By Shane F. Velasco
SAN MIGUEL, Bulacan (PIA) — The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) led the commemoration of the 23rd Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day at the Tecson Ancestral House in Barangay San Vicente, San Miguel, Bulacan.
The event commemorates the end of the Siege of Baler on June 30, 1899, when 367 Spanish soldiers, trapped inside the small church of Baler in Tayabas, now part of the province of Aurora for nearly a year, surrendered peacefully to Filipino revolutionaries led by Col. Simon Tecson.
Instead of launching an attack, Tecson’s troops offered food and water, an act that highlighted diplomacy and humanity over violence.
NHCP Executive Director Carminda Arevallo said the peaceful surrender shows that former enemies can be future allies.
“Colonel Tecson troops’ strategy signifies that people cannot have an enemy forever, but they can be your friends. To some extent, diplomacy persists in this situation. Instead of having a supposed massacre, Bulakenyo revolutionaries chose to end the war with dignity and respect for the sanctity of life,” she added.
Following the surrender of the Spanish forces, President Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree granting them safe passage and departure honors on their way back home to Spain.
Spanish Embassy in Manila First Secretary Alvaro Garcia Moreno said that friendship defines modern Philippine-Spanish relations, noting that the two countries are set to celebrate 80 years of their diplomatic relations in 2027.
He also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the Philippines’ continuous development through mutual cooperation, especially in areas of economic development and cultural promotion.
It can be noted that at present times, several bilateral agreements have strengthened their partnership, including those in the field of tourism, renewable energy, cultural and educational cooperation, and criminal justice cooperation. (MJSC/SFV, PIA Region 3-Bulacan)
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