On July 23, 2014, the country commemorates the sesquicentennial of the birth of Apolinario Mabini, and pays tribute to his myriad contributions to Philippine nationhood. Mabini was a modern Filipino intellectual; his campaign for independence from the Spanish regime crossed over to the war against an expansionist United States, and continued up until after the American Occupation. He was the foremost statesman during the First Republic, and a legal luminary responsible for strengthening the foundations of the Philippines’ democratic institutions.
President Aquino delivered the following speech in Tanauan, Batangas, on July 23, 2014, in celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Apolinario Mabini.
Mabini was the brilliant legal luminary who built the bureaucratic foundation of Aguinaldo’s republic. He was, arguably, the First Modern Filipino.
Mabini’s belief in doing the right thing was marked by pragmatism, conscience, and a refusal to mince words. On Mabini’s political ideology and reasonable idealism.
Did you know we should have been calling Nagtahan Bridge the Mabini Bridge since the 60s? We’re reinstating the bridge’s rightful name on its namesake’s sesquicentennial.
Map-based infographics to rediscover the bloody conflict at the turn of the 20th century, known as the Philippine-American War.
Photos from the Philippine-American War, courtesy of Mr. Arnaldo Dumindin of the Philippine-American War website.
Photos of Apolinario Mabini, courtesy of the Mabini Shrine in Tanauan City, Batangas.
Some of Mabini’s writing; essays about him and his contributions to laying the foundation of the First Philippine Republic.
The Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office and the Presidential Museum and Library would like to thank the following for their invaluable help and assistance in this project: the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the Technical Working Committee for [email protected], Mr. David Guerrero, Mrs. Olga Rizal-Palacay of the Mabini Shrine in Tanauan, Ms. Cora Lopez, Mr. Kevin Perez, The Lopez Family History Foundation, and Mr. Arnaldo Dumindin of www.philippineamericanwar.webs.com.
BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
President of the Philippines
MANUEL L. QUEZON III
Undersecretary of Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning
PUBLICATIONS DIVISION
MABINI @ 150
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