168. Commemorating a Century of Freedom: The 1998 PHILIPPINE CENTENNIAL MEMORABILIA Collection

The Philippine Centennial celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898 and honored other significant events in the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War. It was led by President Fidel V. Ramos as part of his Philippines 2000 program.

The Centennial's logo, designed by Edgardo Santiago, was selected as the winner of a national design competition out of 5,000 submissions. It features a rising sun above a blue and red ribbon forming the number "100" and the slogan "Kalayaan, Kayamanan ng Bayan," which translates to "Freedom, Wealth of the Nation." The slogan highlights the idea that freedom is the nation's wealth.

A variety of memorabilia items featuring the Centennial's logo were produced to commemorate the celebration. Philippine Centennial memorabilia, including items featuring the iconic logo, became highly sought after by collectors. These items included t-shirts, keychains, mugs, pins, and other items that bore the logo and served as a reminder of the historic celebration. The production of these items not only provided an opportunity for people to take home a piece of the Centennial but also contributed to the commemoration's financial success.

As a collector of Philippine memorabilia and a history buff, I was ecstatic to uncover the Centennial memorabilia I had hidden away for all these years. It was like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, except it was pins and keychains at the back of my cabinet. Like many others, I eagerly added these items to my collection, finally completing my mission to become the Philippine history hoarder of the century.