The Declaration of Independence is the document in which Filipino revolutionary forces under General

Emilio Aguinaldo (later to become the Philippines' first Republican President) proclaimed the sovereignty and
independence of the Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain after the latter was defeated at the Battle
of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. The declaration, however, was not recognized by the United
States or Spain, as the Spanish government ceded the Philippines to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of
Paris, in consideration for an indemnity for Spanish expenses and assets lost.
— Excerpted from  Philippine Declaration of Independence on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Prepared and written by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista in Spanish and translated into English by Sulpicio
Guevara.

ACT OF PROCLAMATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE

(Acta de la proclamación de la independencia del pueblo Filipino)

In the town of Cavite-Viejo (now Kawit), Province of Cavite, this 12th day of June 1898:

BEFORE ME, Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, War Counsellor and Special Delegate
designated to proclaim and solemnize this Declaration of Independence by the Dictatorial
Government of the Philippines, pursuant to, and by virtue of, a Decree issued by the
Egregious Dictator Don Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy,
The undersigned assemblage of military chiefs and others of the army who could not attend,
as well as the representatives of the various towns,
Taking into account the fact that the people of this country are already tired of bearing the
ominous yoke of Spanish domination,
Because of arbitrary arrests and abuses of the Civil Guards who cause deaths in
connivance with and even under the express orders of their superior officers who at times
would order the shooting of those placed under arrest under the pretext that they attempted
to escape in violation of known Rules and Regulations, which abuses were left unpunished,
and because of unjust deportations of illustrious Filipinos, especially those decreed by
General Blanco at the instigation of the Archbishop and the friars interested in keeping them
in ignorance for egoistic and selfish ends, which deportations were carried out through
processes more execrable than those of the Inquisition which every civilized nation
repudiates as a trial without hearing,
Had resolved to start a revolution in August 1896 in order to regain the independence and
sovereignty of which the people had been deprived by Spain through Governor Miguel López
de Legazpi who, continuing the course followed by his predecessor Ferdinand Magellan who
landed on the shores of Cebu and occupied said Island by means of a Pact of Friendship
with Chief Tupas, although he was killed in battle that took place in said shores to which
battle he was provoked by Chief Kalipulako of Mactan who suspected his evil designs,
landed on the Island of Bohol by entering also into a Blood Compact with its Chief Sikatuna,
with the purpose of later taking by force the Island of Cebu, and because his successor
Tupas did not allow him to occupy it, he went to Manila, the capital, winning likewise the
friendship of its Chiefs Soliman and Lakandula, later taking possession of the city and the
whole Archipelago in the name of Spain by virtue of an order of King Philip II, and with these
historical precedents and because in international law the prescription established by law to
legalize the vicious acquisition of private property is not recognized, the legitimacy of such
revolution can not be put in doubt which was calmed but not completely stifled by the
pacification proposed by Don Pedro A. Paterno with Don Emilio Aguinaldo as President of
the Republic established in Biak-na-Bato and accepted by Governor-General Don Fernando
Primo de Rivera under terms, both written and oral, among them being a general amnesty
for all deported and convicted persons; that by reason of the non-fulfillment of some of the
terms, after the destruction of the Spanish Squadron by the North American Navy, and
bombardment of the plaza of Cavite, Don Emilio Aguinaldo returned in order to initiate a new
revolution and no sooner had he given the order to rise on the 31st of last month when
several towns anticipating the revolution, rose in revolt on the 28th, such that a Spanish
contingent of 178 men, between Imus and Cavite-Viejo, under the command of a major of
the Marine Infantry capitulated, the revolutionary movement spreading like wild fire to other
towns of Cavite and the other provinces of Bataan, Pampanga, Batangas, Bulacan, Laguna,
and Morong, some of them with seaports and such was the success of the victory of our
arms, truly marvelous and without equal in the history of colonial revolutions that in the first
mentioned province only the Detachments in Naic and Indang remained to surrender; in the
second, all Detachments had been wiped out; in the third, the resistance of the Spanish
forces was localized in the town of San Fernando where the greater part of them are
concentrated, the remainder in Macabebe, Sexmoan, and Guagua; in the fourth, in the town
of Lipa; in the fifth, in the capital and in Calumpit; and in the last two remaining provinces,
only in their respective capitals, and the city of Manila will soon be besieged by our forces as
