Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

A few days from now, the 111th Philippine Independence Day will be celebrated on June 12. The celebrations will not only be in the Philippines but in many countries around the world, wherever there are large pockets of Filipinos.

Here in America, from the East to the West Coast, tens of thousands of Filipinos and those with some Filipino blood in their ancestry are going to have their own festivities to mark the special day. More than a century ago on June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the Philippine Declaration of Independence from the colonial rule of Spain in Kawit, Cavite. The event saw the first unfurling of the National Flag of the Philippines, and the performance of the Nation’s National Anthem, now known as Lupang Hinirang.

The declaration, however, was not recognized by the United States or Spain, as the Spanish government ceded the Philippines to the United States. The United States recognized Philippine independence on July 4, 1946 in the Treaty of Manila. Thus, Independence Day was observed in the Philippines on the July 4 anniversary of this event until 1962 when, upon the advice of historians and at the urging of nationalist politicians, President Diosdado Macapagal designated June 12 as the country’s Independence Day.

In the United States, earlier generations of Filipino immigrants did not celebrate Philippine Independence in significant ways. However, during the past two decades, Philippine Independence has been widely celebrated among Filipinos in the United States and is now a major event for many FilAms to rekindle their roots and heritage and generate cultural awareness for Filipinos.

The largest among Philippine Independence celebrations in America takes place in New York City every first Sunday of June. Traditionally held along Manhattan’s Madison Avenue from 23rd to 40th Streets, the culmination of the preparation, the Grand Parade, Street Fair and Cultural Show, is the biggest celebration of Philippine Independence outside the Philippines. The 2009 Philippine Independence Day Parade in New York City took place last June 7th. The celebration in Northeast U.S.A. includes not only New York but also the twelve states under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate General in New York, namely, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

In 2008, about 30 NYPD officers of Filipino descent participated in the parade. NYPD police officer Tony Roxas told the Asian Journal last year, "I look forward to this event every year. I’m so proud to be a Filipino. I’m one of the proudest Filipinos you’ll ever meet."

For community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis, the celebration is much needed in the community because "it encourages us to be proud that we are Filipinos."

In California, there will also be festivities to celebrate the event. The Bay Area Philippine Independence Day Celebration 2009 will be held this weekend from June 13-14 at the Civic Center Plaza, San Francisco, CA. This annual celebration is the Bay Area and California’s best and grandest celebration of Philippine Independence.