The celebration of
Philippine Flag Days starts on May 28 and lasts until June 12. It commemorates the Battle
of Alapan on May 28, 1898 when the flag was first carried in an uprising led by
General Emilio Aguinaldo in Imus, Cavite. The event culminates on June 12, commemorating
the proclamation of Philippine independence in Kawit, Cavite when the flag was
first waved.
Our national flag is a
horizontal flag bicolor with equal bands of royal blue and scarlet red and a
white equilateral triangle at the hoist. In the center of the triangle is a
golden yellow sun with eight primary rays which represents the country’s first
group of provinces that started the 1896 Philippine Revolution against Spain
and each vertex of the triangle is a five pointed golden yellow star, each of which
represents the country’s 3 main islands – Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
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| Amorsolo's The Making of the Philippine Flag depicting Agoncillo and company's manual sewing |
The flag was conceptualized
by President Emilio Aguinaldo during his exile in Hongkong. The shades of blue
and red were adopted from the American flag. The first flag was hand sewn by Marcela
de Agoncillo with the help of her daughter Lorenza and Jose Rizal's niece Delfina Herbosa de
Natividad.
During the 2 weeks
celebration, all Filipinos are encouraged to display the Philippine flag in all
offices, government agencies, business establishments, school and private homes
provided that they abide the law governing its proper use and display as
mandated by Republic Act 8491 or The Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.
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