READING THE “PROCLAMATION OF THE PHILIPPHINE  It summarized the reason behind the revolution against

INDEPENDENCE” Spain.
 It also summarized the subsequent war for independence, as
well as the future of the new republic under the leadership
of Emilio Aguinaldo.
 Every year, the country commemorates the anniversary of
the Philippine Independence
 Proclaimed on the 12th of June 1898, in the province of
Cavite.  The proclamation commenced with a characterization of
 The event saw the unfurling of the Philippine National the condition of the Philippines during the Spanish colonial
Flag, made by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and period.
Delfina Herboza.  It specifically mentioned the abuses and inequalities
 Performance of the Marcha Filipina Magdalo, as the existing in the colony.
national anthem, now known as Lupang Hinirang,
composed by Julian Felipe and played by the San Francisco
de Malabon Marching Band.
 The declaration says:
 The proclamation was prepared, written, and read by
Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista in Spanish. “…. Taking into consideration, that their inhabitants being already
 Signed by 98 people, including a United States Army offer, weary of bearing the ominous yoke of Spanish domination, on
Mr. L.M. Johnson. account of the arbitrary arrests and harsh treatment practiced by the
 Eventually promulgated on August 1, after many towns had Civil Guard to the extent of causing death with the connivance and
been organized under Aguinaldo’s government. even with the express orders of their commanders, who sometimes
 Not recognized, however, by the United States, nor Spain. went to extreme of ordering the shooting of prisoners under the
U.S. bought the Philippines from the Spanish in the 1898 pretext that they were attempting to escape, violation of the
Treaty of Paris. provisions of the Regulations of their Corps, which abuses were
 Philippine-American War unpunished and on account of the unjust deportations, especially
 The Philippine Revolutionary Government did not those decreed by General Blanco, of eminent personages and of high
recognize the treaty or American sovereignty, and social position at the instigation of the Archbishop and friars
subsequently fought and lost a conflict with United States. interested in keeping them out of the way for their own selfish and
 Ended when Emilio Aguinaldo was captured by U.S. forces avaricious purpose, deportations which are quickly brought about by
in March 23, 1901, and issued a statement acknowledging a method of procedure more execrable than that of the Inquisition
and accepting the sovereignty of the United States over the and which every civilized nation rejects on account of a decision
Philippines. being rendered without a hearing of the persons accused.”
 The U.S. finally granted complete independence to the
Philippines on July 4, 1946, via the Treaty of Manila,  The passage demonstrates the justifications behind the
following World War II. revolution against Spain.
 Specifically cited are the abuses by the Civil Guards and
the unlawful shooting of prisoners whom they alleged as
“attempting to escape”
 President Diosdado Macapagal in 1964, signed into law
 It also condemns the unequal protection of the law between
Republic Act No. 4166, designating June 12 as the
the Filipino people and the “eminent personages”.
country’s Independence Day.
 Moreover, the line mentions the avarice and greed of the
 It is a significant turning point in the history of the country.
clergy like the friars and the archbishop himself.
 It signaled the end of the 333 years of Spanish colonization.
 The passage also condemns what they saw as the unjust
deportation and rendering of other decisions without proper
hearing, expected of any civilized nation.
 There have been numerous studies done on the events
leading to the independence of the country but very few
students had the chance to read the actual document of the
 Historical Overview
declaration.
 The proclamation then proceeds with a brief historical
 This is despite the historical importance of the document
overview of the Spanish occupation since Magellan’ s
and the details that the document reveals on the rationale
arrival until the Philippine Revolution.
and circumstances of that historical day.
 It narrates the movement describing it as “like an electric
 Interestingly, reading the details of the said document in
spark”, through different towns and provinces like Bataan,
hindsight is telling of the kind of government that was
Pampanga, Batangas, Bulacan, Laguna, and Morong and
created under Aguinaldo and the forthcoming hand of the
the quick decline of Spanish forces in the same provinces.
United States of America in the next few years of the newly
 The revolt also reached Visayas, thus, the independence of
created republic.
the country was ensured.
 The document also mentions Rizal’s execution, calling it
unjust.
 Proclamation of the Philippine Independence  The execution was done “to please the greedy body of
friars in their insatiable desire to seek revenge upon and
 It is a short 2,000-word document. exterminate all those who are opposed to their
 Machiavellian purposes, which tramples upon the penal initiated; and the blue, red and white commemorate
code prescribed for these islands.” those of the flag of the United States of North
 It also narrates the Cavite Mutiny of January 1872 that America, in manifestation of our profound gratitude
caused the infamous execution of the martyred native towards that Great Nation for the disinterested
priests namely Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez and Jacinto protection she is extending to us and will continue to
Zamora, “whose innocent blood was shed through the extend to us.”
intrigues of those so-called religious orders” that incited
the three secular priests in the said mutiny.
 This often-overlooked detail reveals much about the
 Emilio Aguinaldo’s Dictatorship
historically accurate meaning behind the most widely
 The proclamation of the independence also invokes
known national symbol in the Philippines. It is not
that the established republic would be led under the
known by many for example that the white triangle
dictatorship of Emilio Aguinaldo. The first mention
was derived from the symbol of the Katipunan. The
was at the very beginning of the proclamation.
red and blue colors of the flag are often associated
 It stated:
with courage and peace, respectively. Our basic
“In the town of Cavite Viejo, in this province of Cavite on the education omits the fact that those colors were taken
twelfth of June eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, before me, from the flag of the United States, While it can always
Don Ambrosio Rianzares Baurista, Auditor of War and Special be argued that symbolic meaning can always change
Commissioners appointed to proclaim and solemnize this act by and be reinterpreted, the original symbolic meaning of
the Dictatorial Government of these Philippine Islands, for the something presents us several historical truths that can
purposes and by the virtue of the circular addressed by the explain the subsequent events, which unfolded after
Eminent Dictator of the same Don Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy.” the declaration of independence on the 12th day of June
1898.
 The same repeated toward the last part of the
proclamation. It states: “We acknowledge, approve
and confirm together with the orders that have been
issued therefrom, the Dictatorship established by Don
Emilio Aguinaldo, whom we honor as the Supreme
Chief of this Nation which this day commence to have
a life of its own, in the belief that he is the instrument
selected by God, in spite of his humble origin, to effect
the redemption of this unfortunate people as foretold
by Dr. Jose Rizal in the magnificent verses which he
composed when he was preparing to be shot,
liberating them from the yoke of Spanish domination
in punishment of the impunity with which their
Government allowed the commission of abuses by its
subordinates.”

 The Philippine Flag

 Another detail in the proclamation that is worth
looking at is its explanation on the Philippine flag that
was first waved on the same day.
 The document explained: “And finally it was
unanimously resolved that this Nation, independent
from this day, must use the same flag used heretofore
whose design and colors and described in the
accompanying drawing, with design representing in
natural colors the three arms referred to. The white
triangle represents the distinctive emblem of the
famous Katipunan Society which by means of its
compact of blood urged on the masses of the people to
insurrection; the three stars represents the three
principal Island of this Archipelago, Luzon, Mindanao
and Panay, in which this insurrectionary movement
broke out; the sun represents the gigantic strides that
have been made by the sons of this land on the road of
progress and civilization, its eight rays symbolizing
the eight provinces of Manila, Cavite, Bulacan,
Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna and
Batangas which were declared is a state of war almost
as soon as the first insurrectionary movement was