Senate Bill (SB) 3307 and House Bill (HB) 6424 states the inclusion of yet another ray of the Philippine flags’ sun. The two bills proposed the amendments to Republic Act. 849, or An Act of Prescribing the Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-Arms and Other Heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines.
The bill was approved by the Bicameral Committee reasoning that the additional ray of the sun in the Philippine flag symbolizes the bravery, courage and integrity of Muslim Filipinos who fought for our country’s independence. The principal author of the bill, Senator Richard Gordon, stated that it would strengthen the unity among Filipinos regardless of religions and beliefs.
The three stars of the Philippine Flag symbolizes the three major geographical division of the country: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; and the eight rays of the sun represents the eight provinces that revolted against the Spanish Regime - who enslaved the Filipinos for many years - they are: Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac. Gordon said that the ninth ray, which will be added soon, was proposed because behind each story of the great Filipino Heroes who fought for our country’s independence, lie the story of mostly forgotten Muslim heroes, including Lapu-lapu, Sultan Kudarat, and Rajah Sulayman, who were considered as the pioneering Heroes of the country by rejecting invaders during their time.
The reconciled bill will be ratified next week – last week of September 2009 - by the Senate and the House of Representatives, that states the including of another ray of the Philippine Flags’ sun.
Sources: www.yahoo.com.ph