Module 9 Cry of Pugad lawin or Cry of Balintawak PDF

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Module 9 ‘One Past but Many Histories’: Cry of Pugad-lawin or Cry of Balintawak? LEARNING OUTCOMES At the end of this module, you should be able to: 1) Read and/or watch secondary materials on the Cry of Pugad-lawin or Cry of Balintawak: a) YouTube Video: Ang Sigaw Sa Pugad Lawin(Cry of Pugad Lawin)...

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Module 9 ‘One Past but Many Histories’: Cry of Pugad-lawin or Cry of Balintawak? LEARNING OUTCOMES At the end of this module, you should be able to: 1) Read and/or watch secondary materials on the Cry of Pugad-lawin or Cry of Balintawak: a) YouTube Video: Ang Sigaw Sa Pugad Lawin(Cry of Pugad Lawin) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDcvxfK7DqI b) Newspaper Column: Ambeth Ocampo, “Balintawak or Pugad Lawin?”, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 03 Sep 2010. c) YouTube Video: The State Documentary on Andres Bonifacio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSY72wDSOw0 From this video, find the Cry of Pugadlawin at 29:00. 2) Read the conflicting accounts or versions 3) Explain the more accepted version of the Cry of Pugad-lawin or Cry of Balintawak. EXPLORATION To help you understand this lesson, read and study the following person/s, group/s and historical event/s in Philippine history. KATIPUNAN The Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan, also known as Katipunan or KKK, was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by antiSpanish colonialism Filipinos in Manila in 1892; its primary goal was to gain independence from Spain through a revolution. It was organized as early as January 1892 but may not have become active until July 7 of the same year; that was when José Rizal was to be banished to Dapitan. Founded by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa and others, the Katipunan was a secret organization until it was discovered in 1896. This discovery led to the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution. Belonging to a secret organization, Katipunan members were subjected to utmost secrecy and were expected to abide by the rules established by the society. Applicants were given standard initiation rites in order to become members of the society. At first, membership in the Katipunan was only open to male Filipinos; later, women were accepted into the society. The Katipunan had its own publication, Kalayaan (Freedom) which issued its first and last printing in March 1896. Revolutionary ideals and works flourished within the society, and Filipino literature was expanded by some of its prominent members.

In planning the revolution, Bonifacio contacted Rizal for his full-fledged support for the Katipunan in exchange for a promise to rescue Rizal from his detention. In May 1896, the leadership of the Katipunan met with the Captain of a visiting Japanese warship in an attempt to secure a source of arms for the revolution, but without success. The Katipunan’s existence was revealed to the Spanish authorities. Days after the Spanish authorities learned of the existence of the secret society, in August 1896, Bonifacio and his men tore up their cédulas during the Cry of Balintawak that started the Philippine Revolution of 1896. ANDRÉS BONIFACIO Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (November 30, 1863–May 10, 1897) was a Filipino revolutionary leader and the president of the Tagalog Republic. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution". He was one of the founders and later Supremo (Supreme Leader) of Katipunan, a movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution.

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PRESENTATION Like in the previous module, you learned that some events in history have been told through the generations in different versions. Through time, there have been different versions—or variations of particular events or milestones in Philippine history. As a result, we as students of history face are challenged which to believe. Which of them is more accurate? Which of them is matter-of-fact or truthful? Which of them tells us the real events? The study is now as relevant as ever—with fake news proliferating in our midst these days. Your job in this lesson is to determine for yourself the “fake news”, as it were—and the real news with the use of the sources provided here. Read the conflicting versions of this historical event in 1896, which is claimed to have sparked the Philippine Revolution. At the end of the module, be able to take a side—and be able to explain at length the version which is more believable.

