Cover The history behind the Philippine flag (Photo: Unsplash)
The history behind the Philippine flag (Photo: Unsplash)
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Three stars, two stripes and a single sun: these are the symbols in our Philippine flag 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.
Today, we celebrate National Flag Day. In this article, we dive deeper into our Philippine flag’s origins and symbolisms so that we may appreciate the values we promise to uphold as Filipinos as we enter into the celebration of our independence from colonial rule and remind us how it is to be Filipino.
Read more: The Philippines and its Man-Made Satellites
Above The Philippine flag (Photo: Unsplash)
The Philippine flag (Photo: Unsplash)
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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 pretty straightforward, and every detail is well thought out. The colours have their 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 country’s three principal island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. But based on historical documents, particularly the 1898 Proclamation of Independence, the stars represent Luzon, Mindanao and Panay to acknowledge that it was in these islands the revolution began. The eight rays of 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, Tarlac, 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. Contemporary civics classes often teach that white signifies purity and quality, blue for peace and justice and red for bravery or courage (also symbolising the blood 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 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”.
Read also: The Meaning Behind the PH Government’s Seals
Above Marcela Agoncillo (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Marcela Agoncillo (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
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Historians have debated plenty over the colours of the Philippine flag—particularly the shade of blue used. It has been changed multiple times and even contested by some influential figures. In 1955, a particular shade of “national flag blue” (Cable No 80077) was made official through an act by the Office of the President. However, historians such as Teodoro Agoncillo and Domingo Abella questioned the accuracy of the shade, though Marcela M Agoncillo, daughter of one of the Philippine flags’ principal makers (Doña Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo) countered their claim. To make things even more confusing, some flag makers had also created a stock that carried a lighter shade instead of the darker ones already propagated.
To remedy the decades-long confusion on the shade, an official colour was finally chosen and codified by the Republic Act No 8491, signed on February 12, 1998. It recognises “royal blue” as the official colour of the Philippine flag (Cable No 800173). This is the hue that we’ve become familiar with ever since.
See also: The History of the Traditional Filipino Attire, Barong Tagalog
Above Doña Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo sewed the country’s first flag in Hong Kong along with her daughter Lorenza Agoncillo and Jose Rizal’s niece, Delfina Herbosa de Natividad (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Doña Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo sewed the country’s first flag in Hong Kong along with her daughter Lorenza Agoncillo and Jose Rizal’s niece, Delfina Herbosa de Natividad (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
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Heralding History
Doña Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo is perhaps the first name that comes to mind when one recalls the Philippine flag. She earned the moniker of “Mother of the Philippine Flag”, for she sewed the country’s first flag in Hong Kong along with her daughter Lorenza Agoncillo and Jose Rizal’s niece, Delfina Herbosa de Natividad. The design was conceived by Emilio Aguinaldo, the country’s first president himself. The original Philippine flag was made of a silk and cotton blend and is currently kept and preserved at the Aguinaldo Museum in Baguio City. Due to its age, which is well over a hundred years, temperature, lighting and humidity are strictly controlled to ensure longevity. This was, after all, a star witness to the country’s birth and, in fact, the pièce de résistance of Independence Day in 1898.
Above Senator Robin Padilla also received criticism in December 2021 for positioning the Philippine flag with the red on the left (Photo: Facebook / Robin Padilla)
Senator Robin Padilla also received criticism in December 2021 for positioning the Philippine flag with the red on the left (Photo: Facebook / Robin Padilla)
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Proper Positions
As with any essential national symbol, there is a proper way to position and display the Philippine flag. When in a horizontal position, the blue bicolour should be atop during times of peace. In times of war, the flag will be displayed upside down, with the red atop the blue. When in a vertical position, the blue side should be on the left (from the observer’s perspective) during times of peace but on the right during times of war. Last May 2022, a billboard on EDSA recently made headlines when it showed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr posing in front of the Philippine flag, with the red colour on the left, which should indicate a time of upheaval.
Senator Robin Padilla also received criticism in December 2021 for positioning the Philippine flag with the red on the left. In response, he commented that it was his daily reminder that he is at war “against poverty, corruption, and colonisation”.
Many laypeople may not realise this, but the Philippine flag has many mandates and responsibilities. Republic Act 8491 outlines how to use and display the Philippine flag correctly. This coming Independence Day, it may be a good idea to familiarise yourself with it just as a simple acknowledgement of all the sacrifices that make this flag possible.
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