period in the Philippines, several revolts occurred
that were instigated for a number of reasons.
It can be
agreed upon that the common underlying cause of these revolts were
the generally repressive policies of the Spanish colonial
government against native-born Filipinos
. Most of these revolts failed
At various times during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Chinese
population rose in revolt against
the Spaniards. These events led to the expulsion of the Chinese
from Manila and the entire country by virtue of the decrees that
were made by the Spanish authorities to that effect. However, later
reconciliations nearly always permitted the continuation of the
Chinese community in the city.
Dagami Revolt (1567)
Dagami Revolt was a revolt against Spanish
colonial rule led by the Filipino rebel, Dagami,
in the island of Cebu in the
Philippines, in 1567.
Manila Revolt (1574)
Manila Revolt, also known as the Lakandula
Revolt, or the Sulayman Revolt, was an
uprising in 1574 against Spanish colonial rule led by Rajah Lakandula and Rajah Sulayman, in Manila, in the
Philippines. The revolt occurred in the same year when the
Chinese pirate, Limahong attacked the
palisaded, yet poorly-defended enclosure of Intramuros.
Before the death of Governor-General Miguel López de
, Lakandula was baptized as Carlos Lacandola
and he and his descendants (along with Sulayman), were justly
compensated with exemption from tribute and forced labor, which
their families enjoyed until 1884. The Lakandula and Sulayman
families also received the exclusive right to keep their family
names. Legazpi's successor, however, Governor-General Guido de Lavezaris
sequestered their properties, and even tolerated the abuse and
oppression of their people by Spanish encomienderos
the help of Spanish and Filipino colonial troops, Governor-General
Lavezaris was able to quell the rebellion and restore order in
Pampangos Revolt (1585)
Pampangos Revolt, or the First Pampangos
Revolt, was an uprising in 1585 by native Kapampangan leaders against Spanish
landowners, or encomienderos, in the Philippines. It began due to the abuses inflicted by the
encomienderos on the natives of Pampanga.
included a plot to storm Intramuros.
However, the conspiracy was foiled before
it could even be implemented, after a Filipino woman who was
married to a Spanish soldier reported the plot to the Spanish
authorities. Spanish and Filipino colonial troops were sent by
Governor-General Santiago de Vera
and the leaders of the revolt were arrested and summarily
Conspiracy of the Maharlikas (1587-1588)
Conspiracy of the Maharlikas, or
the Tondo Conspiracy' of 1587-1588 was a plot
against Spanish colonial rule by the kin-related noblemen, or
datus, of Manila and some
towns of Bulacan and Pampanga, in the
Philippines. It was led by Agustin
de Legazpi, nephew of Lakandula,
and his first cousin, Martin Pangan.
The datus swore to rise up in arms by anointing their
necks with a split egg. The uprising
failed when they were betrayed to the Spanish authorities by
Antonio Surabao (Susabau) of Calamianes.
Revolts Against the Tribute (1589)
Revolts Against the Tribute occurred in the
present-day provinces of Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos
Sur in 1589.
The natives, which included
and others, rose in revolt over
alleged abuses by tax collectors, including the collection of
unjust taxes. Governor-General
Santiago de Vera
sent Spanish and
Filipino colonial troops to pacify the rebels. They were eventually
pardoned, and reforms on the Philippine tax system were made.
Magalat Revolt (1596)
Magalat Revolt was an uprising in the Philippines in 1596, led by Magalat, a
Filipino rebel from Cagayan. He had been arrested in Manila for inciting
rebellion against the Spanish, and after he was released on the
importunities of some Dominican priests, he returned to Cagayan.
Together with his brother, he incited the
whole country to revolt. He was said to have committed atrocities
upon his fellow natives for refusing to rise up against the
Spaniards. He soon controlled the countryside, and the Spanish
eventually found themselves besieged.
The Spanish Governor-General Francisco de
Tello de Guzmán
, sent Pedro de Chaves from Manila with Spanish
and Filipino colonial troops. They fought successfully against the
rebels, and captured and executed several leaders under Magalat.
Magalat himself was assassinated within his fortified headquarters
by his own men, who apparently had been promised a reward by the
Igorot Revolt (1601)
Igorot Revolt was a religious revolt in 1601
against Spanish attempts to Christianize the Igorot people of northern Luzon, in the
Philippines. Governor-General Francisco de
Tello de Guzmán
sent Captain Aranda with Spanish and Filipino
colonial troops, who successfully crushed the Igorot
Chinese revolt of 1602
the Chinese inhabitants of Manila set fire to
Quiapo and Tondo, and for a
time threatened to capture Intramuros.
