185/365: Happy 4th To The American Peeps and A Trivia for Pinoys About The 4th of July

4th of July

Happy 4th of July to all our American friends!  Enjoy the fireworks and stay safe!

(History) TRIVIA for Filipinos.

The 4th of July was formerly a legal/non-working holiday in the Philippines until it was abolished during the administration of former President Corazon C. Aquino (under Section 26 of the Administration Code of 1987).

Filipino-American Friendship Day or Philippine Republic Day is a day in the Philippines formerly designated to commemorate the official recognition of Philippine Independence by the United States of America.

~***~

The Philippines was a US territory from 1898 to 1946.  Between 1941 and 1946, during World War II Japanese occupation, it remained a US territory with a government in exile headed by Manuel Quezon initially located in Australia and later in the United States. A campaign to retake the country began in October 1944 when Gen. Douglas McArthur landed in Leyte along with Sergio Osmeṅa who had assumed the Philippine Presidency after Quezon’s death. The battle against the Japanese continued until the Empire of Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945. The Philippines got complete independence on July 4, 1946. You may want to view the actual proclamation in 1946. 

Initially the Philippine Independence Day (Araw ng Kalayaan) was held on July 4.  Former President Diosdado Macapagal changed it to June 12 – the date when Malolos Republic had declared independence from Spain in 1898.  Philippine Republic Day was created in its place coinciding with the United States Independence Day on July 4. (Source: Wikipedia)

Now my question is… what if we remained a US territory instead?

Photo source: Google images