General Emilio Aguinaldo, Cavite

Etymology

The town is also known by its former official name, Bailen, named after the Spanish town of the same name. The town was established in 1858, the 50th anniversary of the Spanish victory against France in the Battle of Bailén that was fought in 1808 during the Peninsular War.

The municipality's current official name was adopted in 1965 and is named after Emilio Aguinaldo, the president of the First Philippine Republic and a native of Cavite who died the year before. In 2012, municipality administrators voted to revert the town's name back to Bailen; however, this was never ratified.

History

Spanish era

Bailen used to be a separate Catholic parish in the adjacent town of Maragondon. It was founded by virtue of a decree issued on August 28, 1857, by Archbishop Fray Aranguren, OSA, of the Archdiocese of Manila. The decree separated the barrios of Batas and Guyong-guyong from the town of Maragondon, naming the new parish Bailen after a town in the province of Jaén. It is recounted that a group of citizens from Barrio Batas petitioned Spanish Governor-General Fernando Norzagaray to convert their barrio into a municipality because of its distance from the town proper. Giving due course to the petition, the Spanish governor approved the request on August 2, 1858.

Revolutionary era

After the Cry of Pugad Lawin and the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution, Bailen was one of the towns that were liberated by the Katipuneros of Cavite. However, after the Spanish General Polavieja launched his offensive, General Emilio Aguinaldo's forces retreated to the upland towns of Cavite, including Bailen. The Spanish offensive followed and when they arrived in Bailen on May 18, 1897, Aguinaldo's forces could no longer be seen. They stayed for three days and when the inhabitants were uncooperative, the Spaniards burned the town and the church. When the inhabitants returned the day after the Spanish occupation, they saw their town already burned.

American era

The American civil government, from 1899 to 1901, reduced the number of towns to facilitate the military policy of concentrating the civilian population of the poblaciones. The Philippine Commission approved Act No. 947 on October 15, 1903, annexing the municipalities of Bailen and Mendez to Alfonso, thus becoming barrios of Alfonso. Bailen was reconverted into an independent municipality in 1915 with the complete restoration of peace and order in Cavite.

Post-war independence

On June 19, 1965, with the signing of Republic Act No. 4346, the town's name, Bailen, was changed to General Emilio Aguinaldo, in honor of the first Philippine president, who died the year prior.

Contemporary era

On September 3, 2012, administrators voted to revert the town's name back to Bailen. The Cavite Provincial Board unanimously approved Committee Report 118-2012, renaming General Emilio Aguinaldo, during the 95th Regular Session. However, the plebiscite to rename the municipality was never held.

Geography

General Emilio Aguinaldo is located 82 km from Metro Manila. It is bordered to the north and east by the town of Maragondon, by Alfonso to the south, and by Magallanes to the west.

Barangays

Bailen is politically subdivided into 14 barangays, as indicated in the matrix below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Currently, there are 4 barangays which are classified as urban.

Climate

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of General Emilio Aguinaldo was 24,264 people, with a density of {{sigfig|24,264/9.40|2}} PD/km2.

Economy

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

The following are the elected officials of the town elected last May 9, 2022 which serves until 2025:

Education

The General Emilio Aguinaldo Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.

Primary and elementary schools

• Bailen Elementary School
• Blessed Framar Christian Academy
• Castaños Elementary School
• Dao Elementary School
• Guyung-Guyong Elementary School
• Kabulusan Elementary School
• Kaymisas Elementary School
• Kaypaaba Elementary School
• Lumipa Elementary School
• Petal Preparatory School
• Narvaez Elementary School
• Nazareth School
• Tabora Elementary School

Secondary schools

• Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo National High School
• Holy Mother Cavite Institute

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. Mariano, Clemente P.. (1997). "PHILIPPINE ARMY: THE FIRST 100 YEARS". Philippine Army.
3. "NLP Digital Collection HD01.cmd4 .cmd1".
4. (October 15, 1903). "An Act Reducing the Twenty-Three Municipalities of the Province of Cavite to Eleven".
5. The Philippine Index, Millennium Edition Vol. 1 No. 1
6. (June 19, 1965). "An Act Changing the Name of the Municipality of Bailen in the Province of Cavite to the Municipality of General Emilio Aguinaldo".
7. (September 4, 2012). "Old Cavite Town Bailen 'Returns'". Yahoo! News.
8. (September 5, 2012). "Cavite Town Named Bailen Again".
9. "General Emilio Aguinaldo: Average Temperatures and Rainfall".
10. (January 15, 2021). "Masterlist of Schools".