Today the province of Negros Occidental commemorates Al Cinco de Noviembre, remembering that day way back in the year 1898 when Negrenses successfully staged a brilliant and bloodless revolt, outwitting their Spanish colonizers and successfully establishing the short-lived Negros Republic.
The Cinco de Noviembre revolution was a culmination of secret planning by Negrenses to topple Spanish rule in the island. It was led in the north by Aniceto Lacson of Talisay and from central Negros by Juan Araneta of Bago City.
As a result of their bluff, Spanish rule in the island of Negros ended on November 5, 1898. The Negros Republic was formed, led by Lacson and Araneta.
After three months of independence, American forces landed on the island unopposed, ending the island’s independence. Negros Occidental was then annexed to the Philippine Islands by the United States on April 20, 1901.
The Negros Revolution and the resulting Negros Republic, the reasons for this holiday we call Al Cinco de Noviembre, are one of the more unique entries in Philippine history that Negrenses should remember and take pride in.
Today, as we celebrate the ingenuity of our revolutionaries who somehow outwitted a larger and better armed force into surrender in 1898, may their unique achievement serve as a source of inspiration for all Negrenses whenever we are faced with difficulties and seemingly insurmountable odds.
When the combined forces of Aniceto Lacson and Juan Araneta launched their plan to liberate this island from Spanish rule, they didn’t know how it would end. Yet they persevered, took the risk, and ultimately triumphed. Even after gaining independence from the Spanish before all other islands and regions in the country, they still didn’t know how long it would last. Yet they persisted and carried on, no matter how long or short, that freedom they won would last.
Al Cinco de Noviembre commemorates and celebrates this shining moment in our island’s history. It also reminds us of our potential of Negrense determination and ingenuity to face the challenges and beat the odds. If we could do it then, we can to it today and can definitely continue doing it in the future.*
