Excerpt from “Notes on the “Cry” of August veterans took, she says - that the “Cry”

1896”  should mean the unang labanan. 

By: Jim Richardson        It was the unang labanan, as Borromeo-
Buehler points out, that was commemorated by
Pasya, Pagpupunit, at Unang Labanan
the first monument of the events of August 1896.
       The debate has long been clouded by a The main inscription on the plinth read
lack of consensus on precisely what is meant by “Homenaje del Pueblo Filipino a los Heroes de
the “Cry.” The term has been applied to three ’96 /Ala-alang sa Bayang Pilipino sa mga Bayani
related but distinct events — ng ‘96”, and a smaller plaque bore the date “26
Agosto 1896”. 
 the “pasya” – the decision to revolt; 
 the “pagpupunit” – the tearing of
cedulas; and First Cry of the Katipunan
 the “unang labanan” – the first encounter These include:
with Spanish forces.   Guillermo Masangkay’s “The Cry of Balintawak”
       To state the obvious, these three events did
Lt. Olegario Diaz
not all happen at the same time and place. When
and where the “Cry” should be commemorated Gregoria de Jesus’ version of the “First Cry”
thus depends on how it is defined.
Julio Nakpil Version
       Many of the older sources on the “Cry” do
Santiago Alvarez’s “The Cry of Bahay Toro”
not precisely say which event they mean, and
often we can only guess. This problem is so Pio Valenzuela’s controversial “Cry of Pugad
embedded in the literature that it is impossible to Lawin”
eradicate. Still, wherever practicable, these notes
will avoid the fluid, contested “Cry” word and First cry – call for rebellion
seek instead to specify which particular event is It started when the katipunan was discovered in
being discussed – the pasya, the pagpupunit or August 19, 1896
the unang labanan.
Natuklasan ng mga Espanyol ang lihim ng
       Among the historians who have studied the Katipunan sa pamamagitan ng isang miyembro
“Cry” in greatest detail, there is a sharp nito na si Teodoro Patiño.
divergence of opinion as to how the term should
be defined.   Bunga ng alitan sa kapwa katipunero na si
Apolonio Cruz tungkol sa promosyon sa
 Teodoro A. Agoncillo equates the term tanggapan ng Diario de Manila, sinabi ni Teodoro
with the pagpupunit, which he says Patiño sa kanyang kapatid na babae na si
happened immediately after the pasya.  Honoria Patiño ang tungkol sa samahan.
 Isagani R. Medina also takes the “Cry” to Pinakiusapan niya iyong umuwi na sa kanilang
mean the pagpupunit, but says it lalawigan sa Visayas upang makaligtas sa gulo
happened before the decision to revolt rito. Naikwento ng babae ang lahat ng sinabi ng
had been taken.   kapatid kay Madre Sor Teresa de Jesus na siya
namang nagkwento kay Padre Mariano Gil, ang
 Soledad Borromeo-Buehler takes the kura paroko ng Tondo. Pinilit ng madre si Patiño
view – the traditional view that KKK na isiwalat ang lahat ng kanyang nalalaman
tungkol sa plano ng Katipunan.
Noong Agosto 19,1896 sa ganap na ika-6 ng tinatawag nilang kangkong na nasa tapat ng
gabi, ikinumpisal ni Teodoro ang lihim kay Padre balintawak
Mariano Gil.
Santiago Alvarez whose memoirs identified the
place as Bahay Toro and the date as Aug. 25,
1896.
Sumalakay sa talyer si Padre Mariano Gil
kasama ng gwardya sibil at sa kanilang Saan nanggaling ang Pugad Lawin?
paghahalughog ay natuklasan ang mga
katibayang sinabi ni Patiño. Dahil dito,
Sigaw ng Pugad Lawin (El Grito de Rebellion) na
ang ibig sabihin ay “desisyun” o pagtawag ng
natuklasan ang lihim ng Katipunan.
himagsikan
Dito pumapasok ang binitawang pahayag ng isa
Ang tanong saan ba talaga naganap ang First sa kanang kamay ni Bonifacio na si Pio
Cry? Valenzuela, ayun sa kanya ginanap daw ang
unang sigaw sa sitio gulod pugad lawin noong
Sa kasaluyan ang tinatanggap na petsa ng First
august 23, 1896 sa tahanan ng nag ngangalang
cry ay August 23, 1896
juan ramos na anak ni tandang sora. Yung
Anu nga ba ang mga importanteng detalye na naganap daw sa tahanan ni apolonio Samson ay
sumusuporta sa unang sigaw sa Balintawak at pag uusap lamang ayun kay pio Valenzuela at
unang sigaw sa pugad lawin. walang naging desisyun tungkol sa rebolusyun
kaya ang sinasabi ni pio Valenzuela ang unang
Ayun kay Guillermo Masangkay ang unang sigaw ay ginanap talaga sa pugad lawin kung
sigaw ng rebolusyun ay sa Balintawak noong saan naging decisive ang katipunan para
Aug. 26, 1896. magkaroon na ng rebellion laban sa mga
Sa bahay ni Apolonio Samson isang Cabesa ng espanyol.
kalookan. Note ang balintawak ay part ng
kalookan at wala pang Quezon City noon.
