Flagged Down

When my neighbor displays the Philippine flag the wrong way, should I blame him for his ignorance when Malacañan officials themselves make the same mistake?

Much to its acute embarrassment, the Office of the President projected a country at war when it displayed in its website the Philippine Flag with the red field on top.

The “bright idea” was to comply with Section 26 of Republic Act No. 8491, known as the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, requiring all offices, agencies and instrumentalities of government, business establishments, institutions of learning and private homes to display the flag from May 28 to June 12 of each year, known as Flag Days.

In so doing, it violated Section 10 of the Code, which states that … the blue field should be on top in time of peace the red field on top in time of war …

This is how the website appeared as captured via a screen shot and reported by GMA News Online:

The Philippines appears to be the only country wherein an inverted flag signals a state of war. For many countries, including the UK and the U.S., a flag flown upside down indicates a state of distress.

It was not the sole violation, although it was the most glaring.

Section 34 likewise prohibits display of the flag (1) under any painting or picture (in this instance, it is displayed under the Seal of the President, ergo projecting Pnoy as greater than the country he leads) and (f) to add any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawings, advertisements, or imprints of any nature on the flag (in this instance the headline: National Flag Day May 28 – June 12).

What were they thinking?

When it comes to good intentions, I cannot fault whoever executed and approved the lay-out and design. But good intentions, as well as ignorance of the law, is a tralalala that got hushed and conveniently got swept, albeit quickly, under the rug.

Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in an interview with GMA News Online, took responsibility for the foul up “so as not to unduly affect the young employee who made an honest mistake that was committed in good faith,” adding that “there was no willful intent.”

Take your head out of your sorry ass Mr. Secretary!

Whoever executed and approved the lay-out and design and caused it to be placed on the website of the Office of the President are in violation of Republic Act No. 8491, otherwise known as the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines which provides penalties such as a fine of up to PhP20,000 and imprisonment of up to one year.

It appears that Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. would rather communicate to the country and the whole world that we should not penalize those responsible for making the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines a laughing stock because it was an honest mistake that was committed in good faith and that there was no willful intent.

Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. and his ilk are not the only ones who have violated Republic Act No. 8491. A television network also violated the provision of this Act which prohibits  wearing the flag in whole or in part as a costume or uniform when it fielded its news team across the country wearing their infamous Flag Shirts during the 2010 National Elections.

A German sports clothing manufacturer sold jackets designed unmistakably as the Philippine Flag and advertised as “Limited Edition Philippine Flag Sports Jacket”.

A Filipino pizza and pasta chain, touted as the largest in the country, created a Philippine-inspired giant pizza featuring the Philippine Flag.

The National Historical Institute was almost hysterical on hearing what it considered “an unofficial version” of Lupang Hinirang sang before a boxing bout but was not heard from when a giant Philippine flag was unfurled right on the ground in Baguio City during the 110^th Philippine Independence Day celebration. This was in violation of Section 17 of RA 8497 which states that the flag shall never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, flood, water or other objects.

I suddenly recall: this is not the first time that the Philippine Flag was displayed upside-down. It also happened in September of 2010 when leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met President Obama in New York.

Oh dear, my neighbor is in such illustrious company!