well as the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, Zambales, and some
others in the Visayas where the revolution at the time of the pacification and others even
before, so that the independence of our country and the revindication of our sovereignty is
assured.
And having as witness to the rectitude of our intentions the Supreme Judge of the Universe,
and under the protection of the Powerful and Humanitarian Nation, the United States of
America, we do hereby proclaim and declare solemnly in the name and by authority of the
people of these Philippine Islands,
That they are and have the right to be free and independent; that they have ceased to have
any allegiance to the Crown of Spain; that all political ties between them are and should be
completely severed and annulled; and that, like other free and independent States, they
enjoy the full power to make War and Peace, conclude commercial treaties, enter into
alliances, regulate commerce, and do all other acts and things which an Independent State
has a right to do,
And imbued with firm confidence in Divine Providence, we hereby mutually bind ourselves to
support this Declaration with our lives, our fortunes, and with our most sacred possession,
our Honor.
We recognize, approve, and ratify, with all the orders emanating from the same, the
Dictatorship established by Don Emilio Aguinaldo whom we revere as the Supreme Head of
this Nation, which today begins to have a life of its own, in the conviction that he has been
the instrument chosen by God, in spite of his humble origin, to effectuate the redemption of
this unfortunate country as foretold by Dr. Don José Rizal in his magnificent verses which he
composed in his prison cell prior to his execution, liberating it from the Yoke of Spanish
domination,
And in punishment for the impunity with which the Government sanctioned the commission
of abuses by its officials, and for the unjust execution of Rizal and others who were sacrificed
in order to please the insatiable friars in their hydropical thirst for vengeance against and
extermination of all those who oppose their Machiavellian ends, trampling upon the Penal
Code of these Islands, and of those suspected persons arrested by the Chiefs of
Detachments at the instigation of the friars, without any form nor semblance of trial and
without any spiritual aid of our sacred Religion; and likewise, and for the same ends, eminent
Filipino priests, Doctor Don Jose Burgos, Don Mariano Gomez, and Don Jacinto Zamora
were hanged whose innocent blood was shed due to the intrigues of these so-called
Religious corporations which made the authorities to believe that the military uprising at the
fort of San Felipe in Cavite on the night of January 21, 1872 was instigated by those Filipino
martyrs, thereby impeding the execution of the decree-sentence issued by the Council of
State in the appeal in the administrative case interposed by the secular clergy against the
Royal Orders that directed that the parishes under them within the jurisdiction of this
Bishopric be turned over to the Recollects in exchange for those controlled by them in
Mindanao which were to be transferred to the Jesuits, thus revoking them completely and
ordering the return of those parishes, all of which proceedings are on file with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs to which they are sent last month of last year for the issuance of the proper
Royal Degree which, in turn, caused the growth of the tree of liberty in this our dear land that
grew more and more through the iniquitous measures of oppression, until the last drop from
our chalice of suffering having been drained, the first spark of revolution broke out in
Caloocan, spread out to Santamesa and continued its course to the adjoining regions of the
province where the unequalled heroism of its inhabitants fought a onesided battle against
superior forces of General Blanco and General Polavieja for a period of three months,
without proper arms nor ammunitions, except bolos, pointed bamboos, and arrows.
Moreover, we confer upon our famous Dictator Don Emilio Aguinaldo all the powers
necessary to enable him to discharge the duties of Government, including the prerogatives
of granting pardon and amnesty,
And, lastly, it was resolved unanimously that this Nation, already free and independent as of
this day, must use the same flag which up to now is being used, whose design and colors
are found described in the attached drawing, the white triangle signifying the distinctive
emblem of the famous Society of the "Katipunan" which by means of its blood compact
inspired the masses to rise in revolution; the three stars, signifying the three principal Islands
of this Archipelago-Luzon, Mindanao, and Panay where this revolutionary movement started;
the sun representing the gigantic steps made by the sons of the country along the path of
Progress and Civilization; the eight rays, signifying the eight provinces-Manila, Cavite,
Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna, and Batangas - which declared
themselves in a state of war as soon as the first revolt was initiated; and the colors of Blue,
Red, and White, commemorating the flag of the United States of North America, as a
manifestation of our profound gratitude towards this Great Nation for its disinterested
protection which it lent us and continues lending us.
And holding up this flag of ours, I present it to the gentlemen here assembled:
 The Philippine Declaration of Independence

