The first making of the Philippine flag (Hong Kong)

China / Hongkong / Xianggangdao / Hong Kong
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The Philippine flag was sewn by the revolutionary junta in Hong Kong and first displayed in battle on May 28, 1898. It was formally unfurled during the proclamation of Philippine independence on June 12, 1898, by President Emilio Aguinaldo. The design adopted the mythical sun (with a face) common to many former Spanish colonies; the triangle of Masonry; the eight rays represent the first 8 provinces that revolted and were put under martial law by the Spaniards during the start of the Philippine Revolution in 1896; the flag was first unfurled with the blue stripe above, but was flown with the red stripe above upon the commencement of hostilities between the Filipinos and Americans in 1899.
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Coordinates:   22°16'31"N   114°10'45"E

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  • Making of the Philippine flag Further information: Flag of the Philippines The detail of Fernando Amorsolo's The Making of the Philippine flag depicting Agoncillo and company's manual sewingAfter the signing of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato on December 14, 1897, General Aguinaldo, after their voluntary exile, visited the Agoncillo residence in Hong Kong.[21] After having met them, Aguinaldo requested that Agoncillo immediately hand-sew a flag according to his design which would embody the national aspirations of all Filipinos. After receiving the request, Agoncillo delegated her eldest daughter, five-year-old Lorenza, and Mrs. Delfina Herbosa de Natividad, Jose Rizal's niece by his sister Lucia, to help her.[22][23][24] The process took only a short time, but it was difficult. The three worked manually and with the aid of a sewing machine. They had to redo the flag after the rays of the sun were not in the proper direction. Their eyes and hands suffered due to the prolonged work session. Made from fine silk which she bought in Hong Kong,[25] the flag was embroidered in gold and contained stripes of blue and red and a white triangle with the sun and three stars on it.[19][26] The flag was finished in five days[3] and became known as "the sun and the stars flag".[23] The thimble used by Agoncillo in sewing the first Philippine flag; on display at Malacañan Palace Museum.On May 17, 1898, the flag was delivered personally by Agoncillo[3] and was packed among the things Aguinaldo brought back to Manila. This was the flag that was hoisted from the window of Aguinaldo's house in Kawit, Cavite, during the proclamation of Philippine independence on June 12, 1898 accompanied by the Philippine National Anthem Marcha Filipina.[22][27] However, she did not witness either this first public display of the flag or the time when the flag was unfurled during the Malolos Congress because her husband remained in Hong Kong and she remained with him.[28] In response to the message written by Gen. Aguinaldo, Agoncillo wrote the following statement when she was interviewed: In the house at 535 Morrison Hill, where I lived with my family, exiled from our country on account of the national cause, I had the good fortune to make the first Philippine flag under the direction of an illust[r]ious leader Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy...It took me five days to make that National Flag, and when completed, I myself delivered it to Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo before boarding the transport McCullo[ug]h...Gen. Aguinaldo is the best witness who can give the information whether or not that flag was the first to be displayed in Cavite at the beginning of the revolutionary government against the government of Spain in these islands.
This article was last modified 15 years ago