Nation observes National Flag Day

Dictinctive among the flags of the world, the horizontal bicolor Philippine flag features two bands, royal blue and scarlet red in color, of equal proportions. It evolved from a series of revolutionary flags and Katipunan war banners. President Emilio F. Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines, came up with the design of the flag as we know it in 1897.

His design was first executed by Marcela Marino de Agoncillo, who was assisted by her daughter Lorenza and Delfina Herbosa de Nativided, a niece of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

It was first displayed in battle in May 28, 1898, in Alapan, and its formal unveiling was during the June 12, 1898, Declaration of Independence in Kawit, Cavite.

President Aguinaldo said that the red symbolized Filipino valor, which is second to none; it stands for courage, bravery, and the rich tradition of patriotism among Filipinos. The blue band represents the loftiness of the Filipino struggle for freedom, and also the honorable ideas of truth, peace, and justice.

These bands are complemented by a white triangle and this color, said President Aguinaldo, symbolized the capacity of Filipinos to govern themselves. The 1898 Proclamation of Philippine Independence says that the triangle symbolized the Katipunan; today, this equilateral triangle stands for equality of Filipinos among themselves, and with the rest of the world.

On the white triangle is a golden yellow sun featuring eight primary rays, each containing three individual rays. President Manuel L. Quezons Executive Order 23 dated March 25, 1936, declared that the sun represented the huge strides made by Filipinos on the road to progress.

This suns eight rays represent the eight provinces declared by the colonial government to be in a state of war; they were, in fact, the first eight provinces to rise against the Spanish Manila, Bulacan,! Pampang a, Morong, Laguna, Batangas, Nueva Ecija, and Cavite. At each vertex of the triangle is a five-pointed star of the same color as the sun; these three stars represent Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the three major geographical subdivisions of the Philippines.

It is unique among the flags of the world in that it is flown with the blue band up during times of peace, but reversed to fly the red band in times of war. The Philippine flag becomes more significant when one understands its symbolism.

It is a rich tapestry of what makes us unique as Filipinos, embodying the ideals and principles that our forefathers cherished, and which helped lead an entire country to freedom from foreign rule. Thus, it deserves a special place in our hearts and memories. Mabuhay! via tempo.com.ph