Nag karoon ng pag aaral ang ating National
Ang pag pupulong ay pinatawag ni andress Historical Commission at ayun na rin kay
bonifacio ng bandang 9 ng umaga at sya ay Teodoro Agoncillo na syang kumuha sa pahayag
tinulungan ni Emilio Jacinto, sila ay nanghingi ng ni pio Valenzuela talaga daw na dapat na ilipat
tulong o kinukumbinsi nila ang mga tao na ang petsa ng unang sigaw sa august 23 1896 sa
sumapi o sumali sa rebolusyon. pugad lawin.
Ayun naman kay Spanish Lt. Olegario Diaz ang So mula sa kalookan na ilipat sa pugad lawin sa
unang sigaw ng rebolusyun ay sa Balintawak quezon city ang unang sigaw ng rebulusyun
noong
Aug. 24, 1896.
Agrarian Reform History written by the
Gregoria “Oryang” de Jesus Nakpil, widow of Department of Agrarian Reform
Andres Bonifacio, wrote a short autobiography,
entitled “Mga tala ng aking buhay,” where she Pre-Hispanic Period
stated that the Cry of Balintawak took place on
“This land is ours; God gave this land to us.”
Aug. 25, 1896 in Pasong Tamo!
        Before the Spaniards came to the
Ayun naman kay Julio Nakpil, second husband
Philippines, Filipinos lived in villages or
of Gregoria de Jesus, ang sabi nya august 24 barangays ruled by chiefs or datus. The datus
1896 ginanap ang unang sigaw sa lugar na
comprised the nobility, followed by the timawa corporations may acquire, that is, 16
(freemen), aliping namamahay (serfs), and hectares for private individuals and
aliping saguiguilid (slaves). 1,024 hectares for corporations.
        However, despite the existence of different  Land Registration Act of 1902 (Act No.
classes in the social structure, everyone had 496) – provided a comprehensive
access to the fruits of the soil. Money was registration of land titles under the
unknown, and rice served as the medium of Torrens system.
exchange.
 Public Land Act of 1903 – introduced the
Spanish Colonial Period homestead system in the Philippines.
“United we stand, divided we fall.”  Tenancy Act of 1933 (Act No. 4054 and
4113) – regulated relationships between
        When the Spaniards came to the landowners and tenants of rice (50-50
Philippines, the concept of encomienda (royal
sharing) and sugar cane lands.
land grants) was introduced. This system grants
that encomienderos must defend his  The Torrens system, which the
encomienda from external attack, maintain Americans instituted for the registration
peace and order within, and support the of lands, did not solve the problem
missionaries. In turn, the encomiendero acquired completely. Either they were not aware
the right to collect tribute from the Indios of the law, or if they did, they could not
(natives). pay the survey cost and other fees
required in applying for a Torrens title.
        The system, however, degenerated into
the abuse of power by the encomienderos. The Commonwealth Period
tribute soon became land rents to a few powerful
“Government for the Filipinos”
landlords, and the natives who once cultivated
the lands in freedom were transformed into mere         Manuel L. Quezon adopted the “Social
share tenants. Justice” program to arrest the increasing social
The First Philippine Republic unrest in Central Luzon.
Significant legislation enacted during the
“The yoke has finally broken.”
Commonwealth Period:
        When the First Philippine Republic was
 1935 Constitution – “The promotion of
established in 1899, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
declared in the Malolos Constitution his intention social justice to ensure the well-being
and economic security of all people
to confiscate large estates, especially the so-
called friar lands. should be the concern of the State.”
 Commonwealth Act No. 178 (An
        However, as the Republic was short-lived,
Aguinaldo’s plan was never implemented. Amendment to Rice Tenancy Act No.
4045), Nov. 13, 1936 – provided certain
American Colonial Period controls in the landlord-tenant
relationships
“Long live America!”
