Malolos Republic

   In June5, Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree setting aside June 12 as the day for the proclamation of Philippine Independence. Julian Felipe who prepared a composition which played during the Independence ceremonies. In June 11, Julian Felipe showed the draft to Aguinaldo entitled Marcha Filipina Magdalo. Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the Independence of the Philippine at Cavite El Viejo on June 12, 1898. The Philippine flag was made by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo & Delfina Herboza. He chose Apolinario Mabini as his adviser, but when he saw Mabini with his illness, infantile paralysis, he thought he made a mistake but when Mabini spoke, Aguinaldo's doubt was vanished. Apolinario Mabini  called him of his enemies as "Dark Chamber of the President" and " Brain of the Revolution" of his admirer. 

       The First Philippine Republic was formed after the Philippine Declaration of Independence and the events of the collapse of the Spanish rule over the Philippines. It adopted the Constitución Política de la República Filipina, drawn up by the Philippine Constitutional Convention in the Barasoain Church in Malolos in 1899 to replace the revolutionary government proclaimed by Aguinaldo on June 23, 1898. That revolutionary government had replaced the dictatorial government which Aguinaldo had proclaimed on May 24, and had formally established by decree on June 18.

The constitution was approved by delegates to the Assembly of Representativeson January 20, 1899, and sanctioned by Aguinaldo the next day. The convention had earlier elected Aguinaldo president on January 1, 1899, leading to his inauguration on January 23.

Considering that the Philippine-American War which was to soon follow the adoption of the constitution would prevent the legislature from meeting, and considering that the government was not to survive that war, three parts of the constitution which effectively gave president Aguinaldo unrestricted power to ruled by decree are of particular interest.