Fil-Am friendship?

It's Philippine-American Friendship Day today.

- BOO CHANCO

It used to be a working holiday during the first Marcos era. But Cory Aquino removed it from the list of national holidays in 1987.

Up until I was 12 years old, we celebrated Independence Day on July 4th, same as the United States. We were, after all, their little brown brother.

July 4th was the day in 1946 when the American flag was hauled down a flagpole and the Philippine flag was raised in ceremonies at the Luneta. July 4th was the day we ceased, at least on paper, being a colony of the United States.

Sixteen years later, President Diosdado Macapagal signed Proclamation 28, changing the date of our Independence Day to June 12, honoring the original declaration of independence at Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898. R.A. 4166, passed in 1964, officially made June 12 the permanent Independence Day.

That's really neither here nor there. We were not independent between 1898 and 1946. We didn't seem more independent from the US after June 12 replaced July 4th. The American control of the country's politics and economy remained strong.

The Americans continued to have 23 military bases in the country until the Philippine Senate rejected an extension treaty. The last US military elements left Subic Bay in November 1992.

We still have the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, a defense alliance pledging that America will come to our assistance in case of external aggression. US presidents have routinely reiterated that the agreement is "iron-clad."

US State Secretary Marco Rubio reassured the Philippines that the US would stand by the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under armed attack—amid rising tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea.