Is June 12th Philippine Independence Day A Bogus Celebration?

By: Joe Mauricio
We just celebrated the 116th anniversary of the Philippine Independence Day on June 12th, the day Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the Philippine independence from Spain in 1898. That same year the United States defeated the Spanish galleon in what was called the Battle of Manila Bay. Admiral George Dewey of the US Navy was victorious, concluding the Spanish-American War in the provision of the Treaty of Paris, stopping the hostilities and providing peace in other Spanish colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines– the countries that were ceded to the US by Spain. President William McKinley had decided that the U.S. must take possession of the Philippines, a demand that was ultimately and reluctantly accepted by Spain. The U.S. took possession of the Philippines after paying Spain $20,000. This deal was the beginning of the American control of the country of the Philippines. The Philippines never won its independence from Spain or anyone else. The Philippines was Commonwealth of the United States until 1946 when the U.S. Congress granted the official Philippine Independence. The Philippine Revolutionary Movement did not recognize the Treaty or the American sovereignty, and subsequently fought the Americans and lost the conflict with the American’s superior fire power in the Filipino-American War in 1899 to 1902.. Aguinaldo was captured by the American forces and he issued a statement acknowledging and accepting the sovereignty of the United States over the Philippines.With that, the provincial civil government has been established in the Philippines, escept the Moro-occupied regions of the country. Historically, the Philippines had not achieved its independence until July 4, 1946. It is a bit complicated, but here it goes… Simply stated, the Philppines was discovered and colonized by Spain in 1521. Spain governed the Islands for over 300 years. After the Spanish-American War in 1898, Spain gave Philippines to U.S. as a result of losing the war under the Treaty of Paris (as if it were a property, sold to a different owner). At that time, the U.S. never recognized the Philippines autonomy and installed instead a commonwealth form of government until 1946, just like another State of the U.S. The then U.S. President was Ted Roosevelt and the Philippine President was Manuel Quezon. There was a period of exile for Quezon from 1942-1945 when Japan occupied the Philippines. Therefore, the real Philippine Independence Day is the Fourth of July, 1946. So, historically and factually, the Philippines is celebrating its 68th years of independence from the U.S. this year of 2014 as enacted by the U.S. Congress in the Tydings-McDuffie Act. What about the June 12th Independence Day celebration? What the Filipinos have been celebrating is the DECLARATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE BY AUUINALDO, and not an official DAY OF INDEPENDENCE officially given to the.country by its conquering superpower, the United States of America on July 4, 1946. June 12th independence did not happen at all. Let us straighten out our historical facts and start celebrating the real independence of our country as passed by the U.S. Congress in July 4, 1946. The Fourth of July must be celebrated as our Philippine Independence Day, and not as the Filipino Friendship Day. Happy Philippine Independence Day to all Filipinos, whether you prefer to celebrate on June 12th or July 4th, it is our spirit of independence that matters!