Orignal Mabini Writings in the National Historical Commission of the Philippines Library
Date Published: December 16, 2024
Apolinario Mabini y Maranan, honored with the title “Brains of the Revolution” by historians. He was considered as the legal luminary that guided President Aguinaldo’s government. He was respected and admired because of his intellectual greatness, courage and love of freedom for the Filipinos. His writings are now significant historical documents that provide insights on development of the Filipino nation.
On 23 July 1864, Mabini was born in Tanauan, Batangas, at an eventful period in history. He witnessed the harsh Spanish colonialism and the wave of revolution against Spain and later the Americans.
At the core of Mabini’s writings is nationalism. Although he was doubtful at first on Filipinos’ capacity to fight for their freedom, he believed in the Filipino people’s sovereignty and self-rule. His works is a call for unity and collective identity among Filipinos. Mabini stressed the moral aspect of leadership. He said that true leaders must have virtues like honesty, accountability and service to the people. This is evident in his Decalogue where he outlined the duties of leaders and citizens. Mabini was a pioneer of social justice. He saw the need for reforms that could address the social gaps, an inclusive vision of the nation that puts the poor first.
When Mabini was released from San Juan de Dios hospital in 1897, he stayed for a while in Malate where he wrote his thoughts about the revolution. Around April of 1898, he transferred to Bay, Laguna to hide and that was in the house of Alejandro Quidayan. Antonino “Matatag” Guevarra writes in his book History of One of the Initiators of the Filipino Revolution that Rizal also stayed in that house for a night.
In 2014, through Mr. Peter Uckung, a former History Researcher of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and now the Head of Laguna History, Arts and Culture Division, the NHCP was fortunate to acquire the original writings of Apolinario Mabini that were kept in the residence of the Quidayan Family. According to Ms. Cielito Reyno, former Supervising History Researcher of the NHCP, Dr. Liza Quidayan said that the documents were from her grandfather, Alejandro Quidayan. He was a fellow mason of Mabini. His name was mentioned several times in the memoirs of Antonino “Matatag” Guevara and General Artemio Ricarte as Quindayan.
The materials acquired by the NHCP includes a booklet with the title “Unang Libro” composed of his writings in Tagalog: (1) “Sa Bayang Pilipinas (Mayo nang taong 1898), (2) “Sa Manga Tagapagbangon ng Bayang Pilipinas (Abril ng taong 1898), (3) “Ang Tunay na Sampung Utos ng Diyos,” and (4) “Manga Kautusan nang Pagbabangon (Ordenanzas de la Revolucion). Jose Ramon Perdigon, editor of the book “Apolinario Mabini: Testament and Political Letters,” mentioned that most of Mabini’s writings were in Spanish. He said that more than 90% of Mabini’s writings that Teodoro M. Kalaw transcribed were in Spanish so that the booklet written in Tagalog was a rare find.
Apolinario Mabini’s works still speak to us today. His contribution to national identity is immeasurable. His thoughts on nationalism, governance and social justice have inspired generations of Filipinos from revolutionaries in the early 20th century to modern day revolutionists for democratic reforms and social equity. May his life and works remain an inspiration to the Filipino youth today.
This document is available at the NHCP National Memory Project for the appreciation of the public. Please see link https://memory.nhcp.gov.ph/?s=booklet#item35046_1
References:
Guevarra, Antonino. History of one of the initiators of the Filipino revolution, Manila: National Historical Institute, 1998.
Perdigon, Jose. ed. Apolinario Mabini: Testament and Political Letters Translated by Alfredo Veloso. Paranaque City: Old Gold Publishing, 2013.
Reyno, Ma. Cielito G. “Report on the Discovery of Revolutionary Documents from Bay, Laguna.” 2014. [Unpublished manuscript]
