National Flag Day (Philippines) is celebrated every year on May 28.
It is observed as a national holiday in the Philippines in celebration of their
independence from the Spanish. It was on this day in 1898, that the flag was
hoisted for the first time and the nation came together to form the country’s
first republic. The flag remains a symbol of patriotism and nationalism, and in
the Philippines, it was a beacon of hope during the tyrannous times of the
colonial era.
On this
day in 1898, the nation’s flag was first unfurled on Philippine soil, an
inspiring moment that followed after the triumph of the Philippine
Revolutionary Army against the Spanish forces in the Battle of Alapan, in Imus,
Cavite. This event planted the first seeds in the nation’s journey toward
independence.
Recognizing
this pivotal event in their history, President Diosdado Macapagal signed
Presidential Proclamation No. 374 on March 6, 1965. This declared the “28th day
of May each year as Flag Day and (enjoining) all government officials and
employees as well as private citizens of the Philippines to observe the day
with appropriate ceremonies.”
Building upon this
foundation, President Fidel V. Ramos further “enhanced” the one-day event and
issued Executive Order No. 179, signed on May 24, 1994. This EO extended the
period of celebrating National Flag Day from May 28 to June 12. It mandated the
“prominent display of the National Flag in all buildings, establishments,
institutions of learning, and homes” and “all government departments, agencies,
offices, government owned and controlled corporations, instrumentalities, and
local government units.”
