Revolutionary Government of the Philippines

For other provisional governments established in the Philippines, see Revolutionary government in the Philippines.

The Revolutionary Government of the Philippines (Spanish: Gobierno Revolucionario de Filipinas) was a revolutionary government established in the Spanish East Indies on June 23, 1898, during the Spanish–American War, by Emilio Aguinaldo, its initial and only president.^[3] The government succeeded a dictatorial government that had been established by Aguinaldo on June 18^[4] and was dissolved and replaced by this government upon its establishment.^[5][6] This government endured until January 23, 1899, when the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution established an insurgent Philippine Republic government that replaced it.^[7][8]

Revolutionary Government of the Philippines Gobierno Revolucionario de Filipinas (Spanish) Pamahalaang Rebolusyonaryo ng Pilipinas (Tagalog)
1898–1899
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Marcha Nacional Filipina (English: "Philippine National March")[a]
Territory claimed by the Revolutionary Government of the Philippines in Asia
Status	Unrecognized state
Capital	Bacoor (June 1898 – August 1898) Malolos (August 1898 – January 1899)
Common languages	Spanish, Tagalog
Religion	Roman Catholicism, Islam, Indigenous Philippine folk religions
Government	Revolutionary republic
President
• 1898–1899	Emilio Aguinaldo
President of the Cabinet
• 1899	Apolinario Mabini
Legislature	None (rule by decree) (June 23 – September 15, 1898) Malolos Congress (from 1898)
Historical era	Philippine Revolution
• Established	June 23, 1898
• Mock Battle of Manila	August 13, 1898
• Spanish cession	December 10, 1898
• Republic proclaimed	January 23, 1899
Currency	Philippine peso
Preceded by Succeeded by Captaincy General of the Philippines Dictatorial Government of the Philippines First Philippine Republic

Four governmental departments were initially created, each having several bureaus: foreign relations, marine, and commerce; war and public works; police, justice, instruction, and hygiene; finance, agriculture, and industry.^[9] A revolutionary congress was established with power "[t]o watch over the general interest of the Philippine people, and carrying out of the revolutionary laws; to discuss and vote upon said laws; to discuss and approve, prior to their ratification, treaties and loans; to examine and approve the accounts presented annually by the secretary of finance, as well as extraordinary and other taxes which may hereafter be imposed."^[10]

On August 14, 1898, two days after the Battle of Manila of the Spanish–American War and about two months after Aguinaldo's proclamation of this revolutionary government, the United States established a military government in the Philippines, with General Merritt acting as military governor.^[11]

Government

Cabinet

Aguinaldo appointed his first cabinet on June 15, consisting of Baldomero Aguinaldo as secretary of war and public works, Leanardo Ibarra as secretary of the interior and Mariano Trías as secretary of finance; the secretaryship of foreign relations, marine, and commerce was provisionally left in the charge of the presidency. On September 23, the cabinet was reorganized to six departments.^[12]

On January 2, 1899, when it became certain that Cayetano Arellano would not accept the role of secretary of foreign relations, the role fell to Apolinario Mabini. Mabini had to that time been Aguinaldo's principal advisor and he was also named the president of the cabinet.^[13]

Cabinet of the Revolutionary Government of the Philippines^[12]

Department	Secretary	Term
President of the Cabinet	Apolinario Mabini	January 2, 1899 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of War and Public Works	Baldomero Aguinaldo	June 15, 1898 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of the Interior	Leonardo Ibarra	June 15, 1898 – January 2, 1899
Secretary of Foreign Affairs	Cayetano Arellano	September 23, 1898 – January 2, 1899
	Apolinario Mabini	January 2, 1899 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of Treasury/Finance	Mariano Trías	June 15, 1898 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of Justice	Gregorio Araneta	September 23, 1898 – May 7, 1899
Secretary of Welfare[cabinet 1]	Fernando Canon	September 23, 1898 – January 2, 1899
	Gracio Gonzaga	January 2, 1899 – May 7, 1899

1. including Public Instruction, Public Works, Communications, Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce

Footnotes

1. The original title was "Marcha Filipina-Magdalo" (Philippine-Magdalo March), and was later changed to "Marcha Nacional Filipina" (Philippine National March) upon its adoption as the national anthem of the First Philippine Republic on June 11, 1898, a day before independence was to be proclaimed.^[1][2]