Executive Order No. 18 (Laurel)

by Jose Paciano Laurel

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Republic of the Philippines
Office of the President
Manila

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Executive Order No. 18

PROMULGATING RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE USE OF THE FLAG OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

By virtue of the powers vested in me by law, I, Jose P. Laurel, President of the Republic of the Philippines, do hereby prescribe the following rules and regulations governing the use of the Flag of the Republic of the Philippines:

1. The flag shall be displayed in public office buildings, official residences, public squares, and institutions of learning every day throughout the year, and shall be raised at sunrise and lowered at sundown. It should be on the mast at the break of day and should not remain flying after the sun has actually set except when specially prescribed. The flag staff must be straight, slightly and gently tapering at the end.

2. In peace time, the flag shall be displayed with the blue field above and the red field below when flown from a pike or staff or hung horizontally, and with the blue field on the right and the red field on the left of the observer, when hung vertically; and in time of war, the flag shall be flown with the red field above and the blue field below, when flown or hung horizontally, and with the red field on the right and the blue field on the left of the observer, when hung vertically.

Inclining the flag to the right or left is incorrect, except when displayed from a pike or staff.

3. The flag must not be displayed upside down.

4. The flag should never be displayed for decorative purposes. It should never be used for a curtain, for decorating a post or for covering a chair, table, or bench.

5. The flag must not be displayed in a dancing pavilion, cockpit or other places of hilarious or vicious amusement.

6. When used in connection with the unveiling of a statue or monument, the flag should form a distinct feature during the ceremony, but the flag itself should never be used as the covering for the statue.

7. The flag shall be displayed on Independence Day, October 14th of every year, and on all national holidays and other historic or special occasions not only in public office buildings, official residences, public squares, and institutions of learning, but also in private buildings and homes, from sunrise to sundown.

8. When flag ceremonies are held, all persons designated to take part in such ceremonies should assemble promptly and face the flag standing at attention. While the flag is being raised, the participants shall salute the flag; (a) those belonging to the armed service, by rendering the usual military salute; and (b) the civilians, by placing their right hands over their hearts and if wearing hats, by uncovering and holding the hats over their hearts. Complete silence shall be observed, and no person should be allowed to walk around while the ceremony is going on.

9. The national flags of friendly nations may be displayed with that of the Philippines, with the flag of the Republic of the Philippines in the center and the flags of the Greater East Asiatic nations to the right and left thereof in the order of precedence as may be determined by the dates of recognition of the Republic of the Philippines by such nations, or as may be established by usage. The flags of other nations shall occupy positions after those of the Greater East Asiatic nations in the order of precedence fixed by international convention, protocol, or usage, and in the absence of these, in the alphabetical order as determined by the names in French of the respective countries. When the national flag of a guest of state is displayed with the flag of the Republic of the Philippines, the former shall be placed at the right side of the latter.

10. When the flag of the Republic of the Philippines is carried in a procession with other flags, the display of the flags shall be in the order given in paragraph 9 above. However, when there is more than one line of other flags, the flag of the Republic of the Philippines should be in front of the center of those lines.

11. Uncased national colors and flags passing in parade, review, or other ceremony should be saluted by all persons present who should face the flags, stand at attention and render an appropriate salute, as prescribed in paragraph 8 hereof.

12. The flag should never be dipped by way of salute or compliment.

13. On the national holidays of his country and other historic or special occasions, any alien whose country is at peace with the Philippines, may display the flag of his nation on any building or property owned or rented by him, without simultaneously displaying the flag of the Republic of the Philippines.

However, if the alien is located in a building or on other property owned or rented by the Republic of the Philippines, or by any of its branches, agencies or instrumentalities, the flag of the Republic of the Philippines should always be displayed when that of his own country is displayed. When so displayed, the flag of the Republic of the Philippines should at least be of the same size as the flag of the alien's country and placed on the right of the latter (left of the observer facing the flags).

14. The flag, flying from a fixed pole at full or half-mast, should never be draped in black, but one carried in a funeral or in a necrological service indoor or outdoor, may, in sign of mourning, be draped by tying a double knot of black crepe at the head of the pike and hanging at a convenient length. It should not be so draped except when specifically ordered by the proper authorities.

15. The flag may be hoisted at half-mast in sign of mourning. To display the flag at half-mast, it must first be hoisted to full-mast, allowing it to fly there for a short moment before bringing it to the position of half-mast. From this position it may be raised but not lowered. To lower the flag at sunset or at any other time when ordered, it must again be hoisted to full-mast before bringing it down. The flag shall be displayed at half-mast only on the following occasions:

(a) On National Heroes Day, November 30th of every year, the flag should be flown at half-mast at sunrise until sundown; and

(b) On the death of a distinguished official or citizen, and on the anniversary of the death of a national hero or a martyr, the flag on all public office buildings, official residences, public squares, and institutions of learning throughout the Philippines may be ordered flown at half-mast by express authority of the President of the Republic of the Philippines or by a resolution approved by the National Assembly.

16. The flag shall not be used to wrap a casket, except of men in the air, military or naval forces of the nation; men who have rendered patriotic service for the people; and men whose lives, by reason of exemplar citizenship, devotion and loyalty to the public service, merit public recognition. When used to enshroud a casket in proper cases, the flag should be neatly and evenly spread lengthwise over the full length of the casket. The white triangle of the sun and stars will cover the head end, the blue field to the left, the red field to the right of the deceased with both colors evenly distributed on each side of the casket. The flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground. Wreaths of flowers should not be placed over a flag-shrouded casket. A little cross with a few flowers strewn here and there, or a small cross made of flowers, may be allowed over the red and blue fields of the flag. A small cross as a symbol of Christian faith may be permitted to rest anywhere on the flag.

17. The use of the flag of the Republic of the Philippines as trade-marks, or for advertisement, placards, or labels for commercial, industrial or agricultural purposes by private persons, corporations or associations, and the printing or stamping of the same on articles or commodities intended for sale, barter, or exchange, or on personal, professional, Christmas or greeting cards, is hereby prohibited and penalized as provided by law.

Done in the City of Manila, this thirteenth day of December, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and forty-three, and of the Republic of the Philippines, the first.

By the President: