Francisco Macabulos

Francisco Macabulos (September 17, 1871-April 30, 1922) was a Filipino patriot who led Katipunan revolutionary forces during the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896.

He was born in La Paz, Tarlac to Alejandro Macabulos of Lubao, Pampanga and Gregoria Soliman. He organized the first Katipunan group there after he was inducted into the secret society by Ladislao Diwa in 1896. When the revolution broke out in 1898, he liberated Tarlac and established town councils in areas he liberted.

Macabulos refused to honor the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, which called for a truce with the Spanish colonial government, and continued operations in Central Luzon. But on January 14, 1898, he disbanded his troops and accepted amnesty after receiving P14,000 as part of Spanish reparations to Filipino revolutionaries. Macabulos distributed the money to his men.

However, he resumed operations against the Spanish and on April 17, 1898, an assembly of citizens representing the town councils Macabulos established, calling themselves representatives of Central Luzon, met and drafted a provisional constitution. They created a government that was to exist until a revolutionary government is established. Macabulos' government was headed by a general executive committee, consisting of a president, vice president, secretary of interior, secretary of war and a secretary of the treasury.

Macabulos dissolved his government after the First Philippine Republic was created by the Malolos Constitution, which he also signed. He also led his men to free nearby provinces, like Pangasinan where he led revolutionists in the Battle of Dagupan.

References

• National Historical Institute, Filipinos in History 5 vols. (Manila: National Historical Institute, 1995)
• Dizon, Lino L. Francisco Makabulos Soliman: A Biographical Study of a Local Revolutionary Hero (Tarlac, Tarlac: Center for Tarlaqueño Studies, 1994)
• Kalaw, Maximo M. The Development of Philippine Politics (Manila, Oriental Commercial Co. Inc., 1922)