Philippine Flags Fly High

Photo courtesy of Farl from http://www.flickr.com/photos/colloidfarl/82822349/

Wander around the streets of Manila this week and you will no doubt see flags strewn popping up here and there. The tradition of putting a flag on your doorstep in preparation for Independence Day lives on.

Take note of the “takatak boys” or roadside vendors who sell anything from cigarettes to fishing rods. For the past two weeks, they’ve been toting around flags of varying sizes and prices. Before you get one as a souvenir, it might be useful to know a bit about it.

For one, the flag was created by to coincide with General Aguinaldo’s proclamation of independence from Spain. Aguinaldo had it sewn by Tandang Sora or Melchora Aquino with these symbolisms in mind.

The eight rays of the sun in the triangle represent the first eight united provinces that revolted for independence – Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac. The three stars in the triangle stand for the three major geographical divisions of the country – Luzon, Mindanao, Visayas (originally Panay). The red field stands for Filipino bravery in defending their country. The blue field symbolizes unity and the aspirations of the Filipino people. The white field stands for purity while the equilateral triangle is symbolic of equality. In times of peace, the blue area is placed on top. During war, the flag is turned and the red side rides high.