Cry of Pugad Lawin

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he Cry of Pugad Lawin was the beginning of the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire. At the close of August 1896, members of the Katipunan secret society (Katipuneros) led by Andrés Bonifacio rose up in revolt somewhere in an area referred to as Caloocan, wider than the jurisdiction of present-day Caloocan which may have overlapped into present-day Quezon City. Originally the term cry referred to the first clash between the Katipuneros and the Civil Guards (Guardia Civil). The cry could also refer to the tearing up of community tax certificates (cédulas personales) in defiance of their allegiance to Spain. The inscriptions of “Viva la Independencia Filipina” can also be referred as term for the cry. This was literally accompanied by patriotic shouts. Because of competing accounts and ambiguity of the place where this event took place, the exact date and place of the Cry is in contention. From 1908 until 1963, the official stance was that the cry occurred on August 26 in Balintawak. In 1963 the Philippine government declared a shift to August 23 in Pugad Lawin, Quezon City. DIFFERENT DATES AND PLACES Various accounts give differing dates and places for the Cry of Pugad Lawin. An officer of the Spanish guardia civil, Lt. Olegario Diaz, stated that the Cry took place in Balintawak on August 25, 1896. Historian Teodoro Kalaw in his 1925 book The Filipino Revolution wrote that the event took place during the last week of August 1896 at Kangkong, Balintawak. Santiago Alvarez, a Katipunero and son of Mariano Alvarez, the leader of the Magdiwang faction in Cavite, stated in 1927 that the Cry took place in Bahay Toro, now in Quezon City on August 24, 1896. Pío Valenzuela, a close associate of Andrés Bonifacio, declared in 1948 that it happened in Pugad Lawin on August 23, 1896. Historian Gregorio Zaide stated in his books in 1954 that the “Cry” happened in Balintawak on August 26, 1896.

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Fellow historian Teodoro Agoncillo wrote in 1956 that it took place in Pugad Lawin on August 23, 1896, based on Pío Valenzuela’s statement. Accounts by historians Milagros Guerrero, Emmanuel Encarnacion and Ramon Villegas claim the event to have taken place in Tandang Sora’s barn in Gulod, Barangay Banlat, Quezon City. Some of the apparent confusion is in part due to the double meanings of the terms “Balintawak” and “Caloocan” at the turn of the century. Balintawak referred both to a specific place in modern Caloocan and a wider area which included parts of modern Quezon City. Similarly, Caloocan referred to modern Caloocan and also a wider area which included modern Quezon City and part of modern Pasig. Pugad Lawin, Pasong Tamo, Kangkong and other specific places were all in “greater Balintawak”, which was in turn part of “greater Caloocan”. DEFINITION OF THE CRY The term “Cry” is translated from the Spanish el grito de rebelion (cry of rebellion) or el grito for short. Thus the Grito de Balintawak is comparable to Mexico’s Grito de Dolores (1810). However, el grito de rebelion strictly refers to a decision or call to revolt. It does not necessarily connote shouting, unlike the Filipino sigaw. ACCOUNTS OF THE CRY GUILLERMO MASANGKAY One of the original members of the Katipunan, GUILLERMO MASANGKAY was designated to build the KKK in Cavite. His accounts contribute to our understanding of the Cry of Balintawak and the death of Bonifacio: On August 26, a big meeting was held in Balintawak, at the house of Apolonio Samson, then cabeza of that barrio of Caloocan. Among those who attended, I remember, were Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Aguedo del Rosario, Tomas Remigio, Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Plata, Pio Valenzuela, Enrique Pacheco, and Francisco Carreon. They were all leaders of the Katipunan and composed the board of directors of the organization. Delegates from Bulacan, Cabanatuan, Cavite, and Morong were also present. At about nine o’clock in the morning of August 26, the meeting was opened with Andres Bonifacio presiding and Emilio Jacinto acting as secretary. The purpose was to discuss when the uprising was to take place. Teodoro Plata, Briccio Pantas, and Pio Valenzuela were all opposed to starting the revolution too early...Andres Bonifacio, sensing that he would lose the discussion then, left the session hall and talked to the people, who were waiting outside for the result of the meeting of the leaders. He told the people that the leaders were arguing against starting the revolution early, and appealed to them in a fiery speech in which he said: “You remember the fate of our countrymen who were shot in Bagumbayan. Should we return now to the towns, the Spaniards will only shoot us. Our organization has been discovered and we are all marked men. If we don’t start the uprising, the Spaniards will get us anyway. What then, do you say?” “Revolt!” the people shouted as one. Bonifacio then asked the people to give a pledge that they were to revolt. He told them that the sign of slavery of the Filipinos were (sic) the cedula tax charged each citizen.

