The First Unfurling of the
Philippine National Flag
Today in History - May 28, 1898 - The Philippine flag was first unfurled after Battle at Alapan
May 28 is Philippine Flag Day
Before his return to the Philippines to resume the revolution, General Emilio Aguinaldo had a flag sewn in Hong Kong. This was the flag displayed during the declaration of independence on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite which, since then (with minor modifications) had become the national flag of the Philippines. On February 12, 1998, President Fidel Ramos signed Republic Act 8491, known as the "Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines," prescribing the code of the National flag, anthem, motto, coat-of-arms and other heraldic items and devices of the Philippines. Under Section 26 of this code, the official celebration of "Flag Days" was prescribed from May 28 to June 12. May 28 as "Flag Day" was first proclaimed in 1965 by President Diosdado Macapagal. This day commemorates the date when the Philippine flag, brought home by General Aguinaldo was first unfurled.
May 28, 1898 was the date of the first military engagement of Filipino revolutionary forces in the renewed revolution against Spain. Also considered as their first major victory, it inspired General Aguinaldo to display for the first time, the Philippine flag. But while the battle took place in Alapan, Imus, Cavite; the first unfurling of the flag, contrary to some history textbook accounts, happened in Cavite City, then known as Cavite Nuevo (new Cavite) or Cavite Puerto (Cavite Port) where the army's Cuartel Heneral, the Teatro Caviteño was located.
Revisiting the events before the battle of Alapan
(Aguinaldo in his memoirs recalled that he met with Pratt and Wildman in Singapore. In this meeting, he was persuaded to resume the revolution with the assurance from Admiral George Dewey, according to Pratt, that the United States would at least recognize the independence of the Philippines. There was no written, formal agreement as he was assured that the words of a U.S. Consul and an Admiral were sufficient guarantees.)
Dewey and Aguinaldo also discussed the arms shipment being delayed in China for which, Dewey offered to dispatch a streamer to expedite its arrival. Dewey was said to have also advised Aguinaldo that should they destroy the power of Spain, the hoisting of a Philippine National Flag would appear more important and credible in the eyes of the world and the United States in particular.
After the meeting with Admiral Dewey, General Aguinaldo went directly to the shorelines of Cavite Puerto to meet the revolutionary forces from Bataan purposely to hand the order of general uprising in the provinces of Bataan and Zambales. The following day, May 20, 1898, seventy two Filipino (Spanish military) volunteers from San Roque and Caridad armed with Remington and Mauser rifles surrendered to General Aguinaldo and they were dispatched to Dalahican, Cavite to prevent the Spanish soldiers from entering Cavite Puerto. On the same day sixty two Mausers with rounds of ammunition, seized from a Spanish warship and brought from Corregidor Island by the USS Petrel, arrived at the dock of the Cavite Arsenal and immediately distributed to the revolutionaries.
On the night of May 20, 1898, Aguinaldo sent General Luciano San Miguel to the revolutionary armies of Manila, Laguna, Batangas, Tayabas (Quezon), Bulacan, Morong (Rizal), Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and other parts of Southern Luzon to carry the order to raise arms against the Spaniards. Copies of the order also circulated in the province of Cavite.
Aguinaldo establishes dictatorial government
On May 24, 1898 at the same mansion, General Aguinaldo established a dictatorial, revolutionary government. According to his proclamation, the dictatorship was to last only “until the time when these islands, being under complete control, may form a constitutional republican assembly and appoint a president and cabinet, into whose hands I shall then resign the command of these islands.”
The Maximo Inocencio mansion was then made also his temporary residence and the Teatro Caviteño, adjacent to the walls of Porta Vaga his temporary military headquarters.
Arms shipment arrives
It was while he was at the Casa Gobierno Civil when the arms shipment consisting of 1,999 rifles, 200,000 rounds of ammunitions, and other special armaments of war arrived at the dock of the Cavite Arsenal. The armaments were immediately distributed to various provinces; reserving a portion for the Revolutionary Army of Cavite El Viejo (Kawit troops).
The battle of Alapan was an unexpected event.
The following day, May 28, while still distributing firearms, the army saw Spanish Military columns composed of more than 270 Naval Infantry led by Captain Pedro Castila (Pedro Janolino). The troops were sent by Spanish Brigadier General Leopoldo Garcia Peña for the purpose of seizing the reported consignment of arms.
Fierce fighting erupted at 10:00 o'clock in the morning and lasted until 3:00 in the afternoon. The Filipino troops emerged victorious and the Spaniards surrendered when they ran out of ammunition. Together with all the confiscated firearms, the Filipino revolutionaries brought the captured Spanish soldiers to Cavite Puerto. They presented the prisoners to General Emilio Aguinaldo.
In acknowledgement of the first victory of the Filipino Revolutionary Army, General Aguinaldo brought out the Philippine flag and in the presence of his men and the crowd unfurled and hoisted it amidst the tremendous applause and loud, spontaneous and prolonged cheers for “Independent Philippines.” The event was witnessed by several officers and marines from the American Squadron.
The arrival of the captured Spanish soldiers and the hoisting of the first Filipino flag in front of Teatro Caviteño was also witnessed by Felipe Buencamino, an emissary of Governor Captain General Basilio Augustin. He was at the tower of the Osorio mansion detained, by order of General Aguinaldo upon advice of Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista and Felipe Calderon. Buencamino remained guarded by General Mascardo until June 6, 1898.
Again, the Philippine flag was hoisted on the day of the planned general uprising, May 31, 1898, when Filipino troops gained their second victory in Binakayan a barrio of Kawit, as they overran the Spanish Polvorin (powder-magazine) and garrison where 250 Spanish soldiers were captured. The flag was also seen flying over the steeple of the church in Bacoor after a garrison of about 300 Spanish troops surrendered to the Filipino Revolutionary Army.
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