Every Saturday, participants post photos based on a theme. The theme for this Saturday, February 16, 2008 is FREE. Below is a brief history about the Philippines and it struggles for freedom, from the hands of Spanish colonizers, to the Japanese occupation during World War II and at present from the hands of a few who want to rob this nation off its national pride and dignity.
It was 1521 when the fleet of Portuguese navigator who was the first to circumnavigate the world, Ferdinand Magallanes or Ferdinand Magellan, landed on the shores of the Philippines. They conquered the natives and had the country colonized for three centuries. The people revolted against these Spaniards and their abuses for their freedom.
On June 12, 1898, the first Philippine flag was waved at the balcony of the house on the right, as a declaration of the Philippine Independence. That house is a replica of the real house where this happened. This can be found at the Nayong Pilipino which we were able to go to with its free entrance 
A replica of the Barasoain Church where the seat of the Philippine Revolutionary Congress convened to draft the Malolos Constitution and inaugurate the Philippine Republic on January 23, 1899. The first constitutional democracy in Asia was founded in this church. Found also at the Nayong Pilipino.
What followed was a U.S.colonial rule in 1905 where partial autonomy or commonwealth status in 1935 was granted, with a full independence from the United States was planned for 1946. But this was disrupted again when the Japanese occupied the Philippines during World War II.
The Clark Air Base in Pampanga, Philippines was attacked by the Japanese on December 8, 1941, about ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S soldiers as well as Filipino soldiers fought side by side against the Japanese.
Inscription on the stone marker at the Clark Air Base Cemetery where people who fought for independence are buried:
Clark’s cemetery site was established in 1950 and contains non-World War II related remains from the base and other U.S. cemeteries in Manila. It is the last active USAF cemetery outside of the U.S. The graves date back to 1900. All branches of the United States Armed Forces are represented as well as Philippine Scouts, Philippine Constabulary, and citizens of other nations. The cemetery contains 12,000 grave sites in an area encompassing 20,365 acres. Erected by 13th Air Force, 4 July 1984.
Tombstone of an unknown soldier at the Clark Air Base Cemetery. He was a part of a nation who fought to be FREE.
The country is now facing a lot of struggles about graft and corruption, and people are gathering on the streets again as I write this post.
Click here for our other Photo Hunt entry. Thank you.
photohuntThis entry was posted on Friday, February 15th, 2008 at 6:49 pm and is filed under About Town, My Family, My Thoughts, On the Road, Photo Hunters, Snapshots. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
i guess some countries are directly or indirectly being influenced in many way by other countries.
