Philippines Flag

You know I never knew the story behind the Philippine Flag, until I came across this site and learned alot! It quite interesting read and found we as filipinos been fighting for independence for along time from the Spanish Rule! Also did you know that we were under Spanish ruling for 333 yrs! That’s a long time coming for being an independent country – then we were under the US ruling, but after WWII decided to give what we always have fought for, our own independence!

Here’s an exerpt of the story behind the flag…“ The Philippine National Flag made its first public appearance at General Aguinaldo’s declaration of independence from Spain. Prior to this flag, there were several Katipunan flags and war banners and some of the revolutionary generals had their own flags, some of which stand some similarity to the present national flag. The Philippine flag was banned at certain times during the US and Japanese occupation. The exact specifications of the flag were placed down in 1936 although the blue used in the flag has long been an issue of debate amongst historians. The blue was changed to royal blue in 1998 as a compromise to the argument regarding the use of a Cuban blue, American (or navy) blue and sky blue used in previous flags.

While in forced exile abroad, one of the first tasks of the founding fathers of the aspiring new nation was the preparation of the symbols of state – a new flag and a new Philippine National anthem. They decided to have a new common flag to use in another attempt at independence. This new flag would not have the stigma of disunity of the previous war standards, and it would symbolize the common aspirations for freedom.

The design of the new flag was decided by General Emilio Aguinaldo and the other leaders after a great deal of discussion and study. The sketch was submitted to Mrs. Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo, who was living with her husband Don Felipe Agoncillo at No. 535 Morrison Hill Road, Hong Kong, where the other exiles lived. This patriotic woman was requested by General Aguinaldo to make the flag because of her skill in sewing, which she acquired from her hometown of Lipa, Batangas and her student days at the Colegio de Santa Catalina, Manila.

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star.” taken from Philippine Country website – go visit as there are more details of the history of the Philippine Flag. You will find it fascinating and be appreciated of what our forefathers had to go through to be where we are today.