15 Facts About Philippines Flag: History, Symbols And Meaning Revealed

Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason
Oct 05, 2023 By Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason
Originally Published on Jan 17, 2022
One of the famous facts about the Philippines flag in the present-day flag is not the first flag which the country had, the first flag was revised and then the current flag came in the picture.

Every country has its own flag and every flag has a story; originally flags were made solely for military purposes.

The use of a national flag is quite simple, flags are used as field signs, they represent a nation. However, in the earlier times, the use of flags was only during wartime, later on, flags came into use even outside of it after the early 17th century.

Flags were initially used in the Indian subcontinent. The Chinese Zhou dynasty also used them widely.

They were used to show from where someone belongs and identification of where someone comes from.

However, after the 17th century, it became very common for flags to be more of a patriotic symbol. Nonetheless, even today many flags have several military interpretations which indicate the national language, patriotism, and what that country stands for.

All countries have a flag, out of all these, the Philippine flag tells a whole new story.

The Philippines national flag has a white equilateral triangle, the same also has various rectangular designs as well. The Philippines flag depicts Agoncillo, along with which the flag of the Philippines also represents several other things.

The horizontal red stripe in the flag of the Philippines is about patriotism and love towards the country. The white triangle is a symbol of liberty and equality; the flag of the Philippines also has three five-pointed stars that represent the island groups.

The original flag had the color blue, yes the first flag of the Philippines was somewhere between pale sky blue and royal blue.

After the invasion of Japanese rule, the horizontal stripes and the flag's colors were changed a little. After the revolutionary movement, the horizontal blue stripe flag was dropped and the official flag was now red instead of dark blue.

The flag of the Philippines also speaks highly about the Filipino revolutionary army and the Philippines revolution.

The revision of the original Philippine flag was done shortly after 1941, which is where the navy blue color comes from. It's often easy to confuse the Philippine flag with the Puerto Rican flag, as they are very similar to one another and the color pallet is also the same.

After the first Philippine flag, right after Spanish rule and after defending Spanish forces with the help of The US government, the three stars were also added right after that.

Thus the Philippine flag, indeed, speaks a lot and mostly about independence day and their principal islands. The Philippine flag is very important to the country since it speaks about their history from Spanish forces to the Japanese invasion, the flag of the Philippines is a national flag for a reason.

Philippines Flag History

In the Philippine flag, the anthropomorphic eight rayed sun represents the eight provinces. The flag speaks a lot about the Philippine independence and the struggle that went behind it.

The flag was made by three Filipino women and was also sewn by them. The flag is very beautifully sewed and the flag's length is twice its width, the same was done to enhance the flag a lot more.

The three women who sewed the flag were Marcela, Lorenza, and Delfina herbosa. The flag and its eight primary rays tell a story that is a century old.

Like other flags, this flag also has certain symbols which give meaning to it.

The eight rays, three stars, and white equilateral triangle of the flag of the Philippines speak a lot about the nation. The first time when the flag was flown was in the year 1898.

The flag of the Philippines was first brought in front of the public during the independence day while singing the national anthem. The Philippines has a rich history and the Philippine flag does justice to it.

The flag is full of colors, and each color means something. As it can be seen in various Katipunan flags, the white triangles, which also reflect on the Philippines flag.

The same was added to the flag as obeying the Katipunan standard.

Since the Philippines was occupied by Spain, the country is directly influenced by Spanish rule. During initial times, in the year 1521, the Philippines was named after King Philip, which was Las Filipinas.

Today, the Philippines is known for a lot of things, the primary thing the country is known for is its beautiful beaches and its fruits. Many tourists visit the Philippines every year to enjoy the rich culture and the most beautiful of beaches which the country has to offer.

Everything About Philippines Flag Design

A national flag represents the history of a country and what they believe in. A national flag is a symbol of patriotism and belongingness and its design often means a lot of things.

The Philippine flag has been revised, thus the first flag was a little lighter than the present dark blue. The light blue color can be seen clearly in the present flag of the Philippines.

The local citizens of the Philippines also wanted a crescent moon on the flag, as a representation of the Muslim population of the country.

However, at present, the national flag of the Philippines is celebrated during flag days or any day of national importance. The Philippine flag has a white triangle which talks about liberty and also symbolizes equality and fraternity.

Apart from the white triangle the flag also has blue stripes, which are the color of navy blue, the same represents peace, truth, and also justice.

The flag also has an eight rayed golden sun, the same is a symbol of unity of the people of the Philippines and the sovereignty. During the times of world war two, the national flag was shown red field flown upwards.

Philippines Flag Colors Meaning

The Philippine flag has a variety of colors, although, the original flag had different colors, the present flag has the color navy blue. A fun fact is that the old name for the Philippines is Las Filipinas.

There are a total of three colors in the Philippine flag. Blue, white and red are three of the major colors that the flag has and every color means something and adds meaning to the flag.

One reason for the Filipino flag to be made was to showcase the thoughts and ideas of all the Filipino people.

The same idea is reflected in the contents of the flag. The color white of the flag is a symbol of peace and purity, the sea can be seen in flags of the countries as well.

When it comes to the color blue, it talks strongly about the political purpose of the country.

The color blue is also a symbol of patriotism, it talks about courage and love towards the country, and heroism as well. Jos protasis Rizal Mercado is one of the patriots from the country, he is also known as the Philippines hero.

Philippines Flag Symbol Meaning

The Philippines has a very diverse and rich history. The country had many movements which are being quoted in history. The same story is greatly reflected in the flag and the symbols.

The flag mentions the primary islands and several other things which symbolise greatly the bravery and the courage of the Filipino people. The eight rays of the flag represent and shed light on the heroic first eight provinces, which are manila, cavita, Pampanga, and five others.

All the symbols collectively act like a painting that is full of several colors of patriotism, heroism, the belief of the Filipino people, and their political success.

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Written by Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason

Bachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.

Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason picture

Adekunle Olanrewaju JasonBachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.

With over 3+ years of professional experience, Olanrewaju is a certified SEO Specialist and Content Writer. He holds a BSc in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos. Throughout his dynamic career, Olanrewaju has successfully taken on various roles with startups and established organizations. He has served as a Technical Writer, Blogger, SEO Specialist, Social Media Manager, and Digital Marketing Manager. Known for his hardworking nature and insightful approach, Olanrewaju is dedicated to continuous learning and improvement.
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