The following is a list of historical markers unveiled by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) as part of the Philippine Nationhood Trail to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Philippine declaration of independence in 1898 including the subsequent struggles of the First Philippine Republic leading to General Emilio Aguinaldo's capture in 1901.
Inspired by the NHCP's project in 2021 for the Quincentennial Commemorations where 34 quincentennial historical markers were unveiled at sites all over the Philippines that the Magellan expedition visited, the commission launched the Landas ng Pagkabansang Pilipino (Filipino for "Philippine Nationhood Trail") where 100 sites in the country will be given a standard memorial and historical marker. The NHCP held a program at Fort San Pedro in Cebu City on August 3, 2022, where they announced the project and unveiled the logo with the theme of "Kalayaan. Kinabukasan. Kasaysayan." (Freedom. Future. History.). [1] During a forum held in December 2023, the NHCP stated that 43 markers would be unveiled in 2024 with a total of 74 up to 2026. [2]
The first marker was unveiled in Bacoor, Cavite on August 1, 2023, and the second at the Aguinaldo Shrine in nearby Kawit on August 31, 2023 (originally announced to be unveiled on June 23 [3] ).
| Order | Marker title | Category | Location | Commemorated event and date | Date when marker was unveiled | Marker photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kawit | Capitals | Aguinaldo Shrine, Kawit, Cavite | Philippine Declaration of Independence (June 12, 1898) | August 31, 2023 [4] |  |
| 2 | Bacoor | Capitals | Cuenca Ancestral House, Gen. Evangelista Street, Bacoor, Cavite | Bacoor Assembly (August 1, 1898) | August 1, 2023 [5] |  |
| 3 | Malolos | Capitals | Malolos Cathedral [6] , Malolos, Bulacan | Arrival of Emilio Aguinaldo in Malolos (September 10, 1898) [7] | September 10, 2023 [8] |  |
| 4 | San Fernando | Journey | Gen. Hizon Extension, San Fernando, Pampanga | Aguinaldo retreated from Malolos to San Isidro (March 28-29, 1899) | April 1, 2024 |  |
| 5 | Arayat | Journey | Arayat Municipal Plaza, Arayat, Pampanga | Aguinaldo's forces stayed here on their way to San Isidro, Nueva Ecija (March 29, 1899) | April 11, 2024 [9] |  |
| 6 | San Isidro | Capitals | Sideco House, Vallarta Street, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija | Crispulo Sideco's house used as presidencia by Aguinaldo (March 29, 1899) | April 5, 2024 |  |
| 7 | Cabanatuan | Capitals | Cabanatuan Cathedral, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija | Church used as seat of the Republic before moving to Bamban (June 1899) | June 14, 2024 [10] |  |
| 8 | Bamban | Capitals | Bamban Municipal Library, Bamban, Tarlac | Bamban became temporary capital of the Republic (June 6, 1899) | July 4, 2024 |  |
| 9 | Angeles | Journey | Pamintuan Mansion, Angeles, Pampanga | Aguinaldo celebrated the 1st anniversary of the Philippine Declaration of Independence in Angeles (June 12, 1899) | ||
| 10 | Tarlac | Capitals | Tarlac State University, Tarlac, Tarlac | Casa Real in Tarlac became the seat of the Philippine Republic (June 21, 1899) | June 21, 2024 [11] |  |
| 11 | Bayambang | Journey | Bayambang Municipal Hall, Bayambang, Pangasinan | Bayambang temporarily became the capital of the Republic, where Aguinaldo decided to fight the Americans using guerilla tactics. (November 12–13, 1899) | November 13, 2024 | |
| 12 | Santa Barbara | Journey | Santa Barbara Town Plaza, Santa Barbara, Pangasinan | Aguinaldo merged his troops with the ones under Lt. Joven and Gen. del Pilar. (November 14, 1899) | October 30, 2024 [12] |  |
| 13 | Manaoag | Journey | Manaoag Municipal Hall, Manaoag, Pangasinan | Aguinaldo stayed in the forests of Manaoag. (November 14, 1899) | November 13, 2024 | |
| 14 | Calasiao | Journey | Calasiao Municipal Hall, Calasiao, Pangasinan | Aguinaldo stayed at the Church and Town Plaza of Calasiao. (November 14, 1899) | November 14, 2024 | |
| 15 | San Manuel | Journey | Doña Carmen's Park, San Manuel, San Manuel, Pangasinan | Aguinaldo passed through this town. (November 14, 1899) | November 14, 2024 | |
| 16 | Pozzorubio | Journey | Pozzorubio Town Plaza, Pozzorubio, Pangasinan | Aguinaldo temporary rested in the town church. (November 14, 1899) | November 26, 2024 | |
| 17 | Aringay | Journey | Don Agaton Yaranon Memorial Park, Aringay, La Union | Aguinaldo encouraged Ilocanos to continue fighting. (November 17, 1899) | November 25, 2024 | |
| 18 | Caba | Journey | Caba Town Plaza, Caba, La Union | Aguinaldo stayed in this town. (November 17, 1899) | November 25, 2024 | |
| 19 | San Fernando | San Fernando City Plaza | Aguinaldo passed through this town. (November 19, 1899) | December 2, 2024 | ||
