Articles and Essays

    "Liberty or death" was the battlecry of the Father of the Philippine Revolution and the Supreme Founder of the Katipunan, who was none other than Andres Bonifacio. Andres Bonifacio was born in Tondo,Manila on Novenber 30, 1863. He was the son of Santiago Bonifacio and Catalina de Castro.

    Being orphaned at age 14,Andres was tasked to take care of his other siblings, named Ciriaco, Procopio, Troadio, Esperidiona and Maxima.He sold canes and paper fans. He was employed at Fleming and Co. and after that, he worked at Fressel and Company.

    Because of poverty, Andres never made it to college. He learned to read and write under the supervision of her aunt and he finished elementary education in a public school. Andres was a wide reader. He read La Solidaridad, Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, Les Miserables, History of the French Revolution, Lives of the Presidents of the United States, The Wandering Jew, and The Ruins of Palmyra. These books aroused his nationalism and he eventually joined the La Liga Filipina. However, he had more radical ideas than that of other members, which included Rizal. When La Liga ceased its operations, he established the Katipunan on July 7, 1892.

    When the secret of the organization was exposed, Bonifacio and his men started the Revolution of 1896. On August 26, they tore their poll taxes and waved their red flag as a sign of the start of the Revolution.

    Because of a misunderstanding when the meeting was held at Tejeros in 1897, Bonifacio formed a new government. Because of this, his power-hungry opponents, who did not really embody the true ideals of the Revolution, captured him and tried him. He and his brother Procopio were sentenced to be executed at Mount Buntis in Maragondon, Cavite on May 10, 1897.

By: Rommel U. Reyes

Source: Kasaysayan at Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ni Agno,Cristobal,Juanico, Libunao, at Tadena.

1. Mahalin mo ang Diyos nang buong puso.
2. Laging isaisip na ang pagmamahal sa Diyos ay pagmamahal din sa iyong kapwa.
3. Itanim sa iyong puso na ang tunay na sukatan ng karangalan at kaligayahan ay ang mamatay para sa kalayaan ng iyong bayan.
4. Ang lahat ng iyong magagandang hangarin ay magtatagumpay kung ikaw ay may kapayapaan, patwiran at paniniwala sa iyong mga kilos at gawain.
5. Ipagtanggol ang mga kautusan at layunin ng Katipunan tulad ng pagtatanggol sa iyong karangalan.
6. Pananagutan ng lahat na iligtas, sukdang manganib ang kanilang buhay at kayamanan, ang sinumang malalagay sa malaking panganib sa pagtupad sa kanyang tungkulin.
7. Ang ating pananagutan sa ating sarili at ang pagtupad ng ating mga tungkulinay magsisilbing huwaran ng ating mga kababayan.
8. Hanggang makakaya mo, ibahagi ang iyong kayamanan sa mga mahihirap at kapuspalad.
9. Ang pagsisikap sa gawaing nagbibigay ng iyong ikinabubuhay ay ang tunay na batayan ng pagmamahal- pagmamahal sa iyong sarili, sa iyong asawa at mag anak at saiyong kapatid at kababayan.
10. Parusahan ang sinumang buhong at taksil at purihin ang lahat ng mabubuting gawa. Gayon din, paniwalaan na ang layunin ng Katipunan ay kaloob ng Diyos, dahil ang kalooban ng taong-bayan ay kalooban din ng Diyos.

    Ginawa ni: Rommel Reyes BSCS UP-Manila

    Sanggunian: Kasaysayan at Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ni Agno, Cristobal, Juanico, Libunao, at Tadena.

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1. Ang Buhay na hindi inilaan sa isang dakila at banal na layuni ay tulad ng isang punong walang lilim kundi man ng isang nakalalasong damo.
2. Ang isang mabuting gawa na isinasagawa para sa pansariling kapakinabangan at hindi dahil sa hangaring makagawa ng mabuti ay hindi kagandahang-loob.
3. Ang tunay na kadakilaan ay nakasalalay sa pagiging mapagkawanggawa, sa pagmamahal sa kapwa-tao at sa pag-aakma ng bawat kilos, gawa at pananalita sa tunay na hangarin.
4. Ang lahat ng tao ay pantay-pantay, maging ang kulay ng kanyang balat ay itim o puti. Maaring ang isang tao'y nakahihigit sa iba pang tao sa talino, yaman at ganda, subalit hindi siay nakahihigit bilang isang tao.
5. Ang taong marangal ay minamabuti ang karangalan kaysa pansariling kapakanan; ang isang taong buhong ay minamabuti ang pansariling kapakanan kaysa karangalan.
6. Sa isang taong may kahihiyan, ang kaniyang salita'y di-nalalabag.
7. Huwag sayangin ang panahon; ang yamang nawala ay maaari pang mabawi, subalit ang lumipas na panahon ay hindi na kailanman maibabalik.
8. Ipagtanggol ang naaapi at labanan ang nang-aapi.
9. Ang isang matalinong tao ay lubhang maingat sa kanyang pagsasalita at marunong magtago ng lihim.
10. Sa masalimuot na landas ng buhay, ang lalaki ang patnubay ng kanyang asawa at mga anak; kung ang pumapatnubay ay gumawa ng kasamaan ang kanyang pinapatnubay ay gayon din ang patutunguhan.
11. Ituring ang babae hindi tulad sa isang bagay na palipasan ng oras, kundi bilang isan katulong at kasama samga paghihirap sa buhay. Igalang siya sa kanyang kahinaan at alalahanin ang inang nagsilang sa iyo sa daigdig na ito, at nag-aruga sa iyo saiyong kamusmusan.
12. Ang ayaw mong gawin sa iyong asawa, at kapatid ay huwag mong gawin sa asawa, anak at kapatid ng iba.
13. Ang kadakilaan ng isang tao ay hindi nakasalalay sapagiging isang hari, ni sa katangusan ng ilong at kaputian ng balat, ni sa pagiging pari na kumakatwan sa Diyos, ni sa mataas na kalagayan sa lipunan, kundi sa kanyang pagiging malinis at marangal na bagama't isnilang sa kagubatan, ay nagtataglay ng mabuting pag-uugali't tapat sa kanyang salita; may dangal; hindi nang-aapi o tumutulong sa nang-aapi; at marunong magmahal sa bayang sinilangan.

    Ginawa ni: Rommel U. Reyes

    BSCS UP-Manila Sanggunian: Kasaysayan at Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ni Agno, Cristobal, Juanico, Libunao,at Tadena.

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    Before I entered college, my knowledge of Philippine Revolution was very shallow. I knew it was an important part of our history but I was a bit ashamed at it. To me, it was just a failed attempt at liberation because it just changed the oppressor from the Spanish to the Americans and our Independence day was merely allowed by the Americans to satisfy us. Rizal was right and Bonifacio was stupid - in a way, this summed up my view of the events a century ago.

    However, I learned many things since then. The ignorance which clouded my mind was lifted a little and I was able to see the Revolution under a new light. I learned that the Revolution was not just a group of tagalogs led by Bonifacio, claiming to represent the whole nation. In fact it was the entire nation of Tagalogs, the entire Philippine nation, rising up in Luzon, Panay, and Mindanao to free a nation. Also, our Independence was indeed our liberation. The Americans did not win the war for us, as I previously thought. The Filipino people had already taken most of the Philippines, leaving only Manila and a few other cities to the Spanish long before the Americans arrived. And it was a mistake for the Americans and the Spanish signed the treaty of Paris, for Spain was no longer our `owner'. We had our independence and our own government. The Philippines was no longer for Spain to give. And when the Americans did begin their occupation, the Philippines, I now know, did not give in like a student submitting to a teacher, but we fought back.

    As for Rizal, he will still be a great hero. However, he may not be the greatest hero. He is a hero because he fought on behalf of the Filipinos. He is a hero because through his works, he inspired the Revolution. But there are others who sacrificed and accomplished just as much and maybe more. Those that joined the revolution knew that there was a big chance they might not be able to return alive. They too, were ready to sacrifice everything they had so that those thy loved and the entire nation maybe able to be free from foreign rule, just as it once was, so many centuries ago. And they were able to accomplish that, albeit for only a short period of time.

