Reading the “Proclamation of the

Philippine Independence”
Every year , the country
commemorates the
anniversary of the
Philippine Independence
proclaimed on 12 June
1898, in the province of
Cavite.
Indeed, such an event is
a significant turning
point in the history of
the country because it
signaled the end of the
333 years of Spanish
Colonization.
•The declaration was a 2000-word
document, which summarized the reason
behind the revolution against Spain, the
war for independence, and the future of
the new republic under Emilio
Aguinaldo.
•Written by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista
also known as Don Boshong later
translated by Sulpicio Guevara an author
born on year 1904.
 • A characterization of the conditions of the
Philippines during the Spanish colonial
period. The document specifically

Highlights of
mentioned the abuses and inequalities in
the colony.
• A brief historical overview of the Spanish
the occupation in the Philippines from
Magellan’s arrival in the Visayas until the

proclamation Philippine revolution in 1898, with

specific details about the latter, especially
after the Pact of Biak-na- Bato had
speech include: collapsed.
• The mention of Rizal’s execution calling it
unjust.
 • The Cavite Mutiny of January 1872 that
caused the infamous execution of the martyred
native priest Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez,
and Jacinto Zamora, whose innocent blood
Highlights of the was shed through the intrigues of those so-
called religious orders that cited the three
proclamation secular priests in the said mutiny.
speech include: • The established republic would be led under
the dictatorship of Emilio Aguinaldo.
• Its explanation on the Philippine flag that was
waved on the same day
Analysis of the Proclamation of the
Philippine Independence

Re examination
of the document
on the • The document refers to the general
declaration of revolutionary sentiment of that period.
Philippine • The proclamation also gives us the
Independence impression of how the victorious
revolutionary government of
can reveal some Aguinaldo historicized the struggle for
often–overlooked independence.
historical truths • There were mentions of past events
about this that were seen as important turning
important event points of the movement against Spain.
in Philippine
History:
 • However, the Katipunan as the pioneer of the revolutionary
movement was only mentioned once toward the end of the
document. There was no mention of the Katipunan’s
Analysis of the foundation. Bonifacio and his co-founders were also left
Proclamation of out. The enmity between Aguinaldo’s Magdalo and
Bonifacio’s Magdiwang in the Katipunan is no secret in the
the Philippine pages of our history.
Independence • The point is, even the official records and documents like
the proclamation of independence, while truthful most of
the time still exude the politics and biases of whoever is in
power.