Don Segundo Arellano

Don Tiburcio del Rosario
Don Sergio Matias
Don Agapito Zialcita
Don Flaviano Alonzo
Don Mariano Legazpi
Don José Turiano Santiago y Acosta
Don Aurelio Tolentino
Don Felix Ferrer
Don Felipe Buencamino
Don Fernando Canon Faustino
Don Anastacio Pinzun
Don Timoteo Bernabe
Don Flaviano Rodríguez
Don Gavino Masancay
Don Narciso Mayuga
Don Gregorio Villa
Don Luis Pérez Tagle
Don Canuto Celestino
Don Marcos Jocson
Don Martin de los Reyes
Don Ciriaco Bausa
Don Manuel Santos
Don Mariano Toribio
Don Gabriel Reyes
Don Hugo Lim
Don Emiliano Lim
Don Fausto Tinorio
Don Rosendo Simón
Don Leon Tanjanque
Don Gregorio Bonifacio
Don Manuel Salafranca
Don Simon Villareal
Don Calixto Lara
Don Buenaventura Toribio
Don Zacarias Fajardo
Don Florencio Manalo
Don Ramon Gana
Don Marcelino Gómez
Don Valentin Polintan
Don Felix Polintan
Don Evaristo Dimalanta
Don Gregorio Álvarez
Don Sabas de Guzmán
Don Esteban Francisco
Don Guido Yaptinchay
Don Mariano Rianzares Bautista
Don Francisco Arambulo
Don Antonio Gonzales
Don Juan Arevalo
Don Ramon Delfino
Don Honorio Tiongco
Don Francisco del Rosario
Don Epifanio Saguil
Don Ladislao Afable José
Don Sixto Roldan
Don Luis de Lara
Don Marcelo Basa
Don José Medina
Don Epifanio Crisia
Don Pastor López de León
Don Mariano de los Santos
Don Santiago García
Don Claudio Tria Tirona
Don Estanislao Tria Tirona
Don Daniel Tria Tirona
Don Andrés Tria Tirona
Don Carlos Tria Tirona
Don Sulpicio P. Antony
Don Epitacio Asunción
Don Catalino Ramon
Don Juan Bordador
Don José del Rosario
Don Proceso Pulido
 Don José María del Rosario
Don Ramón Magcamco
Don Antonio Calingo
Don Pedro Mendiola
Don Estanislao Calingo
Don Numeriano Castillo
Don Federico Tomacruz
Don Teodoro Yatco
Don Ladislao Diwa,
Who solemnly swear to recognize and defend it unto the last drop of their blood.:
In witness thereof, I certify that this Act of Declaration of Independence was signed by me
and by all those here assembled including the only stranger who attended those
proceedings, a citizen of the U.S.A., Mr. L. M. Johnson, a Colonel of Artillery.

Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista

War Counselor and Special Delegate-Designate

The Declaration of Philippine Independence on

12 June 1898
Written by Philippine Embassy Webmaster   
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
 
The Philippine Declaration of Independence occurred in Kawit, Cavite on 12 June 1898 where Filipino
revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of
the Philippine islands from Spanish colonization after the latter was defeated at the Battle of Manila
Bay on 1 May 1898 during the Spanish-American War. It was declared a national holiday and was
witnessed by thousands of people who gathered in Kawit to witness the historic event.
 
The declaration, however, was not recognized by the United States or Spain, as the Spanish
government ceded the Philippines (and other Spanish colonial territories) to the United States in the
1898 Treaty of Paris signed on 10 December 1898 in consideration for an indemnity for Spanish
expenses and assets lost.

The Act of the Declaration of Independence was prepared and written by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista
in Spanish, who also read the said declaration. A passage in the Declaration reminds one of another
passage in the American Declaration of Independence. The Philippine Declaration was signed by
ninety-eight persons, among them an American army officer who witnessed the proclamation. The Act
declared that the Filipinos “are and have the right to be free and independent,” and that the nation
from ”this day commences to have a life of its own, with every political tie between Filipinas and Spain
severed and annulled”.

The event saw the National Flag of the Philippines, designed by General Aguinaldo and made in
Hongkong by Mrs. Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo and Delfina Herboza unfurled for the first time.
This was followed by the performance of the “Marcha Filipina Magdalo” now known as “Lupang
Hinirang”, the National Anthem. The composer, Julian Felipe. was a music teacher from Cavite. The
lyrics to the anthem were sourced a year after from the poem of Jose Palma entitled “Filipinas”.
General Aguinaldo explained the symbolism of the Filipino flag. Each of the three colors has an
appropriate meaning:

a. the lower red stripe represents patriotism and valor

b. the upper blue stripe signifies peace, truth and justice
c. the white triangle stands for equality
 
The three stars indicate the three geographical areas of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
 
The eight rays of the sun refer to first eight provinces of Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija,
Bataan, Laguna, Batangas and Cavite which took up arms against Spain and were placed under martial
law by the Spaniards at the start of the Philippine Revolution in 1896.
 
Sources: Agoncillo and Guerrero, History of the Filipino People
Zaide, S. The Philippines: A Unique Nation
Wikipedia