A local historian in Antique is working with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to declare a Philippine flag, estimated to be 127 years old, as a national treasure.
Former Antique board member and historian Errol Santillan announced on Tuesday, “We also intend to seek a resolution from the Antique provincial board so it can be declared as an important historical and cultural heritage and be preserved.”
The flag is currently in the possession of the family of 2Lt. Ruperto Abellon, who served as the second-in-command in the Visayas under Gen. Leandro Fullon during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-United States war. Fullon led the armed expedition dispatched by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo from Luzon to reclaim the island from the Spaniards on September 6, 1898. According to historians, the team of 140 officers and 340 men arrived in Pandan, Antique on September 21, 1898.
“The flag was brought and hoisted in Libertad, Antique as part of the armed expedition in 1898,” Santillan stated in an interview.
Based on the recollection of the 79-year-old granddaughter of Abellon, the flag is believed to have originated from Hong Kong and was brought by Aguinaldo when he returned to the Philippines on May 19, 1898. Santillan sought permission from the family to disclose the flag’s existence.
“The century-old Philippine flag measures 53 inches in width and 93 inches in length,” Santillan noted, adding that it is made of a special material. Like the modern-day flag, it features the colors red, blue, and white, along with the three stars symbolizing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The initiative to declare the flag a national treasure aims to ensure its preservation and recognition as a significant part of Philippine history and culture.
