Independence, for the First Time

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 province for nearly 300 years and are called 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. The Spaniards eventually acquired a footing in the Philippines when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi launched an expedition in 1565. In 1571, they erected Intramuros, which was subsequently called Manila and became the country's capital. After a period of Spanish domination, a feudal system was developed, with the Spanish owning enormous estates and Filipinos working for them. The Philippines prospered throughout the Spanish period, and their reign was unremarkable. When the British seized Manila in 1762, this changed. In 1764, the city was returned to the French under the conditions of the Treaty of Paris, which was signed in 1763.

In the 19th century, feelings of nationalism began to emerge. Jose Rizal, an author who produced two books, "El Filibusterismo" (The Filibusterer) and "Noli Me Tangere," contributed to the growth of the uprising (Touch me Not). These novels sparked outrage, and nationalism swept the Philippines like wildfire. Jose Rizal created Liga Filipina, a reformist movement, in 1892. Rizal was imprisoned and deported to Dapitan, Mindanao, as a result of this. Andres Bonifacio, in parallel, founded the Katipunan, a more extremist organization. In August 1896, a revolution began, and Jose Rizal was hanged on December 30, 1896, despite the fact that he did not support the movement. His execution, on the other hand, just added fuel to the fire.

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.

Japan attacked the Philippines on December 10, 1941, and took Manila. The Japanese had taken control of the whole Philippines. American soldiers returned to the Philippines in October 1944 and regained Manila. On July 4, 1946, the Philippines declared independence. Manuel Roxas was the country's first president after its independence.

Source:

https://nationaltoday.com/philippines-independence-day/