Fourth of July in Manila: Party diplomacy
We could have danced all night — as friends, partners and allies— to American pop at the Fourth of July celebration hosted by the US Embassy in Manila led by Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson at the Shangri-La at The Fort Tuesday night.
What do Americans celebrate on July 4 each year?
The “Fourth of July” commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the US Congress in 1776. This officially declared that the 13 established colonies were now legally separate from Great Britain.
Why do Filipinos celebrate the Fourth of July as well?
One hundred seventy years after 1776, US President Harry Truman issued Proclamation 2695 on July 4, 1946, officially recognizing the independence of the Philippines. On the same day, representatives of the United States and of the Philippines signed a Treaty of General Relations between the two governments.
President Ramon Magsaysay issued a proclamation, establishing the celebration of Philippine American Day in 1955. And in 1984, under President Ferdinand Marcos, July 4 was designated as a non-working holiday to celebrate Filipino-American Friendship Day. (July 4 ceased to be a non-working day during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, but is still commemorated as Philippine-American Friendship Day.)
Today, both the top officials of the United States and the Philippines declare the ties between the two sovereign countries as “ironclad.”
A Philippine-American marital bond produced my paternal grandmother Mary Loudon Mayor, and like many Filipinos, I celebrate the ties that bind Filipinos and Americans. My first heroes were Sergeant Saunders (played by the late Vic Morrow) of Combat and JFK. My favorite chocolate bar is the Hershey bar, even now.
So it was both an honor and a pleasure to be part of the celebration of the 248th Independence day of the United States at the Shangri-La at The Fort.
And in the true spirit of friendship, it was an all-Filipino choir from the Department of Foreign Affairs that sang the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of the program.
The other Pinoy artists who performed that night included Jed Madela, The Voice Philippines season one winner Kate Torres, The Voice Philippines season two winner Jason Dy, and Idol Philippines season two winner Khimo Gumatay.
Ambassador Carlson, stunning in her red Patty Ang dress, also began her speech with a warm, “Magandang gabi.”
Before going into the serious stuff, she declared that the Fourth of July is really a time to party. In fact, guests were requested to come in their “dancing shoes.”
“In the United States, Independence Day is a time to celebrate with friends and family — usually with food and fireworks, but also with music! Tonight, we are proud to showcase the talent of Filipino artists as they rock the room with everything from Memphis blues to New York hip hop to Detroit Motown, with some Nashville country and New Orleans jazz thrown in the mix as well.”
But there was more to dance to.
“We are here tonight to celebrate our strong and enduring people-to-people ties, our economic cooperation as partners in prosperity, and our security and defense collaboration as treaty allies committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Ambassador Carlson said in her speech.
She recalled that at the historic US-Philippines-Japan trilateral leaders summit in April, “the United States reaffirmed our ironclad Alliance commitments that have helped safeguard peace and security in the Indo-Pacific for decades.”
“Together with our partners, we remain unwavering in our commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight, and to the importance of respecting the sovereign rights of states within their exclusive economic zones consistent with international law.”
According to online sources, the Indo-Pacific comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo was represented by Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, who affirmed the significance of the alliance between the Philippines and the United States.
“We recognize the pivotal role of our alliance in strengthening our own defense capabilities and safeguarding peace and security in the Indo-Pacific, more so now in the face of challenges to international law,” she said.
“US-Philippine commercial ties are booming,” Ambassador Carlson declared, citing also the first-of-its-kind US Presidential Trade and Investment Mission, “which resulted in $1 billion in investments and new partnerships.”
After the toasts to the good health of President Joe Biden and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., (“Since this is a party, I won’t drone on,” Ambassador Carlson quipped), came the revelry and the dancing.
And I went home with a Hershey bar in my loot bag!
Happy Fourth of July to our American friends and relatives! *
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