Video: Burj Khalifa lit up with Philippine flag colours to mark the country's independence day

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest edifice, was emblazoned with the red-white-blue-yellow colours of the Philippine flag at 9.40pm on Wednesday (June 12), as the Southeast Asian nation celebrated its 121st freedom anniversary from its mid-1500 to late 1800 coloniser Spain.

In a statement released to the media, Consul General in Dubai and the Northern Emirates Paul Raymund Cortes said: “For the first time, the Philippine flag colours were shown on the Burj Khalifa facade in commemoration of the Philippine Independence Day 12 June 2019 at 9:40pm.

“This monumental occasion manifests the collective pride and joy of the Filipino community in the UAE and their appreciation to the multicultural community in the country for welcoming them in this diverse society.”

The current design of the Philippine flag was by the First Philippine Republic President Emilio Aguinaldo who unfurled it from the balcony of his two-storey mansion in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898 as the “Marcha Nacional Filipinas” (The Philippine National March, later known as Lupang Hinirang or Chosen Land) penned by Jose Palma and music by Julian Felipe was heard for the first time as the country’s national anthem.

Throughout the quest for freedom from Spain, Filipino revolutionary organisations such as the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangan Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or Katipunan (Supremo y Venerable Asociacion delos Hijos del Pueblo/Supreme and Vulnerable Association of the Children of the Land) of Andres Bonifacio, were represented by their own Philippine flags.

Four of these were most prominent, namely the red-and-white Katipunan flag, the red-and-white Magdalo Katipunan Faction flag, the red-and-white 1897 Biak-Na-Bato Republic flag, and the First Republic of Negros flag similar to the current Philippine national flag.

The first national Philippine flag unfurled on June 12,1898 was handsewn in its entirety by three Filipino women in exile in Hong Kong namely Marcela Maria Agoncillo, her daughter Lorenzana, and Delfina Herbosa, niece of the Philippines’ national hero, Dr Jose P. Rizal.

Over 700,000 Filipinos reside in the UAE. UAE-Philippine diplomatic relations were formally established on June 17, 1980.

The country of 7,107 islands with a population of a little over 108 million has seen its glorious prosperous days specifically during the pre-World War II, very much way ahead in all aspects compared to its neighbours and other colonised states.

It also has suffered a lot socially, economically and politically being a democratic country where inequality has become all too real and brazen. A case of the all too powerful elite against the poor underdogs.

On Wednesday, Gulf Today featured the wishes of Filipinos in the UAE, a few of them the youth from the capital, as on June 30, the new set of elected national legislators and local government officials shall begin their six-year term of office.

With this, is the photograph of one of the numerous artworks of Filipino artist Roberto “Von” Reniva Aytona, born and raised in the Bicol Region in Southern Luzon, who has been a professional artist using 16 mediums in the last 30 years, rooted in childhood orientations and putting forward these days helping upcoming persons in the field of visual arts.

We all wish the Philippines will be able to move on and move forward despite all challenges.

Philippine-Emirates Private School (Abu Dhabi) 2018-2019 class valedictorian/Student Council president/Prism Campus paper editor-in-chief Wilbert Matthew Dimaculangan: “I wish that my country along with its citizens and leaders capitaliSe on a step to change that was spearheaded by the Duterte Administration to usher an era wherein the “Sleeping Tiger of Asia” finally awakens and the “Pearl of the Orient” shining once more. Likewise, I wish to be a part of the youth whom our national heroes placed their faith on to finally bring real independence and prosperity to our beloved motherland.”