General Miguel Malvar is known in history books for his headstrong and obstinate ways. As the last leader to surrender to the enemy in the 1902 resistance, he won an important place in the hearts of his countrymen, who admired him for his courage and hardiness.

Even as a child, Malvar already exhibited these qualities of knowing his mind, and insisting upon his decisions.

As a student, he was so disinterested in his studies that his father, much against his wish, was constrained to pull the young man out of school. General Malvar holds the distinction of being the only top revolutionary leader who never had a formal schooling.

Like the "Sublime Paralytic," Malvar was mentored early in life by Father Valerio Malabanan. Unlike Mabini, however, who went from one school to another and collected in the process a series of academic honors, Malvar's further studies, after the short stint with Father Malabanan, consisted of finishing the equivalent of today's second year in high school at the town of Bauan, Batangas.

Had he wanted to, Malvar could have studied at a well-known university in Manila and from there continued the pursuit of higher learning abroad. His parents, Maximo Malvar and Tiburcia Carpio, although not affluent, had the means to send him to any site of learning which Malvar desired, but the young man refused to study. Instead, he wanted to settle down right away.

And despite the protests and pleas of his father, he did just that. He took for his wife Paula Maloles, the pretty daughter of the erstwhile Capitan Municipal (Town Mayor) of Santo Tomas, Batangas, Don Ambrocio Maloles.

Malvar then set out to prove that he too could be a good son and a valuable asset to the community notwithstanding his lack of education.

Barely had the darkness of night disappeared, when the solitary figure of Malvar could be seen up and about welcoming the approaching light with farm implements in hand. He rose early and called it a day only when it was too dark for him to move about his far. The only rest he allowed himself was the noontime break of one hour when he partook of the food when his equally industrious wife cooked.

When he was not busy on his farm, he tended his flourishing poultry and livestock. Word of his unusual industry spread. Soon the entire community eyed the young man with new respect and admiration. Here was the young man whom his father thought would not amount to anything. upsetting all the dire predictions of his well-meaning parents.

Such industry convinced the eldest sister of our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, that Malvar held promise of being a good business associate. Consequently, Saturnina Rizal convinced him to manage a business which she capitalized at P1,000.

And indeed, Saturnina made wise choices. Her initial investment doubled up in record time. This was another feather in the cap of the indefatigable farmers. His prestige soared to new heights in the community and in the adjoining towns that no less than Don Carlos Palanca heaped praises upon him.

Accumulating capital from his diversified endeavors, the enterprising farmer launched himself into another venture. He branched out into the cultivation of local oranges, purchasing land near the base of Mt. Makiling and in the nearby town of Santo Tomas for this purpose.

It was while he was busily engaged in orange culture that the revolution broke out in August, 1896. This war wrote finis to the peaceful episode in Malvar's life and launched him into a turbulent military career from which he was to emerge a general with a reputation for valor and the honor of being the last general in the revolution to lay down his arms before the Americans.

Malvar's great hatred against Spanish authority stemmed back to 1892, four years before the revolt that toppled the Spaniards from their position of dominance.

In that year, the promising young farmer-turned-businessman was appointed "gobernadorcillo." The high principled gobernadorcillo often clashed with the steel-willed parish priest of the town. From these frequent clashes, the young businessman came out embittered, violently hating the things Spain stood for.

When the once passive resistance against the Spaniards exploded with violence 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 Malvar was a marked man with a high price on his head. He was forced to abandon his business and flee to the sanctuary of the wilderness of Mt. Makiling.

On January 10, 1897 Miguel Malvar and his intrepid band consisting of 15 men descended the slopes of Mt. Makiling. Armed with 97 guns which they wrested from the enemy in spear and bolo surprise raids on the towns of Santo Tomas and Lipa, Batangas Malvar offered his services to Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.

Aguinaldo commissioned Malvar as a lieutenant. The first official assignment given to him by his new leader was to march instantly to Zapote to lend military succor to Gen. Edilberto Evangelista and his beleaguered men.

When Malvar and his men arrived as reinforcements, the Spaniards fled. There was, however, gloom in the rebels' camp that night for among the lifeless was Gen. Edilberto Evangelista himself.

In March, 1897, Malvar's unit was reassigned to Indang, Cavite. The memory of the rout of Zapote and the death of General Evangelista still fresh in their minds, Malvar and his revolutionary avengers swooped down furiously on the Spanish defenders of Indang, and killed many.

After this episode, General Aguinaldo's confidence in him grew. New and bigger responsibilities were thrust upon his youthful but reliable shoulders. Bailen, Magallanes and Alfonso, all considered Spanish bailiwicks in Cavite, fell one after the other before the intensity of Malvar's attacks. The stature by which he rose before the eyes of Aguinaldo and his top officers was matched only by the intense hatred of the enemy who was determined to get back at him at all costs.

Aguinaldo was quick to reward ability when he saw it. The string of victories made possible by the military brilliance of Malvar earned for the hardy lieutenant a generalship in the rebel forces. He was given command of the Batangas sector covering the towns of Talisay, Tanawan, Lemery and Santo Tomas.

