Displaying the flag

The country is about to celebrate Independence Day again and flags are already on display along major roads and in some buildings. There are also street vendors selling flags to motorists in major streets.

One time, while stuck in traffic along Natalio Bacalso Avenue, a vendor showed us the flags that he was selling. My 4-year-old son insisted that we buy one, “para decoration sa car,” he said. I did not buy one though and instead explained to him that the flags for sale are not for decoration purposes but are supposed to be put on display because of the commemoration of the National Flag Day and the coming Independence Day celebrations. I don’t know if his young mind really understood my explanation but he stopped whining though.

Section 7 of RA 8491 otherwise known as An Act Prescribing the Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-Arms and other Heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines, provides, among other provisions, that the Philippine Flag should be displayed from May 28, the National Flag Day, to June 12, Independence Day. This is the reason why the country’s colors are displayed everywhere. I am just curious though if people know that this is the reason. I am also wondering if those assigned to display the flag know the reason why they are doing so and if they cared enough to display the flag properly.

I am curious because I pass by the Philippine flags displayed along the Talisay City side of the Cebu South Coastal Road. I see them day in and day out as I leave for work in the morning and go home in the afternoon. Because I see them everyday, I could not help but notice that some flags are displayed with the blue field on the left, while the other flags’ blue fields are on the right. Were the ones assigned to display the flags there aware of the inconsistencies of the position of the flags they were putting up? Did they care if their display is correct, or they just wanted to get the job of displaying the flag done?

According to RA 8491 the blue field of a flag hanging on a vertical position across the street should be pointing to the east if the road is heading south or north, or pointing north if the road is heading east or west. The ones in-charge of the flags at the Talisay side of the Cebu South Coastal Road could use this simple provision from the law for guidance.

As of this writing, I have also noticed that some of the flags on display in the same area are already entangled with the wood that was supposed to support them. And it is still a week to go before June 12! Maybe those in-charge of the flags could also do something about this.

Displaying the flag to show our love for our country is a good thing. But this act should be done with care, like knowing why we are displaying the flag and making sure that we display it correctly. Otherwise, dili na lang magtuga-tuga.

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