ON THE eve of the 127th Independence Day on Thursday, June 12, 2025, a few students in Cebu were still unsure what the country was supposed to be independent from.
To some, it’s simply “that holiday with flags.” Ask them what happened on June 12, 1898, and you might get blank stares, a nervous laugh, or the classic: “Wala ko kabalo, pero feel nako na-discuss na na (I don’t know, but I feel like it was already discussed).”
Take Mae (not her real name), an incoming Grade 12 student, who told SunStar Cebu that she knows it’s Independence Day today, but as for the actual historical event tied to it? “Independence… like being a strong, independent woman?” Not quite accurate.
Mae admitted that she’s a bit out of the loop, blaming her lack of knowledge on being a homebody, having limited engagement with technology or historical education.
Three recent junior high graduates echoed the same sentiment: they either missed the class discussion or spaced out during it. One brave soul offered: “Dili ko sure if na-discuss ba or wala lang gyud ko naminaw. Pero if ever man na-discuss ug nakapaminaw ko feel nako nakalimot ra ko (I’m not sure if it was discussed or I was just not listening. But if it was ever discussed and I listened, I feel like I just forgot about it).”
Part of curriculum
DepEd Central Visayas Director Salustiano Jimenez, in a phone interview, clarified that Independence Day is part of their curriculum.
Jimenez further said that government offices raise flags and host activities to remind the youth of their country’s history.
He said there are students who struggle because of their lack of engagement.
Jimenez explained that learners tend to be more interested and perform better when reading aligns with their interests, such as playing games, showing that reading is often selective based on personal preference.
“That would be a great challenge to us in the Department of Education,” Jimenez said.
Independence Day is celebrated every June 12, marking the 1898 declaration of independence from Spanish colonial rule. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo did the honors in Kawit, Cavite, with a speech and waving of the national flag.
Fun fact: Filipinos previously celebrated Independence Day on July 4, commemorating independence from the United States (US) on July 4, 1946. This marked the end of American colonial rule, which began after the Spanish-American War in 1898 when the US acquired the Philippines from Spain.
In 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal had a change of heart — he changed the Independence Day celebration from July 4 to June 12 to honor the original declaration of independence made by Aguinaldo. This date marked the Filipino people’s assertion of their natural and inalienable right to freedom and independence, separate from American colonial rule.
Macapagal’s decision symbolized a break from the US and emphasized the Philippines’ own revolutionary history rather than the date when the US formally recognized Philippine independence.
So this June 12, while enjoying your Netflix Korean drama shows and doom scroll session, spare a thought for the revolutionaries and heroes who made independence come through. And maybe Google “Kawit 1898.” It won’t hurt. / RUYZ ANGELA LOIS MAÑACAP, CNU INTERN WITH DPC