June 12th is a national holiday here. That is the 111th Independence Day for the Philippines. The reckoning period started on June 12, 1898 when then President Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence of the country from Spanish rule at Kawit, Province of Cavite. Truth is, it was independence of the Luzon Province from the rule of the Queen of Spain and marked the first day of the Philippines’ official subservience to American rule. Well, accordingly, around USD300,000 was “paid” to kick the Spaniards out and handed down the reins of governance to dear Uncle Sam. But that was unwritten history…hard to get witnesses to attest to its veracity.. 
Talking of history, the President celebrated Independence Day for the first time in Koronadal City, Province of South Cotabato. Symbolic celebrations of independence day were always in Cawit, Cavite or Rizal Shrine in Manila.
Of all the beautiful cities in Mindanao, Koronadal City was her choice to hoist the flag of independence. Hence, the following speculations were afloat among critics:
1. Is the president avoiding the massive rally at Makati City courtesy of the opposition and other concerned groups?
2. Is she “testing the waters” in Mindanao for the viability of her Con-ass (Constitutional assembly)?
3. Or is it her way of making the rounds for a “loyalty check” for her allies in Mindanao?
Whatever prompted the president to grace the Independence Day celebration is of no significance among the majority of the Filipino people. We tend to care less these days with so many concern to be worried about – like the Swine Flu scare and economic depression plaguing the globe. We can easily think that her move was a case of premature campaign.
Who would ever think that the Filipinos are independent when we are so “Americanized” here? We rank as the one of the best English-speaker in Asia. Most of the foreign companies that find their products here are of American brands.
Although the US naval and air bases moved out in 1991, they were replaced by the controversial Visiting Forces Agreeement (VFA). Sans the bases, American forces are free to come and go, to train our local armed forces on modern warfare a la navy SEALS OR DELTA forces, reminiscence of the Lebanese and Vietnam war.
Our biggest money-lenders are the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which have all the american dollars smelling in them.
Our favorite national sports is basketball, and Le Bron James and Kobe Bryant, our sports heroes.
We are the people who claimed to be independent and belonging to a democratic and republican state – but whose ways, culture and mentality are deeply rooted to American culture – or at least of American standards…We have the Philippine Constitution which is a replica of the American Constitution with slight modification. We always look at the Americans as our big brothers, whom we can call upon in times of war and animosity. And what’s wrong with that, anyway…we have the most powerful nation on earth as our big brother…A superpower…That’s the bottom line…
To be philosophical about it, most, if not all, 3rd world countries can not truly claim they are independent. As long as there are the likes of “big brothers”, “mother countries” and “superpowers”, we only deserve the lower end in terms of technology, economics and military capability…An independence in formality that exists in paper only..
So what’s with independence day anyway? Shall we say we belong to an independent nation for formality sake? That we pretend to be an independent state only for international recognition and not as true as the word implies? For me, it’s something that we can be proud of, it’s the commemoration of the day we stood against world powers. The day we showed history that we are human beings after all, capable of feeling that wounded national pride.. A celebration of a new beginning, new challenge for one’s beloved country…And certainly, not a celebration to hide one’s hidden political agenda… 
Well spoken on all fronts Mr. Patrick,
Granted, that Independence is a misnomer with the kind of political background today at every Third World Country or Developing Nation, self rule has fared no better than suzerainty from their past Foreign/Colonial rule.
Sadly, South East Asians are a lazy, bumbling and hedonistic lot. Unfit to rule by themselves amongst themselves. That trait still thrives till this very day.
Even though their lands are blessed with incomparable wealth in natural resources and a vast manpower base, they still submit to and prefer a feudalistic mentality.
Amidst whatever facade of Democracy that they exult in, Monarchy is still very much alive in some of these countries. In the absence of a Monarchic or Constitutional Monoarchic system, they have replaced it with another form of hierarchy. Same song; different verse.
And so it is, that the lazy, bumbling and hedonistic South East Asians will kow-tow to this “feudalism” as their bastion for beggary and survival.
Sycophantic obeisance to “big brother” for bread crumbs when in actuality there is more on their rich land than what “big brother” has in his backyard.
And so if it were true and if it could be proven that the Filipinos bartered themselves for USD300,000 with America in their cause for freedom from the Spaniards, they paid a heavy price. The Filipinos are still struggling to find their own ethnic identity.
This ethnic identity that I speak is something that one would find for example, with the Thais, the Indonesians, the Malaysians and the Singaporeans.
Windmill´s last blog ..June 13th, Confucius says…
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