At dawn of April 27, 1521, Magellan invaded Mactan, a bloody battle ensued . Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan. For the next 54 years no alien dared to set foot on our soil; Malolos, June 23, 1899, the first Philippine Republic was inaugurated at Barasoin Church marking the birth of Asia’s First Republic; on September 2, 1945 Japan finally surrendered ;1986 Ferdinand Marcos was ousted by People Power Revolution at EDSA - - - these were the chapters of our freedom. How far our freedom has gone? Are we really free? Everybody loves freedom. Everybody wants it. Is it the right to do anything we want regardless of the impact on anyone else?
People protest, hold demonstrations, run naked on streets, write or say anything against somebody , practice own religion, go anywhere they want, insult
neighbors, politicians and even the president! One has the power to make their own choice and act upon them accordingly, however, it has to be balanced with order. It doesn’t mean that you can do whatever you want and having no obligations to anyone? They say:
"One’s freedom stops when other’s freedom starts". I think this is not so. Freedom should be balanced with certain constraints . Imagine if everyone do what they want, would it work? No! It would be a total pandemonium ! Freedom has a different meaning to every single person. Everyone has a different view of what freedom means to them.
We can only be free if we let other people to be free as well. . .
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Galatians 5:1
At dawn of 
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"A nation is born into freedom on the day when such a people, moulded into a nation by a process of cultural evolution and sense of oneness born of common struggle and suffering, announces to the world that it asserts its natural right to liberty and is ready to defend it with blood, life, and honor." A quotable version from the speech being delivered by the late President Diosdado Macapagal during the June 12, 1962 Independence Day Celebration.
On August 4, 1964, President Macapagal signed at Malacañang Republic Act No. 4166 statutorily prescribing June 12 as Philippine Independence Day. Special witnesses invited to the signing were children of Presidents, including Carmen Melencio-Aguinaldo, Manuel Quezon Jr., Maria Osmeña-Charnley, Gerardo Roxas, Tomas Quirino, and his sons Arturo and Diosdado Jr.
Even several decades after being declared free from the bondage of colonial cruelty and slavery, many of us feel that the Philippines is still a neo-colony. All the years of neo-colonialism had cemented the US presence in the Philippines. Aside from the American impact to our daily way of living and product colonial mentality, the Philippines is also reliant upon the United States for aid. Most Filipinos are keenly aware of the coupling of their nation with its colonizer; however many are split on whether or not this coupling is a positive thing or a negative thing. It seems as if there is only one answer. Years of economic struggling and government corruption has left the Philippines with two distinct classes – the very poor and the very rich, the former outnumbering the latter. The Philippine cityscape is inundated with temporary lean-tos, whose owners scour the busy city streets trying to sell whatever they can. Many barely make enough to get by, while all the money stays with the rich. Many of these gifted few were undoubtedly those who enjoyed the US presence, and are still reaping their benefits today. Now, does the acquisition and declaration of the said PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE really of great value and help for us filipinos? Is there really a true freedom after the said independence proclamation?
Sometimes,I do not understand why we call it Independence Day if it purports to be as Freedom Day. Much, I am pretty sure that it tends to be a celebration of the day that we became free from the claws and control of another state. Sounds a mere linguistic issue. Yet, it doesn't even matter if it is indeed independence or freedom that we are referring to. The sure issue on this line is we are neither free nor independent.
Atty.Connie Veneracion wrote in one of her Manila Standard Today article entitled "Freedom and Independence" he quoted that independence practically means self-sufficiency. It is also the capacity to act based on one’s own competence. An independent person or entity does not need to rely on another in order to survive and function effectively. It is a status whereby association with others, and seeking the assistance of others, are not matters of necessity but matters of choice.
Choice is what makes independence a sibling of freedom. A teenager may be free to decide whether or not to watch a movie. But since he needs to ask his parents for money to buy the movie ticket—a state of dependence—then his freedom is compromised. Independence, therefore, is an important element of freedom.
Oneparticular example of this is when a government allows foreign military troops into its soil under terms that constitute a derogation of its own sovereignty, in exchange for money, is not the government of a free state. if this sounds incomprehensible to you, you will need to read up on the circumstances that led to the signing of the Visiting Forces Agreement in 1998. You ought to know that money was a primary consideration.
In short, we are not free because we have not achieved the kind of independence that will allow us to be free.
However, everyone is entitled to his or her own belief and perception. Thus, No one should ever be deprived of his own personal way of thinking and views. My dear fellow Filipinos,If you believe we are independent, then we are independent, If not, then we're not.The strange question on this matter lies on what is really happening in our day to day living , with that of being mentally colonized, coloquial participation towards product manufacturings and importations, colonialization on our own government activities and decisions. Now, How can we say that we are totally independent if we are not tend to be free in so many ways? We need a stronger sense of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. . Let us not be reluctant to change, let us be united with one racial participation to push through one particular objective- to move and defend this country with unity and pride. Holding one great principle that Philippine country is our very own country and that should likewise be for the Filipino, by the filipino and with the Filipino in. Defending one another from any aspect of colonial plans and ways of distabilization and interference.
In so many ways, we refuse to be defeated. Despite the dark picture painted by the pessimists among us, with the firm determination of the Leadership, we are able to improve economically and politically somehow, the prophets of doom notwithstanding. Democracy is on our side, an asset we can harness to our advantage.
So, with this kind of Independence we have had at present, I believe that there is no room nor even concrete evident of justification for the word "Philippine Freedom". Thus, proclaming to my native land and to my fellow filipino of whatever race and colors, of whatever dialect he or she used, of whatever status of life that he/she is enjoying thereat. "I will sing no songs of glory and joy every 12th day of June" Although I sincerely hope that someday I will.
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