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<a href="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources/aglipay-don-belong-in-kalayaan-og.webp" rel="lightbox">
<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources/aglipay-don-belong-in-kalayaan-og.webp"  alt="Isabelo de los Reyes" />
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(Msgr. Aglipay and Isabelo de los Reyes in Kalayaan)
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<h3>
Historical Context
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<p>
The establishment of the IFI was deeply rooted in the socio-political and religious struggles of the Philippines during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Under Spanish colonial rule, the Roman Catholic Church was dominated by Spanish friars who wielded significant political and economic influence. Filipino clergy faced systemic discrimination, often relegated to subordinate roles, which fueled resentment among the local population. The execution of Filipino priests Mariano Gomez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora in 1872, known as the <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/937/today-in-philippine-history-february-17-1872-fathers-mariano-gomez-jose-apolonio-burgos-and-jacinto-zamora-were-executed" class="news_link">GOMBURZA</a> martyrdom, became a rallying point for reform and Filipinization of the Church.
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<p>
The Philippine Revolution of 1896–1898 and the subsequent Philippine-American War further intensified nationalist sentiments. By 1902, the Philippines was under American colonial rule, and the desire for self-determination extended to religious institutions. Isabelo de los Reyes, a key figure in the labor movement and a nationalist leader, saw the establishment of an independent Filipino church as a critical step toward cultural and spiritual autonomy.
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<h3>
The Proclamation
</h3>
<p>
The proclamation of the IFI occurred during the First Labor Congress, organized by the Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina (UOD), the first labor union federation in the Philippines, founded by de los Reyes on February 2, 1902. On August 3, 1902, at the Centro de Bellas Artes in Quiapo, Manila, de los Reyes, alongside UOD members, formally announced the creation of the IFI. The event was a bold declaration of religious independence, reflecting the broader nationalist struggle against colonial oppression.
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<p>
During the proclamation, de los Reyes proposed the creation of two councils to govern the church: an Executive Council composed of laypeople and a Doctrinal Council made up of clergy nominated as bishops. <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1489/today-in-philippine-history-may-5-1860-gregorio-aglipay-was-born-in-batac-ilocos-norte" class="news_link">Gregorio Aglipay</a>, a former Roman Catholic priest who had been excommunicated in 1899 for his revolutionary activities, was suggested as the first Supreme Bishop (Obispo Maximo). Although Aglipay was not present at the proclamation and initially hesitated, he accepted the role in September 1902, becoming the IFI's first leader.
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August 3, 1902: Isabelo de los Reyes proclaimed the establishment of the "Iglesia Filipina Independiente"