On this day, May 20, in 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo, leader of the revolutionary forces in the Philippines, issued a decree creating the Philippine Revolutionary Navy.
Its first naval vessel consisted of a pinnace (small sailboat) from the Spanish flagship Reina Cristina that was captured and donated to the Philippines by the US Asiatic Squadron. He renamed the vessel the Magdalo.
Magdalo is a faction of the Katipunan, it was a Katipunan chapter in Cavite, mostly led by Ilustrados of that province during the Philippine Revolution.
It later acquired several merchant vessels such as the Taaleño, Balayan, Bulusan, Purisima Concepcion, and the Compañia de Filipinas from wealthy Filipinos sympathetic to the revolution.
2002
Today, May 20, we celebrate 17 years of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Timor Leste. The Philippines established diplomatic relations with Timor Leste in 2002.
With around 1,583 Filipinos as of May 2018, the Philippines has an Embassy in Dili.
1992
Today, May 20, we celebrate 27 years of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Armenia.
The Philippines established diplomatic relations with Armenia in 1992.
The Philippines has an Honorary Consulate General in Yerevan.
1865
On this day, May 20, in 1865, Philippine Secondary Education is organized into public and private schools. The Royal College of San Juan de Letran was one of the 1st to offer a complete course leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree. At the age of 16, Manuel L. Quezon graduated in this school as an experienced surveyor and appraiser of lands, Summa Cum Claude. ( From the NHCP Manuel Quezon Museum)
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