National Pride and Self-Respect

On March 7, 2023 the House of Representatives approved for final reading 8 bills which will go to Senate. When the senate approves them, they will be sent to the President. The 8 bills will become laws when the President signs them. One of the 8 bills is HB7209 which says every fourth Thursday of November shall be a holiday called National Thanksgiving Day.

I am against HB7209. Spain and U.S went to war in 1898 because U.S claimed Spain blew up US battleship Maine in Cuba. Spain lost the war. In the 1898 treaty of Paris, Spain sold its Philippine Colony to US for 20 million dollars or roughly, a dollar per Filipino (our population then was about 13 million). We became a U.S Colony from 1898 to 1946. US gave us their culture tradition and government system including free public education up to high school, modern health program, Arbor Day, Santa Clause, basketball, bubble gum, Coca Cola. From 1898 to 1946, we celebrated National Thanksgiving Holiday every 4th Thursday of November. Only Americans have this holiday which began in 1621 as thanksgiving to God for the bountiful harvest (meaning American Pilgrims did not starve).

When we became independent in 1946, the American holidays disappeared including July 4, Washington Day, Thanksgiving Day. Through the efforts of nationalist senators Laurel, Recto, Tañada, the November thanksgiving holiday was never a great event for Filipinos because it was never a part of our culture history and tradition. Since 1946, Asian nations have called us “Amboys” meaning American Boys. After 77 years (1946 to 2013) Asia have forgotten “Amboy”. If this bill becomes a law, Asian Nations will again call us Amboys. Worse, Dr. Jose P. Laurel, Claro M. Recto, Lorenzo Tañada, Jovito Salonga, Gen. Artemio Ricarte, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Jose Rizal will probably turn over in their graves.