THE country is celebrating its 120th Independence Day anniversary. This is a celebration of the independence from the Spanish colonizers. This is the day that the great Emilio Aguinaldo went out of his balcony in Cavite to declare Philippine independence from Spain and waved the Philippine flag. It was indeed the end of the Spanish colonization but the start of the American invasion.
Yes, the Philippines did it. It sent the Spaniards away but what came out in history books was that the United States of America with all its might had a battle in Manila Bay where they attacked the weakened and impoverished Spanish forces. It was already the time where Spain lost its international glory for participating in the war of Britain. Most of the ships of the Spanish Armada were sunken by the superior naval force of Great Britain and its allies.
After the fall of Spain and by the invasion of the Americans in the Philippines, Filipino heroes were then made to betray one another for the Americans were successful in employing the divide and rule tactics. They sealed the friendship with the Filipino revolutionaries headed by Aguinaldo and making the Philippines under the clutches of the US. Aguinaldo, at the orders of the U.S. forces, ordered the capture and eventual persecution of his fellow Filipinos.
Soon, the Independence Day was transferred to July 4 and was named as Filipino–American Friendship day. Actually, it was a ploy to erase from the minds of the Filipinos, the day they shouted for their independence. The treaty of Paris gave authority to the US to get the Philippines as its property.
A Commonwealth government was established. Simply, it meant that all of the properties of the Philippines are now common to the U.S. and the country. In short, there was no Philippine independence for we were only a representative government but all decision was to be made by the U.S. Is this independence when we cannot decide on our own?
Soon, the Japanese forces arrived and made the Philippines its battleground. They fought their war in the Philippine soils at the expense of our dear brethren who fought bravely until they have fallen to their beloved soil. It was a useless war. The Japanese were not our enemies, they only wanted to get the Asian countries from the clutches of the western world. But as the fight continues, the Filipinos were made as toy soldiers of both sides.
Lest we should never forget what the Japanese had done to our forebears. They will remain as people whom we cannot trust and so are the Americans, for bringing in a useless war in our soils. The war that destroyed lives, properties and cultures did not have any winners.
During the Japanese occupation, we had collaboration with the administration. We were made to decide but at the back of it all were hands of foreign invaders. They made us like puppets. We move by their will. Do you call this independence?
The Americans again came in as "savior" and saved the country from the fangs of Japan. The U.S. forces left when they were defeated in Corregidor and Bataan. They left their men here and the great MacArthur fled with some Filipino leaders. They came back when the Japanese emperor could no longer finance the war in the Pacific while the other Axis forces had also lost the battle in Europe. The US again caught the Philippines and we became too dependent on the American dream. Utang na loob was the blackmail of the Americans. We cannot do anything but wait. Could we call this independence?
So, came the day when the Philippines stood ground and shouted at the puppeteers to stop and recognize us as a nation. They did. They no longer made us puppets but they tied a string to us. They told us that in every action that we do we have to consult the "big brother."
Edsa revolution came. The Filipinos were too proud of the bloodless revolution until the day came that the US reported that it was through them that the Marcoses left the country. It was thought the prodding of their senators that convinced Marcos. This is clear that we still cling to the clutches of the eagle.
Now, we are confronted by the Asia Pacific conflict. The U.S. will once again emerge as the force that will pacify the players in the dispute. They made Trump their pawn to talk to the leaders and tell them to settle everything on the table. One morning we will wake up with the US as the hero and we remain with utang na loob with them.
Are we worthy of the celebration of the Philippine independence today?
