Inverted Philippine Flag during Independence Day ceremony draws Attention in Albay

By Manuel T. Ugalde

LEGAZPI CITY — Attendees at the June 12 Independence Day celebration in Albay were surprised when the Philippine flag was raised upside down, with the red field positioned above the blue during the singing of the national anthem.

Albay Governor Noel Rosal, however, downplayed the incident, saying it was purely unintentional. He noted that personnel from the Philippine Navy were responsible for raising the flag during the ceremony.

The flag-raising rites were attended by Governor Rosal, Legazpi City Mayor Ismael Hisham, Albay 2nd District Representative Carlos Loria, employees of the Albay Provincial Capitol, and personnel from the nearby Legazpi City Hall.

The ceremony was held at Peñaranda Park in Old Albay District, Legazpi City, where both the Provincial Capitol and City Hall are located.

"It was the first time I witnessed a flag-raising ceremony where the Philippine flag was displayed with the red field on top," a Capitol employee said. The employee added that whether accidental or not, the incident should not have occurred, especially during the celebration of Philippine Independence Day while participants were singing the national anthem.

According to the source, the flag was lowered immediately after the national anthem was sung. Navy personnel then corrected its position by placing the blue field above the red and raised it again while the national anthem was replayed.

Under Philippine flag protocol, the red field is displayed above the blue only during a state of war. Its appearance on top during a ceremonial flag-raising is commonly interpreted as a symbol that the country is in a state of war.