Filipino-American Friendship Day Date in the current year: July 4, 2024

Filipino-American Friendship Day Filipino-American Friendship Day, previously known as Philippine Republic Day, is a holiday in the Philippines observed on July 4. It used to be celebrated as the country's Independence Day, but now it is a working holiday not linked to the independence of the Philippines.

The Philippines were ceded to the United States by Spain following the latter's defeat in the Spanish-American War of 1898. The First Philippine Republic struggled to secure its independence, but was defeated.

Following the end of the Second World War, the Philippines were recognized as an independent state. On July 4, 1946, the Republic of the Philippines and the USA signed a Treaty of General Relation that relinquished American sovereignty over the archipelago.

Originally July 4 was celebrated as Independence Day of the Philippines. However, in 1964, President Diosdado Macapagal moved the celebration to June 12 to commemorate the independence of the Philippines from Spain. July 4 was renamed to Philippine Republic Day.

In the 1960s, President Ferdinand Marcos renamed the holiday to Filipino-American Friendship Day. In 1984, it was relegated to a working holiday and was no longer referred to as Republic Day.

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Filipino-American Friendship Day, holidays in the Philippines, observance, Philippine Republic Day