Philippines

Philippines
Adopted	February 12, 1998
Proportions	1:2

The flag of the Philippines is a horizontal bicolour of blue and red, with a white equilateral triangle with its base at the hoist, with a golden stylized sun in the center of the triangle, with three golden five-pointed stars near each of the three points of the triangle, each of them facing towards the point they are nearest.

Symbolism

Colour	Object	HEX Code	Symbolism
Philippine Blue	Blue side of the bicolor	#0038a7	Peace, truth, and justice
Philippine Red	Red side of the bicolor	#ce1127	Patriotism and valor
White	Triangle	#ffffff	Liberty, Equality and Fraternity
Philippine Yellow	Eight sun rays	#fecb00	The original 8 Philippine revolutionary provinces who joined fighting against Spain for freedom
	Three stars		The three major islands, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao

Red, yellow, blue, and white are the colors of the flags of the United States and Spain, both of which are the Philippines' relationship countries.

Creation

On May 28, 1898, days after the return of General Emilio Aguinaldo from exile in Hong Kong, Filipino troops were once again engaged in a battle against Spanish forces in Alapan, Cavite. It was in this skirmish that the Philippine flag was first unfurled as the revolutionary standard.

Sewn by Doña Marcela Marino de Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad in Hong Kong and first flown in battle on May 28, 1898. It was formally unfurled during the Proclamation of Philippine Independence and the flag of the First Philippine Republic, on June 12, 1898 by President Aguinaldo. It contains a mythical sun (with a face) similar to the Sun of May in other former Spanish colonies; the triangle of Freemasonry; the eight rays representing eight rebellious provinces of the Philippines first placed under martial law by the Governor-General. The flag was initially unfurled with the blue stripe above, but was flown with the red stripe above at the outbreak of the Philippine–American War in 1899. The flag has the words Fuerzas Expeditionarias del Norte de Luzon on its obverse and Libertad Justicia e Ygualdad on its reverse.

The Creation of the Flag

History

Flag used when the Philippines was a part of New Spain from 1535 to 1821. The Cross of Burgundy: a red saltire resembling two crossed, roughly-pruned branches, on a white field.

Flag of Spain used during Spanish East Indies period (1821-1898). The flag of the Kingdom of Spain used prior to the First Spanish Republic was reinstated.

The flag of the Philippines as conceived by Emilio Aguinaldo. Used from 1898 to 1901 (the shade of blue is still a matter of debate. 3 shades have sprung up and were used by the next administrations)

Flag used from 1901 to 1908 when the Philippines was administered directly from the United States. The Philippine Commission, passed Act No. 1697 or the Flag Law of 1907, which outlawed the display of the Philippine flag and replaced the country’s flag to the stars and stripes of the United States of America. The same law prohibited the playing of the national anthem. Thirteen horizontal stripes of alternating red and white representing the original Thirteen Colonies; in the canton, white stars on a blue field, the number of stars increased as the United States expanded its territory.

Flag used from 1908 to 1919 when Oklahoma became a U.S. state.

Flag used from 1919 to 1981.The shade of Blue used here is Navy Blue, following suit from the American Flag.

The flag of the Philippines from 1943 to 1944 by the Second Philippine Republic.

Flag used from 1981 to 1986. The shade of Blue used here is Light Blue, in suit with the Cuban Flag, which rebelled against the Spanish at the time of Independence .

Flag used from 1986 to 1998.

Flag used from 1998 to present. The shade of blue used here is royal blue, as somewhat a compromise.

Abilities

• If the Philippine flag is shown upside down (with the red part on top), is a symbolization of war.

  

• Section 10 of RA 8491 states that when the flag is displayed on a wall during peacetime, the blue field is to the observers' left, as shown here.

  

• When raised at half mast, it means mourning of the death of an important person.
• The flag should be displayed in all government buildings, official residences, public plazas, and schools every day throughout the year. 

Trivia

• It has its anthem (Lupang Hinirang) and pledge (Panunumpa sa Watawat)
• It celebrates two holidays; Flag Day (May 28) and Independence Day (June 12)
• The days of the 28th of May (National Flag Day) and the 12th of June (Independence Day) are designated as flag days, during which all offices, agencies and instrumentalities of government, business establishments, institutions of learning and private homes are enjoined to display the flag.
• During the occupation of the Philippines by the USA and Japan, the Philippine flag was placed at the same mast below the USA or Japanese flag. and later abandoned that idea after World War II.