Flag change proposed to honour Filipino Muslims

Manila: A lawmaker has proposed an addition to the national flag to recognise Filipino Muslims' contribution to national freedom.

Independent Senator Richard Gordon yesterday, said a ninth ray on the flag will acknowledge the bravery of Muslim Filipinos.

The Philippine flag has two horizontal bands of blue and red with a white equilateral triangle based at the hoist side and a golden yellow sun in the centre of the triangle with eight primary rays - each containing three individual rays. At each corner of the triangle is a five-pointed golden yellow star.

The eight rays symbolise the first eight provinces - Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac - that rose against the Spanish colonial government.

Gordon said a ninth ray on the national flag would recognise the historic contribution of the Filipino Muslims.