Flag of the Philippines
In the center of the triangle is a golden-yellow sun with eight primary rays, to represent the original eight provinces that rebelled against the Spanish during the 1896 Philippine Revolution.[22] The colors of the flag were first standardized by President Ramón Magsaysay, upon the recommendation of the Philippine Historical Committee (PHC) dated January 24, 1955.In the center of the white triangle is an eight-rayed golden sun symbolizing unity, freedom, people's democracy, and sovereignty.[9][10] However, according to the Declaration of Independence and a research by Ateneo de Manila University Professor Ambeth Ocampo, the rays of the sun symbolized the first eight provinces of the Philippines which was declared under martial law during the Philippine Revolution (Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Manila, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac).[31] The proclamation explains the flag as follows: And finally it was resolved unanimously that this Nation, already independent from today should use the same flag which it has used, whose shape and colors are described in the attached drawing rendering realistically the three aforementioned forces representing the white triangle as the distinctive symbol of the famed Society of the Katipunan, which through the blood compact impelled the masses to rise in revolt; the three stars representing the three principal islands of this Archipelago — Luzon, Mindanao, and Panay (Visayas) in which the revolutionary movement broke out; the sun indicating the gigantic steps taken by the children of this country on the road to progress and civilization; the eight rays symbolizing the eight provinces of the Philippines,[a] and the colors of blue, red and white commemorating the flag of the United States of North America as a manifestation of our profound gratitude towards this Great Nation for its disinterested protection which it lends us, and continues to lend us.And, carrying this flag, I unfurl it before the gentlemen assembled here—[List of names of the delegates]—and we all solemnly swear to acknowledge and defend it to the last drop of our blood.The symbolism given in the 1898 Proclamation of Philippine Independence differs from the current official explanation.[31] The various leaders of the Katipunan, such as Andrés Bonifacio, Mariano Llanera, and Pío del Pilar, also had individual war standards.[41] The original design of the flag adopted a mythical sun (Sun of May) with a face influenced by The Republics of the Rio de la Plata, Argentina and Uruguay, which in turn represent Inti the Incan Sun-god; a triangle, representing the Katipunan which inspired by the Eye of Providence in the Great Seal of the United States and the Masonic Triangle and which enshrined Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité of the French Revolution; the stripes and colors derived from the American flag.[31] During the session of the Malolos Congress, Aguinaldo presented the symbolism of the official flag to the members, delegates and representatives of the assembly as follows:[34] The Flag bears three colors, three stars, and a sun, the meaning of which are as follows: the red is symbolic of Filipino courage which is second to none, and was the color used during the war in the province of Cavite since the 31st of August 1896, until the Peace of Biak-na-Bato [in 1897]; the blue carries an allegorical meaning that all Filipinos will prefer to die before submitting ourselves to the invader, whoever he may be; the white conveys the idea that, like other nations, the Filipinos know how to govern themselves, and that they do not recede from observation of foreign powers.The sun and its rays stirred up Filipinos and spread the light over their world, piercing the clouds that enshrouded it; it is now the light which brightens every spot in the Philippine islands, and under its influence the Itas, Igorots, Manguians, and Moros, all of whom I believe were made in the image of God, and whom I recognize as our brethren, now come down from the mountains to join with us.The original flag that was first hoisted on May 28, 1898, and unfurled during the Declaration of independence on June 12, 1898, is believed to being preserved at the Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Museum in Baguio.In ceremonies held in October 1943, Emilio Aguinaldo hoisted the flag with the original Cuban blue and red colors restored.The flag was initially flown with the blue stripe up, until President José P. Laurel proclaimed the existence of a state of war with the Allied Powers in 1944.The Commonwealth government-in-exile in Washington, D.C. continued to use the flag with the American colors, and had flown it with the red stripe up since the initial invasion of the Japanese.Prior to the 1998 independence centennial celebrations, the provincial government of Zambales lobbied that the sunburst design accommodate a ninth ray, reasoning that their province was also in a state of rebellion in 1896.