Biak-Na-Bato Constitution: A Revolutionary Charter

what is the significance of biak na bato constitution

The Biak-na-Bato Constitution, also known as the 1897 Constitution, was a pivotal moment in the history of the Philippines' struggle for independence from colonial rule. Drafted by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo Artacho, it was signed on November 1, 1897, and established the Biak-na-Bato Republic, the second revolutionary government during the Philippine Revolution. The Constitution provided for a Supreme Council, with Emilio Aguinaldo as President, and outlined the Council's powers and the desire for the Philippines to become an independent state, free from Spanish colonial rule. The Biak-na-Bato Republic was short-lived, lasting just over a month, and was disbanded through a peace treaty that included the exile of Aguinaldo and other key figures to Hong Kong. Despite its brief existence, the Biak-na-Bato Constitution holds significant importance in the Philippines' journey towards independence and self-governance.

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The Biak-na-Bato Constitution was based on the Cuban Constitution

The Biak-na-Bato Constitution was a provisional constitution for the Biak-na-Bato Republic, a short-lived revolutionary government during the Philippine Revolution. It was written by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo Artacho, and it provided for the creation of a Supreme Council, which was established on November 1, 1897, with officers including Emilio Aguinaldo, the leader of the revolution.

The Biak-na-Bato Republic was the second revolutionary government during the Philippine Revolution, which sought to separate the Philippines from the Spanish monarchy and establish an independent state, the Philippine Republic. The Republic of Biak-na-Bato was established in response to the Spanish Governor-General Primo de Rivera's unsuccessful attempts to quell the revolution by force. Within days of a decree prohibiting inhabitants from leaving their villages and towns, Aguinaldo and his men planned the establishment of the republic, and Aguinaldo issued a proclamation from his hideout in Biak-na-Bato, listing his revolutionary demands.

The Biak-na-Bato Republic lasted just over a month and was disestablished by a peace treaty between Aguinaldo and Governor-General Primo de Rivera, which included provisions for the exile of Aguinaldo and key associates to Hong Kong. Despite its short existence, the Biak-na-Bato Republic and its constitution hold significance as a pivotal moment in the Philippine Revolution and the establishment of an independent Philippine state.

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It was drafted by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo Artacho

The Biak-na-Bato Constitution was drafted by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo Artacho. It was a provisional constitution for the Biak-na-Bato Republic, which was the second revolutionary republican government during the Philippine Revolution. The constitution was signed on November 1, 1897, and the republic was led by Emilio Aguinaldo, who issued a proclamation from his hideout in Biak-na-Bato, calling for the expulsion of the Friars and the return of lands appropriated by them to the Filipino people.

The Biak-na-Bato Republic was established in response to Governor-General Primo de Rivera's decree on July 2, 1897, which prohibited inhabitants from leaving their towns and villages. Despite this, the revolutionaries continued fighting, and within days, Aguinaldo and his men planned the establishment of the Biak-na-Bato Republic.

The constitution was drafted by Ferrer and Artacho to formalize the creation of the new republic and outline its governing principles. It is significant because it represented the aspirations and ambitions of the Filipino people for independence and self-governance, free from Spanish colonial rule. The constitution declared the separation of the Philippines from the Spanish monarchy and the formation of an independent state known as the Philippine Republic.

The Biak-na-Bato Republic, however, was short-lived, lasting just over a month. It was eventually disestablished by a peace treaty signed by Aguinaldo and Governor-General de Rivera, which included provisions for Aguinaldo and his key associates to go into exile in Hong Kong. Despite its brief existence, the Biak-na-Bato Constitution holds historical significance as a symbol of the Filipino people's struggle for independence and their determination to establish their own sovereign nation.

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The constitution was signed on November 1, 1897

The Biak-na-Bato Constitution, also known as the Constitution of the State, was signed on November 1, 1897. This event marked a significant step towards the establishment of the Biak-na-Bato Republic, also referred to as the Republic of the Philippines. The signing of the constitution was a result of the ongoing Philippine Revolution, which had begun on August 24, 1896, with the aim of separating the Philippines from the Spanish monarchy and forming an independent state.

The constitution was drafted and agreed upon by the representatives of the Revolution, who met in Biac-na-bato. The document outlined the structure and powers of the Supreme Council, which would serve as the supreme government of the Republic. According to Article 1 of the constitution, the Supreme Council would consist of a President, a Vice-President, and four Secretaries responsible for Foreign Relations, War, the Interior, and the Treasury.

