Independence Day (Filipino: Araw ng Kasarinlán; also known as Araw ng Kalayaan, “Freedom Day”) is an annual national holiday in the Philippines celebrated on June 12, commemorating the Philippine independence declaration in Spain in 1898.
The first recorded event related to this holiday was where Andres Bonifacio, along with Emilio Jacinto, Restituto Javier, Guillermo Masangkay, Aurelio Tolentino, Faustino Manalak, Pedro Zabala and a few other Katipuneros went to Pamitinan Cave -Montalban, Rizal to start new members of Katipunan. Bonifacio has written Viva la independentencia Philippines! or Long Live Philippine to stand on the walls of a cave to expose the secret of their secret society. Bonifacio also led the Cry of Pugad Lawin, marking the beginning of the Philippine Revolution. Members of Katipunan, led by Bonifacio, tore up their cedulas personales in protest of the Spanish conquest.
History of Philippines Independence Day
The Philippine Revolution began in 1896. The Biak-na-Bato Treaty, signed on December 14, 1897, established a treaty between the Spanish colonial government and the Philippine rebels. Under its terms, Emilio Aguinaldo and other revolutionary leaders went into exile in Hong Kong after receiving 400,000 pesos from the Spanish Government.
On June 5, 1898, Aguinaldo issued a proclamation at his then-house residence known as Cavite El Viejo declaring June 12, 1898, as a day of liberation. Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, Aguinaldo’s military adviser and special envoy, read aloud the Acta de la Proclamacion de la Independencia del Pueblo Filipino. Ninety-eight Filipinos, whom Aguinaldo nominated, and Colonel L. M. Johnson, a retired U.S. military official, signed the 21-page proclamation. At about 4:30 p.m., the San Francisco de Malabon band played the Marcha Nacional Filipina as they officially unveiled the Philippine flag for the first time.
The presidents of 190 municipalities from 16 provinces controlled by the rebel army first approved the proclamation on August 1, 1898, and the Congress of Malolos re-ratified it on September 29, 1898. The Philippines has failed to gain international recognition for its independence, especially from the United States of America and Spain. The Spanish government later granted the Philippine archipelago to the United States by the 1898 Treaty of Paris.
The United States of America granted the Philippines independence on July 4, 1946. In accordance with the Philippine Independence Act (commonly known as the “Tydings – McDuffie Law”), President Harry S. Truman issued the proclamation 2695 on July 4, 1946. officially recognizing the independence of the Philippines.
Why June 12 Became the Official Philippine Independence Day?
President Diosdado Macapagal issued the Proclamation No. 28, which declared June 12 a special public holiday throughout the Philippine. This is in commemoration of the declaration of our people of their fundamental and inalienable right to freedom and independence.” On August 4, 1964, Republic Act No. 4166 renamed the July 4 holiday “Philippine Republic Day”. While June 12 declared as “Philippine Independence Day” and ordered all Filipino citizens to keep the latest in good manners.
