Battle In Mactan

The Battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521 marked the first

organized resistance of the Filipinos against foreign invaders.
Raha Lapu-Lapu, a chieftain of Mactan Island, defeated Spanish
sailors under Portuguese sea captain and explorer Ferdinand
Magellan.
After Magellan landed on the island of Homonhon on March
16, 1521, he parleyed with Rajah Calambu of Limasawa, who
guided him to Cebu on April 7. Through Magellan’s interpreter, a
Malay servant by the name of Enrique, Rajah Humabon of Cebu
became an ally. Impressed by Magellan’s artillery (consisting of
guns, swords, body armor, 12 cannons, and 50 cross-bows),
Rajah Humabon and Datu Zula suggested to Magellan that they go
to the nearby island of Mactan and punish Lapu-Lapu.
According to the accounts of Antonio Pigaffeta, Magellan’s
voyage chronicler, the Portuguese sea captain deployed 48
armored men, less than half his crew, with swords, axes, shields,
cross-bows and guns. Filipino historians note that because of the
rocky outcroppings and coral near the beach, he could not land
on Mactan. Forced to anchor far from shore, Magellan could not
bring his ship’s firepower to bear on Lapu-Lapu’s warriors.

As the crew was retreating, Pigaffeta records that Magellan

was surrounded by warriors. His crew had to wade through the
surf to make landing, Pigaffeta narrates. Eight crewmen were
killed. Pigafetta, the supernumerary on the voyage who later
returned to Seville, Spain, records Lapu-Lapu had at least 1,500
native warriors in the battle.

Lapu-Lapu is the first Filipino to resist foreign invaders. The

Battle of Mactan, even if it was situated in the early years of
Spanish invasion marks the start of an organized Filipino
resistance against foreign aggression. The defeat and death of
Magellan is a humiliation in the part of Spain. It only shows that
even if the warriors of Lapu-lapu were outnumbered their
bravery and patriotism ousted the Spanish troops. Yet, the
national consciousness of the Filipinos during that time is still
futile compared to the uprisings centuries later that brought the
Philippine Revolution to its peak.
 The Philippines during Martial Law

Proclamation of Martial Law: On September 21, 1972, President

Ferdinand E. Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law. The
declaration issued under Proclamation 1081 suspended the civil
rights and imposed military authority in the country. Marcos defended
the declaration stressing the need for extra powers to quell the rising
wave of violence allegedly caused by communists. The emergency rule
was also intended to eradicate the roots of rebellion and promote a
rapid trend for national development. The autocrat assured the country
of the legality of Martial Law emphasizing the need for control over civil
disobedience that displays lawlessness. Marcos explained citing the
provisions from the Philippine Constitution that Martial Law is a strategic
approach to legally defend the Constitution and protect the welfare of
the Filipino people from the dangerous threats posed by Muslim rebel
groups and Christian vigilantes that places national security at risk
during the time. Marcos explained that martial law was not a military
takeover but was then the only option to resolve the country’s dilemma
on rebellion that stages national chaos threatening the peace and order
of the country. The emergency rule, according to Marcos’s plan, was to
lead the country into what he calls a “New Society”.

Marcos used several events to justify martial law. Threat to the

country’s security was intensifying following the re-establishment of the
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in 1968. Supporters of CPP’s
military arm, the New People’s Army, also grew in numbers in Tarlac
and other parts of the country.

Thirty-thousand opposition figures including Senator Benigno

Aquino, journalists, student and labor activists were detained at military
compounds under the President’s command (Proclamation 1081 and
Martial Law). The army and the Philippine Constabulary seized weapons
and disbanded private armies controlled by prominent politicians and
other influential figures (Proclamation 1081 and Martial Law). Marcos
took control of the legislature and closed the Philippine
Congress (Proclamation 1081 and Martial Law).
 EDSA People Power Revolution

