Happy 12th of June!

Today is Independence Day here in the Philippines.  June 12th.  Happy Independence Day everyone!  I have always liked 4th of July.  I like the holidays where there isn't much to it except to gather together with friends and family and eat and play.  It made me wonder how independence day is celebrated here, is it like our 4th of July?  I asked Allan what people do here to celebrate, do they have parties and eat watermelon and bbq?  Not quite, he said.  Instead he equated it with Labor Day in the States.  There are no fireworks, at least not like in the States, you'll have to wait until New Year's for those and boy oh boy are they worth the wait!  But Independence Day here marks the end of summer vacation and the start of the next school year.  Therefore, Allan explained it feels more like Labor Day in that it's the last holiday to play a vacation and there are sales at the malls for back to school supplies.  Nevertheless, even if my new holiday didn't match up to the idea in my head I was still curious to learn more about it.  So I did a little reading and learned a few brief facts.

The holiday begs a question.  "Independence from whom?"  Well over the years Philippines has been under the rule of a few different countries.  The longest and most influential rule on the people and culture would be the Spanish rule which started in the 1500's and lastest about 300 years.  Language, religion, and food were all influenced by the Spanish occupancy for those hundreds of years.  Even the name of the country itself comes from King Philip of Spain.  A passionate patriotic writer and now national hero, Jose Rizal, wrote novels to stir the people in a call to action, was the beginning of the end of Spanish rule in the late 1800's.  At the same time a secret revolutionary society, called Katipunan, was also formed by Andres Bonifacio.  This was more extreme and began to plot how to start a revolution to overthrow Spain.  But at the same time the Katipunan was fighting for freedom, the Spanish American war broke out which ultimately ended with Spain giving the US the Philippines in a treaty.

So as Spain moved out, in moved the US at the beginning of the 1900's.  The American rule was less oppresive in comparison to Spain, but they too had their influence over the country. By 1935 the Philippines was semi-independent and made a commonwealth and the US promised complete freedom in 1945, but then World War II broke out.

World War II ultimately brought the occupancy of Japan, which ruled in cruelty for a few years during the war, about 1941 to 1945.  Although their rule was short, the cruetly was harsh and hardly a family today was not affectly by the violence by Japan in one way or another.  The US returned to help the Philippines push out Japan.  And then in 1946 the nation was declared independent again.

As the country began to establish their independence in the late 1900's there was corruption, dictatorship, and even marshall law. Even after 1946 the US still had military bases in the Philippines and they did not leave completely until 1992.  Why 1992?  Because Mount Pinatubo errupted and blew volcanic ash covering their military base.  Time to go home America. :)

So why June 12th?  Throughout their history there was obviously different levels of foreign rule along with different countries in control.  So which date do you celebrate your freedom?  Well independence from Spain occured on June 12, 1898.  And the US signed the treaty giving independence on July 4, 1946.  For awhile June 12th was merely Flag Day.  But eventually holidays were moved around and Flag Day was moved to May 28th (the day the flag was first flown in the first battle from the Katipunan revolutionarys), and Independence Day was moved to June 12th.

The flag was designed by Emilio Aguinaldo while in exile in Hong Kong.  He was a member of the Katipunan and the first president of the Philippines after the Spainards left and before the Americans gained control in 1901.

BLUE = stands for justice and patriotism
RED = stands for valor and blood spilt for freedom
WHITE = stands for peace and purity
TRIANGLE = stands for purity and represents the Katipunan
3 STARS = represents the 3 major geographical areas, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao
8 RAYS SUN = represents the 8 provinces that led the revolution against Spain
WAR TIMES = during times of war the flag is flown upside down with the red on top and the blue on bottom

So Happy 12th of June Philippines!  You have a beautiful and passionate history.  The pieces from all of the various trials and times of hardships in your past fit together to make you who you are today.  You are a unique and attractive people group that makes foreigners observe and ask "wow, how can a Filipino view life like that?  So resilent, so resourceful, so hospitable, and finding fun, laughter and family even in the midst of difficult circumstances?"  Your colorful history has played a role and has used seemingly "evil" for good.  Happy Independence!