12 Interesting Facts about Philippine

Independence Day
JUNE 9, 2016 SDR APARTMENTS 0 COMMENTS

If you’re a true-blooded Filipino, you know how significant June 12 is to the Philippines. For those who don’t know, it’s only the
country’s Independence Day. June 12, 1898 was the day Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence in Kawit, Cavite.
Witnessed by a huge crowd, this day was the first time the Philippine flag was raised in public. Emilio Aguinaldo then became
the first president of the country.

Every year, June 12 is highly

celebrated in the country as well as in other countries around the world with Filipino communities. This year, the Philippines will
be celebrating 118 years of independence. The anticipation is evident almost anywhere. You’ll start to see flags decorated in the
streets, malls and hotels in Cebu, even on vehicles.

In commemoration of this national holiday, here are some interesting facts (some less-known to many) that you should know
about Philippine Independence Day.

1. Filipino priests started the movement for independence.

A lesser-known fact about Philippine independence is that Filipino priests were actually the ones who started the opposition.
Resenting the Spanish domination in the Roman Catholic churches, the religious leaders met with the nation’s intellectuals to
discuss declaring the country’s independence.

2. Filipinos formed a secret society to rebel against Spain.

This secret society was formed in Manila in 1892. Emilio Aguinaldo joined the group in 1894 and became the leader. As the
society’s numbers began to grow, the Spanish discovered their plans forcing them to act sooner than originally planned.

3. According to Julian Felipe, Philippine independence was proclaimed on a Sunday afternoon, between 4 to 5 PM.
4. Spain and the U.S. did not recognize Aguinaldo’s declaration of independence.
Although Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence on June 12, 1898, this was not recognized by Spain and the U.S. because
Spain sold the Philippines to the U.S. in the Treaty of Paris on Dec. 10, 1898.

5. Philippine Independence Day used to be celebrated on July 4.

The United States granted the Philippines its independence on July 4. This date is now considered the Filipino-American
Friendship Day. In the early 1960s, the Philippine Historical Association lobbied for June 12 to be the official Independence Day
once again. In 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal issued a proclamation recognizing such change. It was in 1964 when the
country began celebrating Independence Day on June 12 again.

6. Emilio Aguinaldo himself designed the Philippine flag.

Aguinaldo then visited Marcela Agoncillo in her Hong Kong home and asked her to make the flag. With the help of her daughter
Lorenza and Jose Rizal’s niece Delfina Herbosa de Natividad, Agoncillo hand-sewed the Philippine flag which took 5 days to
complete. The stars, sun and the triangle were made with fine satin.

7. The three stars in the flag originally stand for Luzon, Panay and Mindanao.

While most Filipinos today know that the three stars represent the three major island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the
stars were originally meant to represent Luzon, Panay and Mindanao where the revolutionary movement began.

8. The flag’s colors (red, white and blue) were a salute to the American flag.

This little bit of trivia was mentioned in the Declaration of Independence which was written by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista.
However, in Emilio Aguinaldo’s succeeding speeches, he stated that the color red stood for Filipino bravery, blue represented
how Filipinos would rather die than surrender to the enemy and lastly, the color white symbolized the Filipino people’s love for
peace.

9. The colors of the Philippine flag can be used as signals.

One thing that makes the Philippine flag unique is that its colors not only symbolize things, they are also used to indicate the
nation’s current state. In peaceful times, the flag is raised with the blue strip on top. On the other hand, if the country is in a state
of war, the flag will be flown with the red strip on top.

10. There was an earlier version of the National Anthem but Emilio Aguinaldo preferred something different.

A Filipino in Hong Kong composed the earlier version of the National Anthem which Aguinaldo brought home. However, he
wanted something with a marching beat. He then asked Julian Felipe to make some changes. Felipe’s composition featured
elements from the Spanish Royal March. Aguinaldo approved the revision.

11. The first Philippine anthem was commissioned by Andres Bonifacio.

Not many Filipinos may know that there was a Philippine anthem, the very first one, before the National Anthem we now know
as Lupang Hinirang. It had the title “Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan” and was composed by Julio Nakpil upon the request of
Andres Bonifacio.

12. The original copy of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence is kept in the National Library.

The document was one of the many revolutionary papers that were stolen from the National Library. Fortunately, it was returned
in 1994 by Milagros Guerrero, a professor in the University of the Philippines.

http://www.sdrapartments.com/blog/12-interesting-facts-about-philippine-independence-day
Independence Day facts you're
probably not aware of
By Louie U. Navarro, CNN Philippines
Updated 12:43 PM PHT Sat, June 13, 2015
5.2K75

(CNN Philippines) – We all know – and celebrate – June 12 as

Independence Day, the day President Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed
Philippine independence from Spain in 1898. But aside from the
proclamation itself, the country actually celebrates two more
anniversaries on June 12: The anniversary of the Philippine flag and the
anniversary of our National Anthem.

