THIS WEEK’S MILESTONES: May 27 to June 2, 2018

May 28, 1898

The Philippine flag was first unfurled to celebrate the victory of the Filipino revolutionary forces over the Spanish troops in the small barrio of Alapan (formerly Alapang) in the City of Imus, Cavite province. Emilio Aguinaldo supposedly sketched the flag’s design while in exile in Hong Kong and brought the flag in his return to the Philippines. From 1898 to 1901, the national flag had the red stripe on top to denote a state of war against the Spaniards. In March 1965, former President Diosdado Macapagal declared every May 28 of each year as Flag Day. In May 1994, then President Fidel Ramos extended the celebration of Flag Day to June 12 of every year.

June 2, 2002

The construction of a Gawad Kalinga (GK) village at Barangay Banaybanay II in the town of San Jose, Batangas province, was completed. Some 23 informal settler families from four different towns and cities of Batangas moved to the village built by GK, a nongovernment organization that aims to end poverty. Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the GK village and gave P30 million to help the group’s project. Of the amount, P900,000 went to projects in Batangas province.

Compiled by Kathleen de Villa, Inquirer Research

Sources: Inquirer Archives, DOT, officialgazette.gov.ph, malacanang.gov.ph, nhcp.gov.ph, negros-occ.gov.ph