The First Cry of the Philippine Revolution: A Critical Analysis of Historical Accounts, Lecture notes of History

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FIRST CRY OF THE PHILIPPINE

REVOLUTION

presented by GROUP 4

GROUP 4 MEMBERS

SERAPION, RUSSELL ANN

PETILO, ROSE ANN CHRISTINE

LORIETA, ALLYSSA

DELA CRUZ, VILMARIE

ABING, PRINCESS JOYCE

CARLOS, KENNETH

REYNA, WESLEY

ARNAN, JANIEL

DETABLAN, JAMES BRENT

RIGOS, MCKY JADE

SYNOPS IS

The first cry marked the start of the Philippine

revolution against the 300 years of colonization

by Spain, this is where the remarkable tearing

of cedulas took place—which for Andres

Bonifacio is the sign of slavery of Filipinos to

the Spaniards. This event happened after the

members of Katipunan were tracked and

imprisoned after being exposed to the

Spaniards. Bonifacio then rose up in revolt

somewhere outside the city with the agenda of

attacking the Spanish government. The revolt

later grew in strength and spread to 8 provinces

including Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga,

Tarlac, Laguna, Batangas, and Nueva Ecija —

which were eventually represented by the eight

rays of the sun in the present Filipino flag.

DEFINITION OF “CRY” The debate has long been clouded by a lack of consensus on exactly what is meant by the “Cry”. The term has been applied to three related but distinct events –

• (^) the “pasya” – the decision to revolt;
• (^) the “pagpupunit” – the tearing of cedulas; and
• (^) the “unang labanan” – the first encounter with Spanish

SIGNIFICANCE TO PHILIPPINE HISTORY AND COMMEMORATION The Cry is commemorated as National Heroes' Day, a public holiday in the Philippines. The first annual commemoration of the Cry occurred in Balintawak in 1908 after the American colonial government repealed the Sedition Law. In 1911 a monument to the Cry (a lone Katipunero popularly identified with Bonifacio) was erected at Balintawak; it was later transferred to Vinzons Hall in the University of the Philippines- Diliman, Quezon City. In 1984, the National Historical Institute of the Philippines installed a commemorative plaque in Pugad Lawin. The''Cry of Pugad Lawin'' was a cry for freedom. Its historic significance to us consists of the realization that the Filipino people had finally realized the lasting value of freedom and independence and the need to fight in order to prove themselves worthy to be called a truly free people.

THE ONGOING CONTROVERSY The controversy among historians continues to the present day. The “Cry of Pugad Lawin” (August 23, 1896) cannot be accepted as historically accurate or precise of the location and date. It lacks positive documentation and supporting evidence from the witness. The testimony of one of the eyewitnesses, Dr. Pio Valenzuela is not enough to authenticate and verify a controversial issue in history. Historians and their living participants, not politicians and their sycophants, should settle this controversy.

• (^) His version gained a particular weight due to several reasons: his seniority in the Katipunan, status as physician, political career, relation with other historians and more evidently his prominence at commemorations of the revolution.
• (^) Teodoro Agoncillo, author of Revolt of the Masses, acknowledged Valenzuela's testimony about the Cry due to reasons of the latter being an eyewitness of this historic event claiming it was "complete with details." The term Pugad Lawin then gained greater currency after it was emphasized in Agoncillo's Revolt of the Masses.
• (^) Author John Schrumacher debates against Agoncillo claiming that Valenzuela gave multiple accounts about what took place during the Cry, to which he refuses to give much credence due to the inconsistent narratives given. - (^) A revolutionary general and a founder and honorary president of the first directorate of the Nacionalista Party. Prior to the revolt, he was already a delegado general of the provincial council of the Katipunan in Cavite. He is also penned as “Kidlat ng Apoy” because of his bravery and dedication of Cavite’s famous battles. - (^) According to him the cry happened on August 24, 1896 at the Bahay Toro in Pugad Lawin. - (^) His narration of the event tells that they went through a tiring journey to the house of Apolonio Samson at Kangkong. On August 22, 1896, Bonifacio assigned guards and placed detachments at the Balintawak boundary where they were gathered.

