History and common stories
Published Jun 8, 2019 06:18 pm
By Ellson Quismorio
On June 12, Filipinos will once again commemorate the declaration of Philippine independence – the day the Philippine flag was proudly unfurled for the first time at the ancestral home of General Emilio Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite, accompanied by the playing of the Lupang Hinirang by a marching band.
FATHER OF PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION – The Bonifacio Shrine beside the Manila City Hall serves as a reminder of the heroic acts of Andres Bonifacio, one of the founders of the Katipunan – a movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spain. The Tondo-born Bonifacio is often called the ‘Father of Philippine Revolution’ for issuing the call to begin a revolution despite warnings that it was foolish to launch a revolution without arms or the support of the wealthy. (Jansen Romero)
If you read that paragraph without raising an eyebrow, then a common misconception about the Philippine flag just flew over your head.
The flag as we know now wasn't first unfurled during Aguinaldo's declaration of our independence on June 12, 1898.
According to history, that actually took place two weeks earlier, on May 28, 1898, during the Battle of Alapan which was the general's first military victory upon his return from his exile in Hong Kong.
In fact, we celebrate Flag Day on May 28 because of this battle.
But why confuse the first unfurling of the flag during the Cavite event?
One may attribute it to the "Mandela Effect" wherein people just falsely remember a detail of a certain event even as that event was repeatedly told and retold throughout the decades.
In this regard, the assumption that the flag was first unveiled during the declaration of Philippine independence is no different from claiming that Rick Blaine uttered the famous line "Play it again, Sam" in the movie Casablanca (when the actual quote from Humphrey Bogart's character is simply "Play it!"), or that Star Trek's Captain Kirk said "Beam me up, Scotty" word for word at least once in the original TV series (he never did).
Perhaps, in retrospect, the debut of the Philippine flag made more sense in our minds during the declaration
of Independence than any other event.
Wasn't there even a famous Fernando Amorsolo painting depicting the making of that particular flag in Hong Kong by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herboza?
If anything, the history books we read growing up closely linked the iconic sewing of the red-white-blue emblem with the declaration of independence, not with the Battle of Alapan.
Andres Bonifacio
Here's another misconception, this time about the Father of the Philippine Revolution himself, Andres Bonifacio.
If you thought that "The Great Plebeian" was just as well-photographed as his contemporary Dr. Jose Rizal given the different images that we've seen of the former throughout the years, you are wrong.
There's only one confirmed image of Bonifacio in existence, one wherein he is facing his right, in three-quarter view.
It is in lithograph form, badly faded, and kept at the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, Spain, according to the Presidential Museum and Library website.
This means that all other images and portrayals of the Katipunan's "Supremo" — the five-peso banknote where he is facing left; the octagonal two-peso coin with his head in side-view; his statues in Monumento, Caloocan City and in Divisoria, Manila as well as a handful of engravings and drawings – are all derivatives (and subject to liberties) from this one source. Once you've seen the lithograph then you've basically seen all pictures of Bonifacio.
Youngest Pinoy general
Last year's Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral historical flick may have ingrained Gregorio del Pilar as the youngest general of the revolution to most casual viewers.
Seeing the boyish Paulo Avelino in the starring role, who could blame them?
Actually, the title of "youngest general of the Philippine Revolutionary Army" doesn't belong to Del Pilar, but to someone else who was mentioned in the movie: Manuel Tinio. Tinio, who hailed from Nueva Ecija, was a tender 20 year old when he was made Brigadier General on November 20, 1897.
According to the Philippine History and Architecture website, by comparison, everybody's favorite Goyo was just a 22-year-old Lt. Colonel at that time.
Brains of the Katipunan
Meanwhile, the title of "Brains of the Katipunan" could also be a contentious matter.
Top of mind, Apolinario Mabini could be the most common revolutionary identified with it.
Perhaps it is his seemingly calm demeanor, the suits that he usually portrayed wear, and his being a constitutional adviser that gives Mabini this default distinction.
In fact, in the 1990 comedy film Michael and Madonna, it felt very acceptable for Ogie Alcasid's character to declare that the polio-stricken lawyer was the "Utak ng Katipunan" during a classroom recitation scene.
Only, it's Gen. Emilio Jacinto – Bonifacio's fiscal adviser and secretary – who officially owns the Brains of the Katipunan tag, not Mabini.
The confusion may be due to the latter's designation in our history books as the "Brains of the Revolution," and not just the Katipunan.
However, there are those who argue that Jacinto should be elevated to Mabini's title.
National Hero
The most jarring misconception of all regarding Philippine Revolution figures probably has to do with our national hero, Rizal. Or, to be more accurate, just plain Rizal.
As per the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), no law, executive order or proclamation has ever been enacted or issued officially proclaiming any Filipino historical figure as a national hero, and this includes the great Rizal.
Sampaguita and Narra
By this metric, the Sampaguita flower and the Narra tree technically have more lawful claim to being national symbols than any de facto Filipino hero since two Commonwealth-era Executive Proclamations have explicitly declared them as the national flower and national tree, respectively.
Governor-General Frank Murphy handed down both declarations in February 1934.
Even the Philippine Eagle, declared as the national bird through Proclamation no.615 by President Fidel Ramos in 1995, has one-upped Rizal in this regard.
