RAISE IT RIGHT
A reminder on the proper use of the Philippine flag during parades By Troi Santos
TROI SANTOS
A
S Independence Day draws near, streets across the Philippines and Filipino communities abroad are preparing to come alive with color, movement, and music. Parades will roll through city avenues and provincial roads. Banderitas will flutter above neighborhood streets. Children in cultural costumes will wave
flags with gleaming pride. But amid this pageantry, one detail is too often overlooked: the proper and respectful use of the Philippine flag. While the flag is a centerpiece of national celebrations, it is also a sacred symbol—one protected by law and steeped in meaning. The flag is not merely decorative. It stands for the country’s hard-won freedom, the sacrifices of generations, and the shared aspirations
of the Filipino people. As such, it must be treated with dignity, especially in public spaces like parades and community programs. Republic Act No. 8491, known as the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, sets clear rules for how the national flag should be handled. During public gatherings, the flag must be raised briskly at sunrise and lowered with ceremoContinued on A2
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By John Eiron R. Francisco
‘L
OSING the weave is like losing a language.” In the landlocked province of Ifugao, where culture is passed down through oral tradition, the centuries-old practice of weaving faces a steep decline as fewer young women show interest—opting instead for jobs with higher pay to support their livelihood, an indigenous advocate warns. For Victor Baguilat Jr., CEO and founder of Kandama Social Enterprise, who is behind a campaign to establish the Julongan Weaving Center in Kiangan, Ifugao—what’s being lost goes beyond craft: it’s the identity of the Ifugao people. “A big part of what’s lost is our identity,” Baguilat told BusinessMirror after the recent media launch of the Kandama JCI Manila Benefit Fashion Show. Unlike societies with written records, the Ifugao—an indigenous group residing in the highlands of Ifugao province in northern Luzon, part of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)— depend largely on oral traditions. In this context, Baguilat said, practices like weaving serve as a living record of their ancestors’ memories and meanings. “We don’t have a written historical tradition. Everything is
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It’s not just the world-acclaimed Banaue Rice Terraces that’s in peril from the steady decline of local workers desperate to escape poverty: In Ifugao, weavers whose work should fetch premium price for their cultural value are getting tired of the starvation pay for their craft that mostly ends up in some upscale, branded enterprise—where they fetch a fortune as couture pieces.
“It’s handmade and handwoven. It requires a lot of time and effort. If the public doesn’t recognize its value, we can’t charge high prices. And if you can't charge a high price, then why would the weavers continue weaving?”—Victor Baguilat Jr., CEO and founder of Kandama Social Enterprise
passed down orally, so a lot can easily be lost,” he explained. Baguilat stressed that weaving is a crucial vessel of Ifugao heritage. Continued on A2
A LOCAL artisan from the Cordillera Administrative Region weaves by hand—part of a centuriesold tradition now at risk as fewer young people pursue the craft. With the rising cost of materials and low daily earnings, many artisans are turning to other livelihoods, prompting urgent efforts to preserve indigenous weaving as a living heritage. JOHN EIRON R. FRANCISCO
MODELS walk the runway in heritage weaves, as part of efforts to build a dedicated weaving center and empower women artisans in the highlands of Ifugao. KANDAMA SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 55.7890 n JAPAN 0.3909 n UK 75.6276 n HK 7.1119 n CHINA 7.7744 n SINGAPORE 43.3683 n AUSTRALIA 36.1959 n EU 63.6999 n KOREA 0.0410 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.8783 Source: BSP (June 6, 2025)