Today is Republic Day. It is not, however, Philippine-American Friendship Day which ended up abolished in the late 1980s. Today marks 75 years of independence for the Philippines.
On this day 75 years ago the world finally recognised Philippine independence; the transitional Commonwealth of the Philippines became the Republic of the Philippines (officially our third).
In the early 1960s a decision was made to move independence day to June 12, w/ July 4 as Republic Day (for the Republic of India theor great national day is Republic Day). How Philippine-American Friendship Day came and went is told in this briefer too. malacanang.gov.ph/4230-republic-…
And I tackled the question of other dates: after all most countries do one of two things: commemorate when independence first proclaimed, or when it was finally achieved; uniquely we locate ours in the middle of the process. quezon.ph/2017/08/31/spo…
Personally I’ve come to believe we tend to put appearance above substance which is why August 1896 isn’t even a contender but thats when it began; or why we ditched July 4 less than 20 years after because we were getting depressed over how it turned out. So we fixated on 1898…
which has the benefit of being dramatic but which was short-lived so we can blame others for our misfortune since we have proven incapable in many ways of resolving the harsh problems in our state and society. When the country moved independence day it stopped looking forward and
turned to looking backwards permanently. Ignoring what was most recent and by so doing eliminating cause and effect in preference for blame and effect: we have been looking for supernatural cures and solutions instead pf doing the hard work of being citizens.
The gutted concrete of the war-wrecked University Club and Miramar Apartment buildings served as improvised grandstand for the more daring in the audience. July 4, 1946. #RepublicDay75
Crowd during the Inauguration of Philippine Republic.
(Photo from the US National Archives.) #RepublicDay75
A tinted photograph of the crowd at the Independence Day ceremonies—with the Philippine flag towering above it all. July 4, 1946 #RepublicDay75
Another of those tinted photographs from A Republic is Born, the commemorative volume on Independence Day 1946. All the better to see the red, white, blue, and yellow of the Philippine flag formed during the parade. July 4, 1946 #RepublicDay75
Aerial view of the Independence Ceremonies, Luneta, July 4, 1946. Independence Grandstand built in front of Rizal Monument; the flagpole is known today as the Independence Flagpole.
(Photo courtesy of Dr. Benito Legarda) #RepublicDay75
From a ship-shaped rostrum in Manila's Luneta Park, Paul V. McNutt lowers the American Flag as Pres. Roxas raises the Filipino Flag.
(Photo courtesy of Life Magazine, July 22, 1946, Philippine Republic is Born, Page 19, via John Tewell.) #RepublicDay75
On July 4, 1946, the United States of America formally recognized the independence of the Republic of the Philippines. In ceremonies held in the Independence Grandstand, the rain-drenched American tricolor was lowered, while the soaked Philippine flag was raised. #RepublicDay75
July 4, 1946, the audience's view as the Philippine flag was raised alone at long last. #RepublicDay75
Pathé newsreel of the Independence Ceremony for the Philippines, July 4, 1946. #RepublicDay75
Contemporary publicity showing scenes of postwar life. #RepublicDay75
Pastedown endpaper of "A Republic is Born," the Official Commemorative Volume on Independence Day, July 4, 1946. #RepublicDay75
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
My newsletter comes out thrice weekly but each issue remains useful reading long after it comes out. This week alone the newsletter’s tackled the unfolding developments in the ruling coalition but also the wider political landscape in the last year of the incumbent. Thread:
Monday’s newsletter looks at the landscape in the wake of a former president’s death, the emerging divisions in the ruling coalition: getrevue.co/profile/mlq3/i…
My Wednesday newsletter looks at the continuing fallout from the cannibalism in the ruling coalition and the President’s effort to reclaim being the center of public and political attention: getrevue.co/profile/mlq3/i…
Ang unang reaksiyon nila: halos tumambling sa kasiyahan dahil patay na siya. Hindi naman kagulat-gulat; mismong si Rizal, pagkatapos barilin, ayon sa isang saksi, may mga Pilipinong tumawa at pumalakpak sa Luneta. Ang kahit kaunting kabutiran sa isang tao ay nakakasilaw kung...
tutuusin, kaya mas mainam na lang magkalat ng lagim; sa dilim pare-pareho tayong pangit at pare-parehong puwedeng magkunwaring magaling, kahit sarili lang natin ang maniniwala. Heto ang sinabi ni Teodoro M. Locsin bilang paliwanag sa tindi ng galit ng iilang Pilipino kay Ninoy...
Pero ang layunin ng thread na ito ay hindi upang ipaliwanag ang buod ng buhay ng isang yumaong pangulo kundi dalhin ang usapan sa isang bagay na kailangan pag-usapan: ang diskurso natin tungkol sa mga taong may kapansanan, at sa pangaalaga nila, at ang mentalidad nila at ng mga..
Yesterday my obituary of Benigno S. Aquino III was published; I hope you will take some time to read it, as well as other reflections by members of my speechwriting team. Here is what I wrote: spot.ph/newsfeatures/t…
The Filipino and English thoughts and experiences of Mikael de Lara Co, who was my deputy speechwriter, head of the Correspondence Office, and a poet. rappler.com/voices/thought…
The candid views of Gian Lao who began as a drafter of correspondence then became one of my speechwriting team: and the first among us to put pen to paper in response to the President's passing. news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/s…
For a man who loved music so much, even official music had to withstand his scrutiny. Three pieces you may have just heard as his remains were laid to rest. A thread.
1. "We Say Mabuhay," composed by Tirso Cruz, Sr. Presidential anthem since the Quezon administration; played whenever the president arrives at a venue, as a welcome. Performed with preceding ruffles and flourishes by the PSG Band. chirb.it/CHwcaD
2. "Parangal sa Pangulo," composed by PSG bandleader Maj. Xavier Celestial to be played when military honors are rendered the president; first adopted under Pres. BSA3; performed by the PSG Band. chirb.it/Mxeyyh
Organizing thoughts on #CommunityPantryPH, a thread. A semi-deep dive into our increasingly remote yet still recent past. We have to go back to a dozen years of mutual aid in times of emergency: the intersection of local need community response and social media: Ondoy...
Back then it was a crash course in applying modern methods (from communications to data-gathering/sharing/logistics) to source donations and distribute them as well as communal kitchens to provide hot meals. This has been increasingly refined and government even became reliant...
if one recalls the persistent call on volunteer labor to pack relief goods until the last government invested in equipment to pack relief en masse. Fast forward to the pandemic where again old ingrained instincts of mutual aid and assistance combined with online culture. Again,
Until May 6 #PhilippineDiaryProject will mark the anniversaries of the Fall of Bataan and the Fall of Corregidor with the diary entries of individuals who lived through those events. Today's thread is April 19, 1942...
1. Phillip Buencamino III Filipino officer POW camp Capas Tarlac: smuggled out note to my parents through a visiting doctor, it was a silly letter philippinediaryproject.com/1942/04/20/apr…