A Commemoration of a Declaration

 

During the Spanish-American War, Filipino rebels led by Emilio Aguinaldo proclaim the independence of the Philippines after 300 years of Spanish rule. Until this day we can never miss the important event in history in which we celebrate the victory the achievement of the independence of the Philippines against its occupiers. Independence Day is an annual national holiday in the Philippines observed on June 12, commemorating the declaration of Philippine independence from Spain in 1898. 

Opposition to Spanish rule began among Filipino priests. they resented the Spaniards over the claim of the roman catholic churches on the islands. In the late 19th century, Filipino intellectuals and the middle class began calling for independence. In August 1896, Revolts began to erupt across Luzon, and in 1897 or March, Emilio Aguinaldo became the leader of the rebellion.

April 1989, the Spanish-American war broke out over Spain’s brutal suppression of a rebellion in Cuba.  The first in a series of decisive U.S. victories occurred on May 1, 1898, when the U.S. Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey annihilated the Spanish Pacific fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines. Aguinaldo made arrangements with the U.S. authorities to return to the Philippines and help the united states in the war against Spain. Due to achieving military success against Spain, the revolutionary government proclaimed independence on June 12, 1898. Where Emilio Aguinaldo preside and the Philippine Republic was formally inaugurated in Malolos, Bulacan, in January 1899.

On August 13, the mock Battle of Manila was staged, and the Americans kept their promise to keep the Filipinos out after the city passed into their hands. As the Americans occupied the Philippines while negotiating peace with Spain, Aguinaldo called a revolutionary assembly in September and it was the Malolos. They established a democratic constitution, developed by Aguinaldo as the president, which became the first-ever democratic constitution in Asia. The Treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898, was a peace agreement between Spain and the United States that ended the Spanish-American War. Under the Treaty, the United States gained possession of the Philippines, acquired in exchange for $20 million in compensation to the Spanish.

Aguinaldo declared another revolt against the United States. In 1902, an American civil government took over the administration of the Philippines, and the three-year Philippine insurrection was declared to be at an end.

We have seen that many people have sacrificed and died just to fight for the freedom of our country. Therefore, on the approaching Independence Day, let us commemorate the achievement of the Philippine Independence. The road to July 4, 1946, was indeed long and tough. No wonder this is indeed the most important history that has taken place in the Philippines. The reason why we live today with freedom, peace, and rights.

References:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/philippine-independence-declared

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/july-4-1946-philippines-independence

https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/philippines/independence-day

https://althistory.fandom.com/wiki/Spanish-American_War_(A_Day_at_Manila)

https://www.cpsctech.org/2021/06/123rd-independence-day-celebrated-in.html