Cavite Day in the Philippines Date in the current year: March 22, 2026

Cavite is a province in the Calabarzon region of the Philippines, which also includes the provinces of Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. The province’s name is derived from the Hispanicized form of the Tagalog word kawit, which means “hook”. This refers to the hook-shaped peninsula extending into Manila Bay. Originally, the name applied to the Cavite Peninsula and the adjacent coastal area.

Before the arrival of Europeans, the present-day municipality of Kawit was the most thriving settlement in the area. The Spanish arrived in the late 16th century and established a port in what is now Cavite City. They called the new settlement Cavite Nuevo (“New Cavite”) or simply Cavite, referring to the original indigenous settlement as Cavite el Viejo (“Old Cavite”).

Cavite quickly became the most important port in the Philippines, linking the Spanish colony to other parts of the world via the Manila galleon trade route. The port also had military importance, serving as the first line of defense for Manila in case of an enemy attack.

The province of Cavite was officially established in 1614; the city of Cavite gave its name to the new province. It covered the territory of present-day Cavite Province, excluding Maragondon, which became part of Cavite in 1754.

During the Philippine Revolution, Cavite was one of its main centers largely because it was the birthplace of the revolutionary leader Emilio Aguinaldo and because of its proximity to Manila. The first major battle of the revolution, the Battle of Imus, took place in Cavite and resulted in a Filipino victory. Another significant battle, the Battle of Alapan, led to the surrender of all Spanish forces in Cavite. The First Philippine Republic was also proclaimed in Cavite, in the town of Kawit, where Aguinaldo was born.

Today, Cavite is one of the fastest-growing provinces in the Philippines. Although its economy is largely agriculture-based, industry and commerce also generate significant revenues. Tourism is also flourishing due to the province’s many historical sites.

Unlike most Philippine provinces, which celebrate their establishment anniversary as the provincial holiday, Cavite celebrates the birth anniversary of Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines, since he was born in Cavite el Viejo (present-day Kawit). Cavite Day is a special non-working holiday marked with celebratory events, such as a wreath-laying ceremony at the Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit.