Happy Cinco De Novembre

This is the day when we remember a group of humble people which managed to defeat the Spanish power through sheer use of brain power. The Sugar Islanders owned the Spaniards LOL. We defeated them once and for all unlike Aguinaldo who spent most of his time running away from the Spaniards or killing other heroes like Bonifacio and Antonio Luna LOL. Our Negrense ancestors were tough people. Despite some moves to "rethink the revolution", we should at least remember the famous victory and give due to a hero who needs it most, Papa Isio. Despite failures, only Luzon revolutionaries are given credit in history books. Those people can't hold a candle to what our ancestors did in our little island.


November 6 in the morning, the rebels advanced upon Bacolod. Lacson and Golez approached from the north, crossing the Mandalagan River. Araneta with a thousand bolo-men took positions at the Lupit River in the south-east of Bacolod. The wily revolutionaries augmented their lightly-armed men with "cannon" made of bamboo and rolled amakan, and "rifles" carved out of wood and coconut fronds. The bluff worked; Governor Castro was persuaded that it was useless to defend the capital.

Jose Luis de Luzuriaga, a rich businessman who was deemed acceptable to both rebels and Spanish authorities was sent to mediate. At noon, a delegation from each of the major belligerents met at the house of Luzuriaga. The rebel delegation included Lacson, Araneta, Golez, Locsin, Simon Lizares, Julio Diaz and Jose Montilla. In an hour, it was agreed by both sides that "Spanish troops both European and native surrendered the town and its defenses uncondionally, turning over arms and communication" and the "public funds would be turned over to the new government".

November 6, 1898, therefore, is the day that the revolution in Negros triumphed.

Let us give our ancestors a BREAK. We should at least celebrate the courage, the guts, the hardwork, they displayed 110 years ago. Put yourself in their shoes. Its scary going against Spain but our ancestors TOOK THE RISK, FOUGHT and WON. For that alone, it's enough reason for me to celebrate Cinco De Novembre.

Wikipedia entry in Italics

RETHINKING A REVOLUTION

This is an old article frankly examining the Negros Revolution. It was only last year's Cinco De Noviembre celebrations I heard of Papa Isio - most history books don't include the poor babaylan. Thanks to Bombo Radyo I learned of the unsung hero of the revolution as the celebrations and records tend to focus on the hacienderos - he deserves much more than he is given right now. On the other aspects of the article, I'll comment later. Here's the commentary courtesy of Sunstar:


November 4, 2006
Severino: Cinco de Noviembre: Revolution or Hacienda?

By Gil Alfredo Severino
Think Economics

LET it be known that the "Movimiento de Cinco de Noviembre, 1898" (November 5, 1898 Movement) is not about Generals Juan Araneta and Aniceto Lacson. In the Actas Del Gobierno Revolucionario de Negros Occidental (The Revolutionary Government of Negros Act), a Severino was there, Don Melecio Severino who proposed the election of officials, they were:

President -- Aniceto Lacson
Delegate of War -- Juan Araneta
Delegate of Hacienda -- Eusebio Luzuriaga
Delegate of Government -- Simon Lizares
Delegate of Development -- Nicolas Golez
Delegate of Justice -- Antonio Jayme
Delegate of Agriculture and Commerce -- Agustin Amonabar
Secretary -- Melecio Severino
Sub-Secretary -- Fortunato Hugo
Military Commander -- Rafael Ramos

These officials have the means to be formally educated, thus the enlightened class who can afford to construct monuments and the political networks to name streets in their honor.

We must never forget, however, that without the countless participation of hacienda (sugar farm) workers, it is impossible to launch an attack leading to the surrender of the Spanish Casadores Colonel Isidro de Castro on November 6, 1898 (Bacolod Public Plaza was named, thus) and the last Spanish flag was folded on November 8, 1898, never to fly again in Negros.

It is unfortunate, that not a single monument was ever dedicated to their memories, not a single street or purok down south was named after the sunburned "terrorista" Dionisio "Papa Isio" Magbuelas.

At least, Lapu-Lapu has a fish and a Cebuano City. Perhaps, this humble essay can be an eulogy of some sort, these "little people" deserved.

