The Palaris Revolt: A Significant Event in Pangasinan History

The Palaris Revolt, also known as the Pangasinan Revolt, was a significant event in the history of the Philippines. It was a rebellion that occurred in 1762, led by Juan dela Cruz Palaris in Binalatongan, Pangasinan. The revolt started as a protest against the Spanish government’s imposition of tributes on the local people, but it soon escalated into a full-blown rebellion that lasted for two years.

At the time, the Philippines was a colony of Spain, and the Spanish government imposed various taxes and tributes on the local population. The tributes were a form of forced labor that required the locals to work for the Spanish authorities without pay. The people of Binalatongan, like many other Filipinos, were forced to pay these tributes, which they felt were unjust and oppressive.

Juan dela Cruz Palaris, a native of Binalatongan, took it upon himself to lead his people in protesting against the tributes. He was encouraged by the defeat of the Spanish army and the capture of Manila by the British in 1762. He and his followers started making more demands and eventually drove away all the Spaniards from the capital town of Lingayen. For two years, the rebels and their supporters in the province tasted freedom and power over the Spanish government.

However, the rebellion came to an end when Palaris was captured and executed by the Spanish authorities. The Spanish officials renamed the town “San Carlos” in honor of Spain’s reigning monarch Charles III to forget the sad episode.

The Palaris Revolt was a significant event because it showed that the Filipinos were capable of rising up against their colonizers. It also demonstrated the deep-seated resentment that the local population had towards the Spanish authorities, who were seen as oppressive and exploitative.

The revolt had a lasting impact on the Philippines’ history and the country’s struggle for independence. It served as an inspiration for future rebellions against Spanish rule, such as the Philippine Revolution of 1896. It also highlighted the importance of fighting for one’s rights and standing up against injustice.