Administration appeared to have broken Philippine flag protocol during Xi Jinping’s visit
Photos shot during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping suggest that the Philippine flag protocol was broken.
According to Republic Act 8941 or “The Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-Arms and Other Heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines”, the flag of the Philippines should be placed on the left (observer’s point of view) of other flags.
On the other hand, during Xi’s state visit in the country, this was not followed.
Based on the report in The Philippine Star, several photos showed that the Philippine flag was on the right.
Eufemio Agbayani III, a historical researcher pointed this breach on protocol on his series of Twitter post.
When President Rodrigo Duterte and President Xi Jinping issued a joint statement after a bilateral meeting this irregularity was spotted.
BREACH OF PROTOCOL. Why is it that in the arrangement of flags this #XiJinpingPH state visit, the organizers got the PH and CH flags reversed? (a thread) (1/9)
(photo from RTVM) pic.twitter.com/EJRUJchKry
— Eufy Fight! #MABUHAYangFrontliners (@eufems) November 20, 2018
The same thing happened during the bilateral meeting and at the gates of the Palace.
And here it is at bilateral meeting in Malacañan Palace. #XiJinpingPH (4/9)
(photo from @RTVMalacanang) pic.twitter.com/E9thKUxmcw
— Eufy Fight! #MABUHAYangFrontliners (@eufems) November 20, 2018
Aside from that, Agbayani also noticed that during the inspection of troops during the welcome ceremony for the Chinese President, the Philippine flag was also on the right of the flag of China.
To make matters worse, during the inspection of troops during the welcome ceremony earlier, the honor guard carried the Chinese flag, NOT the Presidential Standard as PH protocol dictates #XiJinpingPH (4/9)
(screencap from livestream of @RTVMalacanang) pic.twitter.com/yPQuNnPFsW
— Eufy Fight! #MABUHAYangFrontliners (@eufems) November 20, 2018
He added that this is not the first time that the flag of the Philippines was put on a wrong place together with other flags.
Not that it's the first time organizers got it wrong. When a ranking Chinese official visited the House of Representatives, they flew the Chinese flags at the left side. #XiJinpingPH (5/9)
(photo from @erwincolcol ) pic.twitter.com/JyV4wWLiK0
— Eufy Fight! #MABUHAYangFrontliners (@eufems) November 20, 2018
Furthermore, the historical researcher pointed out that apparently this breaking of Philippine flag protocol is already happening since Duterte assumed the presidency.
CLARIFICATION: This thing might already be going on since the PRRD administration. Previous presidencies had employed PH flag left, other flag right. (photo of Abe state visit from @pnagovph, others from @govph) #XiJinpingPH (9/9) pic.twitter.com/PYyaoxS4xA
— Eufy Fight! #MABUHAYangFrontliners (@eufems) November 20, 2018
Proofs from the past
Agbayani also showed proofs from the past presidents that this protocol was followed.
Further proof: State Visit of US President Eisenhower (1960, photo from Life Magazine via https://t.co/IEvN7HkFWK), State Visit of Thai King Rama IX (1968 from https://t.co/Y6zeBWDKGT) pic.twitter.com/uXQtRtC0T7
— Eufy Fight! #MABUHAYangFrontliners (@eufems) November 20, 2018
For his additional information, he cited the administration of former President Manuel Quezon. The flag of USA was on the left because that time the Philippines was its Commonwealth.
SORRY TO ADD A LITTLE MORE, but the last time we had the PH flag on the right and a foreign flag to the left was when we were a Commonwealth of the United States. In other words, sakop pa tayo noon. #XiJinpingPH #XiPHVisit (photo from https://t.co/R3fYr5dy4s) pic.twitter.com/76Ix5kIqu4
— Eufy Fight! #MABUHAYangFrontliners (@eufems) November 20, 2018
Agbayani stressed out that his Twitter threads is his expression of his thought about the Philippine flag protocol and that he is “not in behalf other offices or groups.”
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