Julian Nákpil

Not to be confused with Juliano Nákpil of Estado Filipina (1888-1973), nor Julian Nakpíl of Estado de Magdiwang (1872-1931).
Julian Nakpíl (July 15-20 [??] 1892- December 8, 1981) was a Filipino Socialist who was a prominent Soldier, Labour Activist and Politician in the Philippines during the 1920s. Often regarded as the 'Father of Philippine Socialism', he founded the 'Banda Socialista Filipina', Better known as the Camisas Caquí and the 'Partido Socialista Obrero Filipina'. He was often called 'Tukog' by the populace.
Nakpíl was involved in multiple militant movements in the Philippines, and notorious for siding with the Princess Isabela after King Valeriano's death.
====Early Life (1892-1916)====
Nakpíl was born somewhere from July 15-20, 1892 to Maria Anna Domingo Castro and Julio Antonio Giliw Nakpíl in either 187 Calle Cagasan (Now Avenido Cagasan), or 147 C. Luna (Now Avenido Nakpíl), Tondo. Much information about his birth and early years are unavailable, but he declared July 15 as his birthdate, and 147 C. Luna as his Birthplace. This conflicts with his older brother, Carlos Antonio Nákpil's claims of his birthdate of July 18, and his birthplace being 187 Calle Cagasan.
He initially lived in luxury, with his father inheriting much of the merchant Don Juan Nákpil's riches. Somewhere in the early 1900s, his family lost everything as his mother and father were sacked of their jobs, dropping the family in an enormous deficit. They moved to Malate, Manila in 1902. 
Nákpil's mother died due to typhus early into 1905, with his father eventually drowning in a typhoon in 1907. According to urban legend, His father died a hero, helping people get to the Sta. Mesa heights on a boat, only to get stranded in a house.
The 3 eldest Nákpil brothers went their seperate ways, with the 21 year old Carlos Antonio Nákpil moving to Legazpi, and the 19 year old Josefino Nákpil moving to San Juan del Norte with his significant other, Leaving the 3rd eldest, Julian in Malate.
The then 15 year old Julian had to make a living with only his best friend, Jules Andrello to help him.
Jules started selling abaniko fans, while Julian started Woodworking, making tables and such.
Julian described Jules in his diary as follows."..But she [Jules] is outstandingly pretty for a peasant like me. Sleek hair, well developed body. She's very kind and intelligent as well.."
In 1909, the two had begun to attend rallies led by socialists and had begun to organize the first Student Union in Manila, the Katipúnan ng manga Magaarál, or the Federation of Students. They began to interact with other progressive organizations such as the Samahán ng Kababaihán and the Kauanihan ng Paggauá, as they grew their union to encompass half of the student population at the Escuela Secundaria de Misic. They frequently engaged in talks with the administration, and they successfully removed the uniform policy of the school, settling with proper clothing.
Leading a group of over 400 students, they marched alongside thousands of Manileño workers during the 1910 Araw ng Manggagawa. This march led all the way to Calle Tanduay, the street leading up to Malacañang. The Guardia Civil began to disperse the students, and Julian was beaten before being carried away by a group of students.
Upon graduating, Julian and Jules entered the Instituto de Cultura at the Real Universidad de Diliman. 
====Military Career====
Nákpil enlisted in November 1916, being assigned to the Regimiento de Infanteria Nº 12 'Maynila', who were mostly made up of people from Lower Manila, including Malate. Nákpil became a member of the Assault Company 'Matibay', assuming the role of Limpiador (Trench Sweeper).
He saw considerate action during the Compostela Front, facing local Rebels and German Colonial Infantry.
=====The Battle of Nabunturan=====
On the 12th of Febuary 1917, 542 Elite German Marines started advancing on the the small town of Nabunturan alongside an estimated 50 Rebels. Nákpil, alongside 211 Infantrymen of Nº 12 'Maynila' were assigned to the town weeks prior, as Nabunturan was a vital town along the Front. 
Asaltante Paulino Repudas was the first to spot the first germans from Hill 127. He relayed the following message to the Command in Tagum."Alemans in Libisan, moving towards Nabunturan. Estimated number of 500. Requesting Support."In mere minutes, Columns of German Marines that were flowing into the Nabunturan-Maragusan pass were under fire from Assault Companies and some Francotirador units.
