Komunidad
June 05, 2015

MABUHAY ANG Ika-117 NA TAONG ARAW NG KALAYAAN NG PILIPINAS!

By Arturo P.Garcia

It’s ironic that days before the 117th Philippine Independence Day , President Aquino III is on a State Visit to Japan.

That’s the problem when your former friend became your enemy and is now a current friend. It seems people in authority conveniently forget that Japan caused the Philippines unforgettable woes during World War II.

More than one million Filipinos died during the three years occupation of Japan and two years of great battles when they invaded the Philippines on December 10, 1941.

The City of Manila, once the “Pearl of the Orient” was destroyed during the battle for liberation in 1945 and 300,000 Manilans died during the pitched battle between the FilAm forces and the Japanese marines who defended Manila.

Decades after the Emperor of Japan will receive a Filipino President for the first time. Now Japan is the Philippine and they have now have a common adversary-China who is grabbing our islands and atolls and parts of the West Philippine Sea.

It’s seems your enemy then is now your friend and your friend is now your enemy. How times really change.

But what is to forget when the also the Americans occupied the Philippines, killed more than a million Filipinos and snatched our hard won independence we won from Spain in a three year struggle called the Philippine Revolution of 1896?

That is why the Philippine Independence Day on June 12, 1898, is the proper day for the Filipinos to celebrate as its Independence Day, not the token Independence Day of July 4, 1946 when America gave us our nominal or fake independence.

We should be proud of June 12, 1898 because it was the day when we became the First Asian Republic in this part of the world. We were the first nation to kick out a European colonial power who ruled over us for 333 years.

But sometimes, in the merry making of the parade, the glory of June 12, 1898 is lost. Yes, because the short lived First Philippine Republic was crushed under the American might . But we fought them and put up a good fight.

“We will crush these Filipinos in six weeks” one American general said during the start of the Filipino American War. But the 6 weeks became 16 years, that’s how our forefather fought for June 12 during the Filipino American War.

We lost the war but we never post our pride. the Americans never won. They even banned our anthem, our flag and everything about the revolution and the war. They event aught in schools that our heroes are “bandits and outlaws” and hanged them as such but we never forgot.

We fought for Independence and our forefathers gave up their lives, fortunes and everything for our flag, anthem and our souls to be free. That’s how we endured as a free people of the orient.

In Los Angeles and different cities of the United States where the Filipinos are present, we will celebrate the 117th Philippine Independence Day for the whole month of June.

The 3rd PH Independence Day Parade Organizing Committee (3rd HFTPIDOC) announced today that everything is all set for the 117th PH Independence Day Historic Filipinotown Parade on June 06, 2015 .

JFAV National Coordinator Al P,Garcia , also the Coordinator of the 3HFTPIDOC also confirmed the attendance of two City Council Members, CD 13 Council Member Mitch O’Farrell and one Congressman, Rep. Adam Schiff in the parade.

Garcia said, ”3HFTPIDOC have finalized the route of the parade, outreach for other youth and student groups to join and other preparations for the event. We invite the public to join this multi-ethnic celebrations of Philippines 117th Independence Day.”

Garcia also announced that just like last year, more than 35 organizations will join the 2015 Parade
So Happy Independence Day to All!

Mabuhay ang at Ipagalaban ang Tunay na Araw ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas!

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