Bagong Pinay/ Pinay Ngayon (Filipina Today) 2003/ "Revisiting 1899" by Joann Natalia Aquino

The Aguinaldo-Magdalo Flag:
This flag was adopted by General Emilio Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite
on August 30, 1896.

Modest information has been provided to the people, especially to Filipinos, about the Philippine-American War of 1899.

The Philippine-American War, the war between Philippine nationalists and United States troops, was one of the bloodiest military exchanges in the history of Philippine warfare. Historians estimated that around 220,000 Filipinos died during this war from war-related causes, which resulted the island of Luzon to lose 1/8 of its population during this period.

Many viewed the Philippine-American War as a clash between the forces of imperialism and nationalism, as well as the pursuit for an overseas territory and the yearning of the Filipino people for freedom.

After centuries of Spanish colony, a revolution led by Emilio Aguinaldo ruptured in 1896 with one mission in mind: to fight for the Philippine independence. After combating a barbarous guerilla war for more than two years, the Filipinos found themselves in a beneficial position as allies with the United States. However, subsequent to the surrender of the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines to American military forces in 1898, hostility developed between the United States and Filipino army near Manila. The American government desired to keep the Philippines as a colony, denying its independence to the Filipino people. During this time, Emilio Aguinaldo and his troops of 80,000 Filipinos agreed that their allies in the Spanish War would soon become their opponents, and for this reason, the Philippine Republic once again declared war to defend its independence.

On the evening of February 4, 1899, the United States and the Filipino forces condition became worse, followed by Private William Grayson of the Nebraska Volunteers firing the first shot in what turned out to be the bloodiest war in this archipelago. Philippine villages were ruined, countless civilians were killed, numerous prisoners were tormented and mutilated, amongst other forms of violence that took place during this brutal and extended bloodbath.

Emilio Aguinaldo was captured in March 1902, and soon after, organized resistance from General Aguinaldo's followers weakened. In spite of the official end to hostilities proclaimed on July 4, 1902, tribes in Luzon and the southern islands experienced further uprisings for another decade.

Despite this long grueling journey, it wasn't until August 4, 1964 when President Diosdado Macapagal signed the Malacanang Republic Act No. 4166 declaring June 12 as Philippine Independence Day, the date General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the independence of the Filipinos in Kawit, Cavite, in 1898 from Spain.

Learning from what happened in this unforgettable stage in history, let's pause and reflect at the words of Sixto Lopez, Secretary to the Commission of the Philippine Republic under the leadership of General Emilio Aguinaldo, when he stated, "Why do you shed all this blood; why do you spend all this energy, all these millions of dollars? Is it for our good or for your own?"

With his words, we still have yet to ask today. Was it?

(Republished with permission from the author and from Filipino American Herald. Article originally published at Filipino American Herald on June 2003.)

_____________________