The Philippine Fourth of July

Jeramy Loreto

http://www.clarkisit.com/celebrating-4th-july-filipino-american-friendship-day/

The quest for Philippine independence is a series of sacrifices, tragedy but in the end was the sweet taste of freedom. In shaping Philippine history, series of colonizers clothed the country, Spaniards, Japanese, and Americans accordingly. The United States being the last colonizer of the country played a great role in achieving its independence. When the late Pres. Manuel Roxas retook his oath as president of the Philippines eliminating allegiance to the United States, this marked the day of Philippine independence. Starting 1946, every Fourth of July used to be considered as the day of Philippine independence. During Pres. Macapagal’s administration, in Proclamation No. 28, s. 1962, the date of Philippine independence was moved to June 12 because it is the date that the Spaniards proclaimed in Aguinaldo’s revolutionary government. And with that, they historians believed that July 4 is only the restoration of that same strand of independence.

So what happens every Fourth of July?

The Philippine-American friendship day that we ceremoniously celebrate every Fourth of July used to be every November 15. In 1955, Pres. Magsaysay issued Proclamation No. 212, s. 1955, stating the observance of Philippine-American day every 15^th of November.

“WHEREAS, the observance of the Philippine-American Day last year has proved the value of keeping alive the spirit of friendship and mutual helpfulness between the American and Filipino Peoples.”        –An excerpt from the Proclamation No. 212

In Marcos administration, he issued Proclamation No. 2346, s. 1984 stating that the celebration was to be renamed Philippine-American Friendship day and was moved to every Fourth of July and also to commemorate the Philippine Republic Day. The practice of celebrating Philippine-American Friendship day as a working holiday started during President Aquino’s term when they specified a list of holidays in the Administrative Code of 1987. Proclamation No. 811, s. 1996, issued by Pres. Ramos once again commemorates the celebration not with a holiday but with public celebrations.

This is the Philippine kind of historic Fourth of July. 

 Source:

www.gov.ph/Official-gazette/