Forgotten Filipino Heroes: Gen. Francisco S. Makabulos

FORGOTTEN FILIPINO HEROES: Gen. Francisco S. Makabulos

by Antonio C. Antonio

November 2, 2014

When Filipinos talk about heroes, we seem to automatically refer to the following illustrious names: Dr. Jose Protacio Realonda Mercado-Rizal; Andres de Castro Bonifacio; Apolinario Maranan Mabini; Gen. Emilio Famy Aguinaldo, etc.  Our history books, more often than not, often refer to these names as Philippine heroes… leaving the impression that they are the only ones.  However, there really is a long line of heroes that accompany this patriotic group.  They are often referred to as the forgotten Filipino heroes.  Here is one of them.

“Francisco Soliman Makabulos (September 17, 1871 – April 30, 1922) was a Filipino patriot who led the Katipunan revolutionary forces during the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896.

He was born in La Paz, Tarlac to Alejandro Makabulos of Lubao, Pampanga and Gregoria Soliman.  He organized the first Katipunan group there after he was inducted into the secret society by Ladislao Diwa in 1896.  When the revolution broke out in 1896, he liberated Tarlac and established town councils in areas he liberated.

Makabulos refused to honor the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, which called for a truce with the Spanish colonial government, and continued operations in Cetral Luzon.  But on January 4, 1898, he disbanded his troops and accepted amnesty after receiving PhP 14,000 as part of Spanish reparations to Filipino revolutionaries.  Makabulos distributed the money to his men.

However, he resumed operations against the Spanish and on April 17, 1898, an assembly of citizens representing the town councils Makabulos established, calling themselves representatives of Central Luzon, met and drafted a provisional constitution.  They created a government that was to exist until a revolutionary government is established.  Makabulos’ government was headed by a general executive committee, consisting of a president, vie president, secretary of interior, secretary of war and a secretary of the treasury.

Makabulos dissolved his government after the First Philippine Republic was created by the Malolos Constitution, which he also signed.  He also led his men to free nearby provinces like Pangasinan where he led revolutionists in the Battle of Dagupan.” (Wikipedia)

After Gen. Emilio F. Aguinaldo was captured, Makabulos continued fighting the Americans and framed his own constitution called the Constitution of Makabulos.  He realized that further fighting would be futile, and so, in June 1900, he surrendered to the Americans.  Later, he became mayor of La Paz, Tarlac, and after his term in public office, he returned to farming until his death at the age of 51.

Reading literature about our heroes should rekindle our nationalist spirit aside from learning from the life and time of these forgotten Filipino heroes.

Just my little thoughts…

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