Philippine flag

Philippine flag
See File history below for details. · Public domain · source
Name	Flag of the Philippines
Use	National flag
Proportion	1:2
Adoption	June 12, 1898
Design	A horizontal bicolor of royal blue and scarlet with a white equilateral triangle at the hoist bearing a golden sun with eight rays and three five-pointed stars

Philippine flag The Philippine flag is the national banner adopted during the Philippine Declaration of Independence on June 12, 1898, used as a symbol of national identity and sovereignty among Filipinos in Manila, Cavite, Iloilo City, Zamboanga City, and across the Philippine archipelago. It appears in civic rites associated with the Malolos Republic, the First Philippine Republic, the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, the People Power Revolution, and the contemporary Republic of the Philippines state. The flag's motifs reference figures and entities such as Emilio Aguinaldo, Andrés Bonifacio, José Rizal, Apolinario Mabini, and institutions like the Ateneo de Manila University, the University of the Philippines, and the Philippine Senate where it is prominently displayed.

Description and symbolism

The flag consists of a white equilateral triangle, a royal blue field, and a scarlet red field; within the triangle are a golden sun with eight primary rays and three five-pointed golden stars representing the historic regions of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Symbols evoke personalities and events including Andrés Bonifacio's Katipunan, the Cry of Pugad Lawin, the Tejeros Convention, and the revolutionary governance of Emilio Aguinaldo. The eight rays are traditionally associated with the provinces of Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, Cavite, and Batangas which played roles in the Philippine Revolution. The colors are often connected to foreign influences and local struggles, referencing interactions with Spain, the United States, and the Soviet Union-era geopolitical context that shaped 20th-century Philippine diplomacy; the blue has been described in various periods as royal blue or navy blue in documents involving the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the Office of the President of the Philippines.

History and evolution

Early revolutionary banners included standards used by Katipunan, units led by Andrés Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo, and flags flown at sites like Cavite, Binakayan, and Bacoor. The modern design was presented in the context of the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine Declaration of Independence; it evolved through the First Philippine Republic, the Malolos Constitution, and the American colonial period in the Philippines. During the Commonwealth of the Philippines era and World War II, variations appeared under the United States Army Forces in the Far East and the Philippine Scouts; the flag was suppressed during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines but reintroduced by the Philippine resistance movement and by officials of the Commonwealth government-in-exile after liberation. Postwar revisions occurred under presidents such as Manuel L. Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, Manuel Roxas, Diosdado Macapagal, Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III, and Rodrigo Duterte when legal clarifications and color standards were debated in agencies like the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the Philippine Flag and Heraldic Code implementation bodies. The flag featured centrally in public mobilizations such as the People Power Revolution at Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and has been displayed at international events including ASEAN Summit meetings and United Nations General Assembly sessions by Philippine delegations.

Design and specifications

Official specifications were set in laws and proclamations involving institutions like the Philippine National Historical Institute and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. The flag's ratio is 1:2 and the triangle is equilateral; the sun has eight rays each with three individual lines, and the three stars occupy the triangle's vertices. Precise color standards have been defined in relation to palettes used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the Civil Service Commission for uniforms and standards. Revisions to shade definitions have been contested in political debates involving presidents such as Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand Marcos when royal blue versus navy blue usage was clarified in executive directives and legislative inquiries by the House of Representatives of the Philippines and the Senate of the Philippines. The flag's elements have been described in military manuals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and in ceremonial guides of the Philippine National Police.

Protocol and usage

Flag protocol is governed by the Philippine Flag and Heraldic Code and enforced by agencies like the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and local offices of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Rules specify display at civic sites including the Malacañang Palace, Bahay Pangarap, Rizal Park, provincial capitols such as Cebu Provincial Capitol, and municipal halls in places like Davao City and Baguio. Protocol covers half-mast procedures observed after events involving figures such as Benigno Aquino Jr., Ramon Magsaysay, Cora Capistrano (note: lesser-known examples), and state funerals managed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines honor guards. The flag is used in diplomatic settings at missions like the Embassy of the Philippines, Washington, D.C., on naval vessels such as those of the Philippine Navy, and in parades by the Philippine Marine Corps and Philippine Air Force honor units; during wartime the orientation of colors historically signified state of war as in episodes involving the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War.

Manufacture and variants

Manufacture standards for flags distributed to entities such as the Department of Education (Philippines), the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine Red Cross follow textile guidelines from suppliers that have provided flags for events like the Araw ng Kagitingan commemorations and the Independence Day ceremonies. Variants include ceremonial large-scale flags used at venues like Rizal Monument and sports stadia such as the Philippine Arena, hand-held versions sold in markets near Quiapo Church and Divisoria, and maritime ensigns for the Philippine Navy and commercial fleets registered with the Maritime Industry Authority. Contemporary adaptations appear in artworks by Filipino artists exhibited at institutions like the Cultural Center of the Philippines and private commissions for entities such as the Ayala Corporation and SM Supermalls, while legal restrictions on alterations are enforced under provisions cited by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

Category:Flags of the Philippines