Flag of the Philippines

Republic of the Philippines
Pambansang Watawat (lit. 'National Flag')
UseNational flag and ensign Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion1:2
AdoptedJune 12, 1898; 126 years ago (1898-06-12) (original version used by the First Philippine Republic)
1936; 88 years ago (1936) (current pattern standard)
February 12, 1998; 26 years ago (1998-02-12) (current version reaffirmed by Republic Act No. 8491)
DesignA horizontal bicolor of blue and red with a white equilateral triangle based at the hoist containing three, five-pointed gold stars at its vertices, and an eight-rayed gold sun at its center.[a]
Designed byEmilio Aguinaldo
UseWar flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion1:2
DesignAs above, with the blue and red stripes switched to indicate a state of war.

The national flag of the Philippines (pambansang watawat ng Pilipinas) is a horizontal bicolor flag with equal bands of royal blue and crimson red, with a white, equilateral chevron at the hoist. In the center of the triangle is a golden-yellow sun with eight primary rays, to represent the original eight provinces that rebelled against the Spanish during the 1896 Philippine Revolution.[1][a] At each vertex of the triangle is a five-pointed, golden-yellow star, each of which representing one of the country's three main island groups—Luzon, Visayas (though originally referring to the island of Panay),[b] and Mindanao. The white triangle at the hoist represents liberty, equality, and fraternity. A unique feature of this flag is its usage to indicate a state of war if it is displayed with the red side on top, which is effectively achieved by flipping the flag upside-down.[18]


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  1. ^ "The Philippines - Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco". January 18, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Lone, Stewart (2007). Daily Lives of Civilians in Wartime Asia: From the Taiping Rebellion to the Vietnam War. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-313-33684-3.
  3. ^ Al, Antonio, Et. Side by Side 5' (2002 ed.). Rex Bookstore, Inc. p. 26. ISBN 978-971-23-3300-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b Ocampo, Ambeth R. (1993). Aguinaldo's breakfast & more Looking back essays. Anvil Publishing. p. 65. ISBN 978-971-27-0281-5.
  5. ^ Benjamin R. Beede (1994). The War of 1898, and U.S. Interventions, 1898–1934: An Encyclopedia. Taylor & Francis. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-8240-5624-7.
  6. ^ a b Al, Carpio, Et. My Country and My People 5. Rex Bookstore, Inc. p. 139. ISBN 978-971-23-2254-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ President Emilio Aguinaldo, Acta de la Proclamacion de la Independencia del Pueblo Filipino, Kawit, Cavite: June 12, 1898, "...triángulo blanco como distintivo de la célebre Sociedad "Katipunan" que por medio de pacto de sangre empujó a las masas a insurreccionarse; representando las tres estrellas las tres principales Islas de este Archipiélago, Luzon, Mindanao y Panay en que estalló este movimento insurreccional; indicando el sol los agigantados pasos que han dado los hijos de este país en el camino del progreso y civilización, simbolizando los ocho rayos de aquél las ocho provincias: Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna y Batangas, declarando en estado de guerra apenas se inició la primera insurrección; conmemorando los colores azul, rojo y blanco los de la bandera de los Estados Unidos de la América del Norte, como manifestación de nuestro profundo agradecimiento hacia esta Gran Nación por la desinteresada protección que nos presta y seguirá prestando.", quoted from "Design of the Philippine Flag". Symbolisms/Meanings in the Philippine Flag. National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines. May 18, 2015. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017.
  8. ^ "FULL TEXT: Pres. Benigno Aquino III's Independence Day speech". Sun.Star. June 12, 2015. Archived from the original on August 15, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference declaration was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference malacanang was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b A. P. Samest Blaustein; Jay Adrian Sigler; Benjamin R. Beede (1977). Independence documents of the world. 2. Brill Archive. p. 570. ISBN 0-379-00795-9.
  12. ^ Zaide, Sonia M. (1999). The Philippines: A Unique Nation. All-Nations Pub. p. 259. ISBN 978-971-642-071-5.
  13. ^ Zaide, Sonia M. (1994). The Philippines: A Unique Nation. All-Nations Publishing Co. p. 259. ISBN 971-642-071-4.
  14. ^ G. Nye Steiger, H. Otley Beyer, Conrado Benitez, A History of the Orient, Oxford: 1929, Ginn and Company, pp. 122–123.
  15. ^ "... and because I know them better, I shall start with the island of Cebu and those adjacent to it, the Pintados. Thus I may speak more at length on matters pertaining to this island of Luzon and its neighboring islands..." BLAIR, Emma Helen & ROBERTSON, James Alexander, eds. (1903). The Philippine Islands, 1493–1803, Volume 05 of 55 (1582–1583), p. 35.
  16. ^ "Origin of the Symbols of our National Flag | Presidential Museum and Library". Archived from the original on June 10, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  17. ^ "Iloilo remembers first PH flag-raising outside Luzon". Philippine News Agency. November 16, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  18. ^ Jerry E. Esplanada (September 27, 2010). "RP flag blooper in New York not intentional—US embassy". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on September 30, 2010.