Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo: Mga Gunita NG Himagsikan

Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo: Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan
Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Famy Aguinaldo Sr. was born on March 22, 1869 in Cavite el Viejo (present-day Kawit), in
Cavite province. He is a Filipino revolutionary, a politician, and military leader who is officially
recognized as the first and youngest President of the Philippines. He studied at Colegio de San Juan
de Letran but wasn't able to finish his studies due to outbreak of cholera in 1882. He led Philippine
forces against Spain in the latter part of the Philippine Revolution (1896-1898), and then in the
Spanish-American war (1898), and finally against the United States during the Philippine-American
war.
Between 1928 and 1946, he produced in long hand thefirst volume of his memoirs, “Mga Gunita ng
Himagsikan(1964),” translated from the original Tagalog as “Memoirsof the Revolution” by Sulpicio
Guevara (1967).• In his preface Aguinaldo says the memoirs were basedon a diary he kept,
documents he preserved, and family lore gathered from his elders.
A second publication was made in 1998 during the 100thanniversary of Philippine Independence.
Published in 1998• He wrote the book duringthe time thathe was ap-pointed as the Chairman ofthe
NationalCommissionfor Culture and the Arts
Emilio became the "Cabeza de Barangay" of Binakayan, a chief barrio of Cavite el Viejo, when he
was only 17 years old to avoid conscription. In 1895 the Maura Law that called for the reorganization
of local governments was enacted. At the age of 25, Aguinaldo became Cavite el Viejo's first
"gobernadorcillo capitan municipal" (Municipal Governor- Captain) while on a business trip in
Mindoro.
Revolutionary and political career 3.1Philippine Revolution and battles 3.2Battle of Imus 3.3Twin
battles of Binakayan-Dalahican 3.4Battle of Zapote Bridge 3.5Spanish Cavite offensive and the
Battle of Perez Dasmariñas 3.6Tejeros Convention and the execution of Bonifacio 3.7Retreat to
Montalban 3.8Biak-na-Bato 3.9Return to the Philippines and Philippine Declaration of Independence
[[Newspaper photos of the aged Aguinaldo receiving communion from a hospital chaplain were
presented as proof he had returned to the Church. But this did not sway others who claimed that he
didn’t know what was being put in his mouth, or that he was tricked into receiving the host, thinking it
was his medication.
1. A year before his death Aguinaldo donated his Kawit mansion and all its contents to the
government. It is now under the care of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines
and known as the Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine. Unlike the Jose Rizal Shrine in Calamba,
Laguna, or the Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, Ilocos Norte, both modern reproductions, the
Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine is all original and provides visitors with a sense of how Aguinaldo
spent his last years.
2. 9. The original house of wood with a thatch roof is no more because Aguinaldo expanded it
into the present mansion that includes the iconic “Independence Balcony” added on the
original window where the Declaration of Independence was read on June 12, 1898.
3. 10. Aguinaldo’s elegant home has a number of secret passageways that allowed him to go in
and out of the house without being seen by visitors: A cabinet turns to reveal a passage into
the bedroom; the floor on the side of the bathroom can be lifted to reveal a staircase down to
the ground-floor swimming pool and bowling alley; a heavy stone table in the center of the
kitchen covers a tunnel that allegedly led to either the nearby church or the town cemetery.
4. 11. All these architectural and design details of the house unfortunately overshadow the work
that has to be done in the home library filled with old books, magazines, newspaper clippings
and, perhaps, some unpublished manuscripts that await young and curious historians.
5. 12. Aguinaldo scribbled a lot in his old age. Between 1928 and 1946, he produced in long
hand the first volume of his memoirs, “Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan (1964),” translated from
the original Tagalog as “Memoirs of the Revolution” (1967). In his preface Aguinaldo says the
memoirs were based on a diary he kept, documents he preserved, and family lore gathered
from his elders. We do not know whether this diary is extant or whether a promised second
volume of the memoirs were fully written out. All we have is an account from his birth and
early years, ending with the 1897 Treaty of Biak-na-Bato.
6. 13. The second volume would cover the resumption of the Philippine Revolution against
Spain and the Philippine-American War. Aguinaldo wanted to correct history by making
reference to the historian’s confused accounts on the beginning of the Revolution: “Except
for those that were written, other details had been forgotten. Many details showed
inconsistencies because not all sources were documented for lack of reliable references. For
instance, the right day of the First Cry of Balintawak could not be ascertained. Some say this
took place on August 23, 1896 at the old Bonifacio Monument in Balintawak, others claim it
happened on August 24, 1896. . . . we now have too many markers for a single event.”
7. 14. The date we use in our textbooks and official commemorations was chosen by the
National Historical Commission over other dates (in August and Sept. 5, 1896) presented by
other sources. Aguinaldo stated that this event took place in Balintawak, but the late historian
Teodoro A. Agoncillo took the word of Pio Valenzuela and argued for Pugadlawin. Aside
from these two places, the other contenders are: Kangkong, Bahay Toro, Pasong Tamo,
Pacpac Lawin and, if we are to believe in komiks, Pugad Baboy.
Emilio Agunaldo died on February 6, 1964 (aged 94).

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Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo: Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan

Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo

Emilio Agunaldo died on February 6, 1964 (aged 94).

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