The Philippine Revolt
The Philippine Revolt
The Philippine Revolt
Sumuroy Revolt (1649-1650) On June 1, 1649, in what is now the town of Palapag in
Northern Samar, Juan Ponce Sumuroy, a Waray, and several of his supporters rose in arms
against the polo system being implemented in Samar. This is referred to as the Sumuroy Revolt,
after Juan Ponce Sumuroy. The government in Manila mandated that no indigenous subject to
polo be moved to locations far from their homes to conduct their polo. However, at the orders of
the local town alcaldes, or mayors, Samarnons were being transferred to the Cavite shipyards to
do their duty, sparking the revolt. The local parish priest of Palapag was assassinated, and the
insurrection extended throughout Mindanao, Bicol, and the rest of the Visayas, particularly in
Cebu, Masbate, Camiguin, Zamboanga, Albay, Camarines, and areas of northern Mindanao like
Surigao. In the Samar highlands, a free government was also created. Sumuroy's defeat, arrest,
and death in June 1650 effectively ended the insurrection.
Dagohoy Revolt
Dagohoy Revolt (1744-1829) Francisco Dagohoy and several of his supporters launched
the Dagohoy Revolt in 1744 in what is now the province of Bohol. This uprising is noteworthy in
that it is the first Philippine insurrection entirely concerned with religious practices. After
Dagohoy's brother died in a duel, the local parish priest refused to grant him a proper Christian
burial since fighting is a grave sin. The priest's reluctance to grant his brother a proper Christian
burial resulted in the longest uprising in Philippine history: 85 years. It also resulted in the
formation of a free Boholano government. Twenty governors-general, ranging from Juan
Arrechederra to Manuel Ricafort Palacn y Ararca, were unable to put down the rebellion.
Ricafort led a force of 2,200 men to Bohol, but they were beaten by Dagohoy's supporters.
Another attempt, launched by Ricafort in 1828 and 1829, also failed. However, Dagohoy died
two years before the revolution ended, resulting in the revolt's conclusion in 1829. Some 19,000
survivors were granted amnesty and subsequently permitted to settle in new Boholano
settlements, particularly Balilihan, Batuan, Bilar (Vilar), Catigbian, and Sevilla (Cabulao).
The Agrarian Revolt
The Agrarian Insurrection (1745-46) was a revolt that took place between 1745 and 1746
throughout most of present-day CALABARZON (particularly in Batangas, Laguna, and Cavite)
and Bulacan, with its origins in the Batangas towns of Lian and Nasugbu. Land-grabbing by
Spanish friars enraged Filipino landowners, who demanded that Spanish monks restore their
properties on the basis of ancestral domain. Rioting erupted as a result of the Spanish priests'
rejection, culminating in extensive theft of convents and fire of churches and ranches. The issue
was subsequently examined by Spanish officials and tried in King Philip IV's court, where he
ordered the monks to restore the property they had taken. The priests were successful in
appealing the restoration of lands to native proprietors, resulting in no land being restored to
native landowners.
The Basi Uprising (1807), also known as the Ambaristo Revolt, was a revolt that took
place from September 16 to September 28, 1807. It was headed by Pedro Ambaristo, and it took
place at the present-day town of Piddig, Ilocos Norte. This insurrection is unusual in that it is
centered on the Ilocanos' love of basi, or sugarcane wine. The Spanish colonial authority
expropriated the manufacture and sale of basi in 1786, thus prohibiting private production of the
wine, which had previously occurred. Ilocanos were compelled to shop at government stores.
However, on September 16, 1807, wine-loving Ilocanos in Piddig rose in protest, with the
insurrection spreading to other towns and combat lasting weeks. The insurrection was finally put
down by Spanish forces on September 28, 1807, but with great effort and cost of life on the
losing side.