Irraya Revolt (1621)
(1621) The Irraya revolt came to be because of the cruelty of the
Spaniards to the Igorots, leading to a revolt under the leadership
of Gabriel Dayag and his brother named Felix Cutabay.
Tamblot Revolt (1621-1622)
Tamblot Revolt or Tamblot
Uprising was a religious uprising in the island of
Bohol, led by Tamblot in
The Jesuits first came to Bohol in 1596, and
eventually governed the island and converted the Boholanos to the
Catholic faith. Tamblot, a babaylan
or native priest,
urged his fellow Boholanos to return to the old native religion of
revolt began on the day when the Jesuits were in Cebu, celebrating
the feast day of St. Francis
It was finally crushed on New Year's Day, in
Bankaw Revolt (1621-1622)
The Bankaw Revolt
was a religious uprising against
Spanish colonial rule led by Bankaw, the datu
of Kan Gara
, in the present-day Carigara Philippine province of Leyte
had warmly received Miguel
López de Legazpi as his guest, when he first arrived in the
Philippines in 1565.
Although baptized as a Christian in
his youth, he abandoned his faith in later years. With a
, or religious leader named Pagali, he built a
temple for a diwata
or local goddess, and pressed six
towns to rise up in revolt. Similar to the Tamblot Uprising
, Pagali used magic to
attract followers, and claimed that they could turn the Spaniards
into clay by hurling bits of earth at them.
Governor-General Alonso Fajardo de
Entenza sent the alcalde mayor of Cebu, Juan de
Alcarazo, with Spanish and Filipino colonial troops, to suppress
Bankaw's severed head was impaled on a bamboo
stake and displayed to the public as a stern warning. One of his
sons was also beheaded, and one of the babaylans
burned at the stake. Three other followers were executed by firing
squad. Other historical sources/accounts reports The Bankaw Revolt
as the first recorded uprising against foreign colonization. The
(1621-1622) dates may be inaccurate. Carigara was evangelized only
a decade after Magellan landed in Limasawa in 1521. The uprising
may well have taken place towards the end of 1500s. It is important
to note the dagami revolt 1567) actually happened well after the
bankaw revolt. Carigara was founded more than fifty years before
dagami. both towns are in Leyte and is still called Dagami.
Isneg Revolt (1625-1627)
Isneg Revolt, or the Mandaya
Revolt, was a religious uprising against Spanish colonial
rule led by Miguel Lanab and Alababan, two Christianized Filipinos
from the Isneg or Mandaya tribe of Capinatan, in northwestern
Cagayan, in the Philippines. The region is now part of the landlocked
province of Apayao.GAGO ANJANETTE
beheaded and mutilated two Dominican missionaries, Father Alonzo
Garcia and Brother Onofre Palao, who were sent by the Spanish
colonial government to convert the Isneg people to Christianity.
After cutting Father Garcia's body into pieces, they fed his flesh
to a herd of pigs. Afterwards, they compelled their fellow Isnegs
to loot, desecrate Christian images, set fire to the local
churches, and escape with them to the mountains.
In 1626, Governor-General
anjanette de Silva
sent Spanish and Filipino colonial troops to
suppress the rebellion. They destroyed farms and other sources of
food to starve the Isnegs, and forced them to surrender in
Cagayan Revolt (1639)
As a result of the British invasion and the revolutionary propaganda of Silang and Palaris, the flames of rebellion spread to Cagayan. The people of Ilagan proclaimed their independence on February 2, 1763, defying the tribute collectors and Spain. The insurrection spread to Cabagan and Tuguegarao. Under their chieftains named Dabo and Juan Marayac, the rebels committed various acts of violence on the Spanish officials and the friars. But the revolt did not last long, for Don Manuel de Arza and his loyal Filipino troops came and quelled it.The leaders were executed.
Ladia Revolt (1643)
Ladia was a Bornean and a descendant of Lakandula who came to
Malolos in 1643. At that time, the Filipinos were suffering from
oppression and he thought that it was about time that they stage an
uprising. This was despite the fact that a parish priest tried to
convince him not to pursue his plans. Upon his capture, he was
brought to Manila where he was executed.
Zambales Revolt (1645)
Pampanga Revolt (1645)
Sumuroy Revolt (1649-50)
is today the town of Palapag in Northern
Samar, Juan Ponce
Sumuroy, a Waray, and some of his
followers rose in arms on June 1, 1649 over the polo
system being undertaken in Samar.
