NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE	
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES	
)
First Regular Session	
)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL No. ________
Introduced by 
REPRESENTATIVE LANI MERCADO-REVILLA
AN ACT 
RECOGNIZING AUGUST 1, 1898 AS THE DAY OF THE PROMULGATION OF THE 
SOLEMN DECLARATION OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE AND DECLARING 
AUGUST 1 OF EVERY YEAR AS A LEGAL HOLIDAY
EXPLANATORY NOTE
On June 12, 1898 the Philippine revolutionary forces led by Gen. Emilio 
Aguinaldo proclaimed freedom from the Spaniards by establishing a revolutionary 
government in Kawit, Cavite where the Philippine Flag was waved for the very first time 
and the Philippine National Anthem, the Marcha Nacional Filipina composed by Julian 
Felipe was sung.
However, recently unearthed historical documents show that the declaration of 
Philippine Independence which was written and read by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista 
on June 12th was not signed by Gen. Aguinaldo, after his proclamation as the president 
of the revolutionary government.  He expressed reservation to the document which 
indicated that the Philippines will be under the protection of the American government. 
When Gen. Aguinaldo established the seat of government, in Bahay na Tisa, 
dubbed as the “First Malacanan”, at the town of Bacoor in the Province of Cavite, his 
adviser, Apolinario Mabini, wrote a new Declaration of Philippine Independence.  This 
was promulgated and signed at the Bacoor Assembly on August 1, 1898 by 200 
municipal presidents (now town mayors), from 16 provinces of the Philippines, and by 
Gen. Aguinaldo where he was proclaimed as the President of the first Philippine 
independent government. 
On August 6, 1898, then Secretary of the Interior, Leandro Ibarra attested to the 
existence of the original document entitled ACTA (Act of Independence) and was 
ordered by President Aguinaldo to send the document to foreign governments in order 
for the Philippines to gain recognition as an independent state. 
September 21, 2022
5:30 pm
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On September 29, 1898, when Malolos Congress was established, its First Act 
was the ratification of the Acta Agosto Uno as the Philippines’ Act of Independence.
This historical discovery is supported by a duly subscribed copy of ACTA that was 
recently found in Bahay na Tisa.  It is a testament to the actual solemn Declaration of the 
Philippine Independence that was witnessed and promulgated by civilian leaders from 
all over the country on August 1, 1898. 
Former Prime Minister Cesar Virata, descendant of President Aguinaldo, himself testified 
to the veracity of the said events.  He said that Mabini expressed dissatisfaction with the 
contents of the June 12th proclamation written by Bautista because it was subservient to 
the US government, and the event was prepared and attended by the Army, and 
therefore it was a military affair.  Virata further said that Mabini conveyed that foreign 
states do not recognize military governments, and because of this, Aguinaldo did not 
affix his signature to the prepared proclamation.  
Moreover, this recent historical revelation has been concurred by the National 
Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and by several historians, such as Dr. 
Emmanuel Franco Calairo, author of the book Proclamation Philippine Independence, 
The Truth About August 1, 1898 Bacoor Assembly, published by this representation, as 
then the City Mayor of Bacoor.  
This piece of legislation does not intend to revise history, but merely seeks proper 
recognition of the Bacoor Assembly which took place on August 1, 1898 in Bacoor, 
Cavite. It aims to memorialize the aspirations of the people who took part in the 
promulgation of the ACTA, as a solemn Declaration of Philippine Independence signed 
on said date, which was subsequently ratified by the Malolos Congress on September 
29, 1898.
To highlight the importance of the Bacoor Assembly in our history, immediate 
approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. LANI MERCADO-REVILLA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE	
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES	
)
First Regular Session	
)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL No. ________
Introduced by 
REPRESENTATIVE LANI MERCADO-REVILLA
AN ACT 
RECOGNIZING AUGUST 1, 1898 AS THE DAY OF THE PROMULGATION OF THE 
SOLEMN DECLARATION OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE AND DECLARING 
AUGUST 1 OF EVERY YEAR AS A LEGAL HOLIDAY
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. August First of every year shall be commemorated as the official day 
of Promulgation of the Declaration of Philippine Independence, signed and subscribed 
in Bacoor, Cavite.
Sec. 2. To properly celebrate the occasion, August First of every year shall be 
declared as a non-working legal holiday. The National Government shall implement 
appropriate ceremonies in the observance of the signing of the Declaration of Philippine 
Independence in the Bacoor Assembly at Bahay na Tisa, Bacoor, Cavite.
Sec. 3. Let the Bacoor Assembly, wherein The ACTA, the solemn Declaration of 
Philippine Independence, written by Apolinario Mabini and signed by about 200 
municipal presidents from 16 provinces of the Philippines on August 1, 1898, subscribed 
by Leandro Ibarra, Secretary of the Interior on August 6th, and approved by the 
President of the revolutionary government President Emilio Aguinaldo, be recognized 
and written in Philippine history books and curricula of the Department of Education and 
the Commission of Higher Education as a historical fact and event.
Sec. 4. All laws, presidential decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or any part 
thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly.
Sec. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
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