Nákpil was on Hill 129 along with 12 of his comrades when the Germans started advancing on the hill. Around 32 Germans were advancing on their position, while the 13 men on Hill 129 barely had enough ammunition to last a minute. The Germans were chased down the hill, with 1 out of the 32 being able to survive. Nákpil was credited with 4 kills, though he claims that he shot 4 people, while finishing off two others with his bayonet.
Nevertheless, the Germans were able to advance all the way to the small village of Manat, where intense combat took place. Both sides ran out of ammunition and rammed into each other using anything and everything that can kill.
By the 14th, the Germans had pushed all the way into Cabidianan, the last village in between the Germans and Nabunturan. Nákpil helped organize the Defence, being assigned the task of turning the local inn into a roadside bastion. Eventually, the old church was converted into an MG nest, and road was rigged with explosives. When the Germans arrived, they were immediately shocked at how well defended Cabidianan was, with all of the rigged explosives being interpreted by the Germans as artillery shells. The German advance was halted in Cabidianan, followed up with a swift counterattack along with Reinforcements.
The Battle of Nabunturan was one of the most significant losses the Germans recieved on the Compostela Front, losing 231 Experienced Marines with the rest being captured. As for Philippine Losses, official records put it somewhere at 23 people killed and 42 people wounded.
Nákpil was promoted to Kabo after for his efforts in the Battle, and his significant role in the Defense of Cabidianan.
====Post War Life (1918)====
Nákpil returned to Malate shortly after the Compostela Front collapsed, following a string of victories pushing the Germans all the way to the shore. After the war, he continued his studies in the Instituto Real de Cultura, becoming a professor in 1918.
======Return to Unionism======
Nákpil returned to the progressive scene in 1919, meeting some of the most prominent Socialists around the Philippines, such as Pedro Abad Santos, Hermenegildo Cruz, Lope K. Santos, and Crisanto Evangelista. He returned to the Katipúnan ng manga Magaarál, becoming one of the most prominent students. 
On May Day, 1919, Nákpil attended the Rally once more as an activist and declared his allegiance to the Workers Party. He spoke to the crowd fiercely, proclaiming;"Mga Kasama, aangat ang buhay natin sapagkat ang ating Himagsikan ay itutuloy hanggang sa tagumpay!"This event saw 5,000 onlookers and activists listening to Nákpil. This gained significant Media attention, and increased membership for the PP (Partido Pueblo), the predecessor of what would become the PSOF (Partido Socialista Obrero Filipina).
Nákpil was allegedly involved with the underground Revolutionary Movement, though information is hard to come by. A number of sources state that he was involved at some point, but left months later either due to conflict with a high ranking official within the Movement, or due to his mistrust to the Revolutionaries. In any case, he was instrumental in the discovery of an underground Faction of the Revolutionary Movement, spanning from Bulacan all the way to Laguna.
======Militarism & Banda Socialista Filipina======
Nákpil believed that if the peoples voice was not heard in the government, armed revolt would be the only choice. Malate at the time had the highest amount of weapon smugglers than in the entire archipelago combined, making it the best place to arm militarists. It is said that Nákpil bought 13,000 guns from illegal sources.
Coming into contact with Jules (who is a tailor at this point) again, Nákpil urged her to work on a Khaki Uniform for his militarists to wear. Jules came up with a thick collared uniform with breastpockets as the uniform. They started work on the organization, which would be called the Banda Socialista Filipina. This group was made in order to safeguard socialists and pick fights with Fascists. This organization was closely allied with the Adonis Bar Mafia, and had around 500 members by 1922. This number exploded in the mid 20s peaking at 23,000 militants in 1927.
These Militants would walk the streets of Manila, destroying any ultranationalist sentiment as they burned down homes of ultranationalists, burned down ultranationalist newspapers, beating up anyone leaning too much to the right.
