Philippine Declaration of Independence
Following the end of World War II, the United States granted independence to the Philippines on 4 July 1946 via the Treaty of Manila. July 4 was observed in the Philippines as "Independence Day" until August 4, 1964 when, upon the advice of historians and the urging of nationalists, President Diosdado Macapagal signed into law Republic Act No. 4166 designating June 12 as the country's "Independence Day". June 12 had previously been observed as "Flag Day" and many government buildings are urged to display the Philippine Flag in their offices.
Moro people
In 1898 via the treaty of Paris the Philippines was turned over to the United States of America. The Americans took over the Philippines in 1898, despite the ratification of the Philippine Declaration of Independence on September 29, 1898 by the Malolos Congress. Prior to the signing of the treaty, a cable message from Pres. McKinley on Nov. 25, 1898 was very explicit: "... to accept merely Luzon, leaving the rest of the islands subject to Spanish rule, or to be the subject of future contention, cannot be justified on political, commercial, or humanitarian grounds. The cessation must be the whole archipelago or none. The latter is wholly inadmissible, and the former must therefore be required." This however, did not settle well with the Muslims (Moros), and they fought, and are still continuing to fight to take back the homeland they lost to the subsequent violence of American colonizers.