Independence Day commemorates the date which Emilio Aguinaldo issued the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain in 1898.
The 21-page declaration was signed by 98 Filipinos, appointed by Aguinaldo, and one retired American artillery officer. The flag was officially unfurled for the first time at 4:20 p.m, as the March Nacional Filipina was played by the band of San Francisco de Malabon.
The proclamation was first ratified on August 1, 1898 by 190 municipal presidents from the 16 provinces controlled by the revolutionary army. It was again ratified on September 29, 1898 by the Malolos Congress. However, the Philippines failed to win international recognition of its independence, including the United States of America or Spain and the Spanish government later ceded the Philippine archipelago to the United States in the 1898 Treat of Paris.
The United States of America granted independence to the Philippines on 4 July 1946 and that day was observed in the Philippines as Independence Day until 1962. On 12 May 1962 President Macapagal declared a special public holiday throughout the Philippine to commemorate the declaration of independce, and on 4 August 1964 the 4 July holiday was renamed "Republic Day" and the 12 June 1898 was designated as Philippine Independence Day.
50 56 75 Centenary 120 121 124
Manila First Day Cancel and First Day Additonal Catchet BFD-053 used on #O55 issued 23 Jan 1949
First day covers are from Malolos Bulacan
56th Anniversary of the Declaration of the first Philippine Independence #615 and 616, 30 Nov 1954
Surcharged #826, 15 Sept 1960
Manila First Day Cancel and First Day Additonal Catchet BFD-102.
First day covers are from Manila
Philippine Independence 75th Anniversary and 1st Anniversary of Proclamation of Martial Law #1211 to 1213, 21 Sept 1973 (actual issue 24 Sept 1973)
Manila First Day Cancel
First day covers are from Manila
Centenary of Philippine Independence (in 1998) #22312, 9 Jul 1993
Centenary of Philippine Independence (in 1998) #2232, 13 Jun 1994
Centenary of Philippine Independence (in 1998) #2233, 12 Jun 1995
Depicting events related to the 1872 Cavite Mutiny
Centenary of Philippine Independence (in 1998) #2234, 24Jul 1996
Featuring historical events culminating Philippine Independence.
This souvenir sheet was scheduled to be issued on June 12, but due to many errors noticed on the first and second sets of proofs, it was released 6 weeks later.
Centenary of Philippine Independence (in 1998) #2235, 7 Nov 1997
Scheduled to be issued on 12 June 1997 but delayed due to design issues
Century of Friendship with Mexico and Spain #2537 to 2539b, 3 June 1998
Overprinted for 25th Anniversary Intenrational Philippine Philatelic Society 1974-99 #2629, 24 September 1999
Philippine Centenial Commemorative Prestige Booklet #2550A and 2550Ac 3 June 1998
The front cover depicts General Emilio F. Aguinaldo and former President Fidel V. Ramos in front of a Philippine flag. The back cover shows the symbol of the Philippine Centennial. Contained within are nineteen pages, describing and depicting important people, places and events in Philippine history. Of those nineteen pages, five have actual stamps: a block of 4 x P4 stamps depicting the Juan Luna painting “Spolarium”, a single P16 stamp depicting the execution of Dr. José Rizal, a single P16 stamp depicting Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan, a block of 4 x P8 stamps depicting the hoisting of the Filipino flag on June 12, 1898 at Cavite and a single P20 stamp depicting Barasoain Church. The booklet was sold for P130 on June 3, this was increased to P150 from June 4 onward.
Surcharged #2880, 3 Nov 2003
Centenary of Philippine Independence #2235, 12 Jun 1998
Philippine Independence 120th Anniversary #, 12 June 2018
Manila First Day Cancel
First day covers are from Manila
Philippine Independence 121th Anniversary (Manila Central Post Office Miniature Sheets) #, 12 June 2019 (sold for P150)
Philippine Independence Day, 150th Martyrdom of the Gomburza #, 12 June 2022