First Philippine Republic

The Philippine Republic (Spanish: República Filipina), more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived insurgent revolutionary government in the Philippines. It was formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 23, 1899 in Malolos, Bulacan,^{[Note 1]} and endured until the capture and surrender of Emilio Aguinaldo to the American forces on March 23, 1901 in Palanan, Isabela, which effectively dissolved the First Republic.

The establishment of the Philippine Republic was the culmination of the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule. Independence was declared on June 12, 1898.^[1] A dictatorial government headed by Emilio Aguinaldo was proclaimed on 18 June, and replaced on 23 June by a revolutionary government, also headed by Aguinaldo.^[2][3] The Malolos Congress convened on 15 September, and produced the Malolos Constitution.^[4] That constitution was proclaimed on 22 January 1899, transforming the government into what is known today as the First Philippine Republic, with Aguinaldo as its president.^[5] In the meantime, on December 10, 1898, the Treaty of Paris had been signed, ending the Spanish-American War. Article 3 of the treaty transferred the Philippines from Spain to the United States.^[6]

The Philippine–American War then ensued. Aguinaldo was captured by U.S. forces on March 23, 1901 and swore an oath accepting the authority of the United States over the Philippines and pledging his allegiance to the American government. On April 19, he issued a Proclamation of Formal Surrender to the United States, telling his followers to lay down their weapons and give up the fight, effectively ending the First Philippine Republic.^[7] Subsequently, the U.S. continued its annexation of the islands pursuant to the Treaty of Paris.^[6][8] The Philippines was under US sovereignty until 1946, when formal independence was granted by the Treaty of Manila.^[9]

History

The First Philippine Republic was formed after the Philippine Declaration of Independence and the events of the collapse of the Spanish rule over the Philippines. It adopted the Constitución Política de la República Filipina, drawn up by the Philippine Constitutional Convention in the Barasoain Church in Malolos in 1899 to replace the dictatorial government set up by the Pact of Biak-na-Bato on July 7, 1897. The constitution was approved by delegates to the Assembly of Representatives on January 20, 1899, and sanctioned by Aguinaldo the next day.^[5] The convention earlier elected Aguinaldo president on January 1, 1899, leading to his inauguration on January 23.

Considering that the Philippine-American War which was to soon follow the adoption of the constitution would prevent the legislature from meeting, and considering that the government was not to survive that war, three parts of the constitution which effectively gave the President Aguinaldo unrestricted power to rule by decree are of particular interest.^{[Note 2]}

In 1899, after the Malolos Constitution was ratified, the Universidad Literia de Filipinas was established in Malolos, Bulacan. It offered Law as well as Medicine, Surgery and Notary Public; Academia Militar which was established on October 25, 1898; and The Instituto Burgos, an exclusive school for boys.

Philippine–American War

Tensions remained during the Philippine–American War. Aguinaldo and his men fled to Northern Luzón, trying to resist the American forces declaring the proclamation of independence on June 12, 1898 with the preliminary statement inclusive of the Luzon and Visayas, with the exception of Mindanao and Sulu being independent sovereign states, and as being allies against American encroachment.

Following his capture at Palanan, Isabela, Aguinaldo, on April 1, 1901, announced allegiance to the United States, formally ending the First Republic and recognizing the sovereignty of the United States over the Philippines.

However, Macario Sakay y de León continued resistance against the United States following the official American declaration of the war's end in 1902 and assumed the presidency of the proclaimed First Philippine Republic, becoming its second unofficial president until he was arrested, convicted as a bandit and hanged by the U.S. military in 1907.

Cabinet

Notes

References