The Act of Declaration of Philippine Independence served as a symbol of our

national holiday on June 12, every year, to commemorate the importance of being a
nationalistic Filipino in heart, mind, and action. It is written by Ambrosio Rianzares
Bautista, the first adviser of President Emilio Aguinaldo, and marks the end of the 333-year
rule of the Spanish crown over our islands. It is essential to recognize this primary
document in the learnings of the young Filipino minds because it sets an example of how
we should be upholding our rights to our homeland. Without it, we would not be enjoying
our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness now.

Even though the primary document declared the independence and sovereignty of
the Philippines, it was not recognized by the Americans and Spaniards as we were seen as
something that can be bought and sold for 20 Million Dollars as written in the Paris Treaty
and re-enacted in the movie Heneral Luna. The reason for that is because Americans
thought that we are unable to run our own country and therefore needed them for us to
learn how to govern better. But what they actually need is for us to feed them our raw
resources to improve their already industrialized nation. The truth is that even before the
Spaniards colonized us, we already know how to legislate and manage ourselves. Even if
some things are missing in our regulation, we can always find solutions to our problems in
our own unique way. It shows us that we need to believe and trust in our countrymen to
make the right decisions for the betterment of all the people and not their own gain or
interest and that our lives and freedom are not worth any amount of money.

The events that happened that led to the making of the Declaration of Philippine
Independence portrayed how the Spanish colony treated the Filipinos before and why it is
an utmost importance for our Filipino heroes back then to be more patriotically involved in
the process of achieving autonomy and freedom. The killing of our National Hero Jose Rizal
and the Filipino Friars, famously known as GomBurZa, sparked the nationalism of Filipinos
because they were killed without trial and therefore considered unlawful. It shows us that
it is time for them to learn to be responsible for their own country and solve their
oppressed lives in their own hands.

Lastly, studying the document is truly necessary for all Filipinos or anyone who
wants to understand our country because knowing our history can make us more
appreciate the things that we have now and the things that we can become.