SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATJ
S. No.
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Introduced by Senator R ichard “ D ick” J. G ordon
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article XVI, Section 1 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides: "The flag of 
the Philippines shall be red, white, and blue, with a sun and three stars, as consecrated 
and honored by the people and recognized by law. ”
The Philippine flag, a tri-color featuring red and blue with white triangle framing 
three yellow stars and anthropomorphic eight-rayed sun, was sewn in Hong Kong by 
Doha Marcela Agoncillo, assisted by her daughter Lorenzana and by Delfina Herbosa 
Natividad and brought to the Philippines by General Emilio Aguinaldo. 
On May 28, 
1898, the Filipino troops were engaged in a skirmish battle against Spanish forces in 
Alapan, Cavite wherein the Philippine flag was first unfurled as revolutionary standard. 
Half a month later, the same flag was formally unfurled during the proclamation of 
Philippine Independence in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898 by President Emilio 
Aguinaldo.
Republic Act No. 8491, the law governing the design, manner of display, and 
observance of respect for the Philippine flag, was enacted fittingly in 1998 or on the 
centennial of Philippine independence. The design adopted the mythical sun (with a 
face) common to many former Spanish colonies; the triangle of Masonry; the eight rays 
representing the first eight provinces that revolted and were put under martial law by the 
Spaniards during the start of the Philippine Revolution in 1896, namely; Batangas, 
Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac. There are three 
stars representing the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, the 
Visayas and Mindanao. Not only does the flag represent principles of sovereignty and 
solidarity of the Philippine nation, it embodies the ideals and traditions of the Filipino 
people developed over the course of national history. Of history we refer to the period 
before the arrival of the Spanish up to the present, centuries replete with stories of 
struggles for independence and victory against colonizers. Behind the stories of the 
most celebrated names of national heroes lie the stories of our mostly-forgotten Muslim 
heroes, who displayed tremendous courage in the battles that they fought.
Among the most valiant soldiers were Lapu-Lapu, the king of Mactan, known as 
the first native of the archipelago to have resisted Spanish colonization. On the morning 
of April 27,1521, Lapu-Lapu and the men of Mactan, armed with spears and kampilan, 
faced Spanish soldiers led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. In what would 
later be known as the Battle of Mactan, Magellan and several of his men were killed.
There was also Sultan Kudarat, who united the Muslim clans in Cotobato, Lanao, 
and Basilan, and ruled for 50 years. He led many raids and battles against the Spanish 
from 1634 up to 1668 and inspired the Maranaos to oppose the building of a Spanish 
fort near Lake Lanao. There was also the story of Sirongan, the Rajah of Buayan, who 
successfully pushed back the enemy into the coast of Rio Grande, thwarting the first 
Spanish attempt to colonize Buayan. He killed Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa who led 
the first Spanish expedition to Cotabato. There were Kaliph Pulaka, Datu Amai Pakpak,