Cavite: March 22, 2012 Declared Holiday

image: ask.com

Another date to celebrate by caviteños.  Proclamation 351.  Yes, March 22 is a non-working holiday in the Province of Cavite.  Surely students and employees of would happy to know this information.

This is a repost from sunstar.com.ph MANILA — President Benigno Aquino III has issued Proclamation 351 declaring March 22 as a non-working holiday in the Province of Cavite in commemoration of the 143rd birth anniversary of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippine Republic.

The proclamation, which was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa on March 8, is intended to give the people of Cavite an opportunity to commemorate and give a fitting tribute to General Aguinaldo, a major figure in the country’s history.

Aguinaldo was born on March 22, 1869 in Kawit, Cavite, to a well-to-do family. He led a Filipino insurrection against Spanish rule in 1896, and also became active during the Spanish-American War.

When the Philippines declared independence from Spanish rule in 1898, Aguinaldo was nominated president of the new republic. He eventually became the head of the Filipino provisional government in 1899 and resisted American occupation.

He fought the American forces until his capture in March 1901. In April of the same year, Aguinaldo took an oath of allegiance to the United States and retired to private life.

In 1935 when the commonwealth government of the Philippines was established in preparation for its independence, Aguinaldo ran for president but was decisively beaten.

In the later years of his life, Aguinaldo devoted his attention to improving veterans’ affairs, promoting nationalism and democracy in the Philippines, as well as strengthening the Philippine-US relations.

He died in Manila on February 6, 1964. (SDR/Sunnex)