The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) clarified on Wednesday that the inverted Philippine flag displayed during the bilateral meeting between the Philippines and Canada was an “honest mistake.”
The inverted Philippine flag was seen behind Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.
“It was an honest mistake that had nothing to do with our protocol officers,” DFA Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said in a statement.
Under the Philippine Flag and Heraldic Code, the blue field of the flag should be above the red field during times of peace when the flag is raised horizontally. On the other hand, during times of war, the red should be positioned above the blue.
On a lighter note, Lazaro, mentioned that ”the battle of the socks continues,” referring to a previous meeting between Trudeau and Marcos in November 2022, where both leaders sported colorful socks, humorously dubbed the “battle of the socks.”
