20/05/2026
© 2026 Rhonie C. Dela Cruz
Bamban WWII Museum/Historical Society
PGT - Tarlac Provincial Tourism Office
Bamban Tourism Office
Investigating History:
MAY 20, 1899; BAMBAN AS GEN. FRANCISCO MAKABULOS's HEADQUARTERS DURING PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR
Our town of Bamban had played in some significant roles in the development of our country as an independent and sovereign nation and in the fight towards independence at the height of the Philippine-American War of 1899. At times, this small town became the Presidential Office and Headquarters of General Emilio Aguinaldo on June 6, 1899 and as the General Headquarters of the Philippine Army at the time when General Venancio Concepcion, in command of the Filipino forces of the Paruao Line was busy preparing the defense and fortifications at Bamban area in September-October 1899.
Digging deeper into history, our own general from Tarlac, Francisco Makabulos Soliman who was in charge of the Filipino Revolutionary Forces of the provinces of Tarlac and Pangasinan had his headquarters at Bamban in May 1899. At the time, the battlefield of the Philippine-American War was concentrated in San Fernando areas including Sto. Tomas. As General Emilio Aguinaldo moved to San Isidro by way of San Fernado, Pampanga, the bulk of the Filipino Revolutionary Forces in Central Luzon was still intact numbering around 9,000 men from Bagbag River to Tarlac with General Makabulos forces anchored at his Bamban Headquarters. General Makabulos was more attached to General Antonio Luna who was then in charge of the Filipino Army in the fight at Sto. Tomas and later San Fernando, Pampanga. Later, General Makabulos and his brigade were deployed in the front line in Mexico, deployed on the left flank facing General Arthur MacArthur’s San Fernando base with his 2nd Division that saw many engagements, and then retreating to Tarlac, Tarlac, when General Emilio Aguinaldo moved his capital in late June 1899.
It may be considered that Bambanenses participated in the fight for independence and freedom during the Philippine-American War of 1899 with the role of Bamban mentioned probably as "Sandatahanes" or in the regular army. One official document executed by General Makabulos dated May 20, 1899 shows that his brigade headquarters (General of Brigade and Commanding in Tarlac and Pangasinan) was in the town of Bamban.
Bamban areas including the main front of the river Paruao with Bamban Bridge, eastern barrios bordering Concepcion, Tarlac and the Bamban-Concepcion Road would become the field of battle as General Concepcion's Division consisting forces and elements of General Makabulos, Aquino, San Miguel and Hizon tried to stop the American advance to the north under the command of General Arthur MacArthur of the Second Division, Eight Corps in what had become the last battle of Aguinaldo's Republic prior the disbandment of the Filipino Army on November 12, 1899 in Bayambang, Pangasinan.
General Makabulos’ Proclamation from his Bamban Headquarters gives narrative on the policy of reward for providing incentives for the regular and Sandatahanes soldiers under his Brigade for rifles and ammunitions taken from the Americans and for American that defects to the Philippine Army.
General Makabulos Brigade at the time may had an approximate strength of about 1,000 men with rifles, with officers and men that may had come from the Tarlac Province including the town of Bamban. The Makabulos Proclamation from the Bamban Headquarters is a manifestation of one of the roles of Bamban in our Nation’s struggle for freedom and Independence during the Philippine-American War.
Citation:
(1) "Report of the Lieutenant-General Commanding the Army", War Department for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 1900, Government Printing Office - Washington, 1900.
(2) "Proclamation of Senor Francisco Makabulos Soliman", Exhibit 883, The Philippine Insurrection Against the United States (available at the National Library, Manila).
Image/Photos:
(a) The Bamban train station of the Manila-Dagupan railroad line, with some of the prominent
people of the town, circa 1900. The Train Station was an important facility that was used by the
Republican Army in 1899.
Bamban Historical Society Collection.
(b) Bamban was an important military basement for the Philippine Army, with its strategic location on the high ground overlooking the main road and the railroad line, with natural defenses of river with the Bamban Hills in the rear. Photo circa early 1980s, the Bantiti Ridge Line, site became a battlefield during Philippine-American War 1899.
David Metherell Photo
(c) Brigadier General Francisco Makabulos Soliman of the Brigade. In May 1899, the town of
Bamban became one of his headquarters for the Tarlac-Pangasinan area.
(d) The defenses of the Bamban in 1899, with long line of trenches and
fortifications overlooking the Paruao River and the entrance to Tarlac
Province.
Library of Congress Photographic Collection
Courtesy of Scott Slaten/Dave Metherell.
(e) General Makabulos' Proclamation, issued at his Bamban Headquarters.
Exhibit 883, The Philippine Insurrection Against the United States. Bamban Historical Society/Bamban Museum collection.