This is known as the
, named after Juan Ponce
government in Manila directed
that all natives subject to the polo are not to be sent to
places distant from their hometowns to do their
polo. However, under orders of the various town
alcaldes, or mayors, Samarnons were
being sent to the shipyards of Cavite to do their
polo, which sparked the revolt. The local parish
priest of Palapag was murdered and the revolt eventually spread to
Mindanao, Bicol and the rest
of the Visayas, especially in places such as Cebu, Masbate, Camiguin, Zamboanga,
Albay, Camarines and parts of
northern Mindanao, such as Surigao.
A free government was also established in
the mountains of Samar.
The defeat, capture and execution of Sumuroy in June 1650 delivered
a big setback to the revolt. His trusted co conspirator David Dula
sustained the quest for freedom with greater vigor but in one of a
fierce battles several years later, he was wounded, captured and
later executed in Palapag, Northern Samar by the Spaniards together
with his seven key lieutenants, one of who was the great great
grandfather of current Northern Samar Governor Raul Daza
.The capture of Dula marked the end of
the revolt in its operational center in Northern Samar but the
sporadic skirmises and hatred with the Spanish authorities started
by Sumuroy and Dula in some parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
continues, and pursued by new faces in the rebellion fronts.This is
marked as the beginning of the end of the long Spanish rule in the
Pintados Revolt (1649-1650)
Zambal Revolt (1660)
Maniago Revolt (1660)
MANIAGO REVOLT (was actually a non-revolt) led by Don Francisco
Maniago, initially caused by natives' protest against the polo
, later became a
struggle to free the natives from Spanish rule. The rebels were
weakened by Gov. de Lara's cooperation of Arayat chief
Malong Revolt (1660-1661)
This revolt was led by Andres Malong.
Spanish rule due to the oppressive treatment given them by the
Spaniards. One of these revolts was the Malong Revolt. The people
were suffering from forced labor and the non-payment of the timber
used in the construction of galleons as well as rice and other
Malong Revolt was influenced by the Pampanga revolt because the
prevailing conditions then at Pampanga and Pangasinan were almost the same.
Malong led the People in Pangasinan to take up arms against the
Spaniards. The revolt spread throughout the province with great
success so that he proclaimed himself King of Pangasinan.
of Filipinos joined this revolt and Malong was tempted to extend it
to Pampanga, Ilocos, and Cagayan.
The dispersal of his forces, however,
proved to be his undoing. It weakened his own defenses in
Pangasinan, enabling the Spaniards to capture him and suppress his
revolt before reinforcements could arrive from the other provinces.
Malong was subsequently executed.
18th century the people of Binalatongan (now San Carlos City), Pangasinan, took arms demanding the removal of the tribute and
the Alcalde-Mayor, Joaquin Gamboa who had been making illegal
collections of the tribute. The defeat of the Spaniards in Manila by the
British during the Seven Years'
War and the occupation of the city by the British, contributed
to the outbreak of the revolt.
The realization that the Spaniards could be defeated encouraged the
Filipinos, who took advantage of the preoccupation of the Spaniards
with their British enemies. But a Spanish force defeated the rebels
Later, Juan dela Cruz Palaris, a native of Binalatongan, led a
renewal of the revolt. It spread throughout the province,
especially in the towns of Calasiao, Dagupan,Manaoag, Mangaldan, San Jacinto, Bayambang, Malasiqui, Santa Barbara, and Paniqui. As a concession, the Spanish authorities
required the alcalde-mayor of Pangasinan to resign. The people of Pangasinan continued their resistance nonetheless, but were
finally defeated in March, 1764.
Palaris was captured and hanged.
Almazan Revolt (January 1661)
A part of the chain to the Malong Revolt was the Ilocos Revolt led
by Don Pedro Almazan, illustrious and wealthy leader from San
Nicolas, Laoag, Ilocos Norte. The letters sent by Don Andres Malong
("King of Pangasinan") narrating the defeat of the Spaniards in his
area and urging other provinces to rise in arms ignited the
long-nourished ill feelings of the Ilocanos against the unjust
practices and atrocities of the Spanish authorities. During the
revolt, Don Pedro Almazan was proclaimed "King of Ilocos".
Unfortunely, before the revolt could spread to other provinces,
Almazan was captured and executed.
Chinese revolt of 1662
Fearing an invasion of Chinese leaded by the famous crusader
, the garrisons around Manila were
reinforced. An increasing anti-Chinese sentiment grew within much
of the population. In the end, the invasion did not materialize,
but many locals massacred hundreds of Chinese in the Manila area
without the Spaniards intervening to stop the carnage.
Panay Revolt (1663)
The Panay Revolt
was a religious uprising in 1663,
that stemmed from the prevalent misdemeanors of Spanish friars that
alienated countless Filipino natives from the Catholic faith.
