For Independence We Defend

    Philippine history is made up of thousands of events from thousands of years of resilience. And the Philippines Independence is the most significant of all as it is our freedom. In a period of struggle and conflict, Filipinos united with one goal: to resist foreign rule. 

HISTORY

“Freedom is among the rights that Filipinos did not enjoy during the Spanish rule.” 

    For over 300 years, the Philippines was colonized by the Spanish. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition landed on Homonhon Island in the Philippines. Magellan wanted all the local chiefs to submit to the Spanish rule but Lapu Lapu refused. A battle was made by Magellan in an attempt to subdue Lapu Lapu, but he failed and was killed. 

    However, the Spaniards finally gained a foothold in the Philippines when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi led an expedition arriving in Cebu in 1565. The Spaniards built the city of Intramuros in 1571, now Manila which became the capital. Eventually, Spanish rule took over the system with estates owned by the Spanish, and Filipinos as the workers. 

    This changed in 1762 when the British captured Manila. Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris signed in 1763, the city was handed back in 1764. 

    The rebellion grew with the help of Jose Rizal, who wrote the two novels “El Filibusterismo” (The Filibusterer), and “Noli Me Tangere” (Touch me Not) causing a sensation of nationalism throughout the Philippines that also cause a stir in the Spaniards. In 1892, Jose Rizal founded a movement, Liga Filipina, which called for reform rather than revolution. As a result, Rizal was arrested and exiled to Dapitan. 

    A revolutionary organization was also formed by Andres Bonifacio, called the KKK, “ Katastaasang Kagalanggalangang Katipuanan ng mga Anak ng Bayan ”, or simply Katipunan. A revolution started in August 1896, and Jose Rizal was executed on December 30, 1896, in Bagumbayan, under the pretense of supporting the revolution. His execution inflamed Filipinos which made the revolution grow. 

    Then the war between Spain and the U.S. started in 1898. The Spanish were defeated by the Americans in Manila Bay on April 30, 1898.

    Seizing the opportunity, Filipino revolutionaries with Emilio Aguinaldo surrounded Manila and declared the Philippines independent on June 12. However, in 1902, American rule took over when Aguinaldo was captured. 

    The Philippines was then made a commonwealth, and semi-independent country in 1935 under the leadership of Americans. The USA promised that the Philippines would become completely independent in 1945. But then the Philippines is invaded again but now by the Japanese. On December 10, 1941, the Philippines was in the hands of the Japanese. In October 1944, American troops returned to the Philippines and defeated the Japanese. The Philippines became independent on 4 July 1946 with Manuel Roxas as the first president of the newly independent nation.

Every year on the 12th day of the month of June, we remembered the heroes who battled for our country's independence. May we continue to fight for the freedom of every single Filipino. Let this serve as a symbol of strength for us to continue striving for the hardships that lie ahead for us and our nation. I hope that we will never forget the relevance of the independence that our valiant fellow Filipinos fought. May we continue to strive for the freedom that every Filipino deserves.

References:

http://www.philippine-history.org/independence-from-americans.htm

Philippines Independence Day, national today https://nationaltoday.com/philippines-independence-day/

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