On
July 15, 1903, Simeon Ola surprise the 31st Philippine Scout Garrison
under the command of Sergeant Nicolas Napoli in Joveliar, Albay.
The
persistent effort of the peace panel and his battle weary men made Ola
realized that he could never win the war. He became open to the
agreement set by Colonel Harry H. Bandholtz, the Assistant Commander of
the Constabulary in Lucena, Tayabas, for his surrender. The agreement
included general amnesty, fair treatment and justice to his comrades in
arms. On September 25, 1903, the negotiating panel composed of Ramon
Santos, Eligio Arboleda, Epifanio Orozco, Frank L. Pyle, John Paegelow,
J.B. Allison and Joseph Rogers went to his camp in Malagnaton, Mapaco,
Guinobatan. Eventually, Ola surrendered to Governor Bette and Colonel
Bandholtz.
Charged
with sedition, Judges Adam Carson and James Blount presided over his
case. He was sentenced of 30 years imprisonment on November 10. 1903.
Fortunately, he was granted executive clemency so he was released from
prison on October 8, 1904.
In
1910, he entered politics and won as town mayor of Guinobatan, which he
served until 1913. He was again elected to the same position in 1916.
He served the term until 1919.
Simeon Ola died on February 14, 1952 and was interred at the Roman Catholic Cemetery of Guinobatan.
References: (All via the National Historical Commission of the Philippines)
Agoncillo, Teodoro A. History of the Filipino People. 8th ed. Quezon City: Garotech, 1990.
Eminent Filipinos. Manila: National Historical Commission, 1970.
Quirino, Carlos. Who’s who in Philippine History. Manila: Tahanan Books, 1995.
On July 15, 1903, Simeon Ola surprise the 31st Philippine Scout Garrison under the command of Sergeant Nicolas Napoli in Joveliar, Albay.
The persistent effort of the peace panel and his battle weary men made Ola realized that he could never win the war. He became open to the agreement set by Colonel Harry H. Bandholtz, the Assistant Commander of the Constabulary in Lucena, Tayabas, for his surrender. The agreement included general amnesty, fair treatment and justice to his comrades in arms. On September 25, 1903, the negotiating panel composed of Ramon Santos, Eligio Arboleda, Epifanio Orozco, Frank L. Pyle, John Paegelow, J.B. Allison and Joseph Rogers went to his camp in Malagnaton, Mapaco, Guinobatan. Eventually, Ola surrendered to Governor Bette and Colonel Bandholtz.
Charged with sedition, Judges Adam Carson and James Blount presided over his case. He was sentenced of 30 years imprisonment on November 10. 1903. Fortunately, he was granted executive clemency so he was released from prison on October 8, 1904.
In 1910, he entered politics and won as town mayor of Guinobatan, which he served until 1913. He was again elected to the same position in 1916. He served the term until 1919.
Simeon Ola died on February 14, 1952 and was interred at the Roman Catholic Cemetery of Guinobatan.
References: (All via the National Historical Commission of the Philippines)
Agoncillo, Teodoro A. History of the Filipino People. 8th ed. Quezon City: Garotech, 1990.
Eminent Filipinos. Manila: National Historical Commission, 1970.
Quirino, Carlos. Who’s who in Philippine History. Manila: Tahanan Books, 1995.
On July 14, 1906, General Macario Sakay surrendered to the United States. He would be among the last of the Filipino generals fighting since the Philippine Revolution to lay down their arms. The Tondo-born revolutionary entered various jobs in his early years, including being a barber, a tailor, a kalesa (cart) manufacturing apprentice, and even a stage actor. He joined the Katipunan in 1894 with the codename Tagausig (Prosecutor).
Organizing for the Revolution in the Manila area, he would later be imprisoned by the time of the Filipino-American War. During the advent of American rule in the Philippines, Sakay was granted amnesty and became a founding member of the Partido Nacionalista in 1901, which campaigned for Philippine independence through legal means. The 1901 Sedition Law (Act No. 292), however, prohibited advocating for independence, whether through "peaceable or forcible means." Disenchanted with the new setup provided by the United States, Sakay took up arms once more, assuming the presidency of the Republika ng Katagalugan (Tagalog Republic) in May 1902.
Establishing his center of operations in Morong (now Rizal Province, Dimasalang in Sakay's documents), Sakay organized his forces and awarded ranks to integrees who would be able to contribute weapons to the republic. It was also by this time when Sakay decided to keep his hair long, which became an iconic theme for the revolutionary leader. It was said that Sakay was once ambushed while taking a bath. While he survived the incident, he was convinced that personal care would be detrimental to the cause of attaining freedom. He would maintain a long hair until his death. The American government, meanwhile, took every opportunity to put Sakay in bad light, designating him as a bandit, among others.
In 1905, union leader Dominador Gomez was tasked to negotiate with Sakay in exchange for his freedom. Gomez's organization, the Union Obrera Democratica Filipina (UOD), was known to have conducted the first May Day commemoration in the Philippines for labor. The union, however, was also accused of supporting Sakay's activities, leading to arrests which forced members to dissolve the union.
