Wednesday, August 01, 2007 Speak out: Sona and flag By Amado F. Cabaero
THE red terno worn by President Arroyo during her State of the Nation Address in the Batasan blended beautifully with the blazing red field of the huge Philippine flag displayed flat against the wall behind her.
What was incongruous was the way the Philippine flag was displayed—incorrectly.
I believe that the way the flag was displayed was not in accordance with RA 8491, the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, enacted in 1998, which provides:
“Section 10. The flag, if flown from a flagpole, shall have its blue field on top in time of peace and the red field on top in times of war; if in a hanging position, the blue field shall be to the right (left of the observer) in time of peace, and the red field to the right (left of the observer) in time of war.
“Section 16. (e) Flat against the wall vertically with the sun and stars on top.”
I submit that, as my scoutmaster instructed us in high school some seventy years ago, the correct way of displaying the flag vertically flat against the wall in time of peace is still with the blue field on the observer’s right. I believe this was not changed by RA 8491.
Unfortunately, because of the misreading of RA 8491 by higher authorities, Boy Scouts and other school children today are being taught the wrong way of vertically displaying the flag, as some Boy Scouts demonstrated recently in the TV program of Manolo Quezon III.
I challenge the Arroyo administration to prove me wrong.
I was so disturbed by this matter during GMA’s speech that I failed to catch the rest of it.
Otherwise, I probably would have been convinced to let GMA continue in office beyond forever.
