free-spirited

Over 120 years ago, the Philippines, a collection of over 7,000 islands in the western Pacific, achieved freedom from Spanish domination. This claim was made by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, but it wasn't until 1962 that then-President Diosdado Macapagal declared it a national holiday by a presidential decree. On this day in 1898, the Filipino flag was unfurled for the first time amid an exciting ceremony that included the first public performance of the Philippines national song. The country has come a long way. It is classified as a developing market and a freshly industrialized nation. Tourism has a significant economic influence on the Philippines.

The Philippines were a Spanish colony for nearly 300 years and are named after King Philip II of Spain. Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines in 1521 and claimed the islands for Spain. Magellan wanted all of the indigenous chiefs to submit to Spanish sovereignty, but Lapu Lapu stood firm. Magellan attempted, but failed, to crush Lapu Lapu, and was slain as a result. Nationalism began to emerge in the nineteenth century. With the support of Jose Rizal, a novelist who penned two books, "El Filibusterismo" (The Filibusterer) and "Noli Me Tangere," the uprising spread (Touch me Not). These novels generated a sensation, and nationalism swept the Philippines like wildfire. Jose Rizal formed the Liga Filipina movement in 1892, which advocated for change rather than revolt. Rizal was imprisoned and deported to Dapitan, Mindanao. Parallel to this, Andres Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a more radical organization. In August 1896, a revolution began, and Jose Rizal was hanged on December 30, 1896, ostensibly for supporting the revolution although he did not. Nonetheless, his death inflamed Filipino sentiment, and the revolt escalated. In 1898, the war between Spain and the United States began. On April 30, 1898, the Spanish navy was defeated by the Americans in Manila Bay. Filipino revolutionaries took advantage of the situation and besieged Manila on June 12, declaring the Philippines independence. When Aguinaldo was arrested in 1902, however, American control took over.

This day is more than simply a holiday; it is a day on which Filipinos commemorate the bravery and sacrifices of warriors and heroes who battled for our homeland. Their courage in fighting colonizers and determination to freeing the land should be honored by future generations. These valiant efforts should be regarded with the same reverence as the gift of dominion. It is critical not just to commemorate this occasion, but also to remember its significance for the Philippines. Many Filipinos contributed their talents and abilities, as well as their lives, to ensure our freedom. Their brave stories should serve as lessons for all residents of the United States. 

“Nationalism is nourished by a sense of history. It is of its essence to know profoundly the past, so that we may be in complete openness with the men who made that history and in intimate communion with their thoughts, their deeds, and their noble lives.”—Claro M. Recto, Jr.