History of Paranaque

rmanent. More than a hundred years later, this would prove to be true. During the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898, the Spaniards realized that the town was a practical gateway to Cavite, the bastion of the revolutionary Katipuneros. Conversely, the Katipuneros based in Cavite saw the town as their gateway to Intramuros, the Spanish seat of government in Manila. Prominent Paraqueños such as Manuel Quiogue and secular priest Father Pedro Dandan became leading revolutionary figures.

American occupation

During the American occupation of the Philippines, Parañaque became one of the first municipalities in the Metro Manila region.

World War II

During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II, Parañaque supplied leadership to guerilla movements such as the ROTC Hunters, as well as food and arms. Parañaque was one of the first towns to be liberated and its guerillas helped pave the way for the combined American and Philippine Commonwealth forces to enter the south of Manila. As can be gleaned from the above, Parañaque has played and continues to play a strategic role in the Philippines' political and economic progress.

After the liberation and the Battle of Parañaque on 1945 by combined Filipino and American ground troops with local recognized guerrillas, the general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary was rebuild and stationed in Parañaque after the war.

Martial law

On 21 August 1983 during the authoritarian regime of Ferdinand Marcos, Benigno Aquino, Jr. (a prominent opposition senator and husband of former Philippine President Corazon Aquino), was assassinated