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“If it is true that you are ready to revolt... I want to see you destroy your cedulas. It will be a sign that all of us have declared our severance from the Spaniards.” PIO VALENZUELA PÍO VALENZUELA Y ALEJANDRINO (July 11, 1869–April 6, 1956) was a Filipino physician and revolutionary leader who joined Katipunan at 23. Together with Andrés Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto, they formed the secret chamber of the society called Camara Reina. He took charge of the publication of Ang Kalayaan, Katipunan's first and only official publication. In 1935, Pio Valenzuela, along with Briccio Pantas and Enrique Pacheco said: “The first Cry of the revolution did not happen in Balintawak where the monument is, but in a place called Pugad Lawin.” In 1940, a research team of a forerunner of the National Historical Institute (NHI) which included Valenzuela, identified the location as part of sitio Gulod, Banlat, Kalookan City. In 1964, NHI described this location as the house of Tandang Sora. The first place of refuge of Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Procopio Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Aguedo del Rosario, and myself was Balintawak, the first five arriving there on August 19, and I on August 20, 1896. The first place where some 500 members of the Katipunan met on August 22, 1896, was the house and yard of Apolonio Samson at Kangkong. Aside from the persons mentioned above, among those who were there were Briccio Pantas, Alejandro Santiago, Ramon Bernardo, Apolonio Samson, and others. Here, views were only exchanged, and no resolution was debated or adopted. It was at Pugad Lawin, the house, store-house, and yard of Juan Ramos, son of Melchora Aquino, where over 1,000 members of the Katipunan met and carried out considerable debate and discussion on August 23, 1896. The discussion was on whether or not the revolution against the Spanish government should be started on August 29, 1896... After the tumultuous meeting, many of those present tore their cedula certificates and shouted “Long live the Philippines! Long live the Philippines!”

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SANTIAGO ALVAREZ SANTIAGO VIRATA ÁLVAREZ (July 25, 1872–October 30, 1930) was a revolutionary general and a founder and honorary president of the first directorate of the Nacionalista Party. Also known as Kidlat ng Apoy because of his inflamed bravery and dedication as commander of Cavite's famous battles (Dalahican), he is celebrated as the Hero of the Battle of Dalahican. Santiago Alvarez stated: We started our trek to Kangkong at about eleven that night. We walked through the rain over dark expanses of muddy meadows and fields. Our clothes drenched and our bodies numbed by the cold wind, we plodded wordlessly. It was nearly two in the morning when we reached the house of Brother Apolonio Samson in Kangkong. We crowded into the house to rest and warm ourselves. We were so tired that, after hanging our clothes out to dry, we soon feel asleep. The Supremo began assigning guards at five o’clock the following morning, Saturday 22 August 1896. He placed a detachment at the Balintawak boundary and another at the backyard to the north of the house where we were gathered. No less than three hundred men assembled at the bidding of the Supremo Andres Bonifacio. Altogether, they carried assorted weapons, bolos, spears, daggers, a dozen small revolvers and a rifle used by its owner, one Lieutenant Manuel, for hunting birds. The Supremo Bonifacio was restless because of fear of sudden attack by the enemy. He was worried over the thought that any of the couriers carrying the letter sent by Emilio Jacinto could have been intercepted; and in that eventuality, the enemy would surely know their whereabouts and attack them on the sly. He decided that it was better to move to a site called Bahay Toro. At ten o’clock that Sunday morning, 23 August 1896 we arrived at Bahay Toro. Our member had grown to more than 500 and the house, yard, and warehouse of Cabesang Melchora was getting crowded with us Katipuneros. The generous hospitality of Cabesang Melchora was no less than that of Apolonio Samson. Like him, she also opened her granary and had plenty of rice pounded and animals slaughtered to feed us. The following day, Monday, 24 August, more Katipuneros came and increased our number to more than a thousand. The Supremo called a meeting at ten o’clock that morning inside Cabesang Melchora’s barn. Flanking him on both sides at the head of the table were Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Emilio Jacinto, Briccio Pantas, Enrique Pacheco, Ramon Bernardo, Pantelaon Torres, Francisco Carreon, Vicente Fernandez, Teodoro Plata, and others. We were so crowded that some stood outside the barn. The following matters were approved at the meeting: An uprising to defend the people’s freedom was to be started at midnight of Saturday, 29 August 1896; To be on a state of alert so that the Katipunan forces could strike should the situation arise where the enemy was at a disadvantage. Thus, the uprising could be started earlier than the agreed time of midnight of 29 August 1896 should a favorable opportunity arise at that date. Everyone should steel himself and be resolute in the struggle that was imminent; and His immediate objective was the capture of Manila. After the adjournment of the meeting at twelve noon, there were tumultuous shouts of “Long live the Sons of the People!” 2

