A long forgotten part of our country’s history was discovered last year 2017 from an old mansion in Bacoor, Cavite. The old mansion aka the Bahay na Tisa was like our 1st Malacanan Palace, a place for the 1st leader of the Philippines to do office and finalize the proof of document for the freedom of our country, we thought that the Philippines’ Independence Day was on June 12, 1898, but the real deal is that the official is on August 1, 1898.
It was mentioned in some books and historians know about the August 1 - Bacoor Assembly, its about the gathering of 190 mayors or municipal presidents from different cities in the Philippines, as ordered by our 1st President - General Emilio Aguinaldo to go to Bacoor, Cavite to personally read and approve the Acta de la Proclamacion de la Independencia del Pueblo, presented by Apolinario Mabini, which later on declared on the spot for the town folks to understand that this is the real freedom.
So what happened last June 12, 1898 ?
The Act of the Declaration of Independence was not signed, was not approved, but they did a dramatic event by waving the Philippine National Flag in a balcony of Aguinaldo’s home in Kawit, Cavite. So they re-review again and seek the help of Apolinario Mabini to make a new draft of “Acta”. Why not yet signed and approved? -- answer is that, the Americans still rule and they are involved in making the first Acta, means that there's no totally freedom given.
How did they discover it? Bacoor Tourism was on the move last year to do an audit of the history and culture of the Bacoor people, then they read a piece of written history about the Bacoor Assembly, after taking a look at it , they learned that there’s something really important that needs to be researched, with the help of the Bacoor Mayor - Lani Mercado-Revilla, they started a collaboration with historians, the present owner of the Bahay na Tisa and relatives of Aguinaldo to showcase this discovery to the town folks and request to add this important event to our knowledge and also new history books in the future.
“This piece of history has been set aside and forgotten, which is unfortunate as it plays a significant part in the birth of our nation. We hope to shed light on this legacy, and honor it not just as Bacoorenos, but more importantly, as Filipinos.”
- Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado Revilla
Blogger commentary:
I attended the press conference and I learned that they didn’t want to disregard the events from June 12, but they want to add the Bacoor Assembly as one of the important events that we should celebrate.
City of Government of Bacoor launched a campaign last August 6, 2018 to promote the Bacoor Assembly and its historical importance, they launched a book - Proclamation, Philippine Independence: The Truth About August 1, 1898 Bacoor Assembly - authoured by Dr. Emmanuel Franco Calairo, PhD, a professor of History in De La Salle University-Dasmariñas.
Launched with the book is an upcoming documentary film - Agosto Uno: Kasaysayang Nakalimutan, The 30-minute documentary film was produced by the City Government of Bacoor together with Wilma Galvante’s team for the production and was directed by Nico Faustino. The Cavite Vice governor Jolo Revilla starred as Emilio Aguinaldo and Best Supporting Actor awardee Christian Bables as Apolinario Mabini.
The book and short film was published and produced as a project of the City Tourism Development Office of the City Government of Bacoor, Province of Cavite led by Mayor Lani Mercado Revilla.
I got a chance to attend the first event of the Bacoor Assembly last 2017, you can watch my vlog about my visit at the Bacoor Plaza to witness the re-launch and also re-enactment of the activities from August 1, 1898 done by Aguinaldo, Mabini and 100+ municipal mayors.
Last August 1, 2018, A marker was launched at the Plaza de Mariano Gomez and was led by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III as guest speaker and Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla, City Mayor of Bacoor, together with other provincial and local officials, including the province’s various historical groups and advocate
Here’s the info written at the marker
The book is not yet for sale, but once they finish the 2nd printing, it will be available soon in leading bookstore, but for now the 1st batch of the book will be distributed in some school in Bacoor, Cavite and you can also visit the Bacoor Library to read and borrow it.
I have a copy of the book at home, just ask me if you want to borrow it, but make sure you return it to me after reading it -- just email me if you are interested.
The Bahay na Tisa
This old mansion served as the venue for developing the Acta de la Proclamacion de la Independencia del Pueblo
Its a private property and the owners didn’t want to open it for the public.
But there are already plans that a Bacoor Museum will be open on 2019 or 2020, the old municipal hall near the Bacoor Church will be converted as the Bacoor Museum, so we have to wait more years for the completion of the museum.
Cavite Vice governor Jolo Revilla as Emilio Aguinaldo and Best Supporting Actor awardee Christian Bables as Apolinario Mabini in a 30 minute documentary film about the Bacoor Assembly
The photos posted here in my blog are screenshots from the documentary film, A copy of the docu film will soon be posted online -- just check the City Government of Bacoor Facebook Page or its Youtube Channel for the docu film
-- but if you want to watch it, I have a medium resolution copy in a USB that I can share it to you.
I know that some of you might agree or disagree with this, but there’s proof already about the real Philippines independence, but we are not being forced to abandon June 12, we are being informed that we should not forget the August 1 event. This might not be celebrated yet for nationwide scale, but inch by inch, The Bacoor officials are doing their best to send a message that we should add the Bacoor Assembly to our nation’s history.
