ON JUNE 12, 1962, the June 12 Philippine Independence Day, was observed for the first time throughout the country and was celebrated most impressively in Manila. Both President Diosdado Macapagal and the aged General Emilio Aguinaldo took part in the afternoon ceremonies on the Luneta.
The celebration included a Philippine Armed Forces largely motorized parade which took two hours to pass the Luneta grandstand and in which several small units of the United States Army and Air Force participated, and a civic parade which took an hour longer. President Macapagal delivered one of the most eloquent addresses of his career.
The ceremonies closed with a moving re-enactment by a group of actors of the reading of the independence declaration of June 12, 1898, a replica of the Aguinaldo home at Kawit, Cavite, from the balcony of which the declaration was read sixty-four years ago, having been erected for the purpose in front of the Luneta grandstand.
In his speech President Macapagal reviewed the history of Philippine resistance to and uprisings against foreign aggression and domination, beginning with Lapu-Lapus defiance of Ferdinand Magellan who was killed in the battle on Mactan in 1521. He spoke of Rajah Soliman, of Rajah Lakandula, of Magat Salamat, of Francisco Dagohoy, of Diego Silang and his wife Gabriela, of Apolinario de la Cruz, and fi nally of Jose Rizal! Andres Bonifacio, and Emilio Aguinaldo.
There had been, the President said, other Asian revolutions before. But the revolution which culminated on June 12, 1898, was the first successful national revolution in Asia since the coming of the West, and the Republic to which it gave birth was the first democratic republic outside of the Western Hemisphere.
Macapagal concluded his speech by saying:
Let us then, all of us, on this day of solemn commemoration, relying mainly upon our own efforts, consecrate ourselves anew to the great ideals that animated our heroic forebears, the ideals of excellence in creation and production, excellence in learning and wisdom, and excellence in patriotism and sacrifice, for the countrys honor and dignity and freedom.
The Philippine Independence Day celebration was observed on July 4, the day the Philippines was granted independence on July 4, 1946 by America until it was moved to June 12 by President Macapagal on May 12 a month earlier.
Today July 4 is celebrated as Filipino-American Friendship day.
