The Philippine Declaration of Independence occurred on June 12, 1898 in Cavite el Viejo (now Kawit), Cavite, Philippines. With the public reading of the Act of the Declaration of Independence, Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain, which had been recently defeated at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.
The declaration, however, was not recognized by the United States or Spain. The Spanish government later ceded the Philippines to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris that ended the Spanish-American War. The United States recognized Philippine independence on July 4, 1946 in the Treaty of Manila. July 4 was observed in the Philippines as Independence Day until August 4, 1964 when, upon the advice of historians and the urging of nationalists, President Diosdado Macapagal signed into law Republic Act No. 4166 designating June 12 as the country's Independence Day. June 12 had previously been observed as Flag Day.
The Proclamation Day In the presence of a huge crowd, independence was proclaimed on June 12, 1898 between four and five in the afternoon in Cavite at the ancestral home of General Emilio Aguinaldo some 30 kilometers South of Manila . The event saw the unfurling of the National Flag of the Philippines, made in Hong Kong by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herboza, and the performance of the Marcha Filipina Magdalo, as the Nation's National Anthem, now known as Lupang Hinirang, which was composed by Julián Felipe and played by the San Francisco de Malabon marching band.
National Anthem
Bayang magiliw,
Perlas ng silanganan,
Alab ng puso,
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.
Lupang hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig
Di ka pasisiil.
Sa dagat at bundok
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula
At awit sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning;
Ang bituin at araw niya,
Kailan pa ma'y di magdidilim.
Lupa ng araw ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo.
The Act of the Declaration of Independence was prepared, written, and read by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista in Spanish. The Declaration was signed by ninety-eight people, among them an American army officer who witnessed the proclamation. The final paragraph states that there was a "stranger" (stranger in English translation — etranger in the original Spanish, possibly meaning foreigner) who attended the proceedings, Mr. L. M. Johnson, described as "a citizen of the U.S.A, a Coronel of Artillery". The proclamation of Philippine independence was, however, promulgated on the 1st of August, when many towns had already been organized under the rules laid down by the Dictatorial Government of General Aguinaldo.
Later at Malolos, Bulacan, the June 12 proclamation was modified upon the insistence of Apolinario Mabini who objected to that the original proclamation essentially placed the Philippines under the protection of the United States.
Philippine Independence The event was led by Emilio Aguinaldo in his mansion on June 12, 1898. The flag of the Philippines, which was made in Hong Kong by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad was first flown in that event. It is also where the Philippine National Anthem, composed by Julian Felipe, was first played by the San Francisco de Malabon band. The song was played under the name Marcha Filipina Magdalo, later renamed as Marcha Nacional Filipina.
The Official Flag of the Republic of the Philippines.The Philippines celebrated its Independence Day every July 4, the date in 1946 that the United States granted independence to the nation, until 1962, when President Diosdado Macapagal signed the Presidential Proclamation No. 28, changing the official celebration to June 12, the date in 1898 that Emilio Aguinaldo declared the nation's independence from Spain.
The Philippines
National flag has two equal horizontal bands of blue on the top and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side. There is a yellow sun in the centre if the triangle. There is a small, yellow 5 pointed star in each corner of the triangle.
On June 12, 1998, the nation celebrated its centennial year of Independence from Spain. The celebrations were held simultaneously nationwide by then President Fidel V. Ramos and Filipino communities worldwide. A commission was established for the said event, the National Centennial Commission headed by former Vice President Salvador Laurel presided all events around the country. One of the major projects of the commission was the Expo Pilipino, a grand showcase of the Philippines' growth as a nation for the last 100 years, located in the Clark Special Economic Zone (formerly Clark Air Base) in Angeles City, Pampanga.
National Flower of Philippines
The flower called Sampaguita (Jasmine variety) by the filipinos was adopted as the National Flower of Philippines in 1934. It also happens to be the National Flower of Indonesia. |  |
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Philippines National Bird
The National Bird of Philippines in the Philippine Eagle (also known as the monkey eating eagle). At present, the Philippine Eagle is one of the most endangered birds of the planet, with only about 500 birds in the wild. |  |
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Philippines National Tree
The large and shady Narra Tree is the national tree of Philippines. The Narra trees grow all over the islands and are abundant in Bicol, Mindanao and the Cagayan Valley forests. |  |
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National Animal of Philippines
The National Animal of Philippines is the Carabao or the Asian Water Buffalo |  |
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National Hero
Dr.Jose Rizal
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado is regarded as the National Hero of Philippines. He wrote the 'Noli Mi Tangere' in 1887 and the 'El Filibusterismo' in 1891. In these anti-friar novels, he exposed the vices of the Spanish friars and their cruel deeds. In 1892, he formed a revolutionary party known as the 'La Liga Filipina'. Jose Rizal was exiled for causing unrest in Spain, to the island called Dapitan. He remained in exile for four years. In 30th December, 1986, Jose Rizal was executed by the firing squad.
