South-Eastern Asia
Philippines
A horizontal bicolour of blue over red with a white equilateral triangle at the hoist containing a golden sun and three golden stars. The design was first adopted in 1898; the shades of blue and red have been modified in later specifications.
Adopted
1898
Proportion
1:2
Colours
4
Colours & their meaning
Blue
Commonly explained as peace, truth and justice in official-era descriptions.
Red
Commonly explained as patriotism and valor.
White
Commonly explained as liberty, equality and fraternity.
Yellow
Associated with unity, freedom and the sun’s rays in standard explanations.
Symbols & emblems
White triangle
Originally linked to the Katipunan and to the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity.
Sun with eight rays
Represents liberty and the first eight provinces that revolted against Spanish rule.
Three stars
Represent Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
Did you know?
The Philippines is the only country that officially flies its flag upside down in wartime, with the red stripe above the blue.