THE CRY OF PUGAD LAWIN: WHEN ANDWHERE

The Cry of Pugad Lawin is one of the unresolved debates in Philippine history. The historical
incident, in which the Katipuneros, under the leadership of Andrés Bonifacio, tore their
cedulas, signaled the start of the Philippine Revolution and their act of defiance against the
Spanish Empire. These disagreements are a result of conflicting interpretations of the "cry"
and overlapping claims made by KKK veterans. The key issues raised in the aforementioned
disagreement are, namely, whether the "cry" took place on August 23, 1896, or August 24,
1896, and whether it occurred in Pugad Lawin or Balintawak. The authenticity of the source,
however, maintains that the Cry of Pugad Lawin occurred on August 23, 1896, at Pugad
Lawin.

Two letters from Andres Bonifacio, dated August 22 and 24, are mentioned in Emilio
Aguinaldo's memoirs Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan (1964), rather than Banlat. In any event. It
is impossible to historically confirm "Pugad Lawin." To wit:

On August 22, 1896, the Magdalo Council received a covert letter from Supremo Andres
Bonifacio in Balintawak informing them that the Katipunan would be holding a significant
meeting on August 24, and that it would be imperative for them to send two representatives
or delegates on their behalf. The gathering would be scheduled to fall on Saint
Bartholomew's Day. Our emissary reached his destination without incident and came back
unharmed with a letter from the Supremo dated August 24. There were no orders in it, but

The claim that the tearing of cedulas in the "Cry of Pugad Lawin" occurred on August 23,
1896, in Juan Ramos' home in Bahay Toro, Kalookan, is untrue given the aforementioned
circumstances. Balintawak was closer to the events of August 17–26, 1896 than Kalookan. A
great-granddaughter of Tandang Sora also objected to the toponym "Pugad Lawin," which,
in her opinion, referred to a hawks nest on top of a tall sampaloc tree in Gulod, the highest
elevated location close to Balintawak, during a round-table discussion hosted by the
Philippine Historical Association.

However, Pio Valenzuela, a KKK veteran who testified that he was present during the first
cry, rejected the idea that the scene was in Balintawak. He recounted that the decision to
revolt had been made at the residence on the Daan Malalim Road in Pasong Tamo,
Caloocan, during a trial court proceeding in 1917. According to the veteran, the area was
"also known as Pacpac-lawin" (Richardson, 2014). Teodoro Agoncilio primarily drew on
Valenzuela's claims and memoirs for his book, The Revolt of the Masses. The following is a
common description of the controversy

The more than 1,000 Katipunan members gathered in the yard of Juan A. Ramos, the son of
Melchora Aquino, on the morning of August 23 in Pugad Lawin, where they had traveled
after leaving Samson's home in the afternoon on August 22. The question of whether the
uprising against the Spanish government should begin on the 29th was hotly debated. Just
one individual objected. But his position was rejected. As soon as the decision was made,
Bonifacio yelled, "Brothers, it was agreed to continue with the plan of revolt. My brothers, do

you swear to repudiate the government that oppresses us? ", to which the rebels shouted,
"Yes, sir!" Bonifacio then urged them to tear their cedulas in half.

Additionally, the original memorial for the scream was originally located in Balintawak in
September 1911 but was later transferred to Diliman University owing to road construction
there. Balintawak's claim to be the location of the first Cry has come under increased
scrutiny over time because the monument does not even specify that it marks the precise
location, and it was only put there because that is where the Katipuneros congregated and
because the name Balintawak was frequently used to refer to that general area. Locals may
be familiar with the word Balintawak, but only in the tighter, more specific sense of a specific
barrio in eastern Caloocan.

It has been determined, based on the assertions made and corroborated by the relevant
evidence, that the Cry of Pugad Lawin occurred on August 23, 1896, since this conclusion is
consistent with the unquestionable historical artifacts displayed. Pio Valenzuela's evidence
may have appeared inconsistent at first, but this was due to the duress he experienced
throughout his trial by the Spanish court. His testimony and declaration, along with that of
other KKK veterans Pantas and Pacheco, are sufficient to authenticate and confirm the
aforementioned historical incident in the Philippines. In actuality, Teodoro Agoncilio's
statement served as the foundation for the Philippine government's current policy. President
Diosdado Macapagal directed that the ceremonial celebrations be moved to Pugad ng uwak
in 1963. August 23rd in Quezon City (1998)

The Filipino people should concentrate on the significance the cry bears, notwithstanding the
event's differences in time and location. Because of this, the Filipinos continue to celebrate
National Heroes Day, which was inspired by the Katipunan's act of tearing apart their
cedulas and declaring a war of independence. The Cry of Balintawak prevented a revolution
from happening. We Filipinos today wouldn't have the freedom we do if the revolution hadn't
taken place in the first place.

Members:
KIDERICK V FRANCIA
JIAN JEZHL LORENZO
SHARMAINE JOY EGAY
KENN A. MAGBANUA
KURT MENDOZA