107th anniversary of Philippine Independence

On June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the independence of the Philippines in his mansion in Kawit, Cavite. On that same occasion, the Philippine flag was first unfurled and the Philippine National Anthem was played for the first time. We sat played not sung, because at that time our national anthem had no lyrics. This was because we followed the example of Spain whose national anthem, Marcha Real, has to this day no official words although many people have written verse to the music for years. This also explains why our national anthem is also a march. Its title then was Marcha Filipina Magdalo which was later changed to March Nacional Filipina.

A year later, Jose Palma, brother of Rafael Palma, the fourth president of the University of the Philippines, composed the lyrics in Spanish. It was because he had seen and heard the American soldiers sing their national anthem. Our flag too was influenced by the American flag because the Americans contacted Aguinaldo who had been exiled by Spain in Hong Kong and brought him back to the Philippines. This was acknowledged in the Declaration of Independence read in Aguinaldo’s mansion. In part, it said, the flag of the United States of North America, as a manifestation of our profound gratitude towards this Great Nation for its disinterested protection which it lent us and is continuing to lend us. At that period in time, the American flag was called the red, white and blue and the Filipino flag was the red, white and blue with the sun shining through.

The eight rays in the sun represent the eight Luzon provinces that responded to the call of the Philippine Revolution Manila, Bataan, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga.

Aguinaldo’s Declaration of Independence was in the afternoon because many of the people who attended came from afar and had to walk to Kawit. In the case of Apolinario Mabini, he had to be carried in a hammock.

The following year the very first anniversary of our independence proclamation was held in Angeles, Pampanga. By June 12, 1941, General Emilio Aguinaldo was urging the people to unite body and soul with the Americans in order to save democracy.

The modern generation is no longer conscious of the fact that we used to celebrate our independence day on July 4th because it was on that day in 1946 that President Harry S. Truman recognized the independence of the Philippines. But President Diosdado Macapagal changed the date to June 12, which was the day when General Aguinaldo proclaimed our independence. And on June 12, 1963, Gen. Aguinaldo formally donated his historic mansion at Kawit to the Republic of the Philippines. Pres. Macapagal received the donation on behalf of the government.