ASSERTED DATES AND LOCATIONS DIFFERENT DATES AND PLACES OF CRY PERSON PLACE DATE L.T. Olegario Diaz Balintawak August 25, 1896 Teodoro Kalaw Kangkong, Balintawak Last week of August Santiago Alvarez Bahay Toro, Quezon City August 24, 1896 Pio Valenzuela Pugad Lawin August 23, 1896 Gregorio Zaide Balintawak August 26, 1896 Teodoro Agoncillo Pugad Lawin August 23, 1896 (according to statements of Pio Valenzuela) Research Tandang Sora’s barn in August 24, 1896 (Milagros Guerrero, Gulod, Barangay Banlat, Emmanuel Encarnacion, Quezon City Ramon Villegas) TEARING OF CÉDULAS Not all accounts relate the tearing of cédulas in the last days of August. Of the accounts that do, older ones identify the place where this occurred as Kangkong in Balintawak/Kalookan. Most also give the date of the cédula-tearing as August 26, in close proximity to the first encounter. One Katipunero, Guillermo Masangkay, claimed cédulas were torn more than once – on the 24th as well as the 26th. For his 1956 book The Revolt of the Masses Teodoro Agoncillo defined “the Cry” as the tearing of cedulas, departing from precedent which had then defined it as the first skirmish of the revolution. His version was based on the later testimonies of Pío Valenzuela and others who claimed the cry took place in Pugad Lawin instead of Balintawak. Valenzuela’s version, through Agoncillo’s influence, became the basis of the current stance of the Philippine government. In 1963, President Diosdado Macapagal ordered the official commemorations shifted to Pugad ng uwak, Quezon City on August 23. FORMATION OF AN INSURGENT GOVERNMENT An alternative definition of the Cry as the “birth of the Filipino nation state” involves the setting up of a national insurgent government through the Katipunan with Bonifacio as President in Banlat, Pasong Tamo on August 24, 1896 – after the tearing of cedulas but before the first skirmish. This was called the Haring Bayang Katagalugan (Sovereign Tagalog Nation). WHY BALINTAWAK? The Cry of Rebellion in the Philippines happened in August 1896. There are lot of controversies puzzling the minds of the readers regarding the real place and date of this event. Some accounts pointing directly to Balintawak are associated with ‘The Cry’. Lt. Olegario Diaz of the Spanish Civil Guards wrote in 1896 that the event happened in Balintawak, which corroborates the accounts of the historian Gregorio Zaide and Teodoro Kalaw. On the other hand, Teodoro Agoncillo based his account from that of Pio Valenzuela that emphasized Pugad Lawin as the place where the ‘cry’ happened. Here are some reasons why Pugad Lawin is not considered as the place of the ‘cry’.

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People of Balintawak initiated the revolution against the Spaniards that is why it is not appropriate to call it ‘Cry of Pugad Lawin’. The place Pugad Lawin only existed in 1935 after the rebellion happened in 1896. The term ‘Pugad Lawin’ was only made up because of the hawk’s nest at the top of a tall tree at the backyard of Tandang Sora in Banlat, Gulod, Kaloocan where it is said to be one of the hiding places of the revolutionary group led by Andres Bonifacio.

OTHER CRIES In 1895, Bonifacio, Masangkay, Emilio Jacinto and other Katipuneros spent Good Friday in the caves of Mt. Pamitinan in Montalban (now part of Rizal province). They wrote “long live Philippine independence” on the cave walls, which some Filipino historians consider the “first cry” (el primer grito). 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. REFERENCES Ocampo, Ambeth R. (1995). Bonifacio’s bolo. Anvil Pub. p. 8. ISBN 978-971-27-0418-5. Guerrero, Milagros; Encarnacion, Emmanuel; Villegas, Ramon (1996), “Balintawak: the Cry for a Nationwide Revolution”, Sulyap Kultura, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 1 (2): 13–22.

Borromeo-Buehler, Soledad M. (1998), The cry of Balintawak: a contrived controversy : a textual analysis with appended documents, Ateneo de Manila University Press, ISBN 978-971-550-2788. Zaide, Gregorio (1990). “Cry of balintawak”. Documentary Sources of Philippine History. 8: 307–309.

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BALINTAWAK OR PUGAD LAWIN? Philippine Daily Inquirer, 03 Sep 2010 Read the newspaper column by renowned historian Ambeth Ocampo. Note how he clarifies the many versions of the cry of pugadlawin. also note at the end of the article how he settles for a particular version.

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ver two decades ago, the late National Artist Nick Joaquin argued repeatedly for a return to the traditional “Cry of Balintawak.” All our textbooks, following a resolution from the National Historical Commission, state that the spark of the Revolution started with a cry, followed by the tearing of cedulas led by Andres Bonifacio in Pugad Lawin, Quezon City. The issue is not just historiographical but political. If the National Historical Commission, upon review of the facts, reverses its earlier resolution and moves the site of the “Cry” back ...