Araw ng Kasarinlán (Philippine Independence Day)
Araw ng Kasarinlán
(Philippine Independence Day)
Written by Dr. T.
1946, Philippine Independence Day”
What does this day of freedom mean for your mental health??
On June 12th, 1898, Philippines declared independence from Spain after 300 years following the rebellion led by Bonifacio, Aguinaldo, and members of the Katipunan. (the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan). Celebrated every June 12, marks the country’s declaration of independence from Spanish colonial rule in 1898. While this historical moment signifies political sovereignty, its psychological and emotional implications run much deeper — especially when viewed through the lens of Filipino mental health and the collective pursuit of freedom and liberation.
The Psychological Legacy of "Freedom" and Araw ng Kasarinlán
Colonial Trauma and Internalized Oppression
Centuries of colonization — Spanish, American, and Japanese — deeply shaped Filipino identity and mental health. The legacy includes:
Internalized inferiority (e.g., colonial mentality)
Distrust of self and fellow Filipinos
Repressed anger and grief from generational trauma
Despite formal independence, many Filipinos continue to struggle with "psychological unfreedom" — a disconnection from ancestral ways, suppressed cultural pride, and ongoing economic and political neocolonialism.
Freedom as a Psychological Need
Freedom is a core component of mental health:
Autonomy is vital for self-worth and agency.
Belonging and interdependence create resilience, especially in communal cultures like the Philippines.
Voice and expression are healing when people are allowed to tell their stories, speak their truths, and resist silence.
Modern-day Struggles: Pseudo-Independence
Even after 1898, many Filipinos experience:
Poverty and systemic inequality
Political corruption and suppression
Mental health stigma and lack of culturally attuned services
This creates a gap between historical independence and lived liberation — between what was declared and what has yet to be fully embodied.
5 Ways We Can Become "Free"
1. Reclaim Identity
Deconstruct colonial mentality: Challenge beauty standards, language preferences (e.g., Taglish vs. Filipino/ethnolanguages), and Western validation.
Practice Kapwa: Acknowledge shared humanity and interconnectedness — the Filipino relational worldview that predates colonization.
2. Ancestral Reconnection as Liberation
Learn pre-colonial history, indigenous practices, and spiritual systems (e.g., Babaylan, Katutubo healing).
Integrate these into wellness practices: rituals, art, plant medicine, language, movement.
3. Practice Cultural and Collective Mental Health
Shift from "self-help" to community healing (e.g., bayanihan circles, group therapy rooted in Filipino values).
Invest in Filipino-centered psychology, such as:
Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Indigenous Filipino Psychology)
Feminist Liberation Psychology (as practiced in grassroots communities)
Decolonial frameworks in therapy and education
4. Organize & Build Collective Liberation Together
Create or join movements, like Therapinxy that fight for:
Mental health access
Rights to collectively care & build community (check out our Kapwa Collective Network chapter’s building regionally!)
Environmental and indigenous land protection
Build mutual aid networks and cooperative models (pamalakaya, sagip, damayan) that reflect traditional communal practices.
5. Strive Towards Collective Liberation
True freedom is not just political or individual; it’s spiritual, cultural, economic, and relational. It means:
Restoring kapwa (shared identity)
Honoring ugat (roots/ancestry)
Building bayanihan (solidarity and mutual upliftment)
Collective liberation for Filipinos begins when we recognize that:
"Walang tunay na kalayaan ang iilan habang may inaapi."
(“There is no true freedom for a few while others are oppressed.”)
Suggested Practices
Whole-person & embodied practices, such as decolonial therapies, comprehensive care practices, and journaling (free journaling prompt: "What does freedom feel like in my body?")
Community dialogues on ancestral healing and collective trauma (JOIN one today… also, our SD Chapter is co-hosting with the Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) a Film Screening on “Searching for Kapwa” coming up THIS MONTH!)
Kapwa-centered mental health models in therapy and education - Search for YOUR providers HERE on Therapinxy or Join our Directory!
Rituals of remembrance on Araw ng Kasarinlán to honor those who resisted and those still resisting
Wishing you a Day of Freedom rooted in kapwa, collective care, and liberation for us all!! Be well aking mga kaibigan, kasama, kapamilya!
