By Randall Yip, AsAmNews Executive Editor
Filipinos are largely coming to the defense of a college graduate who displayed the flag of the Philippines incorrectly.
Ironically, the controversy erupted when @Sansophs on TikTok voluntarily pointed out that the flag displayed on her graduation stole presented the flag backward.
“So I took my grad photos this past weekend, and I sent this photo to my parents, and my Ninong (Tagalog for godfather) texted me saying that the Filipino stole is wrong. I was like, ‘What?’ Apparently, when you’re looking at the stole, the blue is supposed to be on the left side because it means we’re in a time of peace. And if it’s the other way around, which is how I was wearing it, it means that we’re in a time of war…I don’t know if it’s a big deal. I just don’t want to get flamed by Filipinos for representing my culture incorrectly.”
But she did get flamed. Fellow TikTok creator @sleoin2 went after @SanSophs saying she only touched the surface with her mea culpa.
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“First of all, you didn’t do your research.” He went on to say it’s illegal to display the flag on a costume, quoting Republic Act 8491.
“It states it should be prohibited to wear the flag in whole or in part as part of a costume or uniform…the correct way to wear the Filipino flag is to not wear it all”
@Sleoin2’s video has already been taken down, but @BigLumpia has stitched it together while coming to the defense of @Sansophs.
@Biglumpia wondered if it’s illegal to wear the Filipino flag, why is it being sold in the first place? She found the Filipino flag adorned on the sash she wore at her grade school graduation- even displaying the tag from the manufacturer.
Don’t blame Filipino Americans, she suggested. Blame the companies selling the flag in the first place.
@Sansophs had her own response to @sleoin2. “What I will not tolerate is being called whitewashed,” she said. “In a country where we are “othered,” many Filipinos choose to rep their flag to show they are visibly proud of their ethnicity.”
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