Jamaine Punzalan

The Philippine Navy leads a flag raising ceremony at the Monument of Dr. Jose Rizal in Luneta Park on the celebration of the country’s 124th National Flag Day on May 28, 2022. National Flag Day marks the day the Philippine flag was first unfurled in Imus, Cavite and culminates on Independence Day, June 12. ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News Intern

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174839949295920220528-national-flag-day-aa-1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Philippine Navy leads a flag raising ceremony at the Monument of Dr. Jose Rizal in Luneta Park on the celebration of the country’s 124th National Flag Day on May 28, 2022. National Flag Day marks the day the Philippine flag was first unfurled in Imus, Cavite and culminates on Independence Day, June 12. <em>ABS-CBN News/File </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) is urging the public to display the Philippine flag in observance of National Flag Day this May 28. </p><p>May 28 is National Flag Day under Presidential Proclamation No. 374, s. 1965. Executive Order No. 179, s. 1994 meanwhile encourages Filipinos to display the flag at establishments from May 28 to June 12, 2025.  </p><div><strong>HOW THE FLAG WAS CREATED</strong></div><p>Before 1896, Filipinos had no common flag, the <a href="https://nhcp.gov.ph/the-controversial-philippine-national-flag/">NHCP </a>said. </p><p>It said the use of flags became common in the Philippines during the height of the revolution. Various Katipunan generals designed flags for their units, but none were classified as a “national” flag.</p><p>&quot;Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo aspired to establish a new nation to be signified by a flag and an anthem during the second phase of the Philippine Revolution. With this, he himself made the sketch of the flag that he submitted to Doña Marcela Agoncillo who was then living...in Hong Kong,&quot; the NHCP said. </p><p>&quot;In sewing the flag, Mrs. Agoncillo was assisted by her daughter Lorenza and by Delfina Herbosa Natividad. After five days of hard work, the flag was delivered to Aguinaldo who went back to the Philippines on 17 May 1898 through S.S. McCulloch. &quot; </p><p>Agoncillo said the flag was “made from fine silk with a white triangle at the left containing a sunburst with eight rays at the center, a five-pointed star at each angle of the triangle, an upper stripe of dark blue and a lower stripe of red.&quot; </p><p>&quot;The white triangle stood for the Filipinos’ hope for equality; the blue color stood for peace, truth and justice; and the red stood for patriotism and valor. The sunburst of eight rays represented the first eight provinces to take up arms against Spain, and the three stars symbolized Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” the NHCP said.</p><div><strong>WHAT SHADE OF BLUE?</strong></div><p><strong></strong>The exact shade of blue on the flag has been the subject of a decades-long debate. </p><p>Domingo Abella, the director of the National Archives and a member of the National Historical Institute, said in 1955 that the flag was meant to have a lighter shade of blue but makers only had access to dark blue cloth that was used for the American flag. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1748409716690Filipino_Flag_by_Juan_Luna.jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The painting, titled “Souvenir de 1899,” was completed by Juan Luna on May 21, 1899, in Leitmeritz, Bohemia. <em>Public Domain</em></span></span></span> Juan Luna’s painting of the flag on May 21, 1899 illustrated the flag in China blue, not navy blue, while Mariano Ponce in his letter to Ferdinand Blumentritt described the shade “as blue as the sky” symbolizing hope.</div><p>Ponce’s description was complemented by Salvador Vivencio del Rosario’s in his article “La Bandera de la Patria” in October 1899 where he said the blue in the flag was “color celeste” (color of the sky), according to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). </p><p>But the NHCP said that numerous personalities maintained that the color of the flag is navy blue or dark blue.</p><p>The daughter of the flag-maker, also named Marcela Agoncillo, argued Aguinaldo never questioned the color of the flag. </p><p>Arturo Tolentino, who had served as senator and secretary of foreign affairs, also argued that flag adopted by the 1935 and the 1973 constitutions, which had a dark blue, should be maintained because it was “consecrated and honored by the people”. </p><p>On February 25, 1985, then President Ferdinand Marcos issued an executive order that specified that the blue is a shade lighter than navy blue but darker than sky blue or azure. </p><p>Presently, Cable No. 80173 (Pantone 286C, Hex #0038A8) is the official shade of blue in the Philippine flag.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YeTj3H9yks4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The National Historical Commission of the Philippines urges the public to display the Philippine flag in observance of National Flag Day this May 28, 2025.</p>

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines urges the public to display the Philippine flag in observance of National Flag Day this May 28, 2025.

'Wata-what' you might not know about the Philippine flag

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Nation

'Wata-what' you might not know about the Philippine flag

ABS-CBN News Intern,

Lawrence Coruno

Published May 28, 2025 01:29 PM PHT

Read More:

National Flag Day

National Historical Commission of the Philippines

fast facts

ABSNews

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.