INAUGURAL ADDRESSES OF

THE FOURTEEN PRESIDENTS

OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE
PHILIPPINES

THE INAUGURAL
ADDRESS OF
PRESIDENT EMILIO

Delivered on January 23,

1899 at Barasoain Church,
Malolos, Bulacan
English Translation

EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, OWE BLIND

OBEDIENCE, AND WHOSE LIBERAL AND
DEMOCRATIC GUARANTEES ALSO EXTEND TO ALL.
HEREAFTER, THE PHILIPPINES WILL HAVE A
FUNDAMENTAL LAW WHICH WILL UNITE OUR
PEOPLE WITH THE OTHER NATIONS BY THE
STRONGEST OF SOLIDARITIES; THAT IS THE
SOLIDARITY OF JUSTICE, OF LAW, AND OF RIGHT;
ETERNAL TRUTHS WHICH ARE THE BASIS OF
HUMAN DIGNITY.
I CONGRATULATE MYSELF ALSO ON SEEING MY
CONSTANT EFFORTS CROWNED; EFFORTS WHICH I
CONTINUED FROM THE TIME I ENTERED THE
BATTLEFIELD WITH MY BRAVE COUNTRYMEN OF
CAVITE, AS DID OUR BROTHERS IN OTHER
PROVINCES WITH NO ARMS, BUT BOLOS, TO
SECURE OUR LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENCE. AND
FINALLY, I CONGRATULATE OUR BELOVED PEOPLE,
WHO FROM THIS DATE WILL CEASE TO BE

WE ARE NO LONGER INSURGENTS; WE ARE NO

LONGER REVOLUTIONISTS; THAT IS TO SAY
ARMED MEN DESIROUS OF DESTROYING AND
ANNIHILATING THE ENEMY. WE ARE FROM NOW
ON REPUBLICANS; THAT IS TO SAY, MEN OF LAW,
ABLE TO FRATERNIZE WITH ALL OTHER NATIONS,
WITH MUTUAL RESPECT AND AFFECTION. THERE
IS NOTHING LACKING, THEREFORE, IN ORDER FOR
US TO BE RECOGNIZED AND ADMITTED AS A FREE
AND INDEPENDENT NATION.
AH, HONORABLE REPRESENTATIVES! HOW MUCH
PAIN AND BITTERNESS DO THOSE PASSED DAYS
OF SPANISH SLAVERY BRING TO OUR MINDS, AND
HOW MUCH HOPE AND JOY DO THE PRESENT
MOMENTS OF PHILIPPINE LIBERTY AWAKEN IN US.

THIS MOMENT, WHEN OUR BELOVED PEOPLE RISE

TO THE APOTHEOSIS OF INDEPENDENCE, WILL BE
ETERNALLY MEMORABLE. THE 23RD OF JANUARY
WILL BE FOR THE PHILIPPINES, HEREAFTER A
NATIONAL FEAST, AS IS THE FOURTH OF JULY FOR
THE AMERICAN NATION. AND THUS, IN THE SAME
MANNER THAT GOD HELPED WEAK AMERICA IN
THE LAST CENTURY, WHEN SHE FOUGHT AGAINST
POWERFUL ALBION (ENGLAND), TO REGAIN HER
LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENCE; HE WILL ALSO
HELP US TODAY IN OUR IDENTICAL GOAL,
BECAUSE THE WAYS OF DIVINE JUSTICE ARE
IMMUTABLY THE SAME IN RECTITUDE AND
WISDOM.
A THOUSAND THANKS, HONORABLE
REPRESENTATIVES, FOR YOUR PARLIAMENTARY
WORK, WHICH ENABLES US AND ESTABLISHES IN
A PUBLIC AND AUTHENTIC MANNER, THAT WE ARE
A CIVILIZED NATION AND ALSO A BRAVE ONE;

IN THIS REMOTE AND HERETOFORE UNKNOWN

PORTION OF THE WORLD, THE PRINCIPLES OF
EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN CIVILIZATION ARE
KNOWN, AND MORE THAN KNOWN; THAT
INTELLIGENCE AND HEARTS HERE ARE PERFECTLY
IN ACCORD WITH THOSE OF THE MOST CIVILIZED
NATIONS; AND THAT NOTWITHSTANDING THE
CALUMNIOUS VOICE OF OUR ETERNAL
DETRACTORS, THERE IS HERE, FINALLY, A
NATIONAL SPIRIT, WHICH UNITES AND FORGES
TOGETHER ALL FILIPINO HEARTS INTO A SINGLE
IDEA AND SINGLE ASPIRATION TO LIVE
INDEPENDENT OF ANY FOREIGN YOKE IN THE
DEMOCRATIC SHADOW OF THE PHILIPPINE
REPUBLIC.
FOR THIS REASON, ON SEEING CONSECRATED IN
OUR CONSTITUTIONAL WORK THE ETERNAL
PRINCIPLES OF AUTHORITY, OF LIBERTY, OF
ORDER AND JUSTICE, WHICH ALL CIVILIZED

LONG LIVE THE PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC!

LONG LIVE THE CONSTITUTION!
LONG LIVE THEIR ILLUSTRIOUS AUTHORS, THE
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FIRST PHILIPPIINE
CONGRESS!