Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Files A Claim With The U.K.

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 2):

JUNE 22, 1962

President Diosdado Macapagal filed with the United Kingdom the Philippine's claim of sovereignty, jurisdiction and ownership of North Borneo (Sabah). 

He acted on House Resolution No. 321 which asked for the president to recover North Borneo guided by international laws and procedure. 

Foreign Secretary Salvador Lopez handed the claim that was in a note and given to the British ambassador in Manila. 

The following month, Macapagal proposed a Malayan confederation that would supersede the British-sponsored plan for the Federation of Malaysia. 

He came up with the Manila Accord of July 31, 1963 and together with President Sukarno of Indonesia and Abdul Rahman of Malaya, issued the Manila Declaration that established the Greater Malayan Confederation or Maphilindo (Malaysia-Philippines-Indonesia) which would set up closer ties between the three countries against neocolonialism. 

However, it broke up with the formation of the Federation of Malaysia by the Malayan and British governments in 1964. 

The Philippines has never given up its Sabah claim and Malaysia continues to pay a yearly rent to the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: wikipedia.org