Respecting our National Flag

This was supposed to be a post for National Flag Day last May 28, but I was quite overwhelmed with family matters for the past few weeks as you may know. But I think it still merits posting.

I don't know about you, but since grade school respect for the flag has been programmed in my psyche. Always face the flag and stand straight when you hear the national anthem playing. The Philippine flag should always be raised higher than any other flags. The flag should promptly be taken down from the flagpole before night fall, and it should never never touch the ground. (We used to freak out as flag bearers when a part of the flag would accidentally scrape the floor.) I have taken these rules to heart, that until now, whenever I see our flag hang incorrectly (when it's pinned on a wall, the blue field should be at the viewer's left, you don't just turn it 90 degrees making the blue field at right), I would look for the person in charge and ask them to correct it.

Other things that bug me, which, when you read the National Flag Code or R.A. 8491, are unlawful are: 1) personalities appearing in advertisements with the flag as the backdrop (especially true for election posters); 2) manufacturers using the flag as trademarks for designs and labels; 3) people wearing the flag as a costume or uniform (I think the Reyna Bandera in Santacruzans is tolerated because of tradition, although I do not see how she fits in the story); 4) imprinting words and images on the flag for advertising purposes.

Yes, I know, you're beginning to think I'm a loon, all because of a flag. Maybe so, so imagine my reaction when I saw this:

An innocuous child's toy you might say. I think some people would even rejoice at this, because to them, it might be a symbol of Manny Pacquiao's recent wins in international boxing. I'm sure the manufacturer intentionally capitalized on that. But to me, it's not right. It is a punching bag, after all. Would you take pleasure in punching a symbol of your nation? Literally? What are we teaching our children?

DH has a conspiracy theory: China shipped a huge lot of these toys to Mexico, and now Mexican children are using these punching bags to train as pugilists.

Kawawa naman ang aking bayan. Ginawa na namang punching bag.

Let's put more respect for some things that symbolize our freedom and independence shall we?