9th-ray redundancy

"Not many know the first Philippine Flag exists and survive today… only a handful realize how uniquely beautiful and inspiring this Flag was when it was first unfurled."

From the General Emilio Aguinaldo Inc. on the authenticity of the 1898 Philippine Flag at the Suntay Museum in Baguio City. In ‘Kasaysayan,’ journal of the National Historical Institute March 2001, (p.91), warns "the First Philippine Flag… is not expected to last another hundred years or the next "Bicentennial…" Sadly, generations of Filipinos, will not have the privilege to experience the emblem that moved and evoked feelings of nationhood, our rallying to war, for our right to exist as a people, and an independent republic.

Begs the question, why we are not insuring the survival of the treasured national relic? Why lawmakers, instead, focus legislating a 9th ray in the flag while the original flag is extant. Corollary a shameless husband with a paramour and the legal/legitimate wife side by side! Said legislation is historical redundancy (politics?) representing struggles of Filipino Muslims (Senate Bill 3307) with a 9th ray.

Mariano Ponce (1899) said the three stars represented "Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao"; President Emilio Aguinaldo describing the flag, "…sun and rays brightens every spot in the Phil. Islands. Itas, Igorots, Mangyans, Moros came down from the mountains to join us."; Mindanao joining the revolution evidenced by three claimants of the "first and official raising" of the original flag in Butuan 1-17-1899; Surigao in 12-26-1898; Cagayan de Misamis 1-10-1899; Surigao Rev’l. Gov. Wenceslao Gonzalez report to Pres. Aguinaldo 2-2-1899, "leaders of infidel races who lived there, submitting… to the revolutionary government, and offering to contribute so that infidels in other towns would do the same, making them understand the lofty aims of such government in respecting their customs and religions."

If the 9th ray is religious/people accommodation – how about the Phil. Independent Church? Lumads? Lapu-Lapu and Francisco Dagohoy etc. from the Visayas! (Erik Espina, Tempo)

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