 National Rice and Corn Corporation,
        Significant legislation enacted during the 1936 – established the price of rice and
American Period:
corn, thereby helping poor tenants and
 Philippine Bill of 1902 – set the ceilings consumers.
on the hectare private individuals and
  Commonwealth Act. No. 461, 1937 –  RA No. 55 – provided for a more
specified reasons for the dismissal of effective safeguard against arbitrary
tenants and only with the approval of the ejectment of tenants.
Tenancy Division of the Department of
Elpidio R. Quirino (1948–1953) enacted the
Justice.
following law:
 Rural Program Administration, created
        Executive Order No. 355 issued on
on March 2, 1939 – provided the
purchase and lease of haciendas and October 23, 1950 – replaced the National Land
Settlement Administration with Land Settlement
their sale and lease to the tenants.
Development Corporation, which took over the
 Commonwealth Act No. 441, enacted on responsibilities of the Agricultural Machinery
June 3, 1939 – created the National Equipment Corporation and the Rice and Corn
Settlement Administration with a capital Production Administration.
stock of P20,000,000.
Ramon Magsaysay (1953–1957) enacted the
Japanese Occupation following laws:
“The Era of Hukbalahap”  RA No. 1160 of 1954 – abolished the
LASEDECO and established the
        Upon the arrival of the Japanese in the
National Resettlement and Rehabilitation
Philippines in 1942, peasants’ and workers’ Administration to resettle dissidents and
organizations grew in strength. Many peasants
landless farmers. It was particularly
took up arms and identified themselves with the aimed at rebel returnees providing home
anti-Japanese group, the HUKBALAHAP
lots and farmlands in Palawan and
(Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon). Mindanao.
        World War II started in Europe in 1939 and
 RA No. 1199 (Agricultural Tenancy Act
the Pacific in 1941. The Hukbalahap controlled of 1954) – governed the relationship
the entire Central Luzon; landlords who
between landowners and tenant farmers
supported the Japanese lost their lands to by organizing a shared tenancy and
peasants, while those who supported the Huks
leasehold system. The law provided the
earned fixed rentals in favor of the tenants. security of tenure of tenants. It also
Unfortunately, the end of the war also signaled
created the Court of Agrarian Relations.
the end of gains acquired by the peasants.
 RA No. 1400 (Land Reform Act of 1955)
Philippine Republic
– created the Land Tenure
“The New Republic” Administration, which was responsible
for the acquisition and distribution of
        After the establishment of the Philippine large tenanted rice and corn lands over
Independence in 1946, the problems of land 200 hectares for individuals and 600
tenure remained. These became worst in certain hectares for corporations.
areas. Thus, the Congress of the Philippines
revised the tenancy law.  RA No. 821 (Creation of Agricultural
Credit Cooperative Financing
Manuel A. Roxas (1946–1948) enacted the Administration) — provided small
following laws: farmers and share tenants’ loans with
 Republic Act (RA) No. 34 – established low-interest rates of 6%–8%.
the 70-30 sharing arrangements and Carlos P. Garcia (1957–1961)
regulating shared tenancy contracts.
        He continued the program of President  Presidential Decree No. 27, enacted on
Ramon Magsaysay. No new legislation was October 21, 1972 – restricted land
passed during his time. reform scope to tenanted rice and corn
lands and set the retention limit at 7
Diosdado P. Macapagal (1961–1965) enacted
hectares.
the following law:
Corazon C. Aquino (1986-1992)
        RA No. 3844 of August 8, 1963
(Agricultural Land Reform Code) – abolished         The Constitution ratified by the Filipino
shared tenancy, institutionalized leasehold; set people during the administration of President
retention limit at 75 hectares; invested rights of Corazon C. Aquino provides under Section 21
pre-emption and redemption for tenant farmers; under Article II that “the State shall promote
provided administrative machinery for comprehensive rural development and agrarian
implementation, institutionalized a judicial system reform.”
of agrarian cases; and incorporated extension,
marketing, and supervised credit system of         On June 10, 1988, former President
Corazon C. Aquino signed RA No. 6657 or
services of farmer-beneficiaries.
otherwise known as the Comprehensive Agrarian
        The RA was hailed as one that would Reform Law. The law became effective on June
emancipate Filipino farmers from the bondage of 15, 1988.
tenancy.
        Subsequently, four Presidential issuances
Ferdinand E. Marcos (1965–1986) were released in July 1987 after 48 nationwide
consultations before the actual law was enacted.