Says the NCCA on the national hero debacle: “Heroes, according to historians, should not be legislated. Their appreciation should be better left to academics. Acclamation for heroes, they felt, would be recognition enough.”
Do you agree?
FATHER OF PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION – The Bonifacio Shrine beside the Manila City Hall serves as a reminder of the heroic acts of Andres Bonifacio, one of the founders of the Katipunan – a movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spain. The Tondo-born Bonifacio is often called the ‘Father of Philippine Revolution’ for issuing the call to begin a revolution despite warnings that it was foolish to launch a revolution without arms or the support of the wealthy. (Jansen Romero)
If you read that paragraph without raising an eyebrow, then a common misconception about the Philippine flag just flew over your head.
The flag as we know now wasn't first unfurled during Aguinaldo's declaration of our independence on June 12, 1898.
According to history, that actually took place two weeks earlier, on May 28, 1898, during the Battle of Alapan which was the general's first military victory upon his return from his exile in Hong Kong.
In fact, we celebrate Flag Day on May 28 because of this battle.
But why confuse the first unfurling of the flag during the Cavite event?
One may attribute it to the "Mandela Effect" wherein people just falsely remember a detail of a certain event even as that event was repeatedly told and retold throughout the decades.
In this regard, the assumption that the flag was first unveiled during the declaration of Philippine independence is no different from claiming that Rick Blaine uttered the famous line "Play it again, Sam" in the movie Casablanca (when the actual quote from Humphrey Bogart's character is simply "Play it!"), or that Star Trek's Captain Kirk said "Beam me up, Scotty" word for word at least once in the original TV series (he never did).
Perhaps, in retrospect, the debut of the Philippine flag made more sense in our minds during the declaration
of Independence than any other event.
Wasn't there even a famous Fernando Amorsolo painting depicting the making of that particular flag in Hong Kong by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herboza?
If anything, the history books we read growing up closely linked the iconic sewing of the red-white-blue emblem with the declaration of independence, not with the Battle of Alapan.
Andres Bonifacio
Here's another misconception, this time about the Father of the Philippine Revolution himself, Andres Bonifacio.
If you thought that "The Great Plebeian" was just as well-photographed as his contemporary Dr. Jose Rizal given the different images that we've seen of the former throughout the years, you are wrong.
There's only one confirmed image of Bonifacio in existence, one wherein he is facing his right, in three-quarter view.
It is in lithograph form, badly faded, and kept at the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, Spain, according to the Presidential Museum and Library website.
This means that all other images and portrayals of the Katipunan's "Supremo" — the five-peso banknote where he is facing left; the octagonal two-peso coin with his head in side-view; his statues in Monumento, Caloocan City and in Divisoria, Manila as well as a handful of engravings and drawings – are all derivatives (and subject to liberties) from this one source. Once you've seen the lithograph then you've basically seen all pictures of Bonifacio.
Youngest Pinoy general
Last year's Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral historical flick may have ingrained Gregorio del Pilar as the youngest general of the revolution to most casual viewers.
Seeing the boyish Paulo Avelino in the starring role, who could blame them?
Actually, the title of "youngest general of the Philippine Revolutionary Army" doesn't belong to Del Pilar, but to someone else who was mentioned in the movie: Manuel Tinio. Tinio, who hailed from Nueva Ecija, was a tender 20 year old when he was made Brigadier General on November 20, 1897.
According to the Philippine History and Architecture website, by comparison, everybody's favorite Goyo was just a 22-year-old Lt. Colonel at that time.
Brains of the Katipunan
Meanwhile, the title of "Brains of the Katipunan" could also be a contentious matter.
Top of mind, Apolinario Mabini could be the most common revolutionary identified with it.
Perhaps it is his seemingly calm demeanor, the suits that he usually portrayed wear, and his being a constitutional adviser that gives Mabini this default distinction.
In fact, in the 1990 comedy film Michael and Madonna, it felt very acceptable for Ogie Alcasid's character to declare that the polio-stricken lawyer was the "Utak ng Katipunan" during a classroom recitation scene.
Only, it's Gen. Emilio Jacinto – Bonifacio's fiscal adviser and secretary – who officially owns the Brains of the Katipunan tag, not Mabini.
The confusion may be due to the latter's designation in our history books as the "Brains of the Revolution," and not just the Katipunan.
However, there are those who argue that Jacinto should be elevated to Mabini's title.
National Hero
The most jarring misconception of all regarding Philippine Revolution figures probably has to do with our national hero, Rizal. Or, to be more accurate, just plain Rizal.
As per the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), no law, executive order or proclamation has ever been enacted or issued officially proclaiming any Filipino historical figure as a national hero, and this includes the great Rizal.
Sampaguita and Narra
By this metric, the Sampaguita flower and the Narra tree technically have more lawful claim to being national symbols than any de facto Filipino hero since two Commonwealth-era Executive Proclamations have explicitly declared them as the national flower and national tree, respectively.
Governor-General Frank Murphy handed down both declarations in February 1934.
Even the Philippine Eagle, declared as the national bird through Proclamation no.615 by President Fidel Ramos in 1995, has one-upped Rizal in this regard.
Says the NCCA on the national hero debacle: “Heroes, according to historians, should not be legislated. Their appreciation should be better left to academics. Acclamation for heroes, they felt, would be recognition enough.”
Do you agree?