Largest Philippine flag unfurled in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - The world's biggest flag and the Philippine's biggest flag were both unfurled almost the same time Filipinos celebrated the 110th anniversary of independence Thursday. The 180 meters x 92 meters Philippine flag was first displayed almost as the same time the world's biggest flag, the Israeli flag, was also unfurled at Gaza strip in Israel. About 600 people including Boy Scouts, schoolchildren and police officers unfurled the Philippine flag at the Baguio Athletic Bowl. Grace Galindez Gupana, the maker of the two flags, decided to attend the Israeli flag ceremony but in her message to the almost 5,000 government employees and students in the Athletic Bowl, she said that the simultaneous unfurling of the flags is symbolic because the Gaza Strip is beset with conflicts and the Philippines is out to help bring in the peace. The Philippine flag weighed 3.8 tons and cost almost P30 million. The Israeli flag, first unfurled in 2006 in Masada, Israel, measured 660 meters by 100 meters and weighed 5.2 tons. The Hallelujah Prophetic Global Foundation was set up by Gupana, the chief executive officer of the ABS GEN Herbs International, to build the flags. In September 2006, Gupana also made a gigantic Philippine flag and unfurled it on a face of a mountain in Nueva Vizcaya. Unfortunately, strong winds ripped the flag, which measured 100 by 200 meters. The new Philippine flag that was unfurled in Baguio was made of 14,000 yards of taffeta nylon and 1,250 yards of satin for the stars and sun. It took more than a month to create it. The weather was more cooperative on Independence Day and only a mild breeze passed through the flag. The Good News Community Church in Baguio was chosen as the coordinator for the city. Nestor Quinto, a pastor of the GNCC, said that Baguio was chosen because the pine city is nearer to the Heavens. The Philippine flag was unfurled at 8:20 a.m. and a short evangelical program followed. It was later folded at around 9 a.m. - GMANews.TV