        Proclamation No. 1081, enacted on
September 21, 1972, ushered the Period of the President Corazon C. Aquino enacted the
New Society. Five days after the proclamation of following laws:
Martial Law, the entire country was proclaimed a
land reform area, and simultaneously the  Executive Order No. 228, enacted on
July 16, 1987 – declared full ownership
Agrarian Reform Program was decreed.
to qualified farmer-beneficiaries covered
President Marcos enacted the following laws: by PD 27. It also determined the value
remaining unvalued rice and corn lands
 RA No. 6389 (Code of Agrarian Reform) subject of PD 27 and provided for the
and RA No. 6390 of 1971 – created the
manner of payment by the FBs and
Department of Agrarian Reform and the mode of compensation to landowners.
Agrarian Reform Special Account Fund.
It strengthened the position of farmers  Executive Order No. 229, enacted on
and expanded the scope of agrarian July 22, 1987 – provided a mechanism
reform. for the implementation of the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
 Presidential Decree No. 2, enacted on
Program (CARP).
September 26, 1972 – declared the
country under a land reform program. It
enjoined all agencies and offices of the
government to extend full cooperation
and assistance to the DAR. It also
activated the Agrarian Reform
Coordinating Council.
  Proclamation No. 131, enacted on July President Fidel V. Ramos enacted the following
22, 1987 – instituted the CARP as a laws:
major program of the government. It
provided for a special fund known as the  RA No. 7881, 1995 – amended certain
provisions of RA 6657 and exempted
Agrarian Reform Fund, with an initial
amount of Php50 billion to cover the fishponds and prawns from the coverage
of CARP.
estimated cost of the program from 1987
to 1992.  RA No. 7905, 1995 – strengthened the
implementation of the CARP.
 Executive Order No. 129-A, enacted on
July 26, 1987 – streamlined and  Executive Order No. 363, 1997 – limited
expanded the power and operations of the type of lands that may be converted
the DAR. by setting conditions under which
specific categories of agricultural land
 RA No. 6657, enacted on June 10, 1988
(Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law) were either absolutely non-negotiable for
conversion or highly restricted for
– an act that became effective on June
15, 1988, that instituted a conversion.
comprehensive agrarian reform program  RA No. 8435, 1997 (Agriculture and
to promote social justice and Fisheries Modernization Act AFMA) –
industrialization, thereby providing the plugged the legal loopholes in land use
mechanism for its implementation and conversion.
other purposes. This law is still the one
being implemented at present.  RA 8532, 1998 (Agrarian Reform Fund
Bill) – provided an additional Php50
 Executive Order No. 405, enacted on billion for CARP and extended its
June 14, 1990 – vested in the Land implementation for another 10 years.
Bank of the Philippines the responsibility
to determine land valuation and Joseph E. Estrada (1998–2000)
compensation for all lands covered by         “ERAP PARA SA MAHIRAP.” This was the
CARP. battle cry that endeared President Joseph
 Executive Order No. 407, enacted on Estrada and made him popular during the 1998
June 14, 1990 – Accelerated the presidential election.
acquisition and distribution of agricultural President Joseph E. Estrada enacted the
lands, pasture lands, fishponds, following law:
agroforestry lands, and other lands of
the public domain suitable for  Executive Order N0. 151, September
agriculture. 1999 (Farmer’s Trust Fund) – allowed
the voluntary consolidation of small farm
Fidel V. Ramos (1992–1998) operation into medium- and large-scale
        When President Fidel V. Ramos formally integrated enterprises that could access
took over in 1992, his administration came face- long-term capital.
to-face with the public who had lost confidence in
the agrarian reform program. His administration
committed to the vision “Fairer, faster and more
meaningful implementation of the Agrarian
Reform Program.”
  During his administration, President concentration of the ARC population to
Estrada launched the Magkabalikat Para achieve greater agro productivity.
sa Kaunlarang Agraryo or
MAGKASAKA. The DAR forged into joint  Agrarian Justice – To help clear the
backlog of agrarian cases, DAR would
ventures with private investors in the
agrarian sector to make FBs competitive. hire more paralegal officers to support
undermanned adjudicatory boards and
 However, the Estrada administration was introduce a quota system to compel
short-lived. The masses who put him into adjudicators to work faster on agrarian
office demanded his ouster. reform cases. DAR would respect the
rights of both farmers and landowners.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2000–2010)
Benigno Aquino III (2010–2016)
 The Agrarian reform program under the
Arroyo administration was anchored on  President Benigno Aquino III vowed
the vision “To make the countryside during his 2012 State of the Nation
economically viable for the Filipino family Address that he would complete CARP,
by building partnership and promoting which is the centerpiece program of the
social equity and new economic administration of his mother, President
opportunities towards lasting peace and Corazon Aquino, before the end of his
sustainable rural development.” term.
