Americans of Filipino Descent and Filipinos in America Must Celebrate February as the Philippine-American History Month and Not Octoberfake©

By Lolo Bobby M. Reyes

T here should really be a four-week period every year that must be declared the Philippine-American History Month (PAHM). But contrary to the self-proclaimed hysterians, oops, “historians” of the "Filipino-American National Hysterical, oops, Historical Society (FANHS)", February (and not October) should be the month to celebrate the PAHM.

“It is elementary, Mr. Watson” is the reason why February, being the month of many significant historical events in the Philippines-United States relations, should be the best time for both peoples to celebrate the PAHM.

As compiled by this writer and other members of the Media Breakfast Club of Los Angeles, with assistance from the Philippine History Group of Los Angeles, there are more major events in February as found in the “Chronology of Philippine-United States Relations” than in October.

But before reading it, here is the preface to the said Chronology: “The Philippines and the United States of America share communal aspirations for peace, progress and the common humanity of all nations. Both countries have a democratic form of government. They both adhere to the universal principles and spirit of the United Nations. The Filipinos and Americans share warm and friendly relations that date back to the turn of the 20th century. Their relationship has withstood the errors and omissions of some of their respective political leaders, as well as the trials and tribulations of history. The fact remains that the Filipinos are the tested and most-loyal allies of the Americans in the Asia-Pacific region. The other fact is that among so many Americans the Filipinos occupy a special place in their hearts and minds.

The Chronolongy begins on 1 May 1898 when the American Asiatic Squadron under the command of Admiral George Dewey defeats the Spanish Armada commanded by Admiral Patricio Montojo in the Battle of Manila Bay.

Filipino-American History Events in February

4 February 1899—The three-year Christian phase of the Filipino-American War begins.

6 February 1899—The Philippines officially becomes an American territory when the United States Senate ratifies the Treaty of Paris on this day by a mere vote over the required three-fourths vote. This was after Spain ceded the archipelago to the United States for $20 million pursuant to the Treaty of Paris signed between Spain and the United States on Dec. 10, 1898.

8 February 1935—A constitutional convention approves a new Philippine Constitution. President Roosevelt approves it on March 23 and the Filipino electorate ratifies it on May 14, 1935.

2 February 1945—The battle to recapture Manila from the Japanese begins. It takes a whole month to free the city from the invaders. Manila becomes the second most devastated city, after Warsaw, Poland, in the Second World War.

25 February 1986—The American government arranges for the exile of President Marcos, his family and entourage in Honolulu, Hawaii, as the only way to avoid a bloody civil war. Marcos's departure paves the way for the installation of Pres. Corazon C. Aquino.

February is African-American History Month and it is relevant to commemorate with our Afro-American brethren the fielding of more-than 6,000 Buffalo soldiers to the Philippines from 1899 to 1901. Twenty of the Buffalo soldiers defected to the Filipino Army and all died fighting for Philippine Independence, as declared in Kawit, Cavite, on June 12, 1898. After peace in the Philippines was declared on July 4, 1902, by then-President Teddy Roosevelt, more-than 1,200 of the Buffalo soldiers decided to stay in the Philippines after they got married to Filipino brides. The Buffalo soldiers and their other American comrades introduced baseball to Filipinos in 1899.

Besides, the American colonial authorities introduced Valentine’s Day in the Philippines in February 1902, when there was relative peace in the Visayan and Luzon islands. Only the Muslim and Lumad fighters continued the Filipino-American War in Mindanao until 1913 or so.

And finally, the third Monday of February is celebrated in many states as the Presidents' Day of the United States. The PAHM can always be an activity that can piggy-back in the rites remembering Americans who have served in, or visited, the Philippines before they became the President such as William Howard Taft, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and George H. Bush, and the other Presidents who contributed to the making of the Philippines-United States relations. 

Filipino-American Events in October

On the other hand, the Chronology lists the following events that transpired in the Philippines-United States Relations in the month of October:

20 October 1944—Gen. Douglas MacArthur and his forces land at Palo Beach, Leyte, and fulfills his promise to return to the Philippines. MacArthur prevails in spite of the opposition of the U.S. Navy brass who propose to bypass the Philippines, drive the Japanese from Formosa (Taiwan) and attack Japan directly. President Roosevelt sides with General MacArthur and authorizes the Leyte landing.

3 October 1964—President Diosdado Macapagal leaves for San Francisco, Calif., on the first leg of his 13-day state visit.

18 October 1981—President Ferdinand E. Marcos leaves for Honolulu, Hawaii, en route to Cancun, Mexico, to attend the North-South Dialogue.

23 October 1981—President Marcos and President Ronald Reagan exchange views during their private meeting in Cancun, Mexico.

17 October 1988—The Manglapus-Shultz Memorandum of Agreement disallows the storage or installation of nuclear weapons in the bases without Philippine consent.

26 October 1995—President Fidel V. Ramos meets with American business leaders and Filipino Americans in San Jose, Calif., after he visits New York for the golden anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. In New York, President Ramos gets to meet with American business and media executives.

As the Chronology shows, only one major really-historical event happened in the month of October and that was the 1944 landing of the American liberation forces in Leyte.

The FANHS Claim of October Is Based on Historical Hoaxes

T he FANHS’ hysterians, oops, “historians” have been pushing October as the month to celebrate the PAHM but their position rests on bogus historical facts and allegations. We have disputed the claims of the FANHS as found in these articles:

The Filipino Heritage Month Is a Big Hoax. It's "OctoberFake."  

http://www.mabuhayradio.com/history/the-filipino-heritage-month-is-a-big-hoax-it-s-octoberfake

FANHS Continues to Trumpet “OctoberFake”

http://www.mabuhayradio.com/history/fanhs-continues-to-trumpet-octoberfake

Editor’s Notes: Here are the citations that back up the contention by the chairman of the Philippine History Group, Hector Santos, and his fellow members  that the supposed landing made by the so-called Luzones Indios might not have even occurred in what is now Morro Bay:

http://www.bibingka.com/sst/esperanza/morrobay.htm

http://www.bibingka.com/sst/esperanza/indios.htm

http://www.bibingka.com/sst/esperanza/chars.htm