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Adding ninth ray of sun in PH flag would 'destroy' its historical context: historian

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/12/20170612-independecne-flag-zambales-jd.jpg"/><figcaption>Filipino youth activists brave the waves as they hoist a Philippine flag on the shores of Zambales facing the West Philippine Sea on June 12, 2017, Independence Day, as a symbol of the country’s claim to the disputed territory. <em>Jun Dumaguing, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Adding another ray to the 8-ray sun in the Philippine flag would &quot;destroy&quot; the historical context behind the symbolism, a historian said Tuesday amid recurrent calls for such move. </p><p>Xiao Chua, a historian and lecturer at the De La Salle University, explained that there is usually a misconception about what the eight rays of the sun in the Philippine flag represent.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1431687" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="~//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="~//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Most Filipinos think of the rays as a representation of the first eight provinces- Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac- that joined the revolt for the country&#x27;s independence during the Spanish occupation.</p><p>But Chua said this was not so. </p><p>&quot;These were just the 8 provinces in which the Spaniards suspected that there are members of the Katipunan,&quot; he told ANC&#x27;s &quot;Beyond Politics&quot; in reference to the revolutionary movement.</p><p>&quot;To add the ninth ray to it would destroy the historical context. It is something that is not correct should we say it,&quot; he added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/06/12/18/paglagay-ng-ika-9-na-sinag-ng-araw-sa-watawat-ng-pilipinas-isinusulong">Paglagay ng ika-9 na sinag ng araw sa watawat ng Pilipinas, isinusulong</a></li></ul><p>There have been propositions to add a ninth ray of the sun in the Philippine flag to represent the Muslim community. </p><p>As the Philippines marked its 120th year of independence, Chua explained that there is no need to alter the country&#x27;s flag since it already represents Filipinos well.</p><p>&quot;The sun in the flag represents the nation shining including all ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines,&quot; he said.<br/> <br/>&quot;So if you look at it, that flag symbolizes all of us and well-thought of by our founding fathers as it is,&quot; he added.<br/> </p>

<p>MANILA - Adding another ray to the 8-ray sun in the Philippine flag would "destroy" the historical context behind the symbolism, a historian said Tuesday amid recurrent calls for such move. <br /> </p>

MANILA - Adding another ray to the 8-ray sun in the Philippine flag would "destroy" the historical context behind the symbolism, a historian said Tuesday amid recurrent calls for such move.