Wednesday, 16 March 2016

By Brian Colins


The Philippine archipelago was settled at least 30,000 years ago when migrations from the Indonesian archipelago and elsewhere are believed to have occurred. Additional migrations took place over the next millennia. Over time, the social and political organization developed and evolved in the widely scattered islands.

Ferdinand Magellan was the first European recorded to have landed in the Philippines*. He arrived in March 1521 during his circumnavigation of the globe. He claimed land for the king of Spain but was killed by a local chief. Following several more Spanish expeditions, the first permanent settlement was established in Cebu in 1565.

The Malay Muslims remained dominant in these parts until the 16th century. In the early 16th century, the Philippines began receiving visitors who would have far more long-lasting consequences. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed at Samar at dawn on 16 March 1521. He claimed the islands for Spain and named them the Islas del Poniente (Western Islands).

The USA took control of the islands in 1945 and allowed the Philippines independence on July 4, 1946. The banner experienced minor adjustments in 1997. The Philippine banner was initially outlined by General Aguinaldo in 1897 in Hong Kong. The banner of the Philippines comprises of two even stripes and a white level triangle on the left half of the banner confronting the center. The top stripe is blue and the base is red. In every edge of the triangle is a five-pointed gold/yellow star. In the center point of the triangle, there is an expansive gold/yellow sun.

The present Philippine banner was embraced on September 16, 1997. The banner was initially received in 1898 after the Philippines picked up freedom from Spain however it was banned in 1907 after the USA took control of the nation. Japan attacked the Philippines in 1942 and the banner was again banned until 1943.

The blue stripe symbolizes patriotism and justice. The red represents valor and the bloodshed for freedom and independence and the white stands for peace and purity. The white triangle represents equality and the Katipunan nationalist organization. The three stars represent the three main geographical regions of the Philippines: Luzon, Mindanao, and the Visayas. The sun represents independence and its eight rays represent the eight provinces that led the Philippine uprising against Spanish rule. The national flag of the Philippines is also the country's war ensign, when the Philippines are at war it is flown upside down, with the red stripe on top of the blue. The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize the history of Philippine Flag for the future.




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