Tapar a native of the
island of Panay, in the
Philippines, wanted to establish a religious cult in the town
He attracted many followers with his stories about
his frequent conversations with a demon. Tapar and his men were
killed in a bloody skirmish against Spanish and Filipino colonial
troops. Their corpses were impaled in stakes.
Sambal Revolt (1681-1683)
After suppressing the Malong revolt in Pangasinan, the Spanish
moved to exterminate the roots of the rebellion. Chief tumalang
fought bitterly, but was captured and converted to Catholicism. The
Zambals retaliated by killing Rf. Domingo Perez, a Dominican Friar,
after which the Spanish sent additional troops and defeated the
Tingco plot (1686)
In 1686, a Chinese conspiracy led by Tingco
plotted to kill all the Spaniards
Rivera Revolt (1718)
Magtanĝaga Revolt (1718)
Caragay Revolt (1719)
Dagohoy Rebellion (1744-1829)
in what is now the province of Bohol, what is
known today as the Dagohoy Revolt was undertaken
by Francisco Dagohoy and some of
This revolt is unique since it is the only
Philippine revolt completely related to matters of religious
customs, although unlike the Tamblot Uprising before it, it is not
a complete religious rebellion.
After a duel
in which Dagohoy's brother died,
the local parish priest refused to give his brother a proper
burial, since dueling is a
. The refusal of the priest to
give his brother a proper Christian burial eventually led to the
longest revolt ever held in Philippine history: 85 years. It also
led to the establishment of a free Boholano government. Twenty
governors-general, from Juan
to Mariano Ricafort Palacín
, failed to stop the revolt. Ricafort himself sent a
force of 2,200 troops to Bohol, which was defeated by Dagohoy's
followers. Another attack, also sent by Ricafort in 1828 and 1829,
failed as well.
Dagohoy died two years before the revolt ended, though, which led
to the end of the revolt in 1829. Some 19,000 survivors were granted
pardon and were eventually allowed to live in
new Boholano villages: namely, the present-day towns of Balilihan, Batuan, Bilar (Vilar), Catigbian and Sevilla (Cabulao).
Agrarian Revolt (1745-1746)
The Agrarian Revolt was a revolt undertaken between the years 1745
and 1746 in much of the present-day CALABARZON (specifically in
Batangas, Laguna and Cavite) and in Bulacan, with its first sparks
in the towns of Lian and Nasugbu in Batangas. Filipino landowners
rose in arms over the land-grabbing of Spanish friars, with native
landowners demanding that Spanish priests return their lands on the
basis of ancestral domain.
Silang Revolt (1762-63)
Arguably one of the most famous revolts in Philippine history is
the Silang Revolt
from 1762 to 1763, led by the
couple of Diego
and Gabriela Silang
. Unlike the other revolts,
this revolt took place during the British occupation of the
December 14, 1762, Diego Silang declared the independence of
Ilocandia, naming the state "Free
Ilocos" and proclaimed Vigan the capital
of this newly-independent state.
The British heard about
this revolt in Manila and even asked the help of Silang in fighting
However, Silang was killed on May 28, 1763 by Miguel Vicos
, a friend of Silang. The Spanish
authorities paid for his murder, leading to his death in the arms
of his wife, Gabriela. She continued her husband's struggle,
earning the title "Joan of Arc
Ilocanos" because of her many victories in battle. The battles of
the Silang revolt are a prime example of the use of divide et impera
, since Spanish troops
largely used Kampampangan soldiers to fight the Ilocanos.
Eventually, the revolt ended with the defeat of the Ilocanos.
Gabriela Silang was executed by Spanish authorities in Vigan on
September 10, 1763.
Palaris Revolt (1762-1765)
On November 3, 1762, with the Spanish at
war with Britain
and a British invasion of the
in progress, a Pangasinense leader named Juan de la
Cruz Palaris (also known as Pantaleon Perez) rebelled against
Spanish imposition of the tribute. The revolt lasted two years, spreading
across Pangasinan and affecting other provinces.
ended in 1764, when Spanish forces along with some Ilocanos loyal
to Spain led by Manuel de Azar hunted Palaris down and executed him
Camarines Revolt (1762-1764)
Cebu Revolt (1762-1764)
Dabo and Marayac Revolt (1763)
Isabela Revolt (1763)
Lagutao Revolt (1785)
Ilocos Norte Revolt (1788)
Magtanong and Malibiran Revolt (1787)
Nueva Vizcaya Revolt (1805)
Ambaristo Revolt (1807)
The Ambaristo Revolt
, also known as the
, was a revolt undertaken from
September 16-September 28 or 28, 1807. It was led by Pedro
Mateo with its events occurring in the present-day town of Piddig in Ilocos
This revolt is unique as it revolves around
the Ilocanos' love for basi
In 1786, the Spanish colonial government expropriated
the manufacture and sale of
, effectively banning private manufacture of the wine,
which was done before expropriation. Ilocanos were forced to buy
from government stores. However, wine-loving Ilocanos in Piddig
rose in revolt on September 16, 1807, with the revolt spreading to
nearby towns and with fighting lasting for weeks. Spanish troops
eventually quelled the revolt on September 28, 1807, albeit with
much force and loss of life on the losing side.
