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MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos will commemorate the 127th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on June 12 with parades, free cultural shows, museum tours, historical reenactments and a nationwide job fair, as the country celebrates Araw ng Kalayaan 2025.
Independence Day, the Philippines’ most significant national holiday, will begin with the traditional flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies led by President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Rizal Monument in Luneta.
Held at Kilometer Zero, the ceremony pays tribute to national hero Jose Rizal, whose novel “Noli Me Tangere” helped ignite the revolutionary movement. The Philippines remains one of the few nations whose struggle for independence was shaped by literature.
Simultaneous wreath-laying ceremonies will be held across key historical sites.
These include Malolos in Bulacan, the seat of the First Philippine Republic; Pinaglabanan in San Juan, site of the first revolutionary battle and Kawit, Cavite, where independence was proclaimed.
Tributes will also take place at the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan, the Pamintuan Mansion in Angeles City and the Mausoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución at the Manila North Cemetery.
Parades, programs
Immediately following the morning ceremonies, a land and air military parade will commence at the Quirino Grandstand.
Seven themed floats will portray key events leading to the birth of the Malolos Republic: the Battle of Marawi (1896); the Cry of Candon, Ilocos Sur; the Battle of Alapan in Cavite where the Philippine flag was first raised; the Declaration of Independence in Kawit; the Siege of Baler; the Cinco de Noviembre Revolt in Bago City; the Cry of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo and the Malolos Congress.
The parade will culminate with the “Inang Bayan” float, curated by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Adding to the festivity, performers in colorful costumes will portray different Filipino festivals. From the Dinagyang of Iloilo to the Maytime celebration in Antipolo, the parade route – stretching from Luneta to the Cultural Center of the Philippines – will be filled with dancing, singing contests and flag-themed face painting.
The National Museum of the Philippines will open its doors to the public across 20 locations, including popular sites in Cebu, Davao City, Vigan, Iloilo and Zamboanga.
Likewise, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines will allow free access to 28 shrines, including the Rizal museums in Calamba, Dapitan and Fort Santiago, the Katipunan Museum in San Juan and the Presidential Car Museum in Quezon City.
The Intramuros Administration will also launch its app for tracking events and activities within the walled city.
On June 12, Intramuros is set to come alive with a variety of cultural events. These include “Tranventures,” a tranvia (streetcar) tour offered at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; “Guarnicion en Intramuros,” a military reenactment at Fort Santiago running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the “Living Museum” at Casa Manila on Gen. Luna Street, where costumed actors will reenact 19th-century life at 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Capping off the day’s festivities is “Umaagos,” a folk dance performance by the Philippine Barangay Folk Dance Troupe, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at Fort Santiago.
Meanwhile, evening events include free film screenings at the Pasig River Esplanade and cultural performances at the Centro de Turismo throughout the Independence Day weekend.
Job fair
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will hold a nationwide job fair offering over 89,000 local and overseas job opportunities. Around 1,000 employers are expected to participate in 49 job fair sites.
DOLE will provide support for career development, livelihood assistance, labor regulations and skills training. Common job openings include positions in sales, production, customer service, food service and finance.
In addition to job matching, DOLE will distribute more than P264 million in emergency employment and livelihood support to nearly 38,000 disadvantaged workers.
This includes P14.41 million under the Adjustment Measures Program, P14.55 million in stipends for Government Internship Program beneficiaries and over P324,000 in salaries for students under the Special Program for Employment of Students.
More than P190 million in wages will also be distributed to TUPAD beneficiaries, while another P73 million in livelihood assistance will go to recipients of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program in 80 sites nationwide.
As part of the observance of the 2025 World Day Against Child Labor, which coincides with Independence Day, DOLE has also scheduled advocacy campaigns and awarding ceremonies.
The labor department also participated in the two-day Pampamahalaang Programa at Serbisyo caravan at Rizal Park, which ended yesterday.
Part of the services it offered were PRC license renewal, filing of labor concerns, legal consultations, compensation claims, job fair pre-registration and PhilJobNet assistance. — Mayen Jaymalin
