“Vexillologists say the flag is a symbol of unity as it stands for the unity of the multi-ethnic and multi-lingual Filipinos from up north in Batanes to down south in Tawi Tawi”
As the country celebrates its 125th Independence Day today and marks the end of the 16-day period of honoring National Flag Day which began on May 28, we ask where is the first Philippine flag now?
On March 6, 1965, Presidential Proclamation 374 was issued declaring May 28 as National Flag Day to commemorate the date the national emblem was first unfurled after the Philippine Revolutionary Army defeated the Spanish forces in the Battle at Alapan, Imus, Cavite in 1898
Nearly 30 years later, on May 23, 1994, Executive Order 79 was issued extending the period of celebrating National Flag Day from May 28 to June 12.
It is observed as a national holiday in the Philippines in celebration of the country’s independence from Spain, which ruled the nation for 377 years as from 1521 when Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, sailing under the flag of Spain, discovered the islands for Europe.
It was in 1898 when the flag was hoisted for the first time and the nation came together to form the country’s first republic.
On these dates—May 28 to June 12—Filipinos are encouraged to display the Philippine flag in all offices, agencies and instruments of government, business establishments, schools, and private homes throughout this period, according to the government’s Philippine Information Agency.
There are rules and prohibitions in the proper display of the National Flag to give respect and reverence to this symbol of national sovereignty and solidarity as it is the embodiment of the country’s ideals, culture and tradition.
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.
When the flag is displayed in a manner other than by being flown from a staff, it should be displayed flat, whether indoors or out.
When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag’s own right, that is, to the observer’s left.
In displaying the Philippine Flag, there are some prohibitions too, as it is the most powerful visual representation of the nation’s common heritage, it symbolizes the country’s sovereignty and national solidarity, thus, it should be treated with reverence and respect at all times, the PIA said.
Do not use the Flag as festoon, tablecloth; cover for ceilings, walls, statues, or other objects; pennant in the hood, side, back, and top of motor vehicles; staff or whip; unveiling monuments or statues; and trademarks or for industrial, commercial, or agricultural labels or designs.
Never display the Flag in the following manner: under any painting or picture; horizontally face-up.
It shall always be hoisted aloft and be allowed to fall freely; below any platform; or in discotheques, cockpits, night and day clubs, casinos, gambling joints, and places of vice or where frivolity prevails.
It is also prohibited to vandalize, mutilate, defile, or step on the flag; it cannot be dipped as a way to compliment or salute any person or object; to wear the flag in whole or in part as a costume or uniform; to add any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawings, advertisements, or imprint of any nature on the flag; to print, paint or attach representation of the flag on handkerchiefs, napkins, cushions, and other articles of merchandise; to display in public any foreign flag, except in embassies and other diplomatic establishments, and in offices of international organizations; to use, display or be part of any advertisement of infomercial; and to display the flag in front of buildings or offices occupied by aliens.
Any person or judicial entity which violates any of the provisions of Republic Act 8491 known as an Act Prescribing the Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-Arms and Other heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than P5,000 but not more than P20,000, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
The first Philippine flag was sewn by Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad in Hong Kong and first flown in battle on May 28, 1898.
Vexillologists say the flag is a symbol of unity as it stands for the unity of the multi-ethnic and multi-lingual Filipinos from up north in Batanes to down south in Tawi Tawi.
A common flag has the power to bring together people of various ethnicities under one nationality as they work together for the betterment of their nation with pride.
It is a day to renew one’s nationalism, particularly that the Philippines had been under colonial rule for centuries, and its people’s revolution and the struggle for independence are admirable, vexillologists say.
For every Filipino, this day serves as a reminder of their journey and rekindles their love for their country and allows citizens and residents of the country to spend some quality time with their loved one
But we go back to the first paragraph: Where is the first Philippine flag now, the one sewn by the Taal, Batangas-born Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo (1860-1946) et al.?
It is still in the care of the Aguinaldo Museum in Happy Glen Loop Rd, in Baguio City, a museum owned and managed by the descendants of former Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964).
A daughter ofthe former President built the museum in1985 to serve as a shelter for the first Philippine flag.
Twenty-six years later, the grandchildren of Cristina Aguinaldo-Suntay, daughter of Aguinaldo, agreed to turn the facility into an interactive museum.
It is now a tribute to the revolutionaries of different eras who had taken a significant role in fighting for the country’s independence.