[60] In December 1987, congressman Alawadin Bandon Jr. of Tawi-Tawi proposed the addition of a ninth ray to the Philippine flag's sun to represent "Muslim participation" in the Philippine Revolution, arguing that "As a Muslim I am assaulted by a feeling of alienation in being excluded from the symbolic narration of the great history of the country.[63] Emmanuel L. Osorio, one of the founders of the Ninth Ray movement, also came up with a proposal adding not only a ninth ray to the flag's sun but adding a fourth star to the flag, representing North Borneo (present-day Sabah), a territory claimed by the Philippines but currently under Malaysian sovereignty.Ramos directed Education Secretary Ricardo Gloria in 1995 to form a commission of scholars to research on the possible modification of the flag.The display of the Philippine flag in cockpit arenas, casinos, disco venues, night and day clubs, gambling joints, houses of prostitution, methamphetamine consumption areas, strip clubs, rub'n'tug s, methadone clinics, and "places of vice or where frivolity prevails" is illegal.The flag may also be required to fly at half-mast upon the death of other persons to be determined by the National Historical Institute, for a period less than seven days.[77] The flag may also be used to cover the caskets of the dead of the tanod, military and police, civil uniformed services, fire fighter, senator, congress, traffic enforcer, cadets military, cadets police, supreme court judge, Filipino governance servants, veterans of previous wars veteran soldiers, national artists, uniformed rescuers, PNP SWAT and outstanding civilians as determined by the local government.[19] To indicate a state of war, the red field is flown upwards and is placed on the right (i.e., the observer's left) when hung vertically.The official national flag flying period starts from May 28 and ends on Independence Day, June 12, every year, although the flying period for the flag in homes, businesses and public establishments may start on a specified day of May (to be given by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines) and may last until June 30.
Philippine flag with the proposed ninth ray.
Osorio's proposal
National flagensignFirst Philippine RepublicEmilio AguinaldoWar flagthe Philippinesroyal bluecrimson redprovinces that rebelled against the Spanish during the 1896 Philippine RevolutionVisayasMindanaolibertyequalityfraternityaspect ratioRamón MagsaysayPhilippine Historical CommitteeTextile Color Card Association of the United StatesFerdinand E. MarcosNational Historical InstituteCorazon C. AquinoPeople Power RevolutioncentennialColor Association of the United Statescolor spacesCable No.PantoneManilaIloiloliberty, equality and fraternitypatriotismPhilippine RevolutionBulacanCavitePampangaLagunaBatangasTarlacNueva EcijaMorongAteneo de Manila UniversityAmbeth OcampoPanay IslandProclamation of Philippine IndependenceKatipunanflag of the United StatesEvolution of the Philippine FlagFlags of the Philippine RevolutionmasonicAndrés BonifacioMariano LlaneraPío del PilarthimblePresidential Museum & LibraryMarcela Mariño AgoncilloDelfina Herbosa NatividadJosé RizalBattle of AlapanManila TimesDiosdado MacapagalCavite Cityproclamation of independenceAguinaldo's ResidenceSun of MayThe Republics of the Rio de la PlataArgentinaUruguayGreat Seal of the United StatesLiberté, Égalité, FraternitéFrench RevolutionAmerican flagPuerto RicoMalolos CongressBaguioNational Historical Commission of the PhilippinesFernando AmorsoloFlag Act of 1907Philippine LegislatureFlag DayCommonwealth of the PhilippinesManuel L. Quezonequilateral triangleJosé P. LaurelAllied PowersList of flags of the PhilippinesNew SpainCross of BurgundyBritish occupation of ManilaEast India CompanyKingdom of Great BritainUnion FlagSt George's CrossSt Andrew's CrossSpanish East IndiesCastilleFirst Spanish Republicrestoration of the Spanish monarchyPresidentMarcela Mariño de AgoncilloHong Kongmythical sunFreemasonrySpanishFlag Law of 1907American-controlledPhilippine IslandsThirteen ColoniesOklahomaArizonaNew MexicoCommonwealthJapanese OccupationJapanese flagSecond RepublicUniversity of the PhilippinesZambalesBlas OpleQuezonMount BanahawHermano PuleTawi-TawiAquilino Pimentel Jr.Richard GordonFrancis EscuderoHouse of RepresentativesMoro people