Philippine flag hoisted, to fly permanently over Iloilo town
ILOILO — The historic town of Santa Barbara in Iloilo province has joined the list of places where the Philippine flag will be proudly flown on a permanent basis.
Last Tuesday, November 17, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) unveiled a marker that read, “The Philippine flag shall be permanently hoisted on this site 24/7 throughout the year and shall be illuminated at night.”
Santa Barbara town is known to be where the first Philippine flag was raised outside of Luzon following the 1898 revolution against Spain, the country’s former colonial master.
NCHP Executive Director Ludovico Badoy, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr., Santa Barbara Mayor Dennis Superficial, and Col. Eric Uchida of the Philippine Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade led the unveiling ceremony and the 117th commemoration of the historic event known as the “Cry of Santa Barbara.”
The giant Philippine flag, which measures 30 x 60 feet, was hoisted atop a 120-feet flagpole standing across the Santa Barbara Municipal Hall.
“May the flag constantly reminds us of our sublime duty to honor the sacrifices our heroes made to unite the nation, to defend the liberty of our motherland from foreign aggression, to uphold justice, equality and the rule of the law,” Badoy emphasized.
For Gov. Defensor, the flag symbolizes the gallantry of local revolutionary hero General Martin Delgado, who led the fight against the Spaniards.
Delgado, a scion of a wealthy arisSeptember tocratic Spanish-mestizo family, was born in Santa Barbara on Nov. 11, 1858. At 25, he was chosen several municipal positions of distinction. In 1898, Iloilo Province Politico-Military Governor, Gen. Ricardo Monet appointed him captain and commander of the Sta. Barbara voluntaries. Delgado however turned around and joined the revolution against Spain.
On November 17, 1898, at the Santa Barbara plaza, Delgado raised the Philippine flag that had been sent by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo,and proclaimed the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Visayas and Mindanao. It was the first time that the Filipino national flag was hoisted outside the island of Luzon.
Today, other than in Santa Barbara town, the Philippine flag is also permanently hoisted in Malacañang Palace, the Senate building, the House of Representatives in Quezon City, the Rizal Monument at the Luneta, the Aguinaldo Shrine in Cavite, the Barasoain Shrine in Bulacan, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the Mausuleo de los Beteranos dela Revolucion in Manila, and all international port of entries.
On June 12, 2015, no less than President Aquino led the country’s 117th Independence Day in this historic town.