Today in History : March 28th

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1901: General Emilio Aguinaldo arrives in Manila on the Vicksburg from Palanan, Isabela, a prisoner of Colonel Frederick Funston.

1907: Governor James F. Smith certifies that since the publication of the Philippine Census in 1905 there have been no serious disturbances of the public order save those committed by outlaws and religious fanatics and that the great mass of the Filipinos have been “law-abiding, peaceful and loyal to the United States.” The President of the United States is then formally requested to authorize the Philippine Commission to call a general election to choose delegates to the Philippine Assembly.

1946: Manuel A. Roxas is reported to have declared in Cebu that there is danger of revolution after independence if the people’s faith in the government is undermined.

Today in History : March 25th

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1986: President Aquino organizes a revolutionary government and issues the Freedom Constitution to replace the one tailored in 1973 for Marcos. The Freedom Constitution is to remain in effect until a new constitution can be written and ratified.

1901: General Aguinaldo says farewell to his men, through his nephew, Tomas Magsarili, “This afternoon we will board the American cruiser Vicksburg, which will cast anchor here at Sabang. Villa is wounded; Santos and I are not … What happened to me, though somewhat bad, will be transformed into something that will redound to the welfare of the Motherland…”

1990: The International Airport at Laoag, Ilocos Norte, reopens. It had been closed after the EDSA revolution to bar Marcos' return.

Today in History : March 24th

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1891: Birth of Mons. Gabriel M. Reyes. Gabriel is the Archbishop of Manila from 1949 to 1952. He entered St. Vicent Ferrer Seminary in Jaro, during the time of Bishop Frederick Rooker. He was ordained a priest on March 27, 1915. He established parochial schools and published the officer newspaper, Diaro-Kanbuhi Sar Banua. In 1920 he became Chancellor of Jaro, then vicar-general, later appointed the first Filipino Archbishop of Cebu in 1934. He was installed Archbishop of Manila on October 14, 1949, the first Filipino in the post. Died on October 10, 1952, in Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C.

1901: General Aguinaldo and his two fellow prisoners, Drs. Villa and Barcelona, try to persuade the Macabebe soldiers in charge of giving them food to join them in turning the tables on Funston, but some of the Macabebes refused to cooperate and the plot failed.

1920: Act No. 2922 of the Philippine Legislature (under the Jones Law) entitled “An Act granting a life pension to General Emilio Aguinaldo,” is approved.

1934:  The Tydings-McDuffie Act (officially the Philippine Independence Act; Public Law 73-127)  was approved. Provided for self-government of the Philippines and for Filipino independence (from the United States) after a period of ten years. World War II intervened, bringing the Japanese occupation between 1941 and 1945. In 1946, the Treaty of Manila (1946) between the governments of the U.S. and the Republic of the Philippines provided for the recognition of the independence of the Republic of the Philippines and the relinquishment of American sovereignty over the Philippine Islands.

2001: Roselle Ambubuyog, a blind young lady, tops 2001 Ateneo de Manila graduates as Summa Cum Laude and class valedictorian. Ambubuyog, blinded for 15 years, proven that physical disability is not a hindrance in excelling and in learning. Roselle is the first visually-impaired Filipina to become summa cum laude at the Ateneo de Manila University.

Today in History : March 23rd

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1575: An expedition is sent to Pangasinan under Juan de Salcedo to attack Limahong and his men. In the encounter, the Spaniards are victorious; but, failing to follow up their success, they allow Limahong to sail from Luzon. Lim Hong, also called Lin Feng, was a notorious Chinese pirate.

1863: Birth of Victorino Luciano, pharmacist and one of the 13 martyrs of Cavite. The Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite were patriots in Cavite, Philippines who were executed by mustketry on September 11, 1896, for cooperating with the Katipunan during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. The city of Trece Martires in Cavite is named after them.

1877: Jose Rizal obtains the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila with highest honors. He graduated as one of the nine students in his class declared sobresaliente or outstanding. He continued his education at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila to obtain a land surveyor and assessor's degree, and at the same time at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Arts and Letters where he studied Philosophy and Letters.

1897: Execution of the “Nineteen Martyrs of Aklan.” They are Ramon Aguirre, Tomas Briones, Domingo de la Cruz, Valeriano Dalida, Claro Delgado, Angelo Fernandez, Benito Iban, Candido Iban, Simeon Inocencio, Isidro Jimenez, Gabino Yonsul, Catalino Mangat, Lamberto Mangat, Valeriano Malinda, Maximo Mation, Simplicio Reyes, Canuto Segovia, Gabino Sucgang, Francisco Villorente. The XIX Martyrs of Aklan is annually celebrated as act of commemoration to the heroism of the 19 Martyrs of Aklan who consecrated their lives in the cause of freedom against the colonizers. Under the Republic Act No. 7806, the commemoration of the XIX Martyrs of Aklan is a Special Public Holiday for the whole province.

