Primary Source: Santiago Secondary Source: Teodoro

Alvarez “Memoirs of a General” Agoncillo “Seeds of Discontent”

Author’s -born Santiago Álvarez y Virata - born Teodoro Andal Agoncillo
Background (July 25, 1872 – October 30, 1930) (November 9, 1912 – January 14,
1985)
-A native of Imus, Cavite
- Born in Lemery, Batangas to Pedro
-was the only child of revolutionary Agoncillo and Feliza Andal, both from
general Mariano Alvarez (1818– landed families in Batangas
1924) and Nicolasa Virata.
-Agoncillo obtained a bachelor's degree
-After his birth, his family in philosophy from the University of the
immediately moved to Noveleta, Philippines in Manila, in 1934, and a
Cavite where he acquired his early master's degree in the arts from the
education at age seven under Sr. same university the following year. He
Antonio Dacon. earned his living as a linguistic
assistant at the Institute of National
-He was later transferred to another Language and as an instructor at the
private school located in the present Far Eastern University and the Manuel
Cavite City where he was taught by L. Quezon University.
Don Ignacio Vilocillo. Since his
parents wanted him to become a -In 1956, he published his seminal
teacher, he was sent to Manila and work, Revolt of the Masses: The Story
enrolled at a school situated along of Bonifacio and the Katipunan, a
Camba street in Tondo, Manila and history of the 1896 Katipunan-led revolt
was headed by Don Macario against Spanish rule and its leader,
Hernández. His academic endeavors Andres Bonifacio. He garnered acclaim
were interrupted by the revolution in for this book, as well as criticisms from
1896. After the revolution, he more conservative historians
enrolled at the University of Santo discomfited by the work's nationalist
Tomas but later transferred to the bent.
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
where he obtained a Bachelor of -was a prominent 20th-century Filipino
Arts. He then took up law at the historian. He and his contemporary
Liceo de Manila. Renato Constantino were among the
first Filipino historians renowned for
-was a revolutionary general and a promoting a distinctly nationalist point
founder and honorary president of of view of Filipino history (nationalist
the first directorate of the historiography). He was also an
Nacionalista Party. essayist and a poet.

-Also known as Kidlat ng Apoy (En:
Lightning of Fire; Fiery Lightning)
because of his inflamed bravery and
dedication as commander of Cavite's
famous battles (particularly that in
Dalahican)
-he was celebrated in present-day
Cavite City as the Hero of the Battle
of Dalahican.
-married Maria Paz Granados of
Tanza, Cavite with whom he had ten
children - Marta, Magdalena,
Gabriel, Pacita, Numeriano,
Egmidio, Rosendo, Virginia, Amalia,
and Fidel.
-After retiring from UP, Agoncillo taught
Filipino history as a visiting professor at
the International Christian University in
Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan, for one year from
1977 to 1978. Philippine President
Diosdado Macapagal named Agoncillo
as a member of the National Historical
Institute in 1963. He served in this
capacity until his death in 1985.
Agoncillo was chair of the History
Department in the University of the
Philippines at the same time period that
his cousin, General Abelardo Andal,
served as Commander (Chair) of the
Reserve Officers' Training Corps of the
same university.

- On October 30, 1930, at age 58, he - He was named National Scientist of

died of paralysis in San Pablo City the Philippines in 1985 for his
and was buried at the Noveleta distinguished contributions in the field
Public Cemetery. of history.