2. SANTIAGO VIRATA ALVAREZ (JULY 25 1872 - OCTOBER 30, 1930)

*ARGUMENTS REGARDING HIS

CLAIM

*ACCOUNT ON THE FIRST CRY (CRY OF TH BAHAY TORO)

• (^) It was on August 23, 1896 wherein they arrived at the residence of Cabesang Melchora. By the next day Katipuneros were increased and crowded the house and yard.
• (^) On the 24th at ten o' clock, Bonifacio called a meeting inside the barn along with his side were Valenzuela, Jacinto, Torres, Pacheco and others. The approved matters were: the uprising shall take place at midnight of Saturday, August 29, 1986; stay on alert so that the Katipunan forces could strike where the enemy was at its disadvantage.
• (^) After the meeting was adjourned, there were loud shouts “Long live the Sons of the People!”
• (^) He presented an account devoid of any dramatic description as it is merely a narration of the events that happened in Bahay Toro. - (^) Also one of the first members of the Katipunan and played a key role in the Filipino-American War as a revolutionary general. He is a friend and adviser of Andres Bonifacio, his accounts contributed to the understanding of the Cry of Balintawak and the death of Bonifacio. - (^) The uprising happened on August 26, 1896 at Balintawak. Just like the first two perspectives from earlier, the main goal of the meeting was to decide when the uprising was to take place - (^) In his narrative, a big meeting was held in Balintawak in the house of Apolonio Samson with the presence of Andres Bonifacio as the presider,

3. GUILLERMO MASANGKAY (JUNE 25, 1867 - MAY 30, 1963

*ARGUMENTS REGARDING HIS

CLAIM

*ACCOUNT ON THE FIRST CRY (CRY OF THE BALINTAWAK)

HISTORIAN’S TAKE 1.His narration of Cry in his book followed Valenzuela's "Memoirs'', claiming that Pasya was taken at Juan Ramo's place in Pugad Lawin. However, he did not fully adhere to Valenzuela's version of events, there was no disclosure regarding this matter. The only sources he cites alongside Valenzuela’s at this juncture in Revolt are two other KKK veterans, Guillermo Masangkay and Francisco Carreon, neither of whom ever acknowledged the existence of a place called Pugad Lawin at all. 2.Mainly upon his advice, it is commonly said that the Philippine government ruled that the term “Cry of Balintawak” should be discarded in favor of “Cry of Pugad Lawin.”

• (^) TEODORO AGONCILLO
• (^) DR. MILAGROS GUERRERO, RAMON VILLEGAS AND EMMANUEL 1.Each^ ENCARNACION location told by the eyewitnesses are located in Balintawak/Caloocan and if the narratives are combined, it depicts that Bonifacio and the Katipunan were travelling to different places in the area to avoid getting caught by the Spaniards. 2.According to them August 29, 1896 should be the commemorated date because it was then that the birth of the revolution took place.

CONCLUSIO N This episode in our history signifies the legacy that was brought upon by Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan. The changes within the narration of this historic event prompted various perspectives concerning its credibility and accuracy, inciting the never ending debates that are still existing to this day. Since our past is part of our identity, it is indeed important to know the specific details that are attached to these kinds of events, especially those of which entails a great magnitude in our life. However, what should be imparted in this lesson is not which side you will take on, whether it is Pugadlawin or Balintawak, the one thing we should acknowledge the most is the battle of our countrymen for our independence and the right to rule our own country. While it is important to value the particular figures of this historic event, the bravery and heroism of the Katipunan should dominate our recognition for their bequest as it is the one that paved the way for the freedom that we are currently experiencing. Witnessing the start of the Katipunan up until the resistance, we can adapt the same unity and patriotism that each of them embodied. Furthermore, this proves the necessity of learning local history as it is through this that we can see the humble beginnings of the key personalities that contributed to the development of the Filipino society.