Aguinaldo did it (1)
ALTHOUGH Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo appears like the villain of the century, specially in the movie “Heneral Luna,” I believe he should still be credited for the establishment of the First Philippine Republic, Against all odds, he forced the issue.
After he somewhat hastily declared Independence on 12 June 1898, from the balcony of his house instead of at the municipio or a place of public domain like the town plaza, a revolutionary government was formed. On the 18th and 19th of the same month, Aguinaldo signed two decrees drafted by Apolinario Mabini (who had already been summoned) which ordered that representative forms of local government be established throughout the archipelago. With a strategist’s eye, Aguinaldo saw that Spain’s defeat was irreversible so Filipinos had to be ready to govern themselves and what better way than to prepare at the local level. The Revolution spread like prairie fire to Northern Luzon, the Bicol Peninsula, Iloilo and Panay, Samar and Leyte.
However, on 13 August in Intramuros, a “Battle of Manila” was cleverly choreographed by erstwhile enemies, the Americans and Spaniards: The Filipino Revolutionary Armed Forces were not allowed to enter the walled city, ostensibly to prevent them from committing atrocities against Spanish nationals, but the truth was, the latter did not relish the humiliation of surrendering to an army of despicable “Indios.” That suited the Americans who were careful not to recognize any independent form of government by the Filipinos.
Robbed of a decisive victory, Emilio Aguinaldo took the Revolutionary Government to Malolos, Bulacan, beyond the range of American gunboats anchored in Manila Bay. The Malolos Congress was formed, a Constitution was written and the First Republic of the Philippines was established with Emilio Aguinaldo as president. That republic was, proudly so, the first of its kind in Asia.
The local political entities instituted by the Spanish colonial administration had suddenly become archaic, so the revolutionary dispensation reorganized municipalities and provinces as fast as these were taken over.
Cavite took the lead followed by towns in Batangas and Pangasinan which had elected local officials, civil governors, and delegates to the Malolos Congress. According to renowned historian, Dr. Teodoro Agoncillo, it was doubtful whether all liberated areas were ruled in strict compliance with the decrees issued by President Aguinaldo; conditions were volatile due to the imminence of the Philippine-American War. But, Agoncillo emphasized that, most Filipino officials were imbued with genuine idealism and “comported themselves in such a manner as to make the business of government a study in public morality.”(More) (ggc1898@gmail.com)