| 20 | Sevilla | Journey | Covered court, Sevilla, Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur | Aguinaldo passed through this barrio. (November 21, 1899) | November 26, 2024 | |
| 21 | Santa Cruz | Journey | People's Park, Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur | Aguinaldo passed through this town. (November 21, 1899) | November 26, 2024 | |
| 22 | Candon | Journey | Candon City Plaza, Candon, Ilocos Sur | Aguinaldo stayed in this town. (November 21-22, 1899) | November 22, 2024 |
The Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine is a national shrine located in Kawit, Cavite in the Philippines, where the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain was declared on June 12, 1898, or Independence Day. To commemorate the event, now known as Araw ng Kalayaan or Independence Day, a national holiday, the Philippine flag is raised here by top government officials on June 12 each year. The house is now a museum.
The Philippine Declaration of Independence was proclaimed by Filipino revolutionary forces general Emilio Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898, in Cavite el Viejo, Philippines. It asserted the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine islands from the 300 years of colonial rule from Spain.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, also known as Barásoain Church is a Roman Catholic church built in 1888 in Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines. It is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Malolos and is about 42 kilometers (26 mi) from Manila. Having earned the title as the "Cradle of Democracy in the East, the most important religious building in the Philippines", and the site of the First Philippine Republic, the church is proverbial for its historical importance among Filipinos.
The Museum of Philippine Political History is a museum in Malolos, Philippines. It is located on Paseo del Congreso, Plaza Rizal, Malolos, Bulacan. The museum, owned and operated by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), opened to the public in 2001 to foster awareness for the country's different government systems which defined its political history, enabling an understanding of current political developments and encouraging action to safeguard republican values. The building was initially built on 1580. It was restored in 1852 and was converted into a municipal library. After the Philippine–American War, the building served as the provincial capitol Bulacan until 1930.
Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista y Altamira, also known as Don Bosyong, was a Filipino lawyer and author of the Declaration of Philippine Independence. A distant relative to the Rizal family and the Bonifacio family, Bautista often gave advice to José Rizal, a Filipino nationalist, while studying in Manila.
Ancestral houses of the Philippines or Heritage Houses are homes owned and preserved by the same family for several generations as part of the Filipino family culture. It corresponds to long tradition by Filipino people of giving reverence for ancestors and elders. Houses could be a simple house to a mansion. The most common ones are the "Bahay na Bato". Some houses of prominent families had become points of interest or museums in their community because of its cultural, architectural or historical significance. These houses that are deemed of significant importance to the Filipino culture are declared Heritage House by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), previously known as the National Historical Institute (NHI) of the Philippines. Preservation is of utmost importance as some ancestral houses have come into danger due to business people who buy old houses in the provinces, dismantle them then sell the parts as ancestral building materials for homeowners wishing to have the ancestral ambiance on their houses. These ancestral houses provide the current generation a look back of the country's colonial past through these old houses.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and its predecessor agencies install historical markers in the Philippines and overseas to signify important and historic events, persons, sites, structures, and institutions. The commemorative plaques are permanent signs installed by the NHCP in publicly visible locations on buildings, monuments, or in special locations. The NHCP also allows local municipalities and cities to install markers of figures and events of local significance, although these markers are barred from using the seal of the Republic of the Philippines.
The 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines was a series of observances organized to mark the 500th anniversary of various events in the Philippines, notably the introduction of Christianity in the Philippines, the role of the country in the Magellan–Elcano circumnavigation, and the victory of Lapulapu in the Battle of Mactan.