A revolution is to overthrow existing social order, violent or otherwise. Where do we place the Negros Revolution of November 5, 1898? In the first place, the first act of President Aniceto Lacson was to telegram the Malolos-based Emilio Aguinaldo government about the victory and proclamation, but never asked for instructions.

The Agoncillo-Constantino interpretation is that the hacienderos never trusted the "radical" Aguinaldo ever since.

His revolutionary feats are destructive to their properties. Besides, Ilonggo scholar, Dr. Cecile Locsin-Nava further concluded that the Aguinaldo Government cannot guarantee a market for sugar anyway.

So, on November 12, 1898, a week after the proclamation, aware that the American Cruiser Charlston was docked in Iloilo, the movement eventually hoisted the American flag at the Bacolod City Hall, perhaps among the first in the country to express public display of American affection.

The Babaylanes led by Papa Isio who was to contend with hunger, poverty, criminal consequences and their longing for the "kaginhawaan" (salvation) had the bravery to burn haciendas with foreign conspiracy. Hoisting an American flag is an abomination!

What came out of this Cinco de Noviembre Revolution? The Malolos Government pressured loyalty, the Babaylanes were a hostile threat, Spanish revenge is still a possibility (Lacson, Araneta, et al, got amakan canons) and the Americans are shrewd enough to recognize the Philippines depending on the signing of the December 18, 1898 Treaty of Paris, US$ 20 Million for Spain and the Filipinos were not even invited to attend the signing.

This needs re-thinking. Cinco de Noviembre is an ideological vacuum and a market dependency.

STOP MAKING THINGS UP!!!

Please read the following account of the Negros Revolution. The article quotes from a work of Modesto Sa-Onoy a local historian:

November 5

The revolt began in Central and Northern Negros in the morning and by the afternoon had spread to other towns such as San Miguel and Cadiz. In Silay, Lt. Maximiano Correa, commanding the Spanish garrison, had ten Spanish cazadores (Spanish, literally, "hunters") and seven Filipino civil guards. They were entrenched inside the municipal building, but surrendered without a fight when they realized that the townspeople were determined to burn the building to the ground should there be resistance. The Silay parish priest, Fr. Eulogio Saez, a businessman named Juan Viaplana and Jose Ledesma persuaded the Spanish forces to lay down their arms, but in order to save face, the lieutenant had it appear in the official records that the capitulation was the result of a bloody battle with "dead and wounded littered all over the field of battle". Ten Mauser and seven Remington rifles were surrendered by the Spanish garrison. Later, a Filipino flag embroidered by Olympia Severino and her sisters was hoisted by the victorious townspeople.

Haha...The lieutenant has a career writing telenovelas for Univision! This was probably their practice and I don't regret my decision doubting Pigafetta's Battle of Mactan account. This Spanish Lieutenant made things up knowing there were Filipino witnesses present how much more Pigafetta whose accounts no one could corroborate? I can't blame Correa - the Negrense people OWNED him!

I wonder what he wrote in that account maybe it goes something like this:
We were surrounded by fully armed indio soldiers (reality - angry townspeople probably carrying sticks and stones literally and some rebels) probably a thousand against us brave 17 men in Silay Church. After hours of brutal skirmish none of our brave Guardia Civil were killed but the indios suffered more with dead and wounded littered all over the field of battle. Viva Espana, we lost but our dignity is intact.
Much like Battle of Mactan 1000 Mactan warriors vs. 49 Spaniards and some reinforcements by Humabon. According to Wikipedia only three of the Spaniards were killed.

In reality this might be what happened:

“The hijos de perros are surrounding us Teniente what shall we do?” asks Guardia Civil one.

“We are going to fig---, “replied Lt. Correa

“But Teniente.” Interjected the Padre

“No padre. A man has got to do what is asked of him. Vi----va Es…there…are so many of them. We surrender Padre. Tell them not to burn the church. Keep those torches away…”

Excuse me I got carried away. This historical fact amused me.
Not everyone is happy with Cinco De Noviembre - who and why - you will know hopefully tomorrow.