República dé Négros

República dé Négros
Cantonal Republic of Negros

On November 3 to November 6, 1898, the Negrenses rose in revolt against the Spanish authorities headed by politico-military governor Colonel Isidro de Castro in the provinces of Negros Occidental viz. Oriental. The Spaniards decided to surrender upon seeing armed troops in a pincer movement towards Bacolod. The marching revolutionaries, led by General Juan Araneta from Bago and General Aniceto Lacson from Talisay, were actually carrying fake arms consisting of rifles carved out of palm fronds and cannons of rolled bamboo mats painted black. By the afternoon of November 6, Colonel de Castro signed the Act of Capitulation, thus ending Spanish rule in Negros Occidental. This event is commemorated in Negros Occidental every Cinco de Noviembre as the day the Negrenses bluffed the Spaniards to attain their freedom.
For a detailed article on this event, see Negros Revolution.

November 5 has been declared a special non-working holiday in the province through Republic Act. No. 6709 signed by Corazon Aquino on February 10, 1989.

On November 27, 1898 the Cantonal Republic of Negros was established. It came under U.S. protection on April 30, 1899. On July 22, 1899 it was renamed Republic of Negros (República de Negros), but on April 30, 1901 this was extinguished by the United States.

Leaders

Presidents were:

* 5 November 1898 - 22 July 1899 Aniceto Lacson (to 27 November 1898 in Negros Occidental only)
* 24 November 1898 - 27 November 1898 Demetrio Larena (in Negros Oriental).

President of the Constituent Assembly (22 July 1899 - 6 November 1899) was José Luzuriaga

Civil Governor (6 November 1899 - 30 April 1901) was Melecio Severino.

                                    

Last page of the Acta de Capitulacion (Surrender Document) Date - Novenber 6, 1898.