The eight rays of the sun represent the provinces of Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga,
Nueva Ecija, Morong, Laguna, Batangas and Cavite, which were declared under
Martial Law by a Decree of the Spanish government during the revolution of 1896.
The white equilateral triangle stands for equality and fraternity. The blue stripe
means peace, truth and justice while the red stripe represents the
Filipino's patriotism and valor. The Philippine flag has changed its meaning
through the years.
For household and office display, the flagmust 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.
It also has a triangle on its left side with an 8-rayed sun and three stars. The three
stars symbolizes the island groups of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The 8 rays of
the sun of the flag symbolizes the provinces of Manila, Cavite, Bulacan,
Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna and Batangas.
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.
Philippine National Anthem. Lupang Hinirang(Tagalog, “Chosen Land”) is the
national anthem of the Philippines. Its music was composed in 1898 by Julian
Felipe, and the lyrics were adapted from the Spanish poem Filipinas, written by
José Palma in 1899.
The Philippine Flag: Symbol of ourSovereignty and Solidarity. The flag is
the country's most cherished symbol. ... It symbolizes patriotism, love
of country and sense of nationhood and embodies the aspirations and sentiments
of the Filipino people in their unceasing quest for independence.
Sun and Stars Design
The large sun featured on the flag includes eight rays jutting out from it. The eight
rays protruding from the sun are representative of the provinces of Nueva Ecija,
Manila, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Bataan that revolted
during this time.The three five pointed stars are in reference to the nation’s trio of
island groups: Visayas, Luzon, and Mindanao.
Color Symbolism
Although interpretations of the symbolism of the national flag have changed over
the years it is now currently accepted that the blue on the flag represents traits
such as justice, peace, sacrifice, and truth while the red symbolizes valor, courage,
and patriotism. The large white triangle stands for fraternity, liberty, and equality.
The large yellow sun feature is symbolic of freedom, unity, democracy, and
sovereignty.
Interestingly the shade of blue on the flag has been changed several times
throughout its history. During the time of Ferdinand Marcos’s reign as President
the authoritarian regime ordered that the dark blue on the flag be changed to a
lighter hue to better reflect earlier versions of the flag. Later, in 1997, during
Corazon Aquino’s government that color change was reversed until September 16,
1997 when the shade of blue was lightened once again in recognition of the
centennial of the original Philippine flag.
History of the National Flag of Philippines
The original design of the official flag of the Philippines was adopted in 1898. The
current version was reaffirmed by government on Feb. 12, 1998. The actual history
of the flag of the Philippines has a long and storied history. It’s initial design was
created by Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964) who served as a soldier and politician.
During his 1897 exile to British Hong Kong he designed the Philippine flag. This
early version was influenced by the Latin nations of Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru
as well as aspects of the American flag. Some historians have noted that the
Philippine flag’s colors were influenced by those found on the flags representing
Cuba and Puerto Rico.
Modern Usage of the Flag of Philippines
The flag of the Philippines serves many functions. It is flown at all government
owned buildings such as the President’s official palace, Supreme Court building,
Senate, as well as at all international entrance points.
The people of the Philippines celebrate Flag Day each year on May 28 th which also
marks the anniversary of their victory during the Battle of Alapan.
