Google on Saturday joined Filipinos in celebrating the 123rd anniversary of Philippine Independence with a Doodle showing the country's flag on its home page.
"On this day in 1898, a public reading of the Philippine Declaration of Independence in Cavite el Viejo (modern-day Kawit) proclaimed the archipelago a sovereign nation. Today’s Doodle commemorates this historic anniversary, celebrated annually as Philippine Independence Day," Google said.
The internet giant described the features of the Philippine flag, which is "filled with symbolic meaning." The color blue represents peace and justice, red signifies courage and bravery, and white symbolizes unity and equality.
It also added that the sun in the far left of the flag symbolizes freedom, while its eight rays represent the first eight provinces that sought independence from Spanish rule: Nueva Ecija, Manila, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Bataan.
The three stars represent the three main island groups in the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
On June 12, 1898, "Lupang Hinirang," the country's national anthem, was also played for the first time, along with the first hosting of the Philippine flag.
