Three stars, two stripes, and a single sun: these are the symbols that make up a proud history of the Filipino people
It should be the first thing they teach us, but the last thing we forget is our Philippine flag's proud history. For over 300 years, Filipinos toiled under an oppressive Spanish regime—and so when our flag was first raised to declare independence on June 12, 1898, in Kawit, Cavite, it became a symbol of strength and pride. It was, in other words, a triumph for all.
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Semiotics and Symbolism
Whether a patriot or not, every Filipino can easily identify the country's unique flag. It consists of two parallel colours (blue and red), with a white equilateral triangle that houses three stars and a sun in its centre. Its symbolism is fairly straightforward, and every detail is well thought out. The colours have their own meanings, as recognised by the Acta de la proclamación de la independencia del pueblo Filipino, written by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista (then the War Counsellor and Special Delegate of the Philippines) during the original Independence Day on June 12, 1898.
As we all know, the three stars on the Philippine flag symbolise the three principal islands of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The eight rays on the sun represent the eight provinces that "declared themselves in a state of war as soon as the first revolt was initiated"; these include Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna, and Batangas. Meanwhile, historians believe that the triangle is a nod to the Masonic roots of the 3Ks of the Katipunan, namely Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangan, Katipunan ng Bayan.
What's interesting is the semiotics of the colours of the Philippine flag. In contemporary civics classes, it is often taught that white signifies peace and purity, blue for justice, and red for bravery or courage (also symbolising the blood that was shed to achieve independence). However, according to the Acta de la proclamación de la independencia del pueblo Filipino, the colours blue, red, and white were apparently lifted from the colours of the United States "as a manifestation of our profound gratitude towards this Great Nation for its disinterested protection which it lent us and continues lending us".
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