The Philippines celebrates Independence Day on June 12, commemorating the 1898 declaration of independence at Kawit, Cavite.
Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence from Spain at his home in Kawit on June 12, 1898. The declaration followed the Philippine Revolution and the Spanish-American War, although sovereignty over the islands remained contested afterward.
Official commemorations feature flag ceremonies, speeches, parades, cultural programs, and historical reenactments. The Philippine flag is central to the observance, and Kawit remains an important ceremonial location because of the declaration’s setting.
The date was not always the country’s official Independence Day. July 4 was observed for a period after the United States recognized Philippine independence in 1946. President Diosdado Macapagal moved the celebration to June 12 in 1962, restoring the date associated with Aguinaldo’s declaration.