The "why Mabini is seated the whole time" in Heneral Luna is making rounds on social media. The Historical Commission is grateful for the discovery of this rare photo of Mabini by the U.S.-based Kevin Soriano Perez in an auction and did not hesitate to bid for it, even it cost him much. A reproduction of the photo is one of the highlights of the Commission's Mabini Shrine Tanauan. Soriano, who was also from the same barangay where Mabini was born, in Talaga, Tanauan City, Batangas, will "repatriate" this rare Mabini photo and will deposit at the Commission for posterity purposes.
Mabini fell ill sometime in January 1895,
at the height of his youth and passion for reform movement in Manila.
Until one day, the year after, he was paralyzed, and his physicians--all
were fellow patriots--were clueless of his illness. He was already 31
then.
His detractors who envied his power and influence in the
revolutionary government circulated a tsismis that his paralysis was
actually caused by syphilis. He died in 1903, still clueless what caused
his paralysis. 80 years later, in 1981, the Philippine Orthopedic
Center and the National Historical Institute (forerunner of the
Commission) exhumed his remains at Mabini Shrine Tanauan for post mortem
examination. The physicians, driven by patriotism and inspired by
Mabini, found out that Mabini's paralysis was caused by polio.
In
a letter dated 9 November 1900, Mabini recounted: "Since January 1896, I
cannot stand because of weakness in my waist and legs. I do not suffer
any other ache and I look as if I were not sick. The physicians however
say that I will never recover my health; but I do not despair because I
am still able to do something good for my country." Indeed, Mabini was
"still able to do something good" for the country, for he guided
Aguinaldo in his decisions, served the people by contributing his
knowledge on jurisprudence by designing a democratic government
befitting for his people, and penned orders and laws needed by the
country. He was indeed even more powerful than Aguinaldo, but used his
power for the sake of bayan.
Here is an excerpt from an undated
resignation letter (ca. December 1898) of Mabini. He felt Aguinaldo no
longer needs him, as the latter had been listening to and being
controlled by those whom Mabini called "viruses"--the likes of Pedro
Paterno and Felipe Buencamino:
"Although I acknowledge that you
have reasons to get tired of me because I only tell you things that may
cause you trouble, I hope you will have the patience to read through
what I am going to tell you, as I promise never to trouble you again...
"Neither did I expect that you would grant the rich people these
guarantees. We worked without any pay; but the rich people will not put
up their money without having a voice in the Treasury. It is probable
that the members of the Board would ask for salaries. In this case, the
rich people will get all the benefit and the soldiers will remain
hungry. The rich would press the collection from the tenants. The
administrators will pocket part of the money, and only a little will go
to the government safe... In the end, the tenants and the employees will
blame you, and the rich will have a big laugh.
"Would to heaven
that their plans would not prosper!... I am calling your attention to
this so that you would carefully choose the persons whom you may appoint
as members, and would to heaven that you do not choose persons who
would be bribed and who would be subservient!
"Inasmuch as you
now count with many helpers, please allow me to resign. When you had no
one, I worked by your side despite my ailment; now that you do not need
me anymore, it is but fair that I should think of my health... That is
why I said at the beginning that this will be the last time I shall
trouble you... May God enlighten you, inasmuch as in your hands lies the
welfare or the misfortune of the Philippines."
Aguinaldo did not
approve Mabini's resignation. From being a mere political adviser pro
bono, Aguinaldo made Mabini the president of his cabinet with concurrent
position as Foreign Affairs secretary on 2 January 1899. Mabini finally
resigned from Aguinaldo's government on 5 May 1899, out of digust to
the people surrounding and controlling Aguinaldo, i.e. Paterno,
Buencamino. Together with Antonio Luna, Mabini was against the U.S.
autonomy. A month later, Luna was assassinated and it is said if Mabini
did not resign he would be assassinated as well.
Mabini was more than just the "brains of the revolution" but the "light that guided the Filipino nation."
Please do visit Museo ni Apolinario Mabini both at the Mabini Shrine in
Tanauan City, Batangas and at PUP Sta. Mesa, Manila (Mabini's Nagtahan
House). These are free to public. The Historical Commission has also
produced a documentary on Mabini this year.
* * * * *
After his resignation, Mabini became a journalist and had written
critical articles about the government. In his article “La Verdad en su
Lugar” (“The Truth in its Place,”) published in La Independencia (Luna's
newspaper) on 15 October 1899, he said "Sincere, honest, and loyal
politics are, in truth, very hard to find these days, because,
unfortunately, self interest and ambition take control over individuals
and blind governments..."
From the post of Ian Alfonso, founder and executive director of Project Saysay.
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