Araw ng Kasarinlan, the Day of Freedom
If you can possibly use the power of your imagination to take part of that special afternoon of June 12, 1898 when General Emilio F. Aguinaldo officially announced the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of the Philippines at the balcony of his house in Kawit, Cavite.
Imagine that scene of the people proudly seeing a waved Philippine flag.
On top of their lungs shouting "Mabuhay ang Kalayaan ng Pilipinas!"
While listening to the Marcha Filipina, the tune of our now called Lupang Hinirang.
You can just imagine.
Fact is, it's a wonderful time to be a Filipino every month of June as it will the month to celebrate a day of freedom. A time to celebrate the greatest right we have as Filipinos. It constantly reminds us that our nation is as great as it can be. And ultimately it proves that we are brave, sacrificing, and united in love.
Yet at this present time, I wish that every person of this nation may try asking themselves what freedom means to them today. Some may say freedom from NPA bandit oppression, freedom from poverty, freedom from bullying, freedom in equality, but in reality, the general populace are more concerned with the issues of AiAi and the sexual preference of Charice or whoever.
Kalayaan is a term taken for granted by many; it may come in different forms and served in different ways. Kalayaan should also be protected, informed to the many, and must be practiced justly. It is time to be more aware of the things that should be us and for us. A lot of people already sacrificed their lives to protect this freedom; from internal threats that we make press that soon become forgotten. If we fail to act and love this country, it may not just be our sovereignty over some areas be taken away, it can also be our identity.
So free yourself on that day and feel the air of freedom once again.
Our dar President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead the celebration of the Philippine’s 115th Independence Day at the Liwasang Bonifacio in the city of Manila.
Be there. Don't forget to wear the flag.
Trivia about our flag:
- General Emilio Aguinaldo, a prominent leader in the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonial rule, designed what was to become the Philippine flag during his exile in Hongkong in 1897.
- The original Philippine flag, was first sewn in Hong Kong in 1898, was made of silk.
- It was hand-sewn by three Filipino women by the name of Dona Marcela Marino de Agoncillo, her daughter Lorenza, and Mrs. Delfina Herbosa de Natividad, the niece of Dr. Jose P. Rizal.
- The Philippine flag was formally unfurled during the Declaration of Independence on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite.
- The golden sun of our flag is not exactly in the center of the triangle but shifted slightly to the right. It represents the original eight provinces that started the Philippine revolution against Spanish rule.
- Along with Bulgaria, the Philippine flag can be turned upside down. If the Philippines is under a state of war, the red stripe is flown upwards, while blue at times of peace.
- Computer colors or HEX are Blue (#0038A8) Red (#CE1126) White (#FFFFFF) Yellow (#FCD116) based on the Republic Act 8491 in terms of their cable number in the system developed by the Color Association of the United States.
- Eight rays of the yellow sun represent the eight provinces as Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, and Batangas.
- In 2009, a Senate Bill was introduced to add an additional ray to represent the Moro people in Mindanao who also fought the Spanish and was never occupied by the Spanish colonial government. As of September 24, 2009, it is in the process of bill reconciliation in Congress.
Symbolism of our flag:
BLUE FIELD - stands for peace, truth, and justice
RED FIELD - stands for patriotism and valor
WHITE TRIANGLE - stands for equality and fraternity
EIGHT RAYS OF THE YELLOW SUN - represents the original eight provinces that started the Philippine revolution against Spanish rule
THREE YELLOW STAR - represents Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the three geographical division of the country.
Some phrases are taken from Timawa with revision.
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