INTRODUCTION

The term "Cry" is translated from the Spanish el grito de rebelion (cry of rebellion) or el grito for
short. Thus the Grito de Balintawak is comparable to Mexico's Grito de Dolores (1810). However,
el grito de rebelion strictly refers to a decision or call to revolt. It does not necessarily connote
shouting, unlike the Filipino sigaw. The Philippine Revolution against over three centuries of
Spanish domination began with Andrés Bonifacio, leader of the Katipunan, a liberalist movement
that sought independence for the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule.

THE ORIGIN OF THE CRY OF PUGAD LAWIN

The news of the discovery of the Katipunan spread throughout Manila and the suburbs. Bonifacio,
informed of the discovery, secretly instructed his runners to summon all the leaders of the society
to a general assembly to be held on August 24. They were to meet at Balintawak to discuss the
steps to be taken to meet the crisis. That same night of August 19, Bonifacio, accompanied by his
brother Procopio, Emilio Jacinto, Teodoro Plata, and Aguedo del Rosario, slipped through the
cordon of Spanish sentries and reached Balintawak before midnight. Pio Valenzuela followed them
the next day. On the 21st, Bonifacio changed the Katipunan code because the Spanish authorities
had already deciphered it. In the afternoon of the same day, the rebels, numbering about 500, left
Balintawak for Kangkong, where Apolonio Samson, a Katipunero, gave them food and shelter. In
the afternoon of August 22, they proceeded to Pugadlawin. The following day, in the yard of Juan
A. Ramos, the son of Melchora Aquino who was later called the "Mother of the Katipunan",
Bonifacio asked his men whether they were prepared to fight to the bitter end. Despite the objection
of his brother-in-law, Teodoro Plata, all assembled agreed to fight to the last. "That being the case,
" Bonifacio said, "bring out your cedulas and tear them to pieces to symbolize our determination
to take up arms!" The men obediently tore up their cedulas, shouting "Long live the Philippines!"
This event marked the so-called "Cry of Balintawak," which actually happened in Pugadlawin

Reference:https://filipino.biz.ph/history/pugadlawin.html?fbclid=IwAR1TrmIIx2o1pvTO1u_k6s
zM-f8aG2twumoiiiWWmOnsyGU7SqwK2seT2UU

All our textbooks, following a resolution from the National Historical Commission, state that the
spark of the revolution started with a cry, followed by the tearing of cedulas led by ANDRES
BONIFACIO in PUGAD LAWIN, QUEZON CITY. The issue is not just historiograohical but
political. If the National Historical Commission, upon review of the facts, reverses its earlier
resolution and moved from Quezon City to Caloocan.
If you think the location is the only issue, look again. The date declared by the National Historical
Commission as the start of the Philippine Revolution – August 23, 1896 – is but one day proposed,
the other being Aug. 20, 24, 25, and 26, 1896. Teodoro A. Agoncillio said, “Bonifacio scheduled
a general assembly of the Katipunan for August 24, 1896, the feast of San Bartolome, in Malabon.
This date was chosen to enable Katipuneros to pass security checkpoints carrying their bolos
because Malabon is famous for manufacturing a long bladed weapon called “Sangbartolome.”
Bonifacio and his men were in BALINTAWAK in August 19, and they left BALINTAWAK for
Kangkong on August 21, and on the afternoon of August 22, they proceeded in Pugad Lawin. The
next day, August 23, in the yard of Juan Ramos, son of Melchora Aquino, better known as
“Tandang Sora,” the Katipuneros listened to the rousing speech of Bonifacio, tore their cedulas,
and vowed to fight.

Reference:https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/philippine-daily-inquirer-
1109/20100903/283274569062897

In August 1896, the transformation of the Katipunan into a revolution government and the ensuing
election of Bonifacio to the presidency were also confirmed by Pio Valenzuela in his testimony
before Spanish authorities upon his surrender on Sept. 2, 1896.
Where Dr. Pio Valenzuela stated:

HINDI SA BALINTAWAK NANGYARI ANG UNANG SIGAW NG PAGHIHIMAGSIK NA

KINALALAGIAN NGAYON NG BANTAYOG, KUNG DI SA POOK NA KILALA SA
TAWAG NA PUGAD LAWIN.

