartoon depicts a cinema. A blown-
up police officer was at the screen saying that
couples are not allowed to neck and make love
in the theatre. Two youngsters looked horrified
while an older couple seemed amused.
5. The next cartoon was published by The
Independent on November 27, 1915.It’s all
about the caricature of Uncle Sam riding a
chariot pulled by Filipinos wearing school
uniforms. The Filipino boys were carrying
American objects like baseball bats, whiskey
and boxing gloves. Mc Coy, in his caption to
the said cartoon, it says that this cartoon was
based on an event in 1907 when William Howard
Taft was brought to the Manila Pier riding a
chariot pulled by students of Liceo de Manila.
Such was condemned by the nationalists at
that time.
6. The last cartoon was published by Lipang
Kalabaw on August 24, 1907.In the picture, we
can see Uncle Sam rationing porridge to the
politicians and members of the Progresista Party
(sometimes known as Federelista Party) while
members of the Nacionalista Party looked on
and wait for their turn. This cartoon depicts the
patronage of the United Stated being committed
to politicians from one party over the other.
Analysis of the Political Caricatures during the
American Period
The transition from the Spanish colonial period to the
American occupation period demonstrated the different
strands of changes and shifts in culture, society and
politics. It was also during the American period that
Filipinos were introduced to different manifestations of
modernity like healthcare, modern transportation and
media. This ushered in a more open and clearer press.
The post- independence and the post- Filipino- American
period in the Philippines were experienced differently by
Filipinos coming from different classes. The upper
principalia class experienced economic prosperity with
the opening up of the Philippine economy to the United
States but the majority of the poor Filipino remain poor,
desperate and victims of state repression.
The selected cartoons Illustrate not only the opinion of
certain media outfits about the Philippine society during
the American period but also paint a broad image of
society and politics under the United States.
It seemed that the Filipino politicians at that time did not
understand well enough the essence of democracy
and the accompanying democratic
Institutions and processes.

Patronage also became influential and powerful, not only

between clients and patrons but also between the newly
formed political parties composed of the elite and the
United States.

The transition from a Catholic- centered, Spanish-

Filipino society to an imperial American- assimilated one,
and its complications, were also depicted in the cartoons

One example is the unprecedented increase of

motorized vehicles in the city. Automobiles became a
popular mode of transportation in the city and led to the
emergence of taxis. However, the laws and policy
implementation was mediocre.

Another example is what Mc Coy called the “sexual

revolution” that occurred in the 1930s. Young people, as
early as that period, disturb the conservative Filipino
mindset by engaging in daring sexual activities in
public spaces like cinemas.

The cartoons also illustrated the conditions of poor

Filipinos in the Philippines now governed by the United
States.

The other cartoon depicts how Americans controlled

Filipinos through seemingly harmless American objects.