Comments on: Kahilwayan Festival of Santa Barbara, Iloilo

By: Berniemack Arellano

Berniemack Arellano — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:06:30 +0000

Wow…this is something very new. Who gave you this information about the “smuggled” flag? For the moment that argument scene was entertaining enough, this one makes it more interesting.

Thanks for sharing this info! I really appreciate it a lot.

By: AJR Sonza

AJR Sonza — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:39:57 +0000

History is what historians say.The heroine from Duenas did not “smuggled” the flag beneath the haystack, instead under her skirt.

By: Berniemack Arellano

Berniemack Arellano — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:47:07 +0000

Thanks for the info Omon. Why? Is the Cry of Santa Barbara have another misconception in history? The difficulty of grassroots/local historiography in the Philippines is that it’s all about Manila and the Tagalog-centric perspective. I don’t know if I can say a lot but most of the textbooks have only mentioned about OTHER areas of the country by passing. Sometimes to the point of neglect after all…which would really not clearly visualize what this country is all about.

Yet the good news about Ilonggo local historiography is that a lot of things are yet to be explored.

By: Omon Maravilla

Omon Maravilla — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:26:29 +0000

This is about the country’s flag and the town of Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
On March 25, 1936, President Manuel L. Quezon. Issued E.O. No. 23 prescribing the technical description and specification of the Filipino Flag. It was followed by other directives assigning the National Historical Institute as the authority in Philippine Vexillaries and Heraldry.
Gordon’s proposed bill adding yet another ray to the Philippine flag should concern all Filipinos but most especially us Ilonggos.
The eight rays within the white triangle represent the towns within Luzon that fathered the Philippine Revolution.

However, Santa Barbara, which actively participated under General Delgado, was never represented in the flag.

Gordon and even Puentebella maintain that Muslim resistance to colonial rule merits a ray. Problem is, Mindanao is already one of three stars that mark our flag.

Whatever for is this bill? It begs a timely answer- acknowledge the ” Cry of Santa Barbara” in it’s proper context.

Omon Maravilla
Oct 3, 2009