Gen. Miguel Malvar was born in barrio San Miguel,Sto. Tomas, Batangas on Sept. 27,1865.He studied at the school of Father Malabanan in Tanauan, Batangas.After his studies,he dedicated himself to agriculture and poultry raising, paying it so much attention 'that he could tell his cocks by their crowing".
Malvar married Paula Maloles, daughter of the town mayor of Sto. Tomas, Don Ambrosio Maloles. Malvar and Paula had seven children.
In 1892, at the instigation of Andres Bonifacio, Malvar disarmed the police force of the town.In the company of the town's local patriots,he stormed the Spanish quarters in Talisay, Batangas. From this time on, he was a marked man with a high price on his head.On January 10,1897, he offered his services to Gen. Aguinaldo. He formed his own army from among his friends and relatives, mustering about 70 men, whom he armed with a few shotguns revolvers, but mostly, bolos. His first engagement with Spanish forces occurred at the foot of Mt. Makiling. The Spaniards had previously captured and tortured his father for his and his son's anti-Spanish activities . He recued his father after a fierce and sanguinary hand-to-hand battle. This gave rise to his reputation as one of the bravest generals of the revolution.
Malvar was exiled to Hongkong under the term of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato .When Aguinaldo returned to Manila via Singapore to join Admiral Dewey after the battle of Manila Bay, he left Malvar behind together with other revolutionary leaders. According to Bernabe, Gen. Malvar's son, his father did not benefit financially from the $400,000 indemnity money given to Aguinaldo by the Spanish government by virtue of the Biak -na-Bato pact. The Malvars were on their own after Aguinaldo left them, eking out a living as best they could.
When Aguinaldo resumed the fight against Spain, Malvar managed to return to the Philippines . Aguinaldo made him chief of the revolutionary in Batangas, Laguna and Tayabas with the rank of Brigadier General and promoted to the rank of Commanding General in August, 1899.
Upon the capture of Aguinaldo, Malvar assumed the leadership of the struggle and continued to fight the Americans. He found himself the Senior General in the Field after the surrender of Gen. Mariano Trias in Santa Cruz de Malabon Cavite, on March 14, 1901. He issued a military order of his assumption of the highest post in the islands, approved by the Filipino Central Committee in Hongkong. He continued the fight which went on in Cebu under Juan Climaco and Arcadio Maximo , Pedro Sanson and Miguel Valmoria in Bohol, Florentino Penaranda in Leyte and Quintin Salas in Iloilo . Gliceria Marelia de Villavicencio of Taal, donated to them the steamboat "Bulusan", the only naval craft of the revolutionary government, but was sunk by the enemy in the Visayan waters while transporting men and arms to Panay.
One might say that Malvar did not put dignity on his position because contrary to the military ethics that should be observed by a military leader, he never parted with his family. His patriotic devotion to his purpose and noble mission did not in any way diminish his love for his family. Although they were practically always on the run, he was able to direct operations by remaining units through dispersed officers who contacted him on the way , while he care for his family. In their hasty retreat, he was carrying his sickly child on his shoulder while he held his cane on the other hand.
When the Americans were too hot in their pursuit. Malvar abandoned his headquarters and fled to the mountain.. There, they experienced all the trials and tribulations of being hunted. Weary and exhausted by the long journey, subsisting on wild fruits and crops they could see, weakening of their worn out bodies, gripping fear of the enemy, danger from wild animals and trouble from the "limatics", worst was the malaria that preyed all of them,.
They were protected from the hot sun by the crude shelter of a few leaves of "damoyaca", but not from the torrential rains. These factors brought extreme frustrations to them .They were like nomads moving from place to another to avoid capture or annihilation Malvar began to feel that his family and the rest of the group could no longer withstand the ordeals. He sent a message offering the surrender of his family but not himself.
The Americans, knowing their location, sent emissaries to convince Malvar to surrender. Because of the circumstances in which he was, this overwhelmed his patriotic determination of "NO surrender" His decision to surrender had been brought about by the capture of his best officers, his inability to secure provisions because of the Americans' reconcentration, and due to lack of arms. He issued orders to his remaining units to surrender.
They entered the camp in single file, passed between two rows of American soldiers, formed for the reception of the surrendering General. As soon as the tail of the line had passed, the Americans broke ranks and they all shouted with glee at the top of their voices. That was the actual surrender of Gen. Malvar _ in barrio Balugbog, Rosario, Batangas, on April 16,1902. About sunset,they were accommodated on a convoy of calesa bound for Lipa, to present Gen. Malvar to Gen. Franklin Bell.
They were escorted on both sides by a detachment of American cavalrymen. When they entered Lipa, the American escorts shouted, "Ako Malvar, ako Malvar!" For the Americans, there was jubilation because that day marked the end of bloody conflict. Malvar closed the curtain to Fil-American hostilities and paved the way for educational and political progress in the country.
Gen.Malvar was received royally by Ge. Franklin Bell. He asked for an independent form of government under the protection of the United States . Gen. Bell offered him the governorship of Batangas but he declined, saying he would like to return to his agricultural pursuits. He notified the Filipino Central Committee in Hongkong that the war had been legally brought to an end. His surrender ended the military rule in the Philippines. Civil government was installed by the Americans on July 4,1902.
Gen. Malvar died of a liver ailment due to his exposure to malaria in the mountain of Batangas.,in Sta. Mesa , Manila on October 13,1911, at the age of 46 years old. He was buried in his hometown in Sto. Tomas, with national, provincial and municipal officials attending the services. Gov.. Gen. W. Cameron Forbes was represented at the funeral by Gen. Bell the man to whom he surrendered nine years before. Gen. Malvarr, a true war hero, was accorded homage befitting his rank and patriotism.
References: In the Grade School, Sept. 1964 In the Grade School, April 1966 Bulwagan ng mga Bayani by Domingo Ma. Panganiban
