The sun initially had an indefinite number of rays and was later standardized to eight rays, to represent the eight provinces that Spain first placed under martial law (Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija).
Nuong araw ng Pinaglabanan, hinayag ng governador general, si Ramon Blanco, na panahon ng digmaan [state of war] na sa mga lalawigan ng Manila, Batangas, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga at Tarlac.