Independence Day (Philippines)

The proclamation of the independence of the Philippines from Spain by General Emilio Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898 as depicted on the back of the old 5-peso bill.
Philippine Independence Day (Filipino: Araw ng Kasarinlan, Araw ng Kalayaan; Spanish: Dia de la Independencia) is a working holiday in the Philippines commemorating the country's declaration of independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. It is held every year on
June 12.


History:
The event was led by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in his mansion on June 12, 1898. The flag of the Philippines, which was made in Hong Kong by Marcela Agoncillo, was first flown in that event. It is also where the Philippine National Anthem, composed by Julian Felipe, was first played by the San Francisco de Malabon band. The song was played under the name Marcha Filipina Magdalo, later renamed as Marcha Nacional Filipina.



The Official Flag of the Republic of the Philippines.
The Philippines celebrated its Independence Day every July 4, the date in 1946 that the United States granted independence to the nation, until 1962, when President Diosdado Macapagal signed the Presidential Proclamation No. 28, changing the official celebration to June 12, the date in 1898 that Emilio Aguinaldo declared the nation's independence from Spain. Officially naming June 12 as Araw ng Kalayaan (Independence Day) and July 4 as Republic Day and Philippine-American Friendship Day.


On June 12, 1998, the nation celebrated its centennial year of Independence from Spain. The celebrations were held simultaneously nationwide by then President Fidel V. Ramos and Filipino communities worldwide. A commission was established for the said event, the National Centennial Commission headed by former Vice President Salvador Laurel presided all events around the country. One of the major projects of the commission was the Expo Pilipino, a grand showcase of the Philippines' growth as a nation for the last 100 years, located in the Clark Special Economic Zone (formerly Clark Air Base) in Angeles City, Pampanga.


References:
Philippine History Group of Los Angeles

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