Independence occurred on June 12, 1898 in the Philippines, where Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain after the latter was defeated at the Battle of the Bay Manila It is a sovereign island country located in Southeast Asia in the Pacific Ocean. Its capital city is Manila; Philippines is one of the most populous countries in the world, several ethnic groups and cultures live throughout the islands. Its economy continues steady growth that began since independence.