    There are many other things I learned in college about the Revolution. But I feel that these are those that matter to me most. It was through these that I understand that we must be proud of our Revolution. It was a turning point in our history. It was a time when all Filipinos were united in a common goal. It shows that we should begin breaking the chains of colonialism and begin being proud of ourselves. When united, the Filipino people can achieve anything.

Author: Miguel Vega, 00-04126 BS Com. Sci.

    "Magdalena!, ikaw ay sawimpalad…" `Di gaya ng sinansabi ng kantang ito ni Freddie Ahuilar, ang bayan ng Magdalena sa Laguna ay di kakikitaan ng kasawiang-palad. Nang pumunta kami dito sa simbahan ng Magdalena, parang nakakita kami ng isang kapiraso ng langit. Ange berde-berde ng mga damo at kaygagangda pa ng arkitektura dito. Sa loob naman ay may nakabungad pang kotse! Pero `di iyon ang ipinunta namin dito.

    Ang Magdalena tulad ng ibang mga bayan ng Laguna ay di lang mayaman sa likas na yaman kundi pati na rin sa kasaysayan ng ating bansang Pilipinas. Nakadispley dito ang larawan ni Emilio Jacinto at mga relika ng bolo at sumbrero na ginamit noon. Maaaring di masyadong marami ang aming nakita pero pag lumingon ka sa iyong paligid masisilayan mo na agad ang panahon ni Jacinto. Bato-bato sa paligid at mukhang napagiiwanan na ng panahon. Subalit dahil na rin sa mga nag-aalaga rito ay masasabing maganda pa rin ang Magdalena church siyempre pangalawa lang sa Majayjay church. Kayrami naming nakita gaya ng mga batang naglalaro ng saker at rebulto pero, ika nga ng Batibot , "wag kayong aalis bablik agad ang …," bablik at babalik pa rin ang mga taong tulad naming sa simbahan ng Magdalena, Laguna.

Gawa ni: Mike Lester Rosales

    When the American forces occupied the Philippines using the guise of friendship and progress, the Filipino people were caught unaware. The Filipinos at the time first looked to America for help. They needed help in battling the Spanish and since America was also at war with Spain, there was no better ally. They did not ask to be occupied and `taught' how to be independent. However because of the subtle and deadly approach America used, many of our leaders were made to think that `tutelage' was what we needed and what we really wanted. Thus with the head in their grasp, America was able to control the rest of the Philippines.

    Long before America began its occupation it already made elaborate plans for the Philippines under American rule, as proven by the numerous statements of such prominent people as Gen. Arthur MacArthur, President Roosevelt, and many others. America had plans to expand its territories in Asia. Throughout the latter part of the 19th century, America began moves to make its presence in Asia more prominent. In China, Americans used diplomacy in order to get a piece of the pie from the European players. In the 1860s, America gave the Japanese an ultimatum, forcing them to open their doors. With the end of the 19th century, and the waning power of Spain, America now looked towards its biggest prize - the gateway to Asia.

    America was determined to control the Philippines. This is why our country was the victim to what is probably the greatest colonization tactic ever devised. America gave us a semblance of freedom to pacify anger that still lingered from the Philippine Revolution against Spain. They approached us as friends offering to teach us about independence and democracy so that we would not be suspicious of them. They gave us their education in hopes of turning us into `brown Americans' that we would affiliate ourselves with them, eliminating rebellion. And finally they reformed our economy and culture that we may forever be dependent on them, allowing them to use us as their gateway to Asia. America was able to conquer us with almost no resistance.

    As a nation, we have always been under the influence of foreign powers. It took three centuries to be free from Spain then it took almost another half a century for us to be free from the American government's direct control. However after another half a century, that is mostly all we've accomplished to be free from. Our education, our culture, our economy, is still heavily influenced by America. Most of our leaders have all been indebted to foreign control. In fact I feel that the only time a leader of ours was not indebted by foreign governments was that short time when Bonifacio proclaimed himself president until he died.

Author: Miguel Vega, 00-04126