Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and France was established on June 26, 1947 with the signing of a Treaty of Friendship in Paris by then Philippine Vice-President and concurrent Secretary of Foreign Affairs Elpidio QUIRINO and then French Foreign Minister Georges BIDAULT. Both countries had just emerged from World War II, with the Philippines' independence having been recognized by the United States on July 4, 1946 and the French Republic having been restored on August 25, 1944 with the liberation of Paris.
One of the unsung heroes of Philippine independence. Luciano San Miguel was born on January 7, 1875 in Noveleta, Cavite. Said to have studied agriculture at the Ateneo de Manila, San Miguel took on odd jobs including sewing and "inspecting" the hacienda of Don Pedro Roxas in Nasugbu, Batangas. When the Revolution broke out, he joined the Katipunan, Magdiwang chapter, in his hometown, whose more famous members were the father and son tandem of Mariano and Santiago Alvarez and Artemio Ricarte.