Flag Burning on Philippine Independence Day
Today, 12 June 2008, I was half-awake when I heard the loudspeakers of the nearby public elementary and high school blare that they were going to burn the Philippine flag in celebration of Independence Day.
That sent me scrambling up from the bed to grab my camera and run to the balcony to record this preposterous event.
Darn. The alleged burning couldn’t be seen from my vantage point because of the building’s structure. All I could see were students lined up as they sang Pilipinas Kong Mahal (My Beloved Philippines). What an incongruous sight that would have been…
And, for a few minutes, I stood there pondering, but, I can’t think of any reason why flag burning would be appropriate in school on Independence Day.
Old, tattered flags are supposed to be burned instead of just thrown in the trash. It makes for a more solemn end. Maybe the school was replacing their old flags.
Oh, I’d like to think it’s for that reason! Thanks!
Don’t you find it profound? It teaches kids that not all things appear as they seem to be. It’s so poetic. You’re in the field of performing arts, you should know/understand this!
Ruben