109th Anniversary of Malolos Congress
Malolos City, Bulacan
September 15, 2007
History “repeated” itself in this historic capital city, dubbed as the “cradle of democracy in Asia.”The province yesterday marked the 109th anniversary of the opening of the Malolos Congress, where representatives ratified the Malolos Constitution that justified the proclamation of the Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite.
http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2007-09-16&sec=8&aid=31642
The Philippine Revolution - The Malolos Congress
In accordance with the decrees of June 18 and 23, 1898, Aguinaldo convoked the Revolutionary Congress at Barasoain, Malolos. Peace and order conditions in some provinces were such that Aguinaldo was compelled to appoint their delegates to Congress. Consequently, on September 4, he appointed fifty delegates to the Congress. This number was increased by ten on September 10. The number of delegates to the Congress fluctuated from time to time.
In the morning of September 15, the basilica at Barasoain was filled with delegates and spectators. Outside, the Banda Pasig played the National Anthem. When Aguinaldo and his officers arrived, the delegates, the cream of the Filipino intelligentsia, spread out to give way to the President.
The first significant act of the Congress was the ratification on September 29, of the independence proclaimed at Kawit on June 12, 1898. Aguinaldo, whose office and official residence were located at the convent of Malolos Church, arrived at Barasoain, where Congress was holding its sessions, amidst the "vociferous acclamations of he people and strains of music."
The ceremonies began at 10:30am and Aguinaldo, after congratulating Paterno for having been elected to the presidency of Congress, partly said in Tagalog:
" Now we witness the truth of what the famous President Monroe said to the effect that the United States was for the Americans; now I say that the Philippines is for the Filipinos. "
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