21 OCTOBER

Fr. Gregorio L. Aglipay

1898 - Four months after revolutionaries declared  the Philippines independent from Spain, Catholic priest Gregorio Aglipay y Labayan urges the  Filipino clergy to organize themselves into a  cohesive body aimed at addressing possible national  emergency and, as well, to form a council to ask  the Pope to appoint native members of the clergy to occupy church positions from archbishop down to  the parish priest; Aglipay, who serves as Philippine (Malolos) Congress delegate and was a day earlier appointed military vicar of the fledgling government of Gen. Emilio  Aguinaldo, will in two years proclaim the  establishment of the Philippine Independent Church  (Aglipayan Church) separate from Rome as Vatican  eventually rejects  his advocacy of the Filipinization  of the clergy. 

Camilo C. de Polavieja

1896 - Camilo C. de Polavieja is appointed Governor-General of the Spanish colony the Philippines,  replacing Ramon  Ramón Blanco y Erenas, some two months after the outbreak of the Filipinos' Revolution for  independence; the more liberal Blanco, who has  been ousted following the clamor of the friars over  his conciliatory attitude towards the Filipinos,  contrasts with de Polavieja, a conservative hated by the natives of another Spanish colony, the Cubans, for his politically repressive measures while serving as Captain General; as a result of the new appointment, colonial military courts become very  active as many natives and mestizos were arrested, charged with conspiracy in the Philippine Revolution, and executed, including patriot and  polymath Jose P. Rizal, while amnesty is published and Filipino volunteer regiments are organized.


Photo credits:

National Historical Institute; http://www.freewebs.com/philippineamericanwar/background.htm