The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) issued a strong reminder to the public on social media about the proper treatment of the Philippine flag, citing a clear violation of Republic Act No. 8491 or the “Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.”
In a Facebook post on Monday, November 20, the NHCP highlighted an image of the Philippine flag with unauthorized alterations, including the addition of a drawing of a green eagle and printed words. The post stated that such modifications are prohibited under the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 8491, Section 39 (f), which clearly states:
“It shall be prohibited to add any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawings, advertisement, or imprint of any nature on the National Flag.”
The commission emphasized that the Philippine flag is a sacred symbol of the country and Filipino identity, and must be treated with the utmost respect.
“Ang watawat ng Pilipinas ay simbolo ng pagka-Pilipino at ng ating bansa, kaya naman bigyan natin ito ng mataas na respeto,” the NHCP wrote. They also encouraged Filipinos to remain faithful to their pledge of allegiance to the national flag by using the hashtag #TapatSaWatawat.
