A Piece of
History
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The continuing high-handedness of the civil government
bureaucrats compounded by the abuses of the church frailes became the sources
of widespread unrest, which eventually reached Malolos in 1880. The enlightened
and educated young ilustrados of Manila, having been exposed to European
education, thoughts and political views, began to question the Philippines
situation. These reformists, José Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar and Graciano Lopez
Jaena among them, began to expose the weaknesses of the status and to give
voice to the need for reform.
In Malolos, Marcelo H. del Plar, whose wife
Marciana was from Malolos, made the town a principal reformist and propaganda
target. Due mainly to his efforts, Malolos by 1882 became known as a center of
anti-Spanish propaganda. Things came to a head in 1884, when a liberal, Manuel
Crisostomo, was elected a gobernadorcillo. Led by him, a group of town leaders,
including past, present a future town alcaldes, collided head-on with the
town's friar curate on the list of taxpayers. The curate wanted to bloat the
list, a move meant for the parish's financial gain. In 1888, during a deadly
cholera epidemic, the group again clashed with the friars. To limit the spread
of the epidemic, the civil government had issued a ban against church wakes for
cholera victims. The church defied the ban, purportedly because of the fees
which the church earned from these wakes. The town leaders took the side of the
civil authorities. The situation was further inflamed with the visit of José
Rizal in 1888 to the house of Tomas Tanchangco, a former alcalde and member of
the reformist group. Among the alcaldes in the group were Jose A. Bautista,
Jose and Antonio Tiongson, Mateo Buizon, Anastacio de Leon, Vicente Gatmaitan,
Francisco Bernardo, Antonio Chiong and Jose R. Tiongson.
The town had become such a hotbed that Marcelo H. del Pilar
was compelled to leave for Spain, leaving the campaign in the hands of the
local leaders.
The authorities soon cracked down on these Malolos mestizos and
exiled many of them to Jolo, Palawan, Davao and other distant places. Anastacio
de Leon was alleged to have been exiled to Dapitan and eventually to Hagonoy.
In the eve of July 7, 1892, the Katipunan was founded by
Andrés Bonifacio together with Ladislao Diwa, Deodato Arellano, Teodora Plata
and Valentín Díaz in the house of Arellano on Azcarraga St. in Manila. The
Katipunan fought against Spain for the Philippine independence. Many knew that
there were many Katipuneros all over the country but few knew their names.
Bulacan was one of the 8 provinces declared by Governor-General Ramon Blanco as
in a state of war. Balangay Apuy, chapter or "balangay" of Katipunan
in Bulacan province was organized in March 1896. The earliest members of the
Katipunan from Malolos were Isidoro Torres, Anastacio’s son, Ramon Gonzalez de
Leon and Luis Gatmaytan. They became members in March 1896 and, together with
Doroteo Karagdag, they were authorized to organize chapters or
"balangay" in Bulacan province.
As a result of their efforts, the "Balangay Apuy"
was organized in Malolos with the following officials and members: Luis
Gatmaytan, President; Ramon Gonzalez de Leon, Secretary; Victorino Gatmaytan,
Treasurer; Isidoro Torres, Doroteo Karagdag, Damaso Kaluag, Vicente
Villavicencio, Donato Teodoro, Dionicio Dimagiba, Maximino Borlongan, Agripino
Buendia, members.
After the war that was finally won by the United States, the
Americans appointed a martial law administrator in the person of Jose Reyes
Tiongson. He served as "presidente politico militar" from 1901 to
1902. With the capture of Pres. and Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in Palanan, Isabela
and the defeat of most of the Filipino armed forces all over the country, the
Americans began to put up a network of local government units. The municipality
of Malolos was re-organized, composed of the districts of Malolos, Barasoain
and Santa Isabel. Appointed "presidente municipal" or town mayor was
Ramon Gonzalez de Leon of Sitio Tampoy, one of the original members of the
Katipunan Balangay Apuy. He was in the post for two years, 1903 to 1905. He and
the nine others who followed him were all appointive officials.
When the
Philippines became a commonwealth, Leon Valencia was elected Mayor in 1937, the
first ever elected. Ramon Gonzalez de Leon did not take part. Diosdado Dimagiba
succeeded him in 1940 but had to vacate the position because of the Japanese
conquest. Also in this period, the Malolos Municipal Hall facing the Malolos
Church but situated right at the entrance to Tampoy street was built, in a manner of Neo-Classical Roman Style.
Very challenging yung kabataan nya bicol,,nakakatuwa dahil naging parte sya ng lugar namin sa Gaboc..bisita sana sya ulit doon