Today in Philippine History: Independence Day 1898 (Part 4)

JUNE 12, 1898

Julian Felipe’s masterpiece, the Marcha Nacional Magdalo which Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo changed to Marcha Nacional Filipina was played by the marching band of San Francisco de Malabon whose members heard and practiced it a day before the proclamation of Philippine  Independence. The Marcha Nacional Filipina had melodic similarities with the Spanish National Anthem and Felipe admitted that he purposely did it “to preserve the memory of Spain.” On September 3, 1899, Jose Palma’s poem Filipinas became the lyrics of the national anthem.

Photo credit: http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/

Today in Philippine History: Jose Palma

JUNE 3, 1876

Jose Palma y Velasquez (June 3, 1876 – February 12. 1903) was born in Tondo, Manila. A poet and a soldier who couldn’t cope with the hardships of war, he usually stayed in the camp and entertained his fellow soldiers with his kundiman. He joined the staff of the revolutionary  newspaper La Independencia and composed the patriotic poem Filipinas that was published in Spanish on September 3, 1899. It fitted perfectly with Julian Felipe’s Marcha Nacional Filipina, an instrumental piece used during the Declaration of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898. 

Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/