Upon meeting with Sakay, Gomez argued that continued resistance was blocking the way towards the creation of a Filipino national assembly, the next legal step towards independence. Persuaded that a constitutional means was now available for Filipinos, Sakay agreed to end his struggle on the condition that amnesty was granted for all of his troops. Warm reception for Sakay in Manila, however, proved to be a conveniently concealed trap.
On July 17 of the same year (1906), a party supposedly hosted by Cavite Governor Louis J. Van Shaick (a Medal of Honor recipient) led to the disarming and the arrest of Sakay and the revolutionary leaders with him. While the Philippine Assembly was indeed organized and inaugurated in 1907, as provided for by the Philippine Organic Act, Sakay would have no opportunity to participate in the new body.
On September 13, 1907, Sakay was executed by American authorities. His recorded last words would be as follows: "Death comes to all of us sooner or later, so I will face the LORD Almighty calmly. But I want to tell you that we are not bandits and robbers, as the Americans have accused us, but members of the revolutionary force that defended our mother country, the Philippines! Farewell! Long live the Republic and may our independence be born in the future! Long live the Philippines!"
On July 13, 1905, General Alfredo M. Santos was born in Manila. Regarded as the first Filipino to achieve the rank of four star general under the modern organization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Santos took a bachelor's degree in engineering at Mapúa University and served as corps commander at the University of the Philippines Reserve Officers' Training Corps (UP ROTC). This background also made Santos the first UP Vanguard to become Chief of Staff of the AFP.
In 1936, he entered the armed forces as a probationary lieutenant. During the Second World War, Santos became part of the guerrilla group Filipino-American Irregular Troops (FAIT) after the defeat of Allied forces in Bataan.
After the war, Santos was sent to study in the United States. Upon his return, he was given the command of the 15th Battalion Combat Team (BCT) and attached units forming the Panay Task Force. Among the highlights of their campaign, codenamed "Operation Knockout", was the capture of Guillermo Capadocia, founding member of the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP-1930) and later Commander of the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (HMB) Regional Command No. 6 in the Visayas. Although Capadocia was able to escape, he would lose his life during the chase.
Also killed at this time would be Paterno Patrimonio (Kulafu), while other leaders such as Teodoro Tejada (Paking) and Simplicio Casas (Stalin) were captured and sentenced. This hastened the collapse of the HMB rebellion in Panay Island. In recognition of his military feats, President Ramon Magsaysay would thereafter confer Santos the rank of brigadier general in 1954. In the same year, Magsaysay appointed Jesus Vargas as the first three star general (lieutenant general) of the modern AFP, although it was a temporary rank.
On September 1, 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal appointed Santos as Chief of Staff, and granted him the rank of four star general. After his tenure, the United States government awarded him the Legion of Merit in December 1965 for his service during the Vietnam War. To recall, the first Filipino contingent (PHILCONV) for the aid of Vietnam was sent August 1964.
On This Day - July 12, 1980, President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. signed Executive Order No. 603, s. 1980 to create the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA). The EO empowered the Authority to acquire foreign loans not exceeding USD 300 million (equivalent to PHP 2.33 billion in 1980 rates), exclusive of interest, to pursue its purposes.
Initial assistance to start the LRT project was provided for by the Belgian government (PHP 300 million) and a Belgian consortium (PHP 700 million) composed of ACEC (Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi), BN (Constructions Ferroviaires et Metalliques, formerly Brugeoise et Nivelles), TEI (Tractionnel Engineering International) and TC (Transurb Consult). Construction began by October 1981, with the first half of what is now LRT Line 1 opening on December 1, 1984. This first half ran between Central and Baclaran. By the time the Marcos administration ended in 1986, the line operated between Monumento in the north and Baclaran in the south. The architectural design of the LRT Line 1 stations, which resembled the Filipino bahay kubo (nipa hut), was attributed to the National Artist Francisco "Bobby" Mañosa.
Of the five proposed light rail lines outlined in the 1977 World Bank-sponsored Metro Manila Transport and Land Use Plan (MMETROPLAN), only the LRT Line 1 had been realized, and was the only operating light rail system in the Philippines until the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 was opened in 1999, during the administration of President Joseph Estrada.
This would be followed by the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2, which was opened in 2003, during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. When the eastern extension of LRT Line 2 to Rizal began operations in July 2021, it became the first light rail system to serve passengers outside Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, there would be no extension to LRT Line 1 until the Balintawak and Roosevelt stations further north were completed in 2010. The LRT Line 1 southern extension to Cavite remains unfinished. The Cavite extension is expected to be fully operational by 2027.
In September 2015, the maintenance and operations of LRT Line 1 were transferred from the Light Rail Transit Authority - LRT2 to the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC). Since starting rail operations in 1984, the LRTA has claimed to have served over 5.6 billion passengers during its lifetime as of 2022.
Today in Philippine history, July 11, 1860, Pío del Pilar, a revolutionary general was born in Culi-culi, San Pedro de Macati
On July 11, 1860, Pío del Pilar was born Pío Isidro y Castañeda
in Barrio Culi-culi (present day Pio del Pilar), San Pedro de Macati
(now Makati City) to Isaac del Pilar, a farmer from Pasay, and Antonia
Castaňeda, an embroider from Mandaluyong.