 Land Tenure Improvement (LTI) – DAR  The younger Aquino distributed their
would remain vigorous in implementing family-owned Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac.
the land acquisition and distribution Apart from the said farm lots, he also
component of CARP. The DAR would promised to complete the distribution of
improve the land tenure system through privately owned lands of productive
land distribution and leasehold. agricultural estates in the country that
have escaped the program's coverage.
 Provision of Support Services – CARP
not only involved the distribution of lands  Under his administration, the Agrarian
but also included a package of support Reform Community Connectivity and
services, such as credit assistance, Economic Support Services project was
extension services, irrigation facilities, created to contribute to the overall goal
roads and bridges, marketing facilities, of rural poverty reduction, especially in
and training and technical support agrarian reform areas.
programs.
 Agrarian Production Credit Program
 Infrastructure Projects – DAR would provided credit support for crop
transform the Agrarian reform production to newly organized and
communities (ARCs), which focused and existing agrarian reform beneficiary
integrated the delivery of support (ARB)’ organizations and farmers’
services into rural economic zones that organizations not qualified to avail
would help create job opportunities in themselves of loans under the regular
the countryside. credit windows of banks.
 KALAHI ARZone – The KALAHI  The legal case monitoring system, which
Agrarian Reform zones were also is a web-based legal system for
launched. These zones consisted of one recording and monitoring various kinds
or more municipalities with the of agrarian cases at the provincial,
 regional, and central offices of the DAR fast-track the implementation of CARP 
to ensure faster resolution and close (Department of Agrarian Reform [DAR], n.d.).
monitoring of agrarian-related cases,
was also launched.
 In addition to these initiatives, Aquino
CARP or Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
also enacted Executive Order No. 26,
Program
Series of 2011, to mandate the
Department of Agriculture-Department of Implementation of Agrarian Reform in the
Environment and Natural Resources- Philippines
Department of Agrarian Reform
Convergence Initiative to develop a         The implementation of Agrarian Reforms
National Greening Program in proceeded at a slow pace due to a lack of
cooperation with other government political will. Redistribution of the land was also
agencies. slow (A Status on the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program in the Philippines, n.d.).
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (2016–present) 
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law:
 Under his leadership, the President Philippines
wanted to pursue an “aggressive” land
reform program that would help alleviate         The RA No. 6657, alternatively called the
the life of poor Filipino farmers by Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, was
prioritizing the provision of support signed by Former President Corazon C. Aquino
services alongside land distribution. on June 10, 1988. The Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Law was responsible for the
 The President directed the DAR to implementation of the CARP in the Philippines.
launch the 2nd phase of agrarian reform The law focused on industrialization in the
where landless farmers would be Philippines together with social justice.
awarded undistributed lands under the
CARP. Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law:
Objectives
 Duterte planned to place almost all
public lands, including military reserves,         The main objective of instituting the
under agrarian reform. Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law was to
successfully devise land reform in the Philippines
 The President also placed 400 hectares (A Status on the Comprehensive Agrarian
of agricultural lands in Boracay under Reform Program in the Philippines, n.d.). It was
CARP. President Arroyo who signed the Executive
Order No. 456 on August 23 to rename the
 Under his administration, the DAR
Department of Land Reform to the Department of
created an anti-corruption task force to
Agrarian Reform. This had been done in order to
investigate and handle reports on
expand the functional area of the law. In addition
alleged anomalous activities by officials
to land reform, the Department of Agrarian
and employees of the department.
Reform began to supervise other allied activities
        The Department also pursued an “Oplan to improve the beneficiaries' economic and social
Zero Backlog” in the resolution of cases with status in the Philippines (Comprehensive
Agrarian reform in Agrarian reform in agrarian Agrarian Reform, 2016).
justice delivery of the agrarian reform program to
        The CARP is a Philippine state policy that
ensures and promotes welfare to landless
farmers and farm workers and elevates social
justice and equity among rural areas (A Status
on the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
in the Philippines, n.d.).

Department of Agrarian Reform

Mandate and Functions
 To lead in implementing the CARP
through TI, agrarian justice, and
coordinated delivery of essential support
services to client beneficiaries.
 To provide land tenure security to
landless farmers through land
acquisition and distribution, leasehold
arrangements’ implementation, and
other LTI services.
 To provide legal intervention to ARBs
through the adjudication of agrarian
cases and legal assistance;
 To implement, facilitate, and coordinate
the delivery of support services to ARBs
through Social Infrastructure and Local
Capability Building, Sustainable
Agribusiness, and Rural Enterprise
Development, and Access Facilitation
and Enhancement Services.