1901: Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo is captured by General Frederick Funston and his troops and Macabebes in Palanan, Isabela. The Americans pretended to be prisoners of some Filipino mercenaries and thus gained access to the Filipino camp. Once Funston and his “captors” entered Aguinaldo's camp, they immediately fell upon the guards and quickly overwhelmed them and the weary Aguinaldo. However, sporadic insurgent resistance continued in various parts of the Philippines, especially in the Muslim south, until 1913.

Today in History : March 22nd

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1521: The Filipinos return to Homonhon, an island in the province of Eastern Samar on the west side of Leyte Gulf witch is about 20 km long. bringing with them two boats heavily laden with coconuts, oranges, palm wine, and a rooster. Accompanying the Filipinos is their chieftain. His face is tattooed and he wears gold earrings and bracelets and a cotton skirt hemmed with silk tassels. His weapons are made of bronze generously mixed with tin alloys. His shield, javelin, and dagger are laid with gold. His appearance convinces the Spaniards that the Filipinos have attained a considerable degree of civilization and much wealth.

1863: Birth of Mariano Ponce in Baliwag, Bulacan where he completed his primary education. He later enrolled at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and took up medicine at the University of Santo Tomas. In 1881, he traveled to Spain to continue his medical studies at the Unversidad Central de Madrid. Mariano Ponce was a Filipino physician who was one of the leaders of the Propaganda Movement, that founded the Philippine Revolution. He died on May 23, 1918.

1869: Birth of Emilio Aguinaldo. Emilio was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader of Chinese and Spanish descent. He played an instrumental role in Philippine independence during the Philippine Revolution against Spain and the Philippine-American War that resisted American occupation. He eventually pledged his allegiance to the US government. Aguinaldo is considered to be the country's first and the youngest Philippine President and also the longest living Philippine President. Died on February 6, 1964.

1897: The Tejeros Convention proclaims the Republic of the Philippines. The newly elected officials are Emilio Aguinaldo, President; Mariano Trias, Vice-President; Artemio Ricarte, Captain-General; Emilio Riego de Dios, Director of War; and Andres Bonifacio, Director of the Interior.

1901: General Leandro Fullon surrenders to Major Scott of the United States Army, through the mediation of General Delgado, Cornelio Meliza, and others.

1915: Frank W. Carpenter, governor of Mindanao, negotiates a formal agreement with Jamalul Kiram II, Sultan of Jolo, whereby the latter gives up his political right as ruler and retains only his position as spiritual head of the Muslims. In return, the Sultan is granted an annual pension of P12,000 and some lands in Jolo. The abolition of the Sultanate does not do away with Sultan’s line of succession.

Today in History : March 21st

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1568: Rajah Tupas, of Cebu, is converted to the Catholic religion. At the age of 70, he is baptized by Father Diego Herrera, Augustinian, and receives the name of Felipe, in honor of King Philip II. Rajah Tupas was the Rajah (King) of Cebu in the Philippines. He was the son of Sri Parang the Limp, and the nephew of Rajah Humabon.

1901: The Department of Public Instruction, Department of Education,  is created. It proposes the establishment of public schools in every town in the islands, a normal school and a trade school at Manila, and an agricultural school.

1942: General Jonathan Wainwright takes over the command of the U.S. forces in the Philippines. Jonathan Mayhew "Skinny" Wainwright IV was a career American army officer and the commander of Allied forces in the Philippines at the time of their surrender to the Empire of Japan during World War II. Wainwright is a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

1946: After reviewing the decision of the military commission in Manila which sentenced Lieutenant-General Masaharu Homma to death by firing squad, General Douglas MacArthur orders Lieutenant –General W.D. Styer to carry out the verdict.

1958: General Aguinaldo, as guest of an American naval officer, rides a helicopter to witness “Operations Bulwark One,” a set of naval exercises by the combined U.S. and Philippine naval units off Corregidor.

Today in History : March 14th

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1872: Jose Maria Basa, Antonio Maria Regidor, Balbino Mauricio, Ramon Maurente, Maximo Paterno, Father of Jose Maria Guevara, Father Agustin Mendoza, Feliciano Gomez, Pedro Dandan, Anacleto Desiderio, Miguel Lara, Miguel Rodriguez, Miguel Fernandez, Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, Pio Maria Basa, Father Mariano Sevilla, and others, sail on board the Flores de Maria bound for the Marianas islands to serve their prison terms for complicity in the Cavite Uprising.

1898: From Malolos Don Pedro A. Paterno replies to General Aguinaldo’s letter stating that he did not consent to the division of the P200,000 received from the Spanish Government by the revolutionary leaders left behind in Biyak-na-Bato. He says that he arrived in Manila from Hongkong on January 11, 1898 and learned that the money had been divided by the leaders on December 29, 1897.

1899: General Otis reports to the Adjutant-General in Washington that General Wheaton has attacked a large force of “the enemy” with heavy losses on the “Filipino” side. Other dispatches state that “fierce opposition” was offered by the Filipinos. Major Grant is ordered to take one of the gunboats and destroy all the vessels in Laguna de Bay.

