ANGELES CITY – After Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898 from the balcony of his house in Kawit, Cavite where he waved the national flag, where did he commemorate the first anniversary of the proclamation?
Many students would likely leave blank the space for their answer. But officials of the Kuliat Foundation, Inc. (KFI) and the Museo ning Angeles (MNA) in this city are taking efforts to make sure that someday, the blanks will be filled in.
As the country observes the 111th commemoration of Philippine Independence tomorrow, a fully-costumed ceremony will be held at the Pamintuan mansion at the corner of Miranda and Sto. Entierro streets in the heart of the city. The mansion has two storeys and a tower.
The mansion, alas, was where Aguinaldo marked the first anniversary of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1899. KFI and MNI are making sure ceremonies slated tomorrow at the historical landmark will attract not only local folk but the entire country to this fact.
The two groups noted that during the first anniversary of Independence, Aguinaldo appeared at a window on the second floor of the Pamintuan mansion and unfurled and waves the original Filipino flag. He also waved from the balcony of his house in Kawit a year before.
A concrete marker on the façade of the mansion says the house was constructed around 1890 by spouses Mariano Pamintuan and Velentina Torrest for their son Florentino who was then mayor of Angeles. It noted that the house was used as headquarters of revolutionary army under Gen. Venancio Concepcion in 1898 and Gen. Antonio Luna in 1899.
KFI noted that the Pamintuan mansion served as “the seat of government and presidential palace of the first republic in Asia” when the first anniversary of Philippine Independence was observed here in 1899.
“There was a grand celebration complete with an open-air Mass, civic and military parade of some 2,000 troops. The grand military parade led by the ‘boy’ generals Gregorio del Pilar (aged 25) of Bulacan and Manuel Tinio (the youngest general at age 23) of Nueva Ecija was followed by the civic parade participated by the townspeople and their pretty muses to top of borrowed religious carros,” said a brochure prepared by KFI for distribution to guests at the mansion tomorrow.
It said that “this was the first and perhaps last celebration of the fledgling republic-on-the-run, relentlessly pursued by the American imperialists.” The pursuit led to the capture of Aguinaldo in Palanan, Isabela on March 23, 1901.
KFI quoted local historian Daniel Dizon noting that after Malolos, Bulacan was overcome by Americans in March 1899, Luna moved the army revolutionary headquarters from San Fernando, Pampanga to the Pamintuan mansion.
It was also on the first floor of the mansion that Luna edited the newspaper “La Independencia”.
After the Filipino-American war, the mansion was also used as headquarters by Maj. Gen. Arthur MacArthur up to 1901, and as quarters for the elite Japanese Kamikaze pilots during the Second World War.
In the 1960’s the house was bought by the Tablante family which later donated it to the government as a historical landmark. The Angeles City Historical and Cultural committee, with Dizon as vice president, initiated efforts to rehabilitate the mansion and make it the center of Independence Day commemoration in this city with the support of the National Historical Institute.
Many students would likely leave blank the space for their answer. But officials of the Kuliat Foundation, Inc. (KFI) and the Museo ning Angeles (MNA) in this city are taking efforts to make sure that someday, the blanks will be filled in.
As the country observes the 111th commemoration of Philippine Independence tomorrow, a fully-costumed ceremony will be held at the Pamintuan mansion at the corner of Miranda and Sto. Entierro streets in the heart of the city. The mansion has two storeys and a tower.
The mansion, alas, was where Aguinaldo marked the first anniversary of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1899. KFI and MNI are making sure ceremonies slated tomorrow at the historical landmark will attract not only local folk but the entire country to this fact.
The two groups noted that during the first anniversary of Independence, Aguinaldo appeared at a window on the second floor of the Pamintuan mansion and unfurled and waves the original Filipino flag. He also waved from the balcony of his house in Kawit a year before.
A concrete marker on the façade of the mansion says the house was constructed around 1890 by spouses Mariano Pamintuan and Velentina Torrest for their son Florentino who was then mayor of Angeles. It noted that the house was used as headquarters of revolutionary army under Gen. Venancio Concepcion in 1898 and Gen. Antonio Luna in 1899.
KFI noted that the Pamintuan mansion served as “the seat of government and presidential palace of the first republic in Asia” when the first anniversary of Philippine Independence was observed here in 1899.
“There was a grand celebration complete with an open-air Mass, civic and military parade of some 2,000 troops. The grand military parade led by the ‘boy’ generals Gregorio del Pilar (aged 25) of Bulacan and Manuel Tinio (the youngest general at age 23) of Nueva Ecija was followed by the civic parade participated by the townspeople and their pretty muses to top of borrowed religious carros,” said a brochure prepared by KFI for distribution to guests at the mansion tomorrow.
It said that “this was the first and perhaps last celebration of the fledgling republic-on-the-run, relentlessly pursued by the American imperialists.” The pursuit led to the capture of Aguinaldo in Palanan, Isabela on March 23, 1901.
KFI quoted local historian Daniel Dizon noting that after Malolos, Bulacan was overcome by Americans in March 1899, Luna moved the army revolutionary headquarters from San Fernando, Pampanga to the Pamintuan mansion.
It was also on the first floor of the mansion that Luna edited the newspaper “La Independencia”.
After the Filipino-American war, the mansion was also used as headquarters by Maj. Gen. Arthur MacArthur up to 1901, and as quarters for the elite Japanese Kamikaze pilots during the Second World War.
In the 1960’s the house was bought by the Tablante family which later donated it to the government as a historical landmark. The Angeles City Historical and Cultural committee, with Dizon as vice president, initiated efforts to rehabilitate the mansion and make it the center of Independence Day commemoration in this city with the support of the National Historical Institute.
