August as the Month of History

Month of August founds major events in the nation's history.             

Holidays and Observances:

• 15: ASCENCION OF MOTHER MARY INTO HEAVEN
• 17: KADAYAWAN SA DABAW 2014 | Davao City - This festival gives thanks to the bounty of fruits and flowers as the waling-waling orchid blooms. #9 in 10 Most Awesome Fiestas of the Philippines
• 19: Manuel Luis Quezón Day (Quezon City and other places in The Philippines named after Manuel L. Quezon)
• 21: NINOY AQUINO DAY: Special (non-working) Holiday. Commemorating the Death of Ninoy Aquino
• 21-25: Long Weekend #7: August 21 to 25 (5 Days)*
• 22-25 Sabutan Festival| San Luis, Aurora - The Sabutan Festival in the town of San Luis, province of Aurora highlights the importance of growing palm trees locally called Sabutan on the community's economic wellbeing.
• 25: Tsinelas Festival| Gapan City, Nueva Ecija - To mark the anniversary of the town's cityhood, Gapan City holds its annual Tsinelas Festival until August 25 with street dancing, parade of floats decorated with regular to gigantic 7-ft slippers and now the famous slippers bazaar.
• 25: NATIONAL HEROES' DAY: Regular Holiday. Commemorates the "Cry of Pugad Lawin" by Filipino revolutionaries called the Katipunan
• 28: KAGAY-AN FESTIVAL - FEAST DAY OF ST. AUGUSTINE | Cagayan de Oro City
• 30: National Heroes Day
• 31: National Heroes Day holiday

Proclamation NO.339

MALACANANG PALACE

MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROCLAMATION NO. 339

DECLARING THE MONTH OF AUGUST OF EVERY YEAR AS HISTORY MONTH
THEREBY TRANSFERRING THE OBSERVANCE OF HISTORY WEEK FROM 15
TO 21 SEPTEMBER TO THE MONTH OF AUGUST

WHEREAS, History Week is observed from 15 to 21 September of every year by
virtue of Proclamation No. 1304 (s. 1974);

WHEREAS, there is a need to transfer the observance of History Week from 15 to 21 September to the whole month of August and rename the occasion as "History Month" to emphasize the most significant turning points in Philippine history;

WHEREAS, major events in the nation's history occurred in the month of August which concludes with National Heroes Day on 30 August; and

WHEREAS, a week of observance is not enough to undertake various activities given the richness and diversity of our nation's history.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO, III, President of the Philippines, by

virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare the month of August of every year as "History Month."

Proclamation No. 1304 (s. 1974) is hereby repealed.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 16th day of February in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twelve.

...

Celebrating Filipino, the National Language of the Philippines (Remithome)

In August, the Philippines celebrates Filipino as its national language. During this National Language Month, school activities focus on speaking Filipino and on Philippine culture.

While people in different parts of the Philippines speak an estimated 171 native languages or dialects, all schoolchildren learn Filipino, which was designated as the national language by the constitution of the Philippines in 1987. Speaking a common national language allows those in the Philippines to express themselves as a people of one nation. (REMITHOME)

National Language Month came to be:

1946	The period from March 27 to April 2 of each year was designated the National Language Week (Linggo ng Wika), which ends on the birth anniversary of Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar, known as the “Prince of Tagalog Literature”.
1955	The period of celebration for National Language Week was changed to August 13-19, as the months of March and April were outside of the school year, thereby precluding the participation of schools in its celebration.
1988	After the EDSA Revolution, President Corazon Aquino reiterated the proclamation of National Language Week on August 13-19 of every year.
1997	To further extend the celebration of the Philippine national language, the entire month of August was declared National Language Month.

Below are some of the common activities in schools during National Language Week:

1. Sabayang Pagbigkas (Group Oration)
2. Philippine National Costumes
3. Palarong-Pambansa (Traditional Games of the Philippines)
4. Poster and Poem Contests

Reference:

Philippine Government

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