I.

THE FIRST CRY OF THE REVOLUTION

(AUGUST 1896)

• The Philippine revolution of 1896 began with what later became known as the “First
Cry” or initial move of the Filipinos to begin the revolution for independence.
• They tear up their “cedulas” and proclaim the start of the fight for independence.
• In 1963, the national historical commission (NHCP) declared that the 1 st cry of revolution
happened on August 23, 1896 at Pugad Lawin.
The controversy, however, persist, with historians and other personalities claiming that the
official date and place are wrong.

Dr. Pio Valenzuela’s Account

• The official date and place of the First cry were on the account of Dr. Pio Valenzuela, an
official of the Katipunan and a friend of Andres Bonifacio, who was present during the
event. His account was published as Memorie’s of the K.K.K and the Philippine
Revolution (Manila, n.d.

� THE ACCOUNT

“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 firs 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 person mentioned above, among those who were there 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, 1896. The discussion was whether or not the revolution
against the Spanish government should be started on August 29, 1896. Only one man
protested and fought against a ward and that was Teodoro Plata. Beside the person
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 Account

• A revolutionary and Philippine independence military, born in Imus Cavite on July 25

1872 and died in San Pablo province of Laguna on October 30 1930, which was one of
the most famous heroes of the war of independence against spain.
• Member of the katipunan secret society.
• 1972 a pre world war II tagalog weekly magazined named sampaguita began publishing
the katipunan memoirs of gen. Santiago virata alvarez(nom-de-guerre: kidlat ng apoy) on
of the leaders of the cavite revolution.
• The series appeared in 36 parts.
• The series was later published as ab book, titled the katipunan and the revolution (qc:
admu, 1992) with an english translation by paula carolina malay.
• The story of the first cry is found in chapter 6b of the memoirs.
• Alvarez presents an account devoid of any dramatic description as it is merely a narration
of the events that happened in bahay toro ( now part of project 8 in quezon city) on aug
24, 1896.
 � THE ACCOUNT

We started our trek to Kangkong at about eleven that night. We walked through the rain over the
dark expanses of muddy meadows and fields. Out clothes drench and our bodies numbed by the
cold wind, we plodded wordlessly. It was nearly two in the morning when we reached the house
of Brother Apolonio Samson in Kangkong. We crowded into the house to rest and warm
ourselves. We were so tired that, after hanging our clothes out to dry, we soon to sleep….

The Supremo began assigning guards at five o’clock in the following morning, Saturday
22 August 1896. He placed a detachment at the Balintawak boundary and another at the
backyard to the north of the house where we were gathered….

No less than three hundred men assembled at the building of the Supremo Andress
bonifacio. Altogether, they carried assorted weapons, bolos, spears, daggers, a dozen small
revolvers and a riffle used by its owner, one Lieutenant Manuel, for hunting birds. The
Sumpremo Bonifaciowas restless because of fear of a sudden attack by the enemy. He was
worried over the thought that any of the couriers carrying the letter sent by Emilio Jacinto could
have been intercepted; and in the eventuality, the enemy would surely know their whereabouts
and attack them on the sly. He decided that it was better to move to a site called Bahay Taro.

At ten o’clock that Sunday morning 23 August 1896, we arrived at Bahay Taro. Our
number had grown to more than 500 and the houses, yard, and warehouse of Cabesang
Melchora was getting crowded with us Katipuneros. Yhe generouse hospitality of Cabesang
Melchora was no less that of Apolonio Samson. Like him, she also opened her granary and had
plenty of rice pounded and animal slaughtered to feed us….

The following day, Monday, 24 August, more Katipuneros came and increase our
number to more than a thousand. The Supremo called a meeting at ten o’clock that morning
inside the Cabesang Melchora’s barn. Flanking him on both sides at the head of the table were
Dr. Valenzuela, Emilio Jacinto, Briccio Pantas, Enrique Pacheco, Ramon Bernardo, Pantelaon
Torres, Francisco Carreon, Vicente Fernandez, Teodoro Plata, and others. We were crowded
that some stood outside the barn.

The following matters were approved at the meeting:

1. An uprising to defend the people’s freedom was to be started at midnight of 29 August

1896….
2. To be on state alert so that the Katipunan forces could strike should the situation arise
where the enemy was at a disadvantage. Thus, the uprising could be started earlier than
the agreed time of midnight of 29 August 1896 should be favorable opportunity arise at
that date. Everyone should steel himself and be resolute in the straggle that was
imminent….
3. The immediate objective was the capture of Manila….

After the adjournment of the meeting at twelve noon, there were tumultuous shouts of
“long live the Sons of the People!”

Guillermo Masangkay’s Account

• Guillermo masangkay is a friend and fellow katipunero of andres bonifacio.

• Born in tondo manila, on june 25 1867.
• He died on may 30 1963.
• He is also one of the members of the katipunan and played a big role in filipino-american
war as a revolutionary general.

� THE ACCOUNT
On August 26, 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 Emilio Jacinto,
Aguedo del Rosario, Thomas 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.

At about nine o’clock in the morning of August 26, the meeting was opened with Andres
Bonifacio presiding and Emilio Jacinto acting as secretary. The purpose was to discuss when the
uprising was to take place. Teodoro Plata, Briccio Panta, and Pio Valenzuela were all opposed
to starting the revolution too early. They reasoned that the people would be in distress if the
revolution stared without adequate presentation. Planta was very forceful in his argument,
stating that the uprising could not be very well started without 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 to sign of
slavery of the Filipino were (sic) the cedula tax charged each citizen. “If it is true that you are
ready to revolt,” Bonifacio said, “I want to see you destroyed 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 the Spaniard rule….

When the people’s pledge was obtained by Bonifacio, be returned to the session hall and
informed the leaders of what took place outside. “the people want to revolt, and they 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 spite of the protests
of Plata, Plantas, and Valenzuela, voted for the revolution. And when this was decided, the
people outside shouted, “Long live the Philippine Republic.”

Dr. Pio Valenzuela’s Account

at Pugad Lawin, in the house , store-house and yard of Juan Ramos, son of Melchora Aquino

over 1,000 members of the Katipunan

August 23, 1896.

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

Santiago Alvarez’s Account

“long live the Sons of the People!”

24 August
more than a thousand

inside the Cabesang Melchora’s barn

Guillermo Masangkay’s Account

August 26

Balintawak, at the house of Apolonio Samson,

“Long live the Philippine Republic.”