(General Pio del Pilar)
As a child, his parents had him study for two years in the school of
Pascual Rodriguez, and for four months under Ramon Renaldo, until he was
forced to stop to work in the family farm. Typical of other Filipinos
at the time, del Pilar knew little or no Spanish, but was fluent in
Tagalog.
Pio married his childhood friend, Juliana Valeriano, at the age of 17,
the same year he was forcibly conscripted into the Spanish army. He was
assigned in Mindanao for a year but was cut to four months by the
intervention of a family friend. To avoid further grief from the
Spaniards, his father changed the family name to del Pilar, an unwise
choice since that name would soon sow trouble from the famous dissident Marcelo H. del Pilar and General Gregorio del Pilar.
In 1890, del Pilar was appointed cabeza de barangay and later on, became
teniente del barrio in Makati. During this time, he had a chance
meeting with Jose Rizal, and was inspired to distribute copies of his
novel, Noli Me Tangere.
In May 1896, he joined the Katipunan and formed a chapter called
Matagumpay, taking the symbolic name Pang-una. His chapter also adopted a
flag, a white triangle with a K at each corner, at the hoist of a red
field, in the center of which was a mountain with a rising sun on it.
This flag was known as the Bandila ng Matagumpay (Flag of the
Triumphant) and was del Pilar's personal standard during the revolution.
At the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution, del Pilar was arrested by
Spanish authorities for suspected membership in the Katipunan. Although
tortured, he did not reveal any secrets about the Katipunan until he was
released.
Del Pilar participated in his first battle in Mandaluyong on August 29,
1896. He also led a group of rebels in the Battle of Binakayan on
November 9, 1896, capturing the town from Spanish authorities.
On February 16, 1897, bearing the rank of colonel, del Pilar defended
Bacoor and Las Piñas. Subsequently, he was promoted to
brigadier-general.
(Flag of Pio del Pilar)
Del Pilar was present in the Tejeros Convention on March 22, 1897, which
marked the split between the Magdiwang and Magdalo factions of the
Katipunan. Because of the events of the Convention, he aligned himself
with Bonifacio, eventually signing the Naic Military Agreement declaring
the results of the convention to be null and void. In time, however,
he switched sides, aligning himself with the Magdalo faction and
becoming one of Emilio Aguinaldo's trusted generals. It was del Pilar
along with General Mariano Noriel, that advised Aguinaldo to change the
commutation (banishment) to execution of Andres and Procopio Bonifacio.
In September 1898, the Philippine Republic moved its headquarters to
Malolos, inaugurated its congress and republican government under a
Constitution. It also made General Pio del Pilar a member, the only
former farmboy among the ilustrados, scientists, scholars, land-owners.
He was the only representative of the emerging "masa."
After February 4, 1899 when the first battle of the Filipino-American
War broke out, Pio and his men were considered by the Americans as "the
most arrogant and the most hated." Pio was everywhere; skirmishes
flared at Manila, at Bulacan, Morong, Antipolo, Malapad na Bato (Fort
Bonifacio City) at Guadalupe in Makati, Pasig, Pateros, Cainta, and
Bulacan.
His last battle with the Americans was in the town of Morong. He fought bravely but he and his men were defeated and captured.
Del Pilar was exiled to Guam along with Apolinario Mabini, Artemio Ricarte, and other Filipino patriots.
He returned to the Philippines after Governor William Howard Taft extended pardons to the revolutionaries.
He continued to fight for the cause of the Filipino people by supporting
the Jones Bill for Filipinos' preparation for self governance.
He died on June 21, 1931 due to lingering illness.
Source:
Pio del Pilar, Wikipedia
Makati's hero, Arts and Culture, Carmen Guerrero Nakpil, Philstar Global, November 9, 2009
Today in Philippine History, July 10, 1934, the Filipino voters elected delegates to a constitutional convention
On July 10, 1934, the Filipino voters elected 202 delegates to a constitutional convention which drafted the Philippine Constitution of 1935.
(The opening of the Constitutional Convention in the House session hall of the Legislative Building in 1934.)
Headed by Claro M. Recto, the Constitutional Convention of 1934 was
responsible for framing the 1935 Commonwealth Constitution which was
approved by the United States on March 23, 1935.
The so-called "Seven Wise Men" -- Filemon Sotto, chairman, and Norberto
Romualdez, Manuel Roxas, Vicente Singson Encarnacion, Manuel C. Briones,
Miguel Cuaderno, and Conrado Benitez (who replaced Jose P. Laurel) --
prepared the draft of the Constitution.
The 1935 Constitution provided for unicameral National Assembly and the
President was elected to a six-year term without re-election.
The Constitution was amended in 1940 to have a bicameral Congress
composed of a Senate and House of Representatives, as well the creation
of an independent electoral commission. The amendment also granted the
President a four-year term with a maximum of two consecutive terms in
office.