Valenzuela Memoirs (1964, 1978) states that the Cry took place on 23 August at the house of Juan
Ramos at Pugad Lawin. The NHI influenced by Valenzuela’s memoirs, in 1963, upon the NHI
endorsement, President Diosdado Macapagal ordered that the Cry be celebrated on 23 of August
and that Pugad Lawin be recognized as its site.

EVIDENCE
. "That being the case," Bonifacio said, "bring out your cedulas and tear them to pieces to
symbolize our determination to take up arms!" The men obediently tore up their cedulas,
shouting "Long live the Philippines!" This event marked the so-called "Cry of Balintawak,"
which actually happened in Pugadlawin.

According to the NATIONAL HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF THE PHILIPPINES,

“Taong 1963, napagdesisyunan ng NHCP na. “Naganap ang unang sigaw noong Agosto 23, 1896
sa Pugad Lawin (kasalukuyang bahagi ng Project 8, Quezon City). Based on the accounts of Dr.
Pio Valenzuela, Santiago Alvares, Guillermo Masangkay.
Who is Dr, Pio Valenzuela?
Officials of the Katipunan and the best of friend of the Supreme Andres Bonifacio.
Main Points:

 Bakuran, Bodega at mismong tahanan sa Pugad Lawin ni Juan Ramos, anak ni Melchora
Aquino.
 Lagpas 1,000 kasapi ng KKK ang nagtipon at nagdiskusyon sa kanilang susunod na
hakbangin,
 Sabay sabay pinunit and mga cedula at isinigaw ang katagang “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.”
 Agosto 19 – Sina Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Procopio Plata, Agueda del Rosario
ang unang dumating sa Balintawak.
 Agosto 20 – Dumating si Dr. Pio Valenzuela sa lugar
 Agoto 22 – limang daang miyembro ng KKK ang nagtipon sa loob at labas ng tahanan ni
Apolonio Samson sa Kangkong, kasama rin sina Briccio Pantas, Alejandro Santiago,
Ramon Bernardo, at Apolonio.
 Agosto 23 – Sa Pugad Lawin: Sa bahay ni Juan Ramos, nagkaroon ng pag-uusap at palitan
ng kaalaman, kasama ang isang libong (1,000) miyembro ng KKK. Kanilang
pinagdiskusyunan kung sa ganap na Agosto 29, 1896 ba ang magsasagawa ng rebolusyon
laban sa Espanyol.
 Lahat ay sumang-ayon na sa ganap na Agosto 29 lalaban ang mga Indio kabilang na rito
sina Enrique Cipriciano, Alfonso Pacheco, Tomas Remigio, Sinforoso San Pedro ngunit di
ito sinang-ayunan ni Teodora Plata.

SIGAW NG PUGAD LAWIN

“Sa paligid ng pook na ito, si Andres Bonifacio at mga isang libong Katipunero ay nagpulong
noong umaga ng ika-23 Agosto 1896, at ipinasyang maghimagsik laban sa pamahalaang Kastila
sa Pilipinas. Pinagpunit-punit ang kanilang mga sedula na naging tanda ng pagkaalipin ng mga
Pilipino. Ito ang kauna-unahang sigaw ng bayang apu laban sa bansang Espanya na pinatibayan
sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng sandata”.

THE CRY OF PUGAD LAWIN

News about the discovery of the Katipunan spread to Manila and nearby suburbs, and Andres
Bonifacio immediately called for a general meeting. Various wings of the Katipunan gathered at
the house of Juan Ramos in Pugadlawin on August 23, 1896. Ramos was the son of Melchora
Aquino, also known as “Tandang Sora” and was later acknowledged as the Mother of
the Katipunan."
Bonifacio asked his men whether they were willing to fight to the bitter end. Everyone shouted
their approval, except for Teodoro Plata, who though that it was too soon for a revolution.
Heartened by his men’s response, Bonifacio then asked them to tear their cedulas (residence
certificates) to pieces, as a sign of their defiance and determination to rise against the Spaniards.
The men immediately tore up their cedulas, shouting, Mabuhay ang Pilipinas (long live
the Philippines) -known as the Cry of Pugadlawin.