Flag of the Philippines facts for kids

The flag of the Philippines

The flag of the Philippines during war

The Flag of the Philippines is a very important national symbol. It has two stripes, one on top and one on the bottom. The top stripe is a bright royal blue, and the bottom stripe is a deep scarlet red.

On the left side of the flag, there is a white triangle. Inside this triangle, you'll see a golden sun with eight rays. There are also three golden stars.

What the Flag Means

The different parts of the Philippine flag each have a special meaning:

The Three Stars

The three stars on the flag stand for the three main island groups of the Philippines:

• Luzon
• Visayas
• Mindanao

These are the biggest parts of the country.

The Eight-Rayed Sun

The sun with its eight rays represents the first eight provinces that bravely rose up against Spain. This happened when the Philippine Revolution began. These provinces were:

• Manila
• Cavite
• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Laguna
• Batangas

These areas were the first to be put under strict rule by Spain during the revolution.

The Colors

The colors of the flag also have meanings:

• The blue stripe stands for peace, truth, and justice.
• The red stripe represents courage and patriotism.
• The white triangle means equality and purity.

The Flag in War

Did you know the flag can be flown in a special way to show something important? If the Philippines is at war, the flag is flown upside-down. This means the red stripe is on top and the blue stripe is on the bottom. It's a unique way to signal a state of conflict.

Who Designed the Flag?

The national flag of the Philippines was designed by Emilio Aguinaldo. He was a very important leader during the Philippine Revolution.

Images for kids

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  Changes to the shade of blue of the Philippine flag from left to right: Azul Oscuro (1898); National Flag Blue (1955); Oriental Blue (1985); National Flag Blue (1986); and Royal Blue (1998)

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  Nine of the Katipunan flags often cited as part of the "Evolution of the Philippine Flag" series

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  Feliciano Jocson

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  Flag of the Philippines at the Philippine International Convention Center

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  The detail of Fernando Amorsolo's The Making of the Philippine flag depicting Agoncillo and company's manual sewing

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  History of the Modern Philippine Flag

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  The Philippine flag at Rizal Park, flown at half-mast on January 30, 2015, during the National Day of Mourning in the aftermath of the Mamasapano clash

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  A pro-Allied World War II propaganda poster showing a Philippine soldier holding the national flag with the red field flown upwards.

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  Government employees and officials raising their right hand for the pledge of allegiance to the Philippine flag.

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  Philippine flags on bamboo poles

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  Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines

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  Senate of the Philippines building

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  House of Representatives building (Batasang Pambansa Complex)

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  Supreme Court building

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  Rizal Monument in Luneta, Manila

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  Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite

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  Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

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  Mausoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución

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  All international ports of entry

See also

In Spanish: Bandera de Filipinas para niños