1901: General Mariano Trias surrenders to the Americans in Santa Cruz de Malabon, Cavite. Mariano Trías y Closas is considered to be the first de facto Philippine Vice President of that revolutionary government established at the Tejeros Convention - an assembly of Philippine revolutionary leaders that elected officials of the revolutionary movement against the colonial government of Spain.

Today in History : March 10th

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1583: Death of Governor-General Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, founder of Nueva Caceres in 1582. His first official action was to order Manila to become Philippines's political and economic capital in 1582. That same year, he established the Palacio del Gobernador (Governor's Palace) in Intramuros, Manila to integrate all governmental activities in the Philippines.

1785: The Real Compañia de Filipinas is established with a capital stock of P8,000,000 in 32,000 shares of P250 each. Its chief objective is to open commercial relations among the different colonies of Spain.

1820: King Ferdinand VII issues his famous manifesto proclaiming the re-establishment of the Cortes and the restoration of the Constitution of 1812.

1869: Birth of Macario Adriatico, lawyer, legislator, orator, scholar, journalist, and editor of La Independencia, in Calapan, Mindoro. He also helped liberate Romblon from the colonizers, and became Comandante de Estado Mayor of the Filipino Army in Panay at the dawn of the Filipino-American War until 1901. As a writer, Adriatico had contributed many of his works to several publications, and edited the Partido Conservador's Diario de Filipinos in 1907. Died on April 14, 1919.

1892: The lodge Nilad, which was established by Pedro Serrano Laktaw and Antonio Luna, is recognized by the Gran Oriente Español, the Spanish mother lodge.

1899: The U.S. transport Grant, with Major-General Henry Lawton, the Fourth Infantry, and a battalion of the Seventeenth Infantry aboard, arrives in Manila. The Council of Government agrees with the Permanent Commission of Congress to establish a Supreme Court in the capital of the Republic “because the cases are pilling up for lack of judges to try them.”

1900: President Emilio Aguinaldo issues a proclamation making it “a grave crime against the sovereignty of the Philippine Republic” for friars and other foreign priests, illegally holding ecclesiastical office of the Philippines, to ask the government of the U.S., at war with the Philippine Republic, to re-establish the ecclesiastical order that existed in the country before the Revolution.

1901: Don Isabelo de los Reyes’ periodical, Filipinas Ante Europa, publishes General Emilio Aguinaldo’s general order regulating the exchange of prisoners of war with the Americans and treating as traitors the partisans of the Federal party.

1917: Batangas was formally founded as one of the Philippines's earliest encomiendas. Batangas is one of the most popular tourist destinations near Metro Manila. The province has many beaches and famous for excellent diving spots only a few hours away from Manila. Some of the more notable ones are Anilao in the Municipality of Mabini, Matabungkay in the Municipality of Lian, Punta Fuego in the Municipality of Nasugbu, the Municipality of Calatagan and Laiya in the Municipality of San Juan.

1947: President Manuel A. Roxas narrowly escapes death during a “Parity” rally at Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila. Julio C. Guillen, a barber, hurls a hand grenade on the platform immediately after the President delivers a speech.

Today in History : March 8th

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1565: Felipe Salcedo takes possession of the island of Leyte. Felipe de Salcedo was a Spanish explorer who was a member of the López de Legazpi expedition to the Philippines in the 16th century. He accompanied his brother Juan de Salcedo and grandfather Miguel López de Legazpi in 1564 for their colonization of the East Indies and the Pacific. He commanded 1 ship, out of 5 fleets that sailed from Mexico to the Philippines.

1860: Birth of Antonio San Agustin, businessman, one of the “Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite,” in San Roque, Cavite. Antonio was a scion of a wealthy family. He studied at Letran College and University of Santo Tomas. He was married to Juliana Reyes. He owned the only bookstore, La Aurora, in the town which was used as a meetingplace by the Katipunan. Died on September 12, 1896.

1897: The Bishop of Vigan designates Fray J. Florentino Fernandez, a Dominican, the first Parish priest of Peñablanca, Cagayan.

1899: A citizenship certificate is made obligatory for all those holding official posts, entering into public or private contracts, registering and collecting remittances, salaries and pensions.

1901: From Palanan, President Emilio Aguinaldo instructs Apolinario Mabini to thank General Arthur MacArthur on his (Aguinaldo’s) behalf for the invitation extended to him to live in Malacañang Palace and to say that the Filipinos who have taken up arms have no other desire except Philippine independence.

1904: Artemio Ricarte y Garcia and an old friend, Aurelio Tolentino, write a long letter to Governor Wright setting forth their aspirations: the founding of a Filipino Republic.

1947: President Manuel Roxas, foremost leader of the Liberal Party, leaves for the southern provinces to campaign for the acceptance of the Parity Rights Bill.