17/09/2026
𝔽𝔼𝔸𝕋𝕌ℝ𝔼 | 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙤𝙨: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙇𝙖 𝙋𝙖𝙯 𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙐𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙨
When you think of a freedom fighter, you probably picture a soldier charging into battle with a sword, not someone sitting down to write poetry and theater plays. But General Francisco Macabulos was both.
Long before he became a legendary revolutionary general, he was a writer from La Paz, Tarlac. When the Philippine Revolution broke out against Spanish rule in 1896, Macabulos was officially inducted to the secret society known as the Katipunan, bringing the fight straight to his home province.
What made Macabulos stand out from other leaders was his total refusal to give up. In 1897, when top revolutionary leaders signed a peace agreement with Spain called the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, Macabulos saw right through it.
Believing the truce was a bad deal that wouldn't last, he immediately set up his own provisional government in Central Luzon to keep the resistance alive. His stubborn determination paid off, by July 1898, his forces successfully kicked the Spanish military completely out of Tarlac, making him the province's very first military governor.
Macabulos went on to fight against American forces during the Philippine–American War before eventually surrendering in 1900. After the wars ended, he returned to peaceful life as a local mayor and writer, leaving behind a legacy as a rare blend of warrior, politician, and poet.
Today, as we celebrate Macabulos Day, his memory serves as a fierce reminder that fighting for your country isn't just about winning battles on the field, it's also about having the passion and creativity even when hope seems lost.
Today, September 17, we commemorate General Francisco Makabulos Day, honoring the birth of one of the province’s most prominent revolutionary figures. More than a century after the revolution, his name remains deeply woven into La Paz, Tarlac’s history—a reminder of the people who organized, fought, and sacrificed for the country’s freedom.
As La Paz, Tarlac remembers its revolutionary son today, Makabulos’ story stands not only as a chapter in Philippine history, but as part of our town’s own identity: a legacy of courage, leadership, and service that continues to be remembered from one generation to the next.
🖋️ Mhayzie Lee D. Javier | Feature Editor
🎨 Jaustine D. Domingo | Layout Artist