ANG UNANG PANGULO NG

PILIPINAS
Cruel, Cuenca, De Leon, Diaz, Ducay
▪ Emilio Aguinaldo and A n d re s B o n i f a c i o ’s r iva lry was the
Philippines’ most notorious and intriguing issue back then
▪ On M a rc h 2 2 , 1 8 9 7 , t h e M a g d i wa n g a n d M a g d a l o c h a p t e r s o f t h e
K a t i p u n a n , wh i c h a l so h a p p e n e d t o b e t h e t wo l a rge st a n d m o st
p o w e r f u l K a t i p u n a n b r a n c h e s i n t h e c o u n t r y, w e r e s e t t o c o n v e n e i n
C av i t e i n wh a t w i l l be k n ow n a s t h e i n f a m o u s Te j e ro s C o nve n t i o n .
The purpose of the Co nvent io n was to discuss the
K a t i p u n a n ’s d e f e n s e o f C a v i t e , a n d t o s e t u p a r e v o l u t i o n a r y
gove r n m ent , in pa rt to quell th e r ival r y betwe e n t he Mag diwan g an d
M a g d a l o g ro u p s . B o n i f a c i o, a s t h e l e a d e r o f t h e K a t i p u n a n , p re s i d e d
over t h e co nve nti on . Alt h o ug h B on if a ci o di d n ot ta ke sid es i n a ny
f a c t i o n , i t wa s t h o u g h t t h a t M a g d i wa n g wa s m o re s u p p o r t iv e o f
Bonifacio than Mag dal o, wh o s e leaders we re composed of
d i s g r u n tl ed m e m be r s o f t h e r i c h p r i n c ip alia , i n c l u d i ng A g u i n a l do.
▪ At t h e C o nv e n t i o n , B o n i f a c i o m ov e d t o e re c t a d e m o c ra t i c
re p u bl i c a n gove r n m e n t by e l e c t i n g l e a d e r s o f t h e revo l u t i o n a r y
gove r n m ent . D ur i ng t h e e le cti o n s, h e wa s n om i nate d f or t he
p o s i t i o n o f P re s i d e n t , b u t l o s t t o A g u i n a l d o. H e wa s a ga i n n o m i n a t e d
f o r t h e p o s i t i o n o f V i c e P re s i d e n t , b u t l o s t a g a i n .
▪ “La Ilustracion Española y Americana” is a Spanish news press Company that published an news article
dated February 1897, recognized Bonifacio as the first President of the Philippines “TITULADO (PRESIDENTE)
DE LA REPUBLICA TAGALA”

▪ Santiago Alvarez mentioned that during the 24 August 1896 meeting of the Kataastaasang Kapisanan at
the barn of Tandang Sora in Bahay Toro, Kalookan, Bonifacio assigned ranks and positions in the army.
Further giving evidence that on that day he formalized the establishment of the Revolutionary
Government with its own army that was different from the Katipunan as a mere secret organization.

▪ The Spanish military writer Federico de Monteverde gives details on the military organization
instituted by Bonifacio. In De Monteverde’s work, different insignias corresponding to each rank
such as minister, colonel, brigadier general, major general, lieutenant general and captain
general, worn by Katipunan officers, are fully illustrated.
▪ 1897 work, "El Katipunan" or "El Filibusterismo en Filipinas," the Spanish historian Jose M.del
Castillo reiterated the results of what was, in effect, the first Philippine national elections and
listed the same names as La Ilustracion.

▪ The “Light of Liberty: Documents and Studies on the Katipunan, 1892-1897” has a particular bias towards
Bonifacio as the person sparking the idea of revolution from the Filipino people. It presented 73 katipunan
documents implying the true character of katipunan. It was focused more on the unity of the katipuneros.
The modern Filipino community is divided in terms of ideological constructs while as stated in the Light of
Liberty, the katipuneros were at the same ground and at the common goal of continuing the works of the
propagandists such as Jose Rizal and the rest
▪ After the election and the result was Aguinaldo as the elected president, Alvarez wrote a letter to
his uncle, describing the meeting as fraudulent and deceitful, with some Cavite men already
manipulating the voters beforehand. He reveals the myopic and regionalistic view of Filipinos,
who saw Bonifacio as an outsider:

“Before the election began, I discovered the underhand work of some of the
Imus crowd who had quietly spread the statement that it was not advisable that they
be governed by men from other pueblos, and that they should for this reason strive to
elect Captain Emilio as President.”
▪ Three letters and one appointment paper, written by himself on printed letterheads dated from 8 March to
24 April 1897, and all addressed to Emilio Jacinto, prove that Bonifacio was the first president of a national
government. These letters contained the following titles and designations:
▪ Pangulo ng Kataastaasang Kapulungan ( President of the Supreme Council)

▪ Ang Kataastaasang Pangulo (The Supreme President)

▪ Pangulo nang Haring Bayang Katagalugan (President of the Sovereign Nation of Katagalugan)

▪ Ang Pangulo ng Haring Bayan May tayo nang K.K. Katipunan nang mga Anak ng

▪ Bayan, Unang nag galaw nang Panghihimagsik

▪ (The President Sovereign Nation Founder of the Katipunan, Initiator of the Revolution)

▪ Kataastaasang Panguluhan,

▪ Pamahalaang Panghihimagsik

▪ (Office of the Supreme President, Government of the Revolution)

▪ Despite its brief existence, the Malolos Congress earned its place in Philippine history if only for two
achievements: the ratification of the declaration of independence on September 29, 1898 and the framing of
the Malolos Constitution, which was promulgated by President Aguinaldo on January 21, 1899.
▪ The Repubic was inaugurated on January 23, 1899 at Barasoain Church, Malolos, in ceremonies marked by the
reading of the whole Constitution, by Secretary Ocampo; proclamation of the Republic of the Philippines by
Congress president Paterno, followed by the proclamation of Aguinaldo as the elected President of the new
Republic, and speeches by Aguinaldo and Paterno.
▪ The Central government of the new Republic was constituted in part as follows:
▪ President - Emilio Aguinaldo
▪ Department Secretaries- War – Baldomero Aguinaldo
▪ Interior- Leandro Ibarra
▪ Foreign Affairs- Cayetano Arellano (later replaced by Mabini)
▪ Finance - Mariano Trias
▪ Justice - Gregorio Araneta
▪ Welfare - Felipe Buencamino
▪ W i t h a l l t h e s o u r c e s a n d d i f f e re n t a c c o u n t s w e h a v e w e c a n s a y
t h a t w e a re s t i l l f a r f r o m t h e t r u t h a n d t h e o n l y o n e w h o c a n
a n s w e r t h e q u e s t i o n s a re B o n i f a c i o a n d A g u i n a l d o t h e m s e l v e s .
▪ As a s tu de n t a n d a c it i ze n o f th e P h i l ip p in e s a l l we c a n do n ow
is to lear n about this past arguments.
▪ Our own gove r n m e n t s h o u ld a ls o n eve r f o rge t th is pa st
c o n f l i c t s a n d s e r v e a s a l e s s o n t o n o t re p e a t i t a n d m o v e
f o r ward to a b e tte r gove r n m e n t .