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The structure, located at the foot of the provincial capitol’s flagpole, contains a cinerary urn holding the ashes of worn-out flags that were ceremonially burned
COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The provincial government of Sultan Kudarat unveiled a columbarium for retired Philippine flags during the country’s 127th Independence Day celebration on Thursday, June 12.
The structure, located at the foot of the provincial capitol’s flagpole, contains a cinerary urn holding the ashes of worn-out flags that were ceremonially burned prior to the unveiling. The practice follows Republic Act No. 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, which requires that damaged flags be disposed of through formal burning and not discarded casually.
Sultan Kudarat, part of the Soccsksargen region in Mindanao, is named after Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, a 17th-century Moro leader who led resistance movement against Spanish colonization in Mindanao. He was declared a hero by the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos.
The province itself was created during Marcos’ martial law regime, when it was carved out of the larger Cotabato. It became one of the areas affected by military operations targeting separatist and communist groups.
While it lies outside the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the province continues to play a role in discussions over peacebuilding and ancestral land rights in Mindanao.
Local officials described the columbarium as a symbol of respect and patriotism. The ashes of retired flags were collected and permanently enshrined, underscoring the government’s effort to observe proper flag retirement in line with national law.
During the Independence Day rites in the province on Thursday, Sultan Kudarat Governor Pax Ali Mangudadatu described the flag columbarium’s significance, “From the sky it once soared, to the soil it now rests – our flag is never forgotten.”
He said it is “a sacred place where damaged, faded, and timeworn flags, which once flew with pride and purpose throughout the province of Sultan Kudarat, are honored and respected.”
Mangudadatu added, “More than raising a flag, we honor it. We remember its meaning, we respect its service, and we ensure it is laid to rest with dignity. Real patriotism isn’t just shown in celebration. It’s reflected in how we care for the symbols that bind us as one nation.
The flag columbarium resonated with some residents like Suraida Ampatuan Mamaluba who said, “It was the first time I learned about the importance of treating old Philippine flags.”
It wasn’t the first flag columbarium in the region though. In late 2024, the Kidapawan City government in Cotabato built the Himlayan ng mga Watawat ng Pilipinas for the ashes of worn-out Philippine flags disposed of under the Flag and Heraldic Code, reported the state-run Philippine Information Agency.
The Kidapawan columbarium, located near the Dr. Jose Rizal monument at the Kidapawan City Plaza, has a flooring of bricks made from recycled waste materials. The columbarium, which has seven vaults for flag ashes, was inaugurated with the interment of ashes from 31 flags burned during the Bonifacio Day ceremony on November 30, 2024. – Rappler.com
