Revolutionary Government of the Philippines

The Revolutionary Government of the Philippines (Spanish: Gobierno Revolucionario de Filipinas) was a revolutionary government established in the Spanish East Indies on June 23, 1898, during the Spanish–American War, by Emilio Aguinaldo, its initial and only president.[3] The government succeeded a dictatorial government that had been established by Aguinaldo on June 18[4] and was dissolved and replaced by this government upon its establishment.[5][6] This government endured until January 23, 1899, when the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution established an insurgent Philippine Republic government that replaced it.[7][8]

Revolutionary Government of the Philippines
Gobierno Revolucionario de Filipinas (Spanish)
Pamahalaang Rebolusyonaryo ng Pilipinas (Tagalog)
1898–1899
Anthem: Marcha Nacional Filipina
(English: "Philippine National March")[a]
Territory claimed by the Revolutionary Government of the Philippines in Asia
Territory claimed by the Revolutionary Government of the Philippines in Asia
StatusUnrecognized state
CapitalBacoor
(June 1898 – August 1898)
Malolos
(August 1898 – January 1899)
Common languagesSpanish, Tagalog
Religion
Roman Catholicism, Islam, Indigenous Philippine folk religions
GovernmentRevolutionary republic
President 
• 1898–1899
Emilio Aguinaldo
President of the Cabinet 
• 1899
Apolinario Mabini
LegislatureNone (rule by decree)
(June 23 – September 15, 1898)
Malolos Congress
(from 1898)
Historical eraPhilippine Revolution
• Established
June 23, 1898
August 13, 1898
December 10, 1898
January 23, 1899
CurrencyPhilippine peso
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Dictatorial Government of the Philippines
First Philippine Republic

Four governmental departments were initially created, each having several bureaus: foreign relations, marine, and commerce; war and public works; police, justice, instruction, and hygiene; finance, agriculture, and industry.[9] A revolutionary congress was established with power "[t]o watch over the general interest of the Philippine people, and carrying out of the revolutionary laws; to discuss and vote upon said laws; to discuss and approve, prior to their ratification, treaties and loans; to examine and approve the accounts presented annually by the secretary of finance, as well as extraordinary and other taxes which may hereafter be imposed."[10]

On August 14, 1898, two days after the Battle of Manila of the Spanish–American War and about two months after Aguinaldo's proclamation of this revolutionary government, the United States established a military government in the Philippines, with General Merritt acting as military governor.[11]

Government

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Cabinet

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Aguinaldo appointed his first cabinet on June 15, consisting of Baldomero Aguinaldo as secretary of war and public works, Leanardo Ibarra as secretary of the interior and Mariano Trías as secretary of finance; the secretaryship of foreign relations, marine, and commerce was provisionally left in the charge of the presidency. On September 23, the cabinet was reorganized to six departments.[12]

On January 2, 1899, when it became certain that Cayetano Arellano would not accept the role of secretary of foreign relations, the role fell to Apolinario Mabini. Mabini had to that time been Aguinaldo's principal advisor and he was also named the president of the cabinet.[13]

Cabinet of the Revolutionary Government of the Philippines[12]
Department Secretary Term
President of the Cabinet Apolinario Mabini January 2, 1899 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of War and Public Works Baldomero Aguinaldo June 15, 1898 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of the Interior Leonardo Ibarra June 15, 1898 – January 2, 1899
Secretary of Foreign Affairs Cayetano Arellano September 23, 1898 – January 2, 1899
Apolinario Mabini January 2, 1899 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of Treasury/Finance Mariano Trías June 15, 1898 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of Justice Gregorio Araneta September 23, 1898 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of Welfare[cabinet 1] Fernando Canon September 23, 1898 – January 2, 1899
Gracio Gonzaga January 2, 1899 – May 7, 1899
  1. ^ including Public Instruction, Public Works, Communications, Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce

Footnotes

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  1. ^ The original title was "Marcha Filipina-Magdalo" (Philippine-Magdalo March), and was later changed to "Marcha Nacional Filipina" (Philippine National March) upon its adoption as the national anthem of the First Philippine Republic on June 11, 1898, a day before independence was to be proclaimed.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ "The Philippine National Anthem" (PDF). Balanghay: The Philippine Factsheet. No. 3. May–June. National Commission for Culture and the Arts. 2012.
  2. ^ Castro, C.A. (2011). Musical Renderings of the Philippine Nation. New Cultural History of Music. Oxford University Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-19-987684-6. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  3. ^ Duka 2008, pp. 167–174
  4. ^ Elliott 1917, pp. 491–493 (Appendix E: Aguinaldo's Proclamation of June 18, 1898, Establishing the Dictatorial Government)
  5. ^ Kalaw 1927, pp. 423–429 (Appendix C.)
  6. ^ Guevara 1972, p. 35
  7. ^ Guevara 1972, pp. 120–122 (items 28, size=100, view=image 28a and size=100, view=image 28b)).
  8. ^ Elliott 1917, pp. 493–497 (Appendix F: Aguinaldo's Proclamation of June 23, Establishing the Revolutionary Government)
  9. ^ Elliott 1917, pp. 493–494 (Appendix F, Chapter I : Of the Revolutionary Government)
  10. ^ Elliott 1917, pp. 495–496 (Appendix F, Chapter II : Of the Revolutionary Congress)
  11. ^ Halstead 1898, pp. 110–112
  12. ^ a b Kalaw 1927, pp. rgn=full+text, size=100, view=image, q1=the+malolos+constitution 117–118
  13. ^ Kalaw 1927, p. 118

Further reading

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