The establishment of the Biak-na-Bato Republic was led by Emilio Aguinaldo, who issued a proclamation from his hideout in Biak-na-Bato, outlining his revolutionary demands. Despite the efforts of Governor-General Primo de Rivera to quell the revolution, he eventually accepted the impossibility of doing so by force. This led to the pursuit of a peaceful settlement, resulting in the Biak-na-Bato Republic's short-lived existence of just over a month.

The signing of the Biak-na-Bato Constitution on November 1, 1897, holds historical significance as it represented the aspirations of the Filipino people for independence and self-governance. It served as a pivotal moment in the Philippine Revolution, solidifying the foundations for the establishment of the Biak-na-Bato Republic and the country's journey towards independence from colonial rule.

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It established a ceasefire between Emilio Aguinaldo's forces and the Spanish government

The Biak-na-Bato Constitution was a provisional constitution for the Biak-na-Bato Republic, a short-lived revolutionary government during the Philippine Revolution. It was signed on November 1, 1897, and established a ceasefire between Emilio Aguinaldo's forces and the Spanish government.

Aguinaldo was the leader of the Philippine Revolution, and his forces sought the separation of the Philippines from the Spanish monarchy and the formation of an independent state, the Philippine Republic. However, by the end of 1897, the Spanish Governor-General, Primo de Rivera, realised that he could not quell the revolution by force. Desiring to make peace with Aguinaldo, he sent emissaries to negotiate. Pedro Paterno, in particular, played a crucial role in the negotiations, shuttling between Manila and Biak-na-Bato with proposals and counterproposals.

The negotiations resulted in the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, which included a ceasefire and established a truce between the two sides. The pact consisted of three documents, with the first two signed on December 14, 1897, and the third on December 15. Under the agreement, Aguinaldo and his associates agreed to go into exile in Hong Kong. In return, they received amnesty and a large monetary payment from the Spanish government, amounting to $MXN800,000 (Mexican Pesos). Additionally, the Spanish government promised reforms and independence for the Philippines within three years.

Despite the pact, neither side fully trusted the other, and clashes continued even after Aguinaldo left for Hong Kong on December 27, 1897. In 1898, Aguinaldo returned from exile and declared Philippine independence after the US defeated Spain in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.

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The pact included a large monetary payment and a promise of reforms and independence for the Philippines

The Pact of Biak-na-Bato, signed on 14 December 1897, ended the Philippine Revolution by establishing a truce between the Spanish colonial Governor-General, Fernando Primo de Rivera, and the revolutionary leader, Emilio Aguinaldo. The pact included a large monetary payment to Aguinaldo and a promise of reforms and independence for the Philippines within three years.

Aguinaldo and his fellow revolutionaries were given amnesty and a monetary indemnity by the Spanish government in return for agreeing to go into exile in Hong Kong. The agreement was signed in San Miguel, Bulacan, in the house of Pablo Tecson, a Philippine revolutionary captain. Aguinaldo received 400,000 Mexican pesos as remuneration for the revolutionaries, with an additional 400,000 pesos to be paid once 800 stands of arms were surrendered, and a final 200,000 pesos once 1,000 stands were surrendered. Furthermore, Primo de Rivera agreed to pay an additional 900,000 pesos to the families of non-combatant Filipinos who suffered during the armed conflict.

Aguinaldo decided to use the money to purchase advanced firearms and ammunition, planning to return to the archipelago. However, neither side fully trusted the other, and clashes continued after Aguinaldo left. In 1898, Aguinaldo returned from exile and declared Philippine independence after the US defeated Spain in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.

The Biak-na-Bato Republic was the second revolutionary republican government during the Philippine Revolution. It referred to itself as the Republic of the Philippines and was seated in what is now Biak-na-Bato National Park. The provisional constitution for the Biak-na-Bato Republic was signed on 1 November 1897. The constitution provided for a Supreme Council, with Aguinaldo as President and Mariano Trias as Vice-President.

Frequently asked questions

The Biak-na-Bato Constitution was a provisional constitution for the Biak-na-Bato Republic, a short-lived revolutionary government during the Philippine Revolution. It was signed on November 1, 1897, and provided for the separation of the Philippines from the Spanish monarchy and the formation of an independent state with its own government, called the Philippine Republic.

The Biak-na-Bato Constitution was drafted by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo Artacho. It was signed by Emilio Aguinaldo, who was the leader of the revolutionary forces, and it established a ceasefire with Spanish colonial Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera.

The Biak-na-Bato Constitution provided for the creation of a Supreme Council, composed of a President, a Vice-President, and four Secretaries responsible for foreign relations, war, the interior, and the treasury. It also established the conditions for a truce between the Filipino revolutionaries and the Spanish government, including the exile of Aguinaldo and key associates to Hong Kong, a large monetary payment, and a promise of reforms and independence for the Philippines within three years.

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