US envoy to lead 4th of July rites in Manila

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney will lead the US Embassy in celebrating the 60th Philippine-American Friendship Day and US Independence Day today.

The embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will hold events throughout the day to celebrate Manila’s long ties with Washington.

The celebration kicks off with a photo exhibit that will be unveiled this morning at the lobby of the DFA.

"July 4 is a special day for the American people because it symbolizes the birth of our nation in 1776, which we honor every year with traditional celebrations that include parades and fireworks," Kenney said.

She added July 4 is also the day when Americans living in the Philippines celebrate their long-standing friendship with Filipinos.

"And that has been maturing ever since. I am personally honored to recognize the deep partnership between the United States and the Philippines on July 4, the most cherished of days in American history," Kenney said.

After staging a revolution against 300 years of Spanish colonial rule, the Philippines declared independence from Spain on June 12, 1898, but did not achieve actual independence until after World War II in 1946.

The United States annexed the Philippines after the Spanish-American War and did not recognize the Philippine independence declaration of 1898.

It resulted in the brutal Philippine-American War (1899-1902), also known as the Philippine Insurrection by the US government.

On July 4, 1946, the United States granted independence. Philippine Independence Day was observed on July 4 until 1961 when President Diosdado Macapagal — upon the advice of historians — changed it to its present date.

Meantime, left-leaning organizations will march to the US Embassy and stage a protest rally this morning.

The Xaverian Missionaries, Balay, AMIN Partylist, Akbayan partylist, PM Partylist, and Kilusan Para Sa Pambansang Demokrasya will lead the protest march.

They said July 4 is a "grim reminder" of US intervention in the Philippines’ internal affairs and American influence in Filipino culture. — Pia Lee-Brago