PHILIPPINE Independence used to be celebrated every July 4, to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Manila on July 4, 1946, which granted Philippine freedom from close to 50 years of colonial rule under America. The date coincided with the American Independence Day.

In 1964, then President Diosdado Macapagal signed Republic Act. No. 4166 which changed the date of Philippine Independence Day. The law declared July 4 as Philippine Republic Day or Philippine-American Friendship Day and proclaimed June 12 as Araw ng Kasarinlan or Araw ng Kalayaan, acknowledging that the Philippines gained freedom from 400 years of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines on June 12, 1898.

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