While national history is often retold through a Luzon-centric lens, a landmark national conference reminded the country that Filipino independence is woven heavily across Visayas and Mindanao. Held at the Ayala Museum, the event capped off a three-year commemoration of our nationhood.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines, in partnership with the Ayala Foundation and Ayala Museum, successfully convened “Panagriing, A Nation Still Rising: The Closing Conference of the 125th Anniversary of the Philippine Independence and Nationhood 2023-2026.”
Named after the Ilocano term for “arising,” Panagriing challenged traditional, centralized narratives by bringing the crucial revolutionary histories of the Visayas and Mindanao directly to the forefront.
The conference devoted significant scholarship to the revolutionary campaigns in the Visayas from 1898 to 1901, proving that it was a sophisticated hotbed of tactical resistance against foreign rule.
Dr. Rolando O. Borrinaga of the University of the Philippines Manila detailed the fierce warfare waged during the Philippine-American War in Leyte and Samar. Meanwhile, Atty. Bryner L. Diaz of the Cebu City Cultural and Historical Affairs Office presented “Kagubot: Sugboanong Pakigbisog alang sa Kaugalingnan ug Kagawasan,” exploring Cebu’s profound, independent quest for freedom.
In addition, Asst. Prof. Kyle Philip M. Ravena of UP Visayas revisited the pivotal role of Santa Barbara and the sweeping liberation of Iloilo in forging the greater Philippine nationhood.
The histories shared from Mindanao underscored a narrative of fierce independence, unbreakable cultural agency, and early international diplomacy. Asst. Prof. Rey Luis A. Montesclaros of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology discussed the powerful Maranao resistance against Spanish occupation and its massive ripple effects during the Revolution.
On the other hand, Rene Michael D. Baños of the Northern Mindanao Heritage Network illuminated the unique struggles and tactical battles of the Philippine-American War in Northern Mindanao. Dr. Neil Martial D. Santillan of UP Diliman also shared deep insights on the historical relevance of the first official raising of the Philippine flag in Mindanao soil.
Shifting to a global perspective, Dr. Ariel C. Lopez of UP Diliman highlighted the Kadatuan diplomacy, demonstrating the sophisticated international agency of the chiefly elite in Mindanao and Sulu from 1830 to 1930. Long before the formal republic, Southern leaders were already master diplomats navigating global transitions.
While Southern histories took center stage, the event mapped out how these struggles connected with the rest of the archipelago. Sessions explored Luzon’s revolutionary trails, the continued armed resistance by generals Miguel Malvar and Vito Belarmino and the Bicolano-Tagalog forces after Emilio Aguinaldo’s capture in 1901, and the international maneuvering of the Hongkong Junta.
In an era where political discourse can feel fragmented, the rigorous research presented by over 20 scholars served as a shield against historical revisionism. Panagriing validates that the blood, diplomacy, and defiance of Filipinos remain foundational pillars of the entire Philippine republic.