Bayot Revolt (1822)
This revolt, headed by brothers Joaquin, Manuel and Jose Bayot.
Sons of Francisco Bayot, a Spanisn Army Colonel based in Manila.
The rebellion was triggered by Spanish favoritism of Peninsulares
(Spaniards born in Spain) over Insulares (Spaniards born in the
Philippines). The Bayot brothers were insulares, and planned to
take up arms, overthrow the government, and proclaim an independent
Philippines with Francisco Bayot as King. The Bayot brothers were
arrested before the plan could be put into action and, after trial,
sentenced to life imprisonment. Their father, Francisco, was
acquitted due to insufficient evidence but was forced to resign
from the army.
The Novales Mutiny (1823)
On June 1, 1823, newly installed Governor General Juan Antonio
Martinez ordered the reassignment to Mindinao of Captain Andres
Novales of the Spanish Army, who had expressed discontent with
Insulares in the military were treated. When a strong typhoon
caused cancellation of the reassignment, Novales and supporters
seized the opportunity to take up arms, killing former Governor
General Folgueras and several other officials. Government troops
slowly decimated Novalis' troops, forcing his surrender in the
early morning of June 2, 1823. After the surrender, an immediately
convened Court Martial
guilty of mutiny
and ordered his execution ar
five in the afternoon of June 2, 1823. this revolt can be
considered as the shortest in philippine history.
Ilocos Norte Revolt (1811)
Sarat Revolt (1815)
Bayot Revolt (1822)
cause:Feeling of distrust between the peninsulares and the
Parang and Upay Revolt (1822-1835)
Pule Revolt (1840-1841)
One of the most famous religious revolts is the Pule
, more formally known as the Religious
Revolt of Hermano Pule
. Undertaken between June 1840 and
November 1841, this revolt was led by Apolinario de la Cruz
, otherwise known
as "Hermano Pule
Cruz started his own religious
order, the Confraternity of Saint Joseph
( ) in Lucban, located in
the present-day province of Quezon (then
called Tayabas), in June 1840.
However, there were two
types of priests in the Philippines then: secular priests
or parish priests, which were usually Filipino, and religious
, or convent priests, which were usually Spanish. Due
to the concentration of Spanish religious power and authority in
the already-established religious orders (the Augustinians
to name a few) and the
concept that Filipino priests should only stay in the church and
not the convent and vice-versa (although this was not always
followed), the Spanish government banned the new order, especially
due to its deviation from original Catholic rituals and teachings,
such as prayers and rituals suited for Filipinos.
However, thousands of people in Tayabas, Batangas, Laguna and even
Manila already joined. Because of this, the Spanish government sent
in troops to forcibly break up the order, forcing De la Cruz and
his followers to rise in armed revolt in self-defense. Many bloody battles
were fought with the order's last stand in Mount San Cristobal, near Mount Banahaw, in October 1841. The Spaniards
eventually won, and Apolinario de la Cruz was executed on November
4, 1841 in the then-provincial capital, Tayabas.
It did not end there, though. Many members of the Spanish armed forces'
Tayabas regiment, based in Malate in Manila,
had relatives that were members of the order, of which many of
those relatives were also killed in the ensuing violence.
January 20, 1843, the regiment, led by Sergeant Irineo Samaniego, rose in mutiny, eventually capturing Fort Santiago in Intramuros.
The next day, however, the
gates of Fort Santiago were opened by loyalist soldiers. After a
bloody battle, the mutineers were defeated by loyalist troops,
resulting in the execution of Samaniego and 81 of his followers the
Camerino Revolt (1865-1869)
Labios Revolt (1870-1871)
Cavite Mutiny (1872)
- The Revolts before the Revolution
www.nhi.gov.ph Retrieved 21 November, 2006.
- Rowena Reyes-Boquiren, HISTORY OF COLONIALISM AND STRUGGLE : LOCAL STREAMS IN
PHILIPPINE NATIONALISM, (Prepared for the 1999 Ibon Philippine
Educators Training, Baguio City), self-published.
- The Andress Malong Revolt, pangasinan.gov.ph