Googling the Philippines' Independence Day

With the Philippines turning 121 years old today as a nation, Google has flown the Filipino flag high.

Google’s reps have stated that “Google salutes the 121st Philippine Independence Day with a special doodle that features the Philippine flag.

On this day in 1898, the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands in the western Pacific Ocean named after Spanish King Philip II, finally claimed its freedom after over 300 years of colonial rule from Spain,” it adds. 

Spanish was introduced in the islands after 1565, when the Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi set sail from Mexico and founded the first Spanish settlement on Cebú. Though its usage is not as widespread as before, Spanish has had a significant influence in the various local Philippine languages such as providing numerous loan wordsSpanish rule ended in 1898 with Spain's defeat in the Spanish–American War. The Philippines then became a territory of the United States. . After the U.S. military overpowered the Japanese in 1945, the Treaty of Manila in 1946 established an independent Philippine Republic.

Google also continues to explain the symbolism behind the colors, stars, and eight rays of the sun on the Philippine flag.

“The Philippine flag itself is a powerful symbol of the independence movement, with each of its colors carrying a significant meaning: blue represents truth and justice, red symbolizes patriotism, and white stands for equality,” Google says.

“The three stars at the corner represent the three main regions of the Philippines – Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Meanwhile, the eight rays of the sun stand for the first eight provinces that went into battle against Spain."

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about Googling the Philippines' Independence Day! Google has a long history of making impressive doodles for it’s search engine. Which is your favorite? Join the conversation below!