Babe's Eye View article

Tuesday, June 12, is the 109th anniversary of Philippine Independence. A lot of young people have forgotten that Independence Day used to be observed on July 4—the day when the United States finally recognized the Philippines' freedom from American rule in 1946, leading to the creation of the Republic of the Philippines with Manuel A. Roxas (grandfather of Mar) as its first president. However, it was former president Diosdado Macapagal (the late father of the present Malacañang occupant), who moved the Independence Day observation from July 4 to June 12 in 1962.

As President Macapagal pointed out—July 4 was not the right day for Filipinos to celebrate their independence since it somehow connoted subjection and dependence to the US. Besides, July 4,1776 was when Americans proclaimed their independence from the British, so there wasn't really much sense for Filipinos to observe their sovereignty as a nation on a day commemorating another country's declaration of independence. July 4 is now observed as "Fil-American Friendship Day."

Celebrating Independence Day on June 12 inspires the younger generation because it evokes Filipino heroism in the revolution against Spain, and is the day when Emilio Aguinaldo proudly proclaimed the country's freedom from foreign rule and oppression.

In 1962, Macapagal led the country in celebrating independence Day on June 12, but it would take two years—specifically on August 4,1964—before Republic Act 4166 would be signed into law prescribing June 12 as "Philippine Independence Day." Nevertheless, it is opportune to recall the words of Diosdado Macapagal during his speech on that first June 12 Independence Day celebration:

"...a nation is born into freedom on the day when such a people, molded into a nation by the process of cultural evolution and a sense of oneness born of common struggle and suffering, announces to the world that it asserts its natural right to liberty and is ready to defend it with blood, life and honor."

More than a century after Aguinaldo waved the Filipino flag in Kawit, Cavite, debates still arise on whether the Philippines has truly become independent. Some say the idea of Philippine sovereignty is purely fiction and theory, that the country is more like a neocolonial state—supposedly independent but is in reality exploited and controlled by another.

Then again, there are those who believe it is the fault of Filipinos why this country has not really freed itself from the so-called shackles of colonialism. As President Macapagal had stressed, Filipinos must have a "sense of oneness" to achieve the true essence of freedom. Yet today, Filipinos continue to adhere to regionalism and factionalism—the very things that made it easier for Spaniards to "divide and conquer." History proves that the Filipino tendency to be loyal to a region, clan or even a person had made it difficult to unite against a common enemy and move forward with one common objective.

Some also argue that we have not reached that true state of independence since the Philippines continues to rely on other nations—the United States in particular—for our military capability, economic expansion and political stability. Whether we like it or not, there is no denying the fact that the country is really dependent on the United States militarily, economically and politically. Without the help of the United States, it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to defeat the Japanese during World War II.

Today, the US continues to be this country's biggest trading partner. Even in politics, Filipinos expect the US to help especially during periods marked by political turmoil. Even our armed forces are largely dependent on American assistance for troop training, equipment enhancement, modernization, and even funding. Oh, yes—let's not forget that all-important US visa that everyone wants—because every other Filipino has a relative somewhere in the United States. There are approximately three million Filipinos living or working in America today.

With the continuing threat posed by the Abu Sayyaf Group and terrorism becoming a global concern especially after 9/11, cooperation and interdependence with other nations has become necessary more than ever. The good part about this cooperation is that the NBI has been getting a lot of training from the FBI. Under its new director Nestor Mantaring, the NBI has become one of the most trusted law-enforcement agencies in the country today. Mantaring, a career man who started out 39 years ago as a casual employee/fingerprint aide, is respected even by the local FBI representative in Manila.

This country not only has to cooperate with the US but also Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and other key players in the fight against terrorism. Obviously, the advent of globalization has made interdependence necessary. The Philippines must work with its neighbors towards economic integration to fight the creeping problem of poverty, and it has to cooperate with the rest of the world in the fight against crime and terrorism.

Independence is not only the ability to exercise one's political freedom, the right to vote and the right to free speech. For a country to achieve a true independent state, it must have a strong military that could protect itself from threats; it must be economically and financially capable and at the very least, able to rely on its own resources to feed its people—in essence, freedom from poverty and terrorism. Taken under this light, the quest for a true independent state is going to take a lot of hard work—and will require oneness of purpose and spirit that could transcend regionalism, clannishness and other misguided loyalties that have divided this country for so long.