And while every Filipino is familiar with the Philippine flag and Lupang
Hinirang, very few people know a few significant things about the
symbolisms and history of the country's flag and anthem. As we marked
the 117th anniversary of the Philippine Independence Day, here are
some facts you're not probably aware of about our national emblem and
hymn:

 Aguinaldo himself made the sketch of the flag that he personally

submitted to Doña Marcela Agoncillo who was living in Hong Kong at
the time.
 It took Agoncillo and her two assistants 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 represent Luzon, Panay, and Mindanao — not Luzon,
Visayas, and Mindanao. Panay was part of what the Proclamation of
Independence in Kawit, Cavite referred to as "the archipelago's three
principal islands."
 In 1907, the Philippine flag and any nationalist flags, banners,
emblems or symbols, particularly those identified with the Katipunan,
were once outlawed in the country under the Flag Law of 1907 or Act
No. 1696. With the country under American rule, the three stars and a
sun was then replaced by the stars and stripes of the U.S. It took the
Philippines 11 years before the law was repealed and the country's
flag to be raised anew.
 The original Philippine flag hoisted 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
mentioned this incident in his letter to Captain Baja dated June 11,
1925.

Until now, the whereabouts of the original flag of 1898 remains a

mystery.
As for the Philippine National Anthem, very few people know that the
"Lupang Hinirang" that Filipinos sing today is actually just our second
national anthem.

 The very first Philippine anthem was titled "Marangal na Dalit ng

Katagalugan," which national hero Andres Bonifacio commissioned in
1897. He requested musician Julio Nakpil to compose the anthem
when they were encamped with Katipunan troops in the vicinity of
Balara in November 1896.

The first national anthem "Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan" with its

original lyrics performed by Inang Laya to mark the centennial of the
Philippine revolution in 1996.

 Despite the presence of Bonifacio's version of the anthem, President

Aguinaldo, upon his return from Hong Kong, met with the composer
Julian Felipe on June 5, 1898 and asked him to compose a national
hymn.
 Julian Felipe said in his memoirs that he used three other musical
pieces as basis for our National Anthem: The Marcha Real, the Grand
March from Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, and La Marseillaise.

Below is a comparison of the three pieces of what we now know today

as the National Anthem of the Philippines.

(Sources: malacanang.gov.ph, nhcp.gov.ph)

http://cnnphilippines.com/lifestyle/2015/06/11/Independence-Day-facts-youre-probably-not-aware-of-
June-12.html

Answer by Don Dfoofnik

Nutrition Month is designed to raise each person's awareness of the food value of what they eat. The
human body needs certain elements, vitamins, and minerals to function well. Some foods eaten in
excess can be toxic or harmful, and for those with health concerns (such as obesity, diabetes, and
kidney problems), eating the proper foods in the proper quantities is an important part of staying well
and feeling well.
What is nutrition month?
In Nutrition
Answer by Ramesiz
National Nutrition Month is a special health awareness campaign that is held every
March. Created by the American Dietetic Association, the event is dedicated to
bringing attention to various aspects of nutrition. This includes the importance of
making informed food choices as well as developing and maintaining good eating
habits. Apart from that, the campaign also works towards building awareness around
the need for regular physical activity. The campaign was established in 1973, when it
was just a week-long event. By 1980, national interest in nutrition had increased and
so the week-long event was extended to a monthlong campaign. Why It's
Important? National Nutrition Month isn't 'just another health thing'. The fact is that
the majority of diseases that affect Americans today can be traced back to bad
nutrition and unsound eating habits. Apart from that, a number of chronic conditions
can be greatly improved by making healthy eating choices. By opting for a
nutritionally sound diet, your body immediately gains access to higher energy levels.
By breaking down components like carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, vitamins
and minerals, the body can repair and replenish itself. Unhealthy or junk foods don't
provide anything that the body can use - apart from that; it needs to work twice as
hard to push those extra toxins out of the body. There is a very simple way to see how
this works in real life. After a person has done a workout or played a hard game of
basketball, the best thing they can do is drink water. Not only does it quench the thirst,
it also re-hydrates the body and replenishes the mineral salts that were lost through
sweating. The worst thing to do is have a soft drink. Its high sugar content actually
robs the body of water and can cause muscles to cramp. If a person has had a soda
after a long run, chances are that they will end up being thirstier with a bad leg cramp
later on. Today it is probably harder than ever to eat right, especially when fast foods
seem like a more convenient option to a healthy meal. But there are a number of tips
you can keep in mind to incorporate more nutrition into your daily diet. Nutrition
Tips You can celebrate your own health and National Nutrition Month by keeping a
few helpful health hints in mind. First of all, think fresh. Stock up on fresh fruits,
vegetables, seeds and nuts. Store these in small containers in your fridge so that they
are easily accessible when you want a quick snack. You can also take them with you
to work or even if you're just going to take a long drive. Snacking on fruits, nuts and
vegetables is a much healthier choice as they are fat and sugar free. Unlike junk food,
snacking on healthy foods will actually kill hunger pangs rather than just mask them.
Most people tend to create their meals around the meat dishes they eat. Instead of
doing this, try reducing the portions of meat and starch and increase the portions of
fresh vegetables. Incorporating whole grains and cutting out things like ketchup and
creamy salad dressings is also good. Using fresh herbs and spices for seasoning can
not only be a tastier option, it's nutritionally sound as well. It's also a good idea to
drink more water - avoid drinking artificially sweetened fruit juices or sodas. The
more water you drink, the more toxins get flushed out of your body. In situations
where it just isn't possible to eat healthy, try and eat as healthy as you can. For
example, instead of burgers, order a grilled cheese sandwich. Eating in a nutritionally
sound way might be a little hard at first but you'll feel the difference right away.
Celebrating National Nutrition Month is an effective way to get your health back on
track.

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