By Anthony Giron
IMUS CITY, Cavite – The raising of the Philippine flag here on Thursday, May 28, which would be the 122nd commemoration of National Flag Day, will be attended by a minimal number of attendees and would be the most austere ceremony in decades.
Workers at the Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite, unfurl a Philippine flag Friday in preparation for the National Day of the Flag on May 28. (Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
The Heritage Park in Miguel Santo, Barangay Alapan II here, along with the historical Rizal Park in Luneta, Manila, have been the central Flag Day celebration sites through the years.
Imus Public Information and Tourism Development Officer Edgardo Jay R. Saquilayan said that the 8 a.m. Thursday flag-hoisting at Heritage Park’s “Dambana ng Pambansang Watawat” (Shrine of the National Flag) was set with only few attendees.
The local government made the move in consonance with the rules under the May 15 to 31 general community quarantine (GCQ), which prohibit, among others, mass gatherings.
There will be no crowd at the flag shrine, nor speeches or messages delivered. Only the hoisting of the Philippine flag by Navy personnel will be held. He said this was in accordance with the directives set by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
After the flag-raising, the new 33-feet “Inang Laya” or Mother of Freedom Monument at the flag shrine will be blessed by a parish priest.
“Di pa po tapos (monument finishing touches) pero ipapakita na po sa May 28 (Flag Day),” said Saquilayan. (The monument is still on finishing touches but it will be presented on May 28.)
The national government allocated early this year a P62 million budget for the construction of the “Inang Laya” Statue and its surroundings.
Saquilayan said that a video of the flag-hoisting and view of the “Inang Laya” Monument will be presented later on Facebook.