Know your country's history first.
Chapter 15
Time really flew past. We already finish our first semester. Our finals is not a joke. I can't almost sleep because of those tons of paperwork's, quizzes and the final exams.
Me and Gilj decided to not have a date since we are both busy. But we both promised that we will be having a movie marathon on her house after we finish it all.
“Pop corn?” Peji asked when the sales lady handed to me the pop corn that I bought.
“Yeah. Giljean and I we're going to have a movie marathon date today.” I answered.
Peji already knew that Giljean is my girlfriend because he said Missy told him. So it means, they saw each other too. I smell something fishy, haha.
“Okay, dude. I'll gonna go now, ha. You know, Baguio is too far from here. It's kinda tiring, haist.” Peji took a deep sigh.
The tiredness on his face are evident. I know Military Training are really tiring. But since Peji really wanted to be the Philippine air force, he will never give up on that.
“I missed you, baby.” Giljean hugged me when I finally entered on the gate.
“I miss you too, baby.” I wrapped my arms on her waisted. Damn, I really missed her.
“So let's go?” She asked, gesturing the way on the door.
“Americans Army ordered by the President to back on their country.”
I heard on the TV news said by the reporter. I sat down on the sofa since Giljean went on the kitchen to get some drinks.
“I really don't get why they did that. And then what? They trying to be friends on Chinese?” Giljean complaining while putting down those drinks.
“Americans are trustworthy than Chinese, I mean, you know Chinese trying to get some of our country's property. Chinese will just betrayed us.” Giljean added, still complaining.
“But Americans once betrayed Filipino's too, remember?”
The two wrinkles on her forehead are now evident, haha.
“Wait... let me clear this to you, I'm not favor in Chinese too.” she sighed.
“Remember the Treaty of Paris in our history?” I asked.
“Yeah, when I was first year in a junior high, our teacher teach that.” she said, still frowning.
“Did you still remember the whole topic?” Giljean shook her head, probably she didn't.
“ December 10, 1898 when the Treaty of Paris between the Spaniards and Americans happened. Spaniards invades our country for 333 years but because of those Americans, Spaniards surrendered us to them. Americans paid the Spaniards for approximately 20 million dollars as exchange of giving them up the Puerto Rico and the Philippines. ” I paused for a bit, trying to remember some details that I'd read before.
“According to that treaty, Americans will respect the Philippines independency. But that thing never happened in the whole history. Because Americans said that time that they don't have that kind of agreement. They'd treat our ancestors like an animal that they will hit, rape, or killed if they wanted.”
“And if I am not mistaken, February 4-5 1899 when The Battle in Manila happened. Aguinaldo's army's that time was not complete since it happened during the weekend days. Americans was indeed powerful that's why in that battle 1,000 people of Aguinaldo's died while in American's Army only have 44 deaths. But Aguinaldo's team isn't planned to win in that battle but at least to killed more Americans with the hope that it will change the Americans voters mind for the upcoming election on 1900.” I explained.
“But our country got our independence on June 12, 1898 right?”
“Yup. That date there are three things that we celebrated. First our country's independency. Second, that is the date when our flag raised. And the third one is, when the Philippine National Anthem has been played, but that time, it's just only a minus one, it's still doesn't have lyrics.” I saw Giljean nodded.
“Since you mentioned our Flag, I just wanted you to asked also if my answer on my test paper are wrong. I'm just a bit curious because I thought it was the correct answer, though it's just a bunos point.” Giljean frowned.
“What subject is that?" I curiously asked.
“Work of Rizal.” she answered.
“Can you please recite your answer?” I said.
I get the popcorn that I brought, I think our movie marathon will ended up in this kind of conversation.
“The question is,
Classified the Philippine national flag colors and it's symbols.” Giljean posted for a bit and then took a deep sigh.
“My answer is,
The Philippine National Flag has a rectangular design that consist of a white equilateral triangle, symbolizing the liberty, equality and fraternity; a horizontal royal blue stripe for piece, truth, and justice; and the horizontal c rimson red stripe for patriotism and valor. In the center of white triangle is an eight-rayed golden sun. Symbolizing unity, freedom, people's democracy, and sovereignty. Each rays represents a province with significant involvement in the 1896 Philippine Revolution against Spain; these provinces are Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Morong or also in the modern-day province of Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, and Nueva Ecija. The three five-pointed stars, one at each of the triangle's points, stands for three major island groups which are the Luzon, Panay, and Mindanao. ”
I almost fell asleep because of her long recit. Haist.
“Tell me what's wrong with those?” she asked in a grudgingly tone.
“Probably because of the colors. It's not just blue, but a Royal Blue. It's not just red, but Crimson red. And also, Luzon, Panay, Mindanao; not Visayas.” I said, correcting some details on her answers.
“He has also an another bunos question in that. He said, “Give me the colors of Philippine national flag, in order form.”
“What's your answer?” I casually asked.
“Blue, Red, White and Yellow. But I get it now, because as what you said, it's royal blue and crimson. But...” Giljean paused for a bit, maybe she's remembering something.
“That is also the answer of one of my classmate, but still he got a wrong mark. I don't know why.” Giljean said. She's now chewing some popcorns.
“I don't know if this is correct but, some people saying that the white color in our flag is not belong to those colors. They said, there only have 3 colors and it's the Royal blue, Crimson Red, and Yellow and white didn't recognized as belong. Some professor said that the meaning of white is The absence color of black.” I explained.
I just heard those somewhere but when you ask Filipino's about what Giljean said, 85% of Filipino's will answer you like Giljean's answer.
YOU ARE READING
The missing pages
Teen FictionThis is a story about the journalist who still can't move on from his past. The man who grew up longing for justice for his parents and the man who can't be brave enough to fight for his own battle. But he will going to meet Giljean Abando, who wil...
