José Rizal:
Regarded as a hero of Filipino nationalism, Rizal gained
fame and influence after the publication of his anti-Spanish novel Noli me Tangere in 1886. In 1892, Rizal
founded the Liga Filipina which worked in favor of peaceful change for his
nation. However, this resulted in his exile by the Spanish. Though executed in
1896 after the revolutionary actions of Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan,
Rizal inspired peaceful nationalism in Filipinos who would later face a
struggle for independence from the United States.
Andrés Bonifacio:
Bonifacio was an early member of Jose Rizal’s Liga Filipina
and an ardent Filipino nationalist. However, he differed from Rizal in his
belief that revolution was the only way to achieve independence. In July of 1892, he became a leader himself
when he founded a secret society called the Katipunan, a group that would boast
over 30,000 members and influence over all social divisions within just four
years. In response to the sentencing of Jose Rizal in 1896, Bonifacio declared
independence but struggled to defend his forces against the Spaniards,
ultimately meeting an end similar to Rizal’s when he was executed in 1897.
Despite his and Rizal’s apparently futile efforts, the two created a wave of
power sustained by a posterity of Filipinos that now remembers them as heroes. 
Emilio Aguinaldo:
Aguinaldo was a member of Bonifacio’s Katipunan society who
rose to power through victories over the Spanish in 1896 and took over the
Katipunan after orchestrating the arrest and execution of the less
battle-successful Bonifacio. Shortly after his victories, Aguinaldo accepted
payment from the Spanish in exchange for exile, but soon returned to Manila
with the support of the United States during the Spanish-American War. However,
he sought liberation for the Philippines, thus contradicting the goals of the U.S.
and prompting him to declare war on the Americans after declaring independence
and assuming the title of President. Aguinaldo’s active influence was stopped
with his capture by the U.S. in 1901 and his
subsequent pledge of loyalty to
America.
