Act of the Declaration of

Philippine Independence

COURSE DEVELOPERS:
Prof. Percival GABRIEL
Prof. Rhinalou Cervantes-SALAMAT
Powerpoint by Cervantes-Salamat
 Documents on the
1898 Declaration of
Philippine
Independence, the
Malolos
Constitution and
First Philippine
Republic

(National Historical Institute in

1997)
About the
Author
 • Born:
– December 17, 1830 in
Binan, Laguna
• Parents:
– Gregorio Enriquez Bautista
– Silvestra Altamira
• Education:
– Law (UST); earned his
degree in 1865 (35 years old)

• Don Bosyong; lawyer and author of the Act of

Philippine Independence
• Became a member of the
La Liga Filipina, Cuerpo
de Compromisarios and
La Propaganda
• Died: Dec. 4, 1903
– (72 years old)
• Cause of Death:
– A fatal fall from a horse-
drawn carriage
• Solicited funds to finance
a campaign for reforms in
the Philippines

• Became a member of the

La Liga Filipina, Cuerpo
de Compromisarios and La
Propaganda
• Arrested and imprisoned at
Fort Santiago by the
Spaniards
• Cause: He was suspected
of being involved in the
Philippine Revolution
• Result: He managed to
defend himself and was
eventually released.
 • Became the first adviser to
President Emilio Aguinaldo in
1898

• July 14, 1899 - he was elected to

the position of president in the
Revolutionary Congress in Tarlac.
• Then was later appointed judge of
the court of First Instance of
Pangasinan.
Contrary to common belief,
according to Arnaldo
Dumindin, in his book,
Philippine-American War
1899-1902, it was Bautista,
and not Aguinaldo, who
waved the Philippine flag
before the jubilant crowd.
 • Born:
– March 22, 1869 in Kawit,
Cavite (Cavite el Viejo)
– 2nd to the youngest of eight
• Parents:
– Carlos Aguinaldo
– Trinidad Famy
• Education:
– San Juan de Letran

• The initiator of Philippine independence that led to the

making of the proclamation
 Capitan Miong

• 1894 – capitan municipal

• Joined Katipunan – Magdalo
• President – Tejeros
Convention
• Pact of Biak-na-Bato
– In exchange for an indemnity,
amnesty and colonial reform, he
and his officers went into exile in
Hong Kong in December 1897.
 Capitan Miong

• June 12, 1898 – Philippine

independence
– Battle of Manila
• Malolos Congress
– Constitution
– Philippine Republic
• Philippine-American War (1899-1901)
– First shot, Sta. Mesa
– February 4, 1899
• Death: February 6, 1964 (94)
Historical
Backgrou
nd of the
 Spanish-American War

• Outbreak of Spanish-American War

– Result of U.S. intervention in Cuban
War of Independence
– U.S. attacked Spain’s Pacific
Possession which led to the
involvement in the Philippine
Revolution
– Commodore George Dewey aboard
the U.S.S. Olympia sailed from Hong
Kong to Manila Bay and led the
Asiatic Squadron of the U.S. Navy
1898, April-August
 Battle of
Manila
• Emilio Aguinaldo
decided to return
to the Philippines
and helped
Americans defeat
the Spaniards
1 May 1898
• Spaniards were defeated
• Emilio Aguinaldo arrived in Cavite (unofficially
allied with the USA)
 Ambrosio Rianzares
Bautista wrote the Act on
the Declaration of
independence
• There was still fighting
between the Filipinos
and Spaniards in
various places and the
Act was written.
Act on the Declaration of independence

• This is to encourage, motivate more Filipino

people to fight against the Spaniards.
Summary
of the Text
 About the Text
• June 10, 1896 – Gen.
Aguinaldo appointed his
Auditor General of War A.R.
Bautista, as a “special
commissioner” to write the ADI
• 16-page document: aspirations
of freedom, sacrifices made
and the revolution from it.
• Jim Richardson – 177
signees
• Created: May - June 1898
• Ratified: June 12, 1898
• Signatories: 98 delegates

• Purpose: To
proclaim the
sovereignty and
independence of the
Philippines from the
colonial rule of
Spain.
 • Took place in Cavite
el Viejo
(Kawit, Cavite)

Public reading of the

Act of the
Declaration of
independence
(Spanish: Acta de la
proclamación de
independencia del
pueblo Filipino)
Content
Analysis
 Series of Events that lead to the
Declaration of Act of Independence

• Series of events
that led to
revolution and
eventually to the
signing of the Act
of Declaration of
Philippine
Independence
 A. Lost of
independence and
sovereign:

1. Ferdinand Magellan landed

on the shores of Cebu and
occupied said island by means
of a Pact of Friendship with
Chief Tupas, although he
was killed in the battle that
took place in said shores to
which battle he was provokes
by Chief CilapuLapu of
Mactan.
 A. Lost of
independence and
sovereign:
2. Miguel Lopez de Legaspi
landed on the Island of Bohol
by entering into a Blood
Compact with its Chief
Sikatuna, and later went to
Manila, winning the friendship
of Chiefs Soliman and
Lakandula, and later taking
possession of the city and the 3. International law does not
whole archipelago in the name recognize such vicious
of Spain by virtue of an order of acquisition of private
King Philip II. property.
 Inequality Between
the Spanish and
Filipinos
1. Arbitrary arrests and
abuses of the civil guards
2. Trial without hearing
3. Unjust deportations of
Illustrious Filipinos.
4. People are tired of
bearing the ominous joke
of Spanish domination
What kind of society do they have in
1898?
 B. Establishment of
Biak-na-Bato to gain independence and
sovereign

