Unlike Apolinario Mabini contemporaries, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo whose lives and heroism have been told and reiterated through several biopics, movies and short films, and that of Antonio Luna and Gregorio Del Pilar whose stories of bravery recently gained national prominence having featured in Jerrold Tarog’s Heneral Luna and Goyo: The Boy General, respectively. Apolinario Mabini’s contribution to our revolution was often left untold. Aside from being known as the “Brain of the Revolution” (Utak ng Himagsikan), little is known about this revolutionary and statesman.
With that, in commemoration of the Philippines’ declaration of independence, we will honor in this week’s edition, the Sublime Paralytic, Atty. Apolinario Mabini.
On July 23, 1864, Apolinario Mabini was born to a relatively poor family in Tanauan, Batangas whose primary source of income was from his mother’s work as market vendor. It has been told that Mabini had worked as an errand boy or muchaco most of his childhood and teenage life in order to help his family and to support and finance his education.
He was able to enroll in Collegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila after receiving a scholarship where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1887 and graduated with highest honors. Apolinario’s mother wanted him to become a priest, however, ever since he was child, our hero had always aspired to become a lawyer. In order to realize this childhood dream, Apolinario enrolled in the University of Sto Tomas in 1888 to pursue law and was able to finish his law studies in 1894.
In 1893, Apolinario joined a secret society founded by Gat. Jose Rizal, the La Liga Filipina and was even selected as the secretary of its Supreme Council. Unfortunately, in 1895, Apolinario became very ill and both his feet became paralyzed. His detractor or the fake news peddlers claimed that Mabini’s paralysis was caused by syphilis, which is a sexually transmitted disease. However, this myth has been scientifically debunked when a group of doctors studied the remains of Mabini and found out that it was polio that caused his paralysis.
Just less than a year after being inflicted with such illness, Apolinario, together with the other members of La Liga Filipina, was arrested following the discovery of Katipunan’s existence and its revolutionary plans. Upon seeing his poor physical state and frailty, however, the Spaniards decided to order for Mabini’s release.
Mabini was hospitalized for the succeeding years by reason of his ill health and condition. While recuperating from his illness, Mabini’s mind had been busy as it was at this moment that he penned his most famous writings – El Verdadero Decalogo (The True Decalogue) and Ordenanzas de la Revolucion (Ordinances of the Revolution). The former pertains to principle or commandments that may serve a guide in order for the Philippines to attain national independence and development while the latter revolves around the organization of a revolutionary government and his other political view and perspectives.
These writings reached and was read by General Emilio Aguinaldo, who immediately contacted Mabini and asked the latter to be his adviser. Mabini was then fetched from Laguna and was brought to Aguinaldo’s headquarters in Kawit, Cavite. Perhaps it was the start of the most famous iconic tandem in the history of the Philippines. Mabini became Aguinaldo’s most trusted adviser and confidant, gaining him the nickname – “The Brains of the Revolution” (Utak ng Himagsikan). It is believed that most of Aguinaldo’s orders and commands were reviewed by Mabini before the same were executed and implemented.
After the declaration of independence on June 12, 1898, Mabini was among those who were tasked to draft our country’s first constitution which shall be later known as the Malolos Constitution. One of the most notable feature of Mabini’s draft was the grant of the right to suffrage – or the right to vote and be vote upon – among women. Unfortunately, it was Felipe Buencamino and Felipe Calederon’s draft of the constitution that was selected and served as the basis of the Malolos Constitution. The latter draft did not vest the right to suffrage among women and it was only after the 1937 Philippine women’s suffrage plebiscite or thirty (39) years after the declaration of independence when women were granted such right.
The following year, December 10, 1899, Mabini was captured by the American forces in Nueva Ecija and was exiled to Guam after having refused to take the oath of allegiance to the United States of America. Mabini stayed in Guam for three (3) years and was only allowed to go back to the Philippines on February 1903. Sadly, our hero only lived just a few months more after returning to our country. On May 13, 1903, Apolinario Mabini died of cholera caused by unpasteurized carabao milk.