The Philippine national flag has a rectangular design that consists of a white equilateral triangle, symbolizing liberty, equality and fraternity; a horizontal blue stripe for peace, truth, and justice; and a horizontal red stripe for patriotism and valor.

History of the Philippine Flag

During his exile in Hong Kong in 1897, General Emilio Aguinaldo designed the Philippine flag as it looks today. Mrs. Marcela de Agoncillo sewed it with the help of her daughter Lorenza and Mrs. Josefina Herbosa de Natividad (niece of Dr. Jose Rizal). It was made of silk with a white triangle at the left containing a sunburst of eight rays at the center, a five-pointed star at each angle of the triangle, an upper stripe of dark blue, and a lower stripe of red. The white triangle stands for equality and fraternity; the upper blue stripe for peace, truth and justice; and the lower red stripe for patriotism and valor. The sunburst of eight rays inside the triangle represented the first eight provinces that took up arms against Spain. The three stars symbolize the three major island groups of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The flag which Mrs. Agoncillo made in Hongkong was taken to the Philippines by General Aguinaldo. It was hoisted officially at Kawit on June 12, 1898, in connection with the proclamation of Philippine independence. From that date, it has served as the National Flag of the Philippines.

Throughout the Filipino Revolutionary War until the capture of Aguinaldo that precipitated the end of the Philippine-American War, the flag of the same design was flown with the red field on top to denote a state of war. Aguinaldo wrote about this unique feature of the Philippine flag in a letter to Captain Emmanuel A. Baja dated June 11, 1925:

Several press representatives called on me then to inquire as to how the Flag should be flown. I answered them that it should be always hoisted with the blue stripe up in time of peace. But on the battlefields and in camps during the past war, first with Spain and then with the United States of America later, our National Flag had been hoisted with the red stripe up.

Upon Aguinaldo’s capture, the Philippine Republic was abolished; the American Insular Government, under the jurisdiction of the U.S. War Department, was established. With the war over and Philippine leaders officially accepting American sovereignty over the islands, the Philippine flag was flown with the blue field on top. It was to be displayed that way henceforth during peacetime.

Today, the official Philippine Flag is rectangular in form with an aspect ratio of 1:2, meaning the length of the flag is twice longer than its width. It has a horizontal band of two colors of equal size, having on top is the royal blue and red at the bottom. The left end (viewer’s left) of the flag has a white equilateral triangle (3-sides equal to the width of the flag) which inside has symbols of 3-stars at each corner and a sun having 8-rays is in the center of the triangle.

What is the standard size of flag?

3'x5'

The usual size of a flag used at home is 3'x5'. A casket flag is 9-1/2'x5'. The table below shows the appropriate size flag to fly on flagpoles of several heights. According to Executive Order 10834, official flags (not personal flags) must meet these standards.

What does the eight rays represent?

The 8 rays of the sun of the flag symbolizes the provinces of Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna and Batangas. The latter group were the first to be placed under Martial Law by Spain when the Philippine Revolution began.

Who is allowed to salute the Philippine Flag?

As a sign of respect, all persons shall stand at attention and face the Philippine flag, if there is one displayed, and if there is none, they shall face the band or the conductor. At the first note, all persons shall execute a salute by placing their right palms over their left chests.

Can civilian salute the flag?

It should never be dipped by way of compliment or salute to or for any person, except when used for exchanging courtesy as official act between States. The only flag that may float above the National Flag is a church pennant to symbolize “God above Country.”

What is the Flag Law of 1907?

No 1696. —An Act to prohibit the display of flags, banners, emblems, or devices used in the Philippine Islands for the purpose of rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States and the display of Katipunan flags, banners, emblems, or devices, and for other purposes.

How do you hang the Philippine Flag?

For household and office display, the flag must be displayed vertically, with the triangle on top. The blue field should be to the right (left of observer) and the red field to the left (right of the observer). The flag should never be displayed horizontally except in flagpoles or hung fastened by its fly.

Where is the original Philippine Flag?

BAGUIO CITY

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Without the original netting that held it, the flag first flown by Gen Emilio Aguinaldo 115 years ago would be in tatters. Delicate as it is, however, that independence flag – the one sewn by Marcela Agoncillo and Rizal's niece in Hongkong – is on display at a museum in Baguio City.

What is the National Motto of the Philippines?

4M - Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan at Makabansa (Filipino for "For God, People, Nature, and Country" or "For the Love of God, People, Nature, and Country") is the national motto of the Philippines.

TRIVIA:

1. Is it disrespectful for a civilian to salute a soldier?

• Well, it's not. "The issue with saluting veterans is if you're a civilian, you really shouldn't be doing it," Siegal said. "In the military, saluting is a part of ceremony and it's very prescriptive. If you're not in uniform, you can't salute,"

2. Who is the mother of the Philippine Flag?

• Doña Marcela Mariño Agoncillo (Mariño y Coronel;) June 24, 1859 – May 30, 1946) was Filipina renowned as the principal seamstress of the first and official flag of the Philippines, gaining her the title of "The Mother of the Philippine Flag."

3. How old is the Philippines?

• The Philippines takes its name from Philip II, who was king of Spain during the Spanish colonization of the islands in the 16th century. Because it was under Spanish rule for 333 years and under U.S. tutelage for a further 48 years, the Philippines has many cultural affinities with the West.

4. What is the original name of the Philippines?

• Las Islas Filipinas
• In 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II of Spain. In 1565, the first Hispanic settlement in the archipelago was established, and the Philippines became part of the Spanish Empire for more than 300 years.

7 facts you should know about the Philippine flag

1. The Philippine flag was heavily inspired by the U.S. flag

The similarity between the two flags is not mere coincidence. As a form of “profound gratitude,” the designers of the flag decided to honor the U.S. for its “disinterested protection” of the Philippines, thus the red, blue and white theme and the use of stars.

2. The three stars denote Luzon, Mindanao and Panay

The three stars signify Luzon, Panay and Mindanao and not Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Proclamation of Independence in 1898 referred to these as “the archipelago’s three principal islands.” The stars, it added, commemorate the places where the Spanish revolution started.

3. The white triangle represents the Katipunan

As the Philippine’s most dominant and influential force during the Spanish revolution, the society sparked the masses into fighting for their rights and our country’s sovereignty. Furthermore, the triangle also refers to the “Eye of Providence” which was adopted by freemasonry and later inspired the Katipunan’s ideologies, traditions and rituals.

4. The sun combines two representations

The rays indicate the eight provinces – Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna and Batangas – as the foremost regions that supported the revolt, but the sun also embodies the “gigantic steps made by the sons of the country along the path of progress and civilization.”

5. The shades of red and blue used by the flag were revised

In 1985, former President Ferdinand Marcos attempted to change the shades of these two colors, but his proposal was ultimately rejected after the EDSA revolution. However during the centennial year of the proclamation of independence in 1998, navy blue was replaced with royal blue.

6. The flag was once banned in the Philippines

In 1907, Act No. 1697 or the Flag Law of 1907 was passed and it prohibited the display of the Philippine flag which was then replaced by the stars and stripes of U.S. After 11 years and upon liberation from the U.S. this law was repealed and the Philippine flag was reinstated as the nation’s official standard.

7. The Philippine, Cuban and Puerto Rican flags are strikingly similar

If you put these three flags side by side, you would be able to notice the physical aspects that they share. Aside from these striking resemblances, these three countries were also former Spanish colonies in the 19th century.