Purpose: To Liberate Philippines from Yoke of

Spanish dominion.
1. Liberation from: abuses
and unjust execution of
Rizal for opposing the
friars Machiavellian ends
2. Religious corporation
abuses such as execution
of GOMBURZA
3. Oppressions
C. Conferring to Dictator
Don Emilio Aguinaldo

C. Conferring to Dictator
Don Emilio Aguinaldo
all the powers necessary
to enable him to
discharge the duties of
government, including the
prerogatives of granting
pardon and amnesty
D. Proclamation
of Independence

1. Filipino revolutionary
forces under General
Emilio Aguinaldo
proclaimed the
sovereignty and
independence of the
Philippine Islands
from the colonial rule
of Spain.
 The Philippine Flag

And waved the first Philippine Flag

The Philippine Flag

The white
triangle
signifying the
distinctive
emblem of the
famous society
of the
“Katipunan”.
 The Philippine Flag

• The three stars, signifying the three

principal islands of this Archipelago -
Luzon, Mindanao and Panay where this
revolutionary movement started.

• The sun, representing the gigantic steps

made by the sons of the country.
 The Philippine Flag

• The eight rays, signifying the eight provinces -

Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija,
Bataan, Laguna and Batangas.

• And the colors of Blue, Red and White,

commemorating the flag of the United States of
America, as a manifestation of our profound gratitude
towards this great nation for its disinterested
protection which it lent us and continues lending us.
The Philippine Flag

• The first Philippine flag

was sewn by Dona
Marcela Agoncillo,
Lorenza Agoncillo, and
Delfina Herbosa de
Natividad in Hong Kong.
• It was first flown in battle
on May 28, 1898.
• Formally unfurled during
the declaration of
Philippine Independence.
 Lupang Hinirang
(The Chosen Land)

• Music composed by
Julian Felipe.
• Did not use lyrics during
the declaration of
Philippine Independence
in June 12, 1898.
• Lyrics was from Jose
Palma from his poem
Filipinas in 1898.
• English and Spanish • Final Filipino lyrics was
versions were abandoned revised in 1960s.
on February 12, 1998.
• Dambanang Aguinaldo
• Cavite-Viejo, Province
of Cavite
• June 12, 1898

• Solemnize and proclaim

Philippine Independence.
Importan
ce and
Relevanc
1. Most significant achievement of
Aguinaldo’s Dictatorial Government
2. The Philippine was proclaimed
independent after decades of being a
colony.
3. The Philippine earned its own
identity.
1. Narrated the signing of the declaration of Philippine
independence.
2. Emphasis on series of events that led to the series of
revolts that happened against the Spaniards
3. Paved way for Filipinos to understand where the
revolts and independence came from
4. Declared the Philippine independence and sovereignty
from the oppressors during that time which was Spain.
5. Showed the end of an era
Affirmation of the following:
1. Atrocities of the Spaniards
towards Filipinos.
2. Struggles of the Filipinos for
independence
3. Dictatorial government under
Aguinaldo.
• For foreign countries to recognize the
independence of the country.
• It also helped us to get increased foreign
assistance from USA in our fight to become free
from colonizers.
“And having as witness to the rectitude of our
intentions the Supreme Judge of the Universe, and
under the protection of our Powerful and
Humanitarian Nation, The United States of America,
we do hereby proclaim and declare solemnly in the
name by authority of the people of these Philippine
● For our independence to be really considered
official, and for it to have legal basis
● Justified our right to revolt against a
government that no longer guaranteed us our
natural rights
“Taking into account the fact that the people of this
country are already tired of bearing the ominous
joke of Spanish domination,…..
…. Had resolved to start a revolution in August
1896 in order to regain the independence and
sovereignty of which the people had been deprived
● Appointed Emilio Aguinaldo as the head of the
Philippine government.

“Moreover, we confer upon our famous

Dictator Don Emilio Aguinaldo all the
powers necessary to enable him to
discharge the duties of Government,
including the prerogatives of granting
pardon and amnesty,”
● The Declaration of Independence stated certain
ideals that our ancestors believed were important
for man to have, such as liberty and equality.
““That they are and have the right to be free and
independent; that they have ceased to have
allegiance to the Crown of Spain; that all political
ties between them are should be completely
severed and annulled; and that, like other free and
independent States, they enjoy the full power to
make War and Peace, conclude commercial
treaties, enter into alliances, regulate commerce,
1. It was a major step in creating the Filipino
Identity.
2. The very first and solid proof of the struggle
of the Filipinos for independence.
3. It serves as a culmination of our existence
as a nation and a state.
4. It marks the start and beginning where
Filipinos had these constitutional rights.