The Philippines was praised worldwide in 1986, when the so-called

bloodless revolution erupted, called EDSA People Power’s Revolution.
February 25, 1986 marked a significant national event that has
been engraved in the hearts and minds of every Filipino. This part of
Philippine history gives us a strong sense of pride especially that other
nations had attempted to emulate what we have shown the world of the
true power of democracy. Prayers and rosaries strengthened
by faith were the only weapons that the Filipinos used to recover their
freedom from President Ferdinand Marcos’s iron hands. The Epifanio de
los Santos Avenue (EDSA) stretches 54 kilometers, where the
peaceful demonstration was held on that fateful day. It was a day that
gathered all Filipinos in unity with courage and faith to prevail
democracy in the country. It was the power of the people, who
assembled in EDSA that restored the democratic Philippines, ending the
oppressive Marcos regime. Hence, it came to be known as the EDSA
People Power’s Revolution.
The revolution was a result of the long oppressed freedom and the
life threatening abuses executed by the Marcos government to cite
several events like human rights violation since the tyrannical Martial
Law Proclamation in 1972. In the years that followed Martial Law started
the suppressive and abusive years–incidents of assassination were
rampant, particularly those who opposed the government, individuals
and companies alike were subdued. The Filipinos reached the height of
their patience when former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Sr. was
shot and killed at the airport in August 21, 1983, upon his return to the
Philippines from exile in the United States. Aquino’s death marked the
day that Filipinos learned to fight. His grieving wife, Corazon
Cojuangco-Aquino showed the Filipinos and the world the strength and
courage to claim back the democracy that Ferdinand Marcos arrested
for his personal caprice. Considering the depressing economy of the
country, Ninoy’s death further intensified the contained resentment of
the Filipinos. With the power of prayers, the armed marine troops under
the command of Marcos withdrew from the site. Finally, in the morning
of February 25, 1986, Corazon Aquino took the presidential oath of
office, administered by the Supreme Court Associate Justice Claudio
Teehankee at Club Filipino located in San Juan. Aquino was proclaimed
as the 11th President of the Republic of the Philippines. She was the first
lady president of the country. People rejoiced over their victory proving
the success of the EDSA People’s Power Revolution, the historic
peaceful demonstration. Although in 2001, there was an attempt to
revive People Power in the efforts to oust then President Joseph Estrada,
it was not as strong as the glorifying demonstration in 1986. The
bloodless, People Power Revolution in EDSA renewed the power of the
people, strengthened the meaning of democracy and restored
the democratic institutions of government.
 Proclamation of Philippine
Independence

The most significant achievement of Aguinaldo's Dictatorial

Government was the proclamation of Philippine Independence in
Kawit, Cavite, on June 12, 1898. The day was declared a national
holiday. Thousands of people from the provinces gathered in Kawit to
witness the historic event. The ceremony was solemnly held at the
balcony of General Emilio Aguinaldo's residence. The military and
civil officials of the government were in attendance.

A dramatic feature of the ceremony was the formal unfurling of

the Filipino flag amidst the cheers of the people. At the same time,
the Philippine National Anthem was played by the band. Ambrosio
Rianzares Bautista solemnly read the "Act of the Declaration of
Independence" which he himself wrote. The declaration was signed
by 98 persons.

With a government in operation, Aguinaldo thought that it was

necessary to declare the independence of the Philippines. He
believed that such a move would inspire the people to fight more
eagerly against the Spaniards and at the same time, lead the foreign
countries to recognize the independence of the country.

Mabini, who had by now been made Aguinaldo's unofficial

adviser, objected. He based his objection on the fact that it was more
important to reorganize the government in such a manner as to
convince the foreign powers of the competence and stability of the
new government than to proclaim Philippine independence at such
an early period. Aguinaldo, however, stood his ground and won.
On June 12, between four and five in the afternoon, Aguinaldo, in
the presence of a huge crowd, proclaimed the independence of the
Philippines at Cavite el Viejo (Kawit). For the first time, the Philippine
National Flag, made in Hongkong by Mrs. Marcela Agoncillo, assisted
by Lorenza Agoncillo and Delfina Herboza, was officially hoisted and
the Philippine National March played in public. The Act of the
Declaration of Independence was prepared by Ambrosio Rianzares
Bautista, who also read it. 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 proclamation of Philippine independence was, however,
promulgated on August 1 when many towns has already been
organized under the rules laid down by the Dictatorial Government.
 The Death of Gomburza

In February 17, 1872, Fathers Mariano Gomez,

Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora (Gomburza),
all Filipino priests, were executed by the Spanish
colonizers on charges of subversion. The charges
against Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora were their
alleged complicity in the uprising of workers at the
Cavite Naval Yard. The death of Gomburza awakened
strong feelings of anger and resentment among the
Filipinos. They questioned Spanish authorities and
demanded reforms. The martyrdom of the three priests
apparently helped to inspire the organization of the
Propaganda Movement, which aimed to seek reforms
and inform Spain of the abuses of its colonial
government.

On January 20, 1872, two hundred Filipinos

employed at the Cavite arsenal staged a revolt against
the Spanish government’s voiding of their exemption
from the payment of tributes. The Cavite Mutiny led to
the persecution of prominent Filipinos; secular priests
Mariano Gómez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora—who
would then be collectively named GomBurZa—were
tagged as the masterminds of the uprising. The priests
were charged with treason and sedition by the Spanish
military tribunal—a ruling believed to be part of a
conspiracy to stifle the growing popularity of Filipino
secular priests and the threat they posed to the Spanish
clergy. The GomBurZa were publicly executed, by
garrote, on the early morning of February 17, 1872 at
Bagumbayan.
 Cebu Technological University
Moalboal Campus
Moalboal, Cebu

HISTORICAL
EVENTS
IN
THE
PHILIPPINES
Submitted by:
Maruchine Kate T. Batausa
BEED IV-B
Submitted to:
Mrs. Nerissa E. Hernandez