====== Bloody Tuesday ======
One of the most shocking attacks executed by the Adonis Bar Mafia and the Banda Socialista Filipina happened on the afternoon of January 10, 1922. Around 12 armed men entered the Ermita Plaza (Ermita was then a hub for ultranationalists) in the middle of an ultranationalist rally, and opened fire into the crowd. The gunshots rang out across Ermita, which was the signal for the next batch of 48 Socialists to walk around North Ermita. another 48 Mafia members went to walk around South Ermita, and join forces with the Socialists, after which they went around setting fire to ultranationalist establishments (notably cafés and newspaper shops). This massacre ended with a death toll of 173 ultranationalists and 1 socialist.
====== Partido Socialista Obrero Filipina ======
On the 12th of Febuary, 1922, Pedro Abad Santos, Crisanto Evangelista, Domingo Ponce and Julian Nákpil founded the Partido Socialista Obrero Filipina and elected Julian Nákpil as Chairman. A rally was organized the day after the declaration, with more than 2,000 people attending. Nákpil recalls the scene."It was surreal. The red banner was flying, people were singing La Internacional, chanting "SUMULONG KA BAYAN, TAYO NGAYO'Y LALABAN!". I felt as if history was made on that day."On the first day, more than 300 people had joined the Socialist Party. The Socialist Newspaper "El Trabajador" issued her first newspaper weeks after the formation. At this point, Nákpil became one of the most influential socialists in Asia.
By October 1922, PSOF had over 11,000 members and had significant influence over Tondo, Sta Cruz, Ermita, Malate, Pasay, Quiapo, Sampaloc, and Sta Mesa.
==== Political Career ====
====== First Parliament (March 5-April 11) ======
Nákpil was summoned to become the Leader of the Opposition. He was notorious for being forgetful and his lack of ability to speak well without writing, though he could give fiery speeches (notably during the Declaration of war against KOP and the emergency sitting called to remove him from parliament) if he was up to the task of writing.
He maintained a good relationship with most of the Opposition bench.
====== Second Parliament (June 12 -) ======
====== Rivalry with Blanco ======
Though initially maintaining a fairly good relationship with Teodoro S. Blanco, Nákpil distrusted Blanco very much. A staunch anti-fascist, Nákpil made claims that Blanco was decieving the public to fascism through what he deemed 'Centrist Pseudofascism'.
This eventually boiled down to the March 11 Emergency Sitting, where Nákpil spoke fiercely to the crowd, stating;"does this whole ordeal show how utterly weak the honourable gentleman is to have had to report to the speaker a situation he could have handled himself with enough willpower?"By 9:10 PM, the sitting ended with a resounding victory for the socialists as the motion to name Nákpil was tabled and the issue was passed to a "Temporary Joint Committee on Standards". The TJC junked the case on March 29 on the grounds of Blanco's 'Non-Cooperation.'
Nákpil used this as ammunition against Blanco of course, leading to a second wave of Anti-Blanco sentiment (even leading to a diss track at some point).
This second wave eventually led to Blanco refusing to attend sittings where Nákpil was present.
==== Social Views ====
Nákpil was very supportive of Universal Suffrage, Racial & Gender Equality, Freedom of Thought (which was quite ironic considering he practically revoked that right to the Ultranationalists), the right to Unionize, and an introduction of a 200 Peso Minimum Wage.
==== Private Life ====
Nákpil is said to have been an avid womanizer from 1916 to 1918, often surrounding himself with women post-war. This took a sudden turn in 1919 after he joined the Partido Pueblo, where he started working more often than picking up women. He wrote in his diary;"Bilismo is dead. I murdered him on stage with my socialist colleagues watching, cheering me on as i beat the man bloody with the power of speech and speech alone."
==== Death & Legacy ====
Nákpil died peacefully in his sleep on December 8, 1981 in Ermita, Manila; he was 91. His funeral was attended by about 67,000 people and brought to Rosario, La Union, where he lies at rest to this day.
Nákpil had become an icon of Revolutionary Independent Socialism around the world. There are numerous songs about his life, the most popular being 'Julian Makabayan', which covers his revolutionary fervor amidst all the hardships of his life.
The 2019 film "The Worker", covering his life with the Malate Gangs all the way to the early 1930s became the highest-grossing Philippine biographical film of all time. Nákpil was portrayed by Carlos Bello.
Nákpil's Memoirs, entitled; "Raised by the People" was released on May 1, 2022. It covers the foundation of the PP in 1919 all the way to the 40s.
Category:Characters