The 14th annual Philippine-Spanish ‘Friendship Day’ is set for July 5th in historic Baler, Aurora. The celebration was originally scheduled on the same day incoming President Rodrigo Duterte took his inaugural oath – organisers changed the date to today, July 5.
The event will coincide with the 117th anniversary of the historic “Siege of Baler,” a battle during the Philippine Revolution and the Spanish-American War, as well as the Philippines-American War.
During the siege, 54 Filipino revolutionaries confined themselves inside a fortified church manned by colonial Spanish troops. The siege lasted 337 days, and lasted from July 1, 1898 to June 2, 1899. Only 33 of the original 54 survived.
This year’s celebrations will cement the strong bilateral relations between the two countries as a result of their deep and historical cultural ties.
Today, Spain ranks as the Philippines’ 28th largest trading partner – the bilateral trade in 2011 totaled $329.6 million.
Republic Act 9187 bonds the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day and is celebrated every June 30 in the town of Baler and throughout Spain.
The celebration is meant to mark the act of benevolence which has paved the way in bringing better relations between the Philippines and Spain.
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