National Historical Commission of the Philippines(NHCP)

December 20, 2023 Dear Citizen, Greetings! Thank you for your request dated Dec 13, 2023 12:00:37 PM under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch. Your Request You asked for clarifications on the proper display of the Philippine Flag and Coastwise Flag on board Philippine registered domestic ships. Response to Request We wish to inform you Section 13 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 8491 (The Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines) states the following regarding the display of the flag in ships: The National Flag shall be flown on all naval vessels and on merchants ships of Philippine registry, of more than one thousand (1000) gross tons. Military, civil, or state vessels should fly the National Flag. Pleasure, merchant, fishing boats, or yachts are also encouraged to fly the National Flag. On board vessels of Philippine registry, the National Flag shall be displayed on the flagstaff at the stern when the vessel is at anchor. The National Flag shall be hoisted to the gaff at the aftermast when the vessel is at sea. Regarding the proper display of the Coastwise Flag, we wish to inform you that such is not regulated by R.A. 8491. Instead, its display is stated in Section 6 of Philippine Commission Act No. 520 s. 1902 (known as the Coastwise Trade Act) which states that “vessels operating under the special coastwise license shall hoist their national ensign, and shall fly at the mainmast the Philippine coastwise emblem, which shall consist of a rectangular white flag with one blue and one red star ranged from staff to tip in a horizontal median line.” You may access the rest of the Coastwise Trade Act in the digital resources of the Senate of the Philippines: https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/legislative%2Bissuances/Act%20No.%20520 Your right to request a review If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response by writing to the undersigned and email at [email protected]. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 15 calendar days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review and tell you the result within 30 calendar days from the date when we receive your review request. If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Office of the President under Administrative Order No. 22 (s. 2011). Kindly fill out this form to help us improve our services: https://tinyurl.com/foinhcp Thank you. Respectfully, Carminda R. Arevalo FOI Officer