The country commemorates the anniversary of the Philippine Independence proclaimed
on June 12, 1898, in the province of Cavite. The declaration was a short 2,000-word document,
which summarized the reason behind the revolution against Spain. The proclamation commenced
with a characterization of the conditions in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.
The document mentioned abuses and inequalities in the colony.
It specifically cited the abuse by the Civil Guards and the unlawful shooting of prisoners
whom they alleged as attempting to escape. It also condemns the unequal protection of the law
between the Filipino people and the “eminent personages”. It also mentioned the avarice and
greed of the clergy like the friars and the Archbishop himself. It also condemns what they as the
unjust deportation and rendering of other decision without proper hearing, expected of any
civilized nation.
Another detail in the proclamation that is worth looking is the explanation on the
Philippine flag that was first waved during that day. While it can always be argued that symbolic
meaning can always change and be reinterpreted, the original symbolic meaning of something
presents us several historical truths.
• The document reflects the general revolutionary sentiment of that period.
• However, no mention was made about the more serious problem that affected the
masses more profoundly.
• It also gives us the impression on how the victorious revolutionary government
of Aguinaldo historicized the struggle for independence.
• However, the Katipunan was only mentioned once toward the end of the
document.
The point is, even official records and documents like the proclamation of independence,
while truthful most of the time, still exude the politics and biases of whoever is in power. It is the
task of the historian, thus, to analyze the content of these documents in relation to the dominant
politics and the contexts of people and institutions surrounding it.
• The way of historical narration found in the document also reflects the politics of
the victors.
• The point is, even official records and documents like the proclamation of
independence, while truthful most of the time, still exude the politics and biases
of whoever is in power.
Analysis of Topic 3: Reading the ‘Proclamation of the Philippine Independence’
The document highlighted about the following:
• Characterization of the conditions in the Philippines during the colonization of the
Spaniards.
• The reasons behind the revolution against Spain which includes the abuse of the Civil
Guards, unlawful shooting of prisoners, unequal protection of the law, unjust deportation
without proper hearing, and the greed of the clergy like the friars and the Archbishop.
• It also provided a brief overview of the Spanish occupation since Magellan’s arrived in
the Visayas until the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution of 1896.
• The document also narrated about the spread of revolutionary movement to several towns
and provinces.
• The execution of Rizal, the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 and the execution of the
GOMBURZA were also mentioned in the document.
• It also stated about the established republic that would be led by Aguinaldo and
highlighted the explanation on the Philippine flag that was first waved on that day.
Given that the above-mentioned things were highlighted during the proclamation, there
were however things that were not included and they were as follows:
• The more serious problem known as the land and agrarian crisis which might affected
the Filipinos more profoundly. Possible causes: Those struggles might be unfamiliar
to the middleclass revolutionary leaders or were intentionally left out because they
were also landholders.
• There was also no mention about Bonifacio and his co-founders. Even the Katipunan
was also mentioned once in the document. Possible cause: The enmity between
Aguinaldo’s Magdalo and Bonifacio’s Magdiwang in the Katipunan.