At this stage in Philippine history, both sides keenly felt the wastefulness in human life and military material. Filipino and Spanish leaders alike were aware that a protracted siege would exact a heavy toll which could be averted by continuing the struggle over a conference table.

Thus was born the idea of a pact. On December 20, 1897, Malvar's unit as well as all the rebel forces elsewhere received Aguinaldo's order to cease fire.

In accordance with one of the provisions of the pact, Aguinaldo and a number of revolutionary luminaries left for Hong Kong as voluntary exiles. Prior to his departure, Aguinaldo told Malvar to look after the rebel's interest.

The other side broke the pact. An irate Aguinaldo convened his council of war. Gen. Miguel Malvar was ordered to join the exiles immediately in the Crown Colony. Sitting in one of the meetings of Consejo de Guerra, General Malvar suggested that the revolutionaries exert every effort to augment their arsenal with newer and more guns so that the campaign against Spain could be successfully waged. During this huddle, Aguinaldo made him adviser on military matters, a function which he was to discharge with his characteristic vigor and efficiency.

Aboard the SS San Juan, the top revolucionarios secretly re-entered the province of Cavite in Kawit in June, 1898. The wily Batangueño slipped past the heavy guards posted in the pier unnoticed and made his way to Batangas with his contraband of about 2,0000 rifles purchased in Hong Kong.

Working through a few of his trusted henchmen, Malvar spread the word around that the leaders of the rebels were back. The order to re-mobilize was enthusiastically met by his men who knew that a pact with Spain was good only for as long as the enemy could gain advantage from it.

In recognition of Malvar's contribution to the war effort and his undisputed military leadership, Aguinaldo elevated him further in rank. General Malvar was commissioned commander-in-chief of the Tayabas, Batangas, Mindoro and Visayan areas. In this new position, he proved his mettle once again by whittling down the size and strength of the Spanish soldiers and confining them in spots where they could be least effective.

The war in Spain was destined to be short-lived, however. In August, 1898, a much stronger invader displaced the erstwhile rulers of the island. American forces reduced the once formidable Spanish forces into a shadow of its former self.

Aguinaldo saw in the victory of the Americans a Filipino victory. Here was the hand of justice smiling down at the formerly dreaded masters of the Indios. Now the tables were turned; the oppressors were the oppressed. However, Aguinaldo soon lost faith in the new conquerors.

When the badly disillusioned Aguinaldo realized that the fight for freedom was far from over, he issued another call to arms. The Filipinos, unable to cope with the deadly firepower of a well-armed adversary, resorted to hit and run tactics.

The rebels waylaid, ambushed, sprung the element of surprise on a better armed army whose only disadvantage was that they did not know the terrain as well as the rebels did, it being their home-ground; the place where they were born and where they were ready to die to keep its soil inviolable.

With General Juan Cailles as his second-in-command, General Malvar was ordered to defend Muntinlupa, San Pedro Tunasan, Calamba and Cabuyao in Laguna. Later on Malvar's unit in cooperation with another hard-hitting force commanded by Gen. Artemio Ricarte, defended the towns of Pila, Sta. Cruz and Pagsanghan against the Americans under General Bell.

The guerilla warfare conducted by the rebels while they harassed the enemy failed to dent the American military machines. Convinced of the futility of holding out further, rebel units emerged from their hiding places, arms raised in surrender.

Of the rebel forces which continued fighting, only General Malvar's unit was to last for months. The others were demoralized when they found out that Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, after a bloody and protracted encounter, had been captured by Frederick Funston and his men at Palanan, Isabela on March 23, 1901.

Notwithstanding the apprehension of General Aguinaldo, the fierce Batangueño countermanded the order of his ex-chief to lay down their arms. He assembled his fighting unit and went back to the place where they had formerly hidden: the fastness of Mt. Makiling.

But band of soldiers, no matter how brave and determined, can never hold out--on an empty stomach and with only a few rounds of ammunition left. This was the bitter lesson Gen. Miguel Malvar learned, as with a heavy heart and eyes close to tears, he told his men to surrender to Brig. Gen. J.F. Bell in Batangas.

Thus ended the military career and third episode in the life of Gen. Miguel Malvar on April 16, 1902.

Even an enemy could recognize valor and patriotism and offer to reward it. When the civil government was set up in Batangas on July 4, 1902 and the task of rebuilding the country from ravages of war was started in earnest, the enemy proffered a friendly hand by asking General Malvar to work with the civil government of Gov. William Howard Taft as a provincial governor in the province of Batangas.

Gen. Miguel Malvar turned down the benevolent gesture, not out of spite for the new master that had replaced the old but out of an overwhelming desire to return to the peace and calm of the farm he missed so much during his turbulent war years.

Life was to allow him nine more years of peace to efface the memories of war and the bitterness of defeat. On October 13, 1911, Gen. Miguel Malvar died, to live forever in the pages of Philippine history.