Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Pact of Biak-na-Bato
The Pact of Biak-na-bato was signed on December 14, 1897
by Emilio Aguinaldo and Governor-General Fernando Primo
de Rivera.
The principal conditions were as follows:
Aguinaldo to live in any foreign country he wished; Spain would
be paying him 800,000 Mexican dollars when all arms are
surrendered; and the Te Deum be sung in the Cathedral in
Manila.
The money to be paid personally to Aguinaldo with only his
knowledge along with his insurgents on how much it was.
The Governonr-General would send two generals of the
Spanish Army to be held as hostages by Aguinaldos
associates.
The religious corporations in the Philippines would be expelled
and an autonomous system of government be established.
President Aguinaldo
Aguinaldo went into a voluntary exile in Hong Kong after
signing the Pact of Biak-na-Bato.
During the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, he forged
an alliance with Admiral Dewey after being promised
Philippine independence afterwards.
His first proclamation was to declare himself as the
Philippine Head of State.
On June 12, he proclaimed the independence of the
Philippines in Kawit, Cavite.
While on September 11 after joining the American forces to
take over Manila, they went to Malolos and made it the
Capital of the Republic.
He was chosen unanimously to be the President of the
Philippine Republic on January 23, 1899 and proclaimed
himself as a Dictator a month after.
Treaty of Paris
Representatives of Spain and United States met in Paris and
drafted a peace treaty.
The Treaty of Paris was signed on December 10, 1898 by
US and Spain and ended the Spanish-American war.
It states that Spain was to give the Philippines and Guam to
the United States, give up all rights to Cuba, and surrender
Puerto Rico and give its possessions to the West Indies.
Spain would be paid $20,000,000 in return. (Philippines only)
The treaty was being ratified while hostilities between the
Filipinos and Americans were taking place.
It was approved by the US Senate on February 6, 1899.
Guerilla Warfare
Aguinaldo shifted from conventional tactics to guerilla
warfare in the 1900s for their advantages.
The Americans had almost 500 casualties in the first four
months alone.
Bloody ambushes and raids were staged to force the
Americans to surrender or withdraw.
But this only made the situation worse when the Americans
started burning towns and suspecting every civilian then
torturing them in concentration camps.
Torturing of captives were evident on both sides with the
Balangiga Massacre masterminded by the Filipinos.
Aguinaldo was captured on March 23, 1901.
The war finally ended on July 4, 1902 with the establishing of
the Philippine Commission.
Sources
The Origins and Causes of the Philippine Revolution
by Juan Alvarez Guerra
Views on the Philippine Revolution vol.1 and vol.2
True Version of the Philippine Revolution
by Don Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy
The Filipino Americans (From 1763 To Present) Their History,
Culture, and Traditions
by Veltisezar Bautista