Today in Philippine History: Rizal Arrives from Hong Kong

JUNE 26, 1892

Jose Rizal arrived in the Philippines together with his sister Lucia on board the boat Don Juan from Hong Kong and stayed at room no. 22 of the Hotel de Oriente, a two-story building with 83 rooms. He attended a reunion in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco located at Calle Ylaya, Tondo district. Among those he met in the house were Filipinos who were later arrested and executed after the Katipunan was discovered by the Spanish authorities. A week later, Rizal met Filipino masons in the same house and founded the civic organization La Liga Filipina.

Photo credit: http://joserizal.info/

Today in Philippine History: Galicano Apacible

JUNE 25, 1864

Galicano Apacible (June 25, 1864 – March 2, 1949), a patriot and propagandist was born in Balayan, Batangas. He was a cousin of Jose Rizal and headed the La Solidaridad, an organization created in Spain in 1888. He co-founded the Nacionalista Party and formed the Hong Kong Junta. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo sent him to Tokyo as a special agent to secure arms and ammunitions for the revolutionaries. Apacible was a physician, governor, representative of the 1st district of Batangas and the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources. 

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

Today in Philippine History: Legazpi Establishes Manila as Capital

JUNE 24, 1571

On the feast day of St. John the Baptist, Spanish Conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi made Manila the capital of the Philippines. He named the city Nuevo Reino de Castilla (New Kingdom of Castille). The city government was established the following day complete with a cabildo (city council) and a court. Years later, King Philip II of Spain through his Royal Decree of June 1, 1574 renamed Manila Insigne y Siempre Leal de Ciudad (Distinguished and Ever Loyal City) and conferred a coat-of-arms for the city through his Royal Decree of March 26, 1596. 

Photo credit: http://visitpinas.com/

Today in Philippine History: Aguinaldo Changes Dictatorial Government to Revolutionary

JUNE 23, 1898

Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree written by Apolinario Mabini that changed his dictatorial government established on May 24, 1898 to a revolutionary one. Aguinaldo assumed the post as president and created different departments. The decree also provided for the creation of Congress that was advisory and ministerial. The aim of the new government was to "struggle for the independence of the Philippines until all nations, including Spain, shall expressly recognize it, and to prepare the country so that the true republic may be established."  

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

Today in Philippine History: Jovito Salonga

JUNE 22, 1920

Jovito “Jovy” Salonga (June 22, 1920), known as “The Nation’s Fiscalizer” was born in Pasig, Rizal. He was a World War II hero, congressman, Presidential Commission on Good Government Chairman and consistently topped three senatorial elections in the administrations of Presidents Diosdado Macapagal, Ferdinand Marcos and Cory Aquino. He became senate president before he retired. During the martial law years, he fought the Marcos dictatorship. Salonga is a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 2007. 

Photo credit: http://www.rmaf.org.ph/

Today in Philippine History: Jaime Lachica Cardinal Sin

JUNE 21, 2005

Jaime Lachica Cardinal Sin (August 31, 1928 – June 21, 2005), the charismatic Archbishop of Manila died at the age of 76 due to renal failure. The government through Presidential Proclamation No. 863 gave him a state funeral and a period of national mourning with thousands attending his funeral. Cardinal Sin was instrumental in toppling Pres. Ferdinand Marcos’ regime through People Power 1 in 1986 that installed Cory Aquino as president. Again in 2001, he intervened that led to the ouster of Pres. Joseph Estrada and made Gloria Arroyo president.

Photo credit: http://manilacathedral.org/

Today in Philippine History: Battle of the Philippine Sea

JUNE 20, 1944

The Battle of the Philippine Sea was history’s largest carrier to carrier battle between the U.S. Pacific Fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy. Admirals Raymond Spruance and Marc Mitscher’s force of 7 fleet carriers, 8 light fleet carriers, 7 battleships, 8 heavy cruiser, 13 light cruisers, 58 destroyers, 28 submarines and 956 carrier aircrafts defeated Admirals Jisaburo Ozawa and Kakuji Kakuta’s 5 fleet carriers, 4 light fleet carriers, 5 battleships, 13 heavy cruiser, 6 light cruisers, 27 destroyers, 24 submarines, 6 oilers and 750 carrier and land-based aircrafts.

Photo credit: http://www.angelfire.com/fm/odyssey/philippinesea.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/