Among the most significant achievements of Macapagal as president were the abolition of tenancy and accompanying land reform program in the Agricultural Land Reform Code of 1963. He also changed the date of celebration of Philippine independence from July 4 to June 12, the latter date having been the day when in 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain). Later, Macapagal told author Stanley Karnow that the reason for the change was that American Embassy celebrations were visited more than the Filipino reception on the July 4 American independence day.