21
Philippine Showbiz Today
June 8 - 21, 2018
Welcome to Canada, Daniel!
heran
&
friends
welcomed
Daniel
here
S
in
Canada.
Daniel
arrived
from
the
Philippines last Sunday, June 3, 2018. Among the well wishers
were Ching Colobong and hubby with some of Sheran’s
friends.
Photos by Christian Cunanan
A brief history of Philippine Independence
Independence
Day (Filipino:
Araw ng Kasarinlan; also known as
Araw ng Kalayaan, (or “Day of Free-
dom”) is an annual national holiday in
the Philippines observed on June 12,
commemorating the Philippine Dec-
laration of Independence from Spain
on June 12, 1898.
The Philippine Revolutionar-
ies declared Independence in June
12, 1898 from Spain and the Act of
Declaration of Independence was
also signed. This was the time where
majority of Luzon is under Filipino
control with the help of Uncle Sam.
Spanish guys ceded control of their
empire, including the Philippines to
the US through a Treaty. The Philip-
pine government refused to recog-
nize the treaty. Also the Philippine
government failed to win recogni-
tion of independence in the interna-
tional scene. War broke between the
US and the Philippines and in 1902,
the revolutionaries was soundly de-
feated.
American sentiment was high
against colonialism and annexation
of the Philippines of the US. Would
you believe it is racism and the fear
of influx of non-whites to US was also
a concern raised by politicians in the
US that time? Along with imperialism
and the atrocities committed by the
supposed protectors of the islands.
Finally, after years of American rule,
they finally decided to let us be. Sup-
posedly, the Tydings-McDuffie act
of 1934 will grant independence to
the Philippines in 1945 but the Japs
came and invaded Manila. After the
defeat of Japan in 1945, the US has
granted the Philippines Indepen-
dence on July 4, 1946. Since then
until 1962, Independence Day is cel-
ebrated by Filipinos on July 4.
But Philippine Independence
day is always overshadowed by the
flashy US Independence day cel-
ebration during those years. in 1962,
President Diosdado Macapagal
in Proclamation no. 28, s 1962 de-
clared June 12 as the Philippine In-
dependence day to commemorate
the act of declaration on 1898. Just
as how the US independence day is
the commemoration of Declaration
of Independence in July 4, 1776.
As the Proclamation says in the 2nd
paragraph……“WHEREAS, such a
historic and inspiring action was a
legitimate assertion by the Filipino
nation of their natural and inalien-
able claim to freedom and indepen-
dence, which is an inherent right of
every people not dependent upon
the will and discretion of another”. I
read that there are a couple of other
reasons why the then president de-
cided to move the date.
And that I guess where the
confusion was. The US “granted”
independence to the Philippines in
July 4, 1946 (ironically, July 4, 1902
is the date where the US took over).
Whereas, Filipinos, by declaration of
a then Pres. Macapagal celebrates
June 12, 1898 as Independence day.
But some of us still really asks, are
we truly free?● - Edd Letana, Quora