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PerryScope: A Tale of Three Flags |
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 By Perry Diaz
Recently, there has been some excitement about the "discovery" of the flag that
Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo unfurled on June 12, 1898, when he declared Philippine
independence from Spain. The "discovery" happened when a Filipino-American in
San Francisco saw a flag tacked inside a glass display case in the San Francisco
War Memorial. The local Pinoy thought that the faded red, white and blue flag
may be the missing historic flag hoisted by Aguinaldo on the balcony of his home
in Kawit, Cavite in 1898.
Now, he believes that Gen. Frederick Funston captured the flag in the
Philippine-American War and brought it to San Francisco in 1902. The National
Historical Institute in Manila sent an official to inspect the flag. The
institute then sent a letter to the San Francisco War Memorial saying that the
flag was "most likely authentic." According to those who saw the flag, it was
made of satin material with a hand-painted sun with eight rays and three stars
on a white triangle next to the upper blue stripe and lower red stripe. Except
for the hand-painted sun and stars, it looked exactly like the present-day
embroidered Philippine flag. Well, shouldn't that be a good reason for a
celebration? Yes! But wait a minute...
On June 12, 2004, the Manila Times published an article by Ma. Theresa Torres, a
reporter, which in part stated, "In Baguio City, scores of people are expected
to visit the Aguinaldo Museum along Happy Glen Loop to view the first Philippine
flag, which has remained intact for the past 106 years.
"Considered one of the country's most important historical relics, the original
Philippine flag has been displayed on June 12 since 1998, when the country
celebrated the centennial of Independence Day."
"The first Philippine flag was conceived by Aguinaldo and hand-sewn at 535
Morrison Hill Road in Hong Kong by Dona Marcela Agoncillo, her daughter Lorenza
and Delfina Herbosa.
Now, here is the clincher: "Prominent among the features of the first Philippine
flag is the "mythological sun," or the "sun with a human face." a prominent
symbol in Aguinaldo's seal and coat of arms.
"The flag drew inspiration from Masonic ideals and symbolism, the Cuban flag,
the American flag, and the aspirations Liberty, Justice and Equality of the
French Revolution."
On March 25, 1936, President Manuel L. Quezon issued Executive Order No. 23
which set the standards for the official Philippine flag. Among the changes made
were: the mythological sun was changed to a solid golden sunburst without any
marking.
Base on Executive Order No. 23, the Philippine flag "discovered" in the San
Francisco War Memorial could not possibly be the original flag unfurled by
Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898. It was probably a flag donated by one of the
Filipino organizations in San Francisco. First of all the flag was unlabelled
without any documentation to establish its provenance. All we have is one
person's conjecture.
One flag whose provenance has been established and authenticated was the
Aguinaldo battle flag. The story of the Aguinaldo battle flag was brought to my
attention by one of my readers, Jaime F. Pacquing of West Hatford, Connecticut.
He sent me news clippings including a photo of the flag being presented to then
President Ferdinand Marcos in 1982.
In January 1982, a Manila newspaper reported: "Aguinaldo Flag Returned. The torn
and blood-stained battle flag of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, kept in the basement of
the town hall of a small Connecticut community for 81 years, has finally been
returned to the Philippines.
"Seized from Aguinaldo after his capture by American forces in Palanan, Isabela,
on March 23, 1901, the flag was brought to the United States by a Capt. G.W.
England of West Hartford, Connecticut.
"England gave the flag, to Lt. Gen. Edward Schultz, one of the leading citizens
of the community. In 1965, the flag was turned over to the town of West
Hartford. Obviously unaware of its historical value, the flag was brought down
to the basement.
"Sixteen years later, a Filipino immigrant named Jaime Pacquing who was working
as a computer programmer at the town hall stumbled upon the flag when he went to
the basement to gather some old files for burning. What attracted Pacquing was
the inscription on the flag that showed its historical beginnings."
Pacquing was able to convince the town mayor and the city manager to return the
flag to the Philippines. Pacquing with his wife and two children brought the
flag to the Philippines and presented it to President Ferdinand Marcos and the
First Lady.
Years later, Pacquing found out that the Marcoses did not place the Aguinaldo
battle flag in the Philippine Museum . It was displayed in the Malacanang
Palace. When Marcos was ousted, Malacanang was looted. One of the items taken
was the Aguinaldo battle flag.
Whoever took the Aguinaldo battle flag should return it and let it take its
place of honor at the Philippine Museum. It would be a great moment for every
Filipino to see the blood stains on the tattered battle flag -- a grim reminder
that freedom has a price.
(PerryDiaz@aol.com)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted in Gutom.org with permission from Perry Diaz
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Posted on Wednesday, February 23 @ 14:02:16 CST by don |
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