118th years of Philippine Independence what else to know?

On Sunday, June 12 (PST) commemorating the 118th years of Philippine independence also recalling whom our forefathers gallantly fought on series of revolutions and wars. That day when President Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence from Spain in 1898 but aside from the proclamation itself, not known to many, the country actually celebrates two more anniversaries on June 12; the anniversary of the Philippine flag and the anniversary of our National Anthem. Aside from this, there are several interesting facts that despite having unfamiliar to many Filipinos but such information led to nation’s freedom from colonial domination.

• The declaration of Philippine Independence in 1898 signaled the birth of the first democratic republic in Southeast Asia.

• There were actually no accompanying lyrics when the national anthem was presented in public for the first time. It took about a year before the lyrics could be formed. Hence, Jose Palma’s poem Filipinas, published on August 1899, was chosen as the lyric and the original title was Marcha Filipina Mágdalo (Mágdalo Philippine March) and not “Lupang Hinirang”.

• The song was arranged and composed by Julian Felipe. It was later altered to Marcha Nacional Filipina (Philippine National March) upon its adoption as the national anthem of the First Philippine Republic, a day before independence was to be proclaimed.

• On September 5, 1938 the “Lupang Hinirang” was declared as the title of the Philippine National Anthem by President Manuel Quezon under the Commonwealth government and officially adopted the arrangement and composition of Julian Felipe. But on May 26, 1956 that the Pilipino translation of “Lupang Hinirang” was first sung.
• The Philippine flag that was presented in June 12, 1898 was designed by Emilio Aguinaldo and personally submitted to Doña Marcela Agoncillo who was living in Hong Kong during that time.

• The flag of the Philippines can indicate the state of affairs in the country. In a state of war, the red stripe is shown on top. In times of peace, it’s the blue stripe on top. It’s said to be the only flag in the world with this kind of distinguishing feature.

• It took five years for Marcela Mariño Agoncillo to complete the Philippine flag. Agoncillo was assisted by her daughter, Lorenza Agoncillo and Delfina Herbosa Natividad. They spent five days of hard work to finish the flag which, as described by the maker herself, was “made from fine silk with a white triangle at the left containing a sunburst with eight rays at the center, a five-pointed star at each angle of the triangle, an upper stripe of dark blue and a lower stripe of red.”

• The three stars were not represented Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Instead, it is Luzon, Panay, and Mindanao. Panay Island was part of what the Proclamation of Independence in Kawit, Cavite referred as “the archipelago’s three principal islands.”

• In 1907, the Philippine flag and any nationalist flags, emblems or symbols, and banners, especially those identified with Katipunan, were once barred in the country under the Act No. 1696 or Flag Law of 1907. With the nation under the American rule, the three stars and a sun were replaced by the stars and stripes of the U.S. It took 11 years before the law was abolished and the Philippine flag to be raised anew.

• Contrary to popular belief, the Philippine flag was first used and displayed on May 28, 1898 during the battle of Alapan in Imus, Cavite and not on June 12, 1898.

• The original Philippine flag raised in Kawit on June 12, 1898 was lost somewhere in Tayug, Pangasinan when Aguinaldo retreated to Northern Luzon during the Filipino-American war. Aguinaldo himself revealed this incident in his letter to Captain Baja dated June 11, 1925. [Until now, the whereabouts of the original flag remains a mystery].

• Due to President Truman’s Proclamation, the Philippines celebrated Independence Day on July 4, and not on June 12. However, when the Philippine Historical Association started lobbying for the return of June 12 in the early 1960s, until on May 12, 1962 President Diosdado Macapagal issued Presidential Proclamation No. 28 proclaimed June 12 as “Philippine Independence Day”.
• In 1994, President Fidel V. Ramos’ Executive Order No. 179 acknowledged Independence Day to be celebrated for 16 days, starting from May 28 up to June 12. This decree was designated as flag days in which all offices, agencies of government, business establishments, institutions of learning and private homes are enjoined to display the Philippine flag.