Symbolism of the Philippine Flag

SYMBOLISM OF THE PHILIPPINE FLAG

by Antonio C. Antonio

March 3, 2015

The Philippine national flag has a rectangular design that consists of a white equilateral triangle, symbolizing EQUALITY and FRATERNITY and the EMBLEM OF THE KATIPUNAN; a horizontal blue stripe for PEACE, TRUTH, and JUSTICE; and a horizontal red stripe for PATRIOTISM and VALOR.  Ordinarily the flag is hoisted with the blue stripe on top; but when the Philippines is in a state of war, the red stripe is on top.  In the center of the white triangle is an eight-rayed golden sun symbolizing UNITY, FREEDOM, PEOPLE’S DEMOCRACY, and SOVEREIGNTY.  Each ray represents one of the FIRST EIGHT PROVINCES THAT STARTED THE 1896 PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION AGAINST SPAIN.  Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, who wrote the Philippine Declaration of Independence and who read it on the occasion of its proclamation on June 12, 1898, has listed the eight provinces as Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Laguna and Batangas.  Three five-pointed stars, one for each of the triangle’s point, stand for the THREE MAJOR ISLAND GROUPS where the revolution started --- Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. 

One symbolism, the three stars, is now being threatened by a terrorist-secessionist group by the way they are acting and using terror, intimidation, murder and armed aggression to pursue their selfish ends.  In my lifetime, I would not want to see our beloved country lose one star (Mindanao) or a portion of this star… and, therefore, wave a different flag.  (Please see photo.)  Our forefathers have shed enough blood, sacrificed so much and fought hard to uphold these symbolism.  It would be a shame for us to let them down.

Just my little thoughts…

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