The Claim: The BBM-Sara tandem has been prophesied by the country’s coat of arms
Rating: FALSE
The Facts: Several meme cards have been circulating on social media insisting that Bongbong Marcos and Inday Sara Duterte are destined to hold the top political posts of the country, as prophesied by the Great Seal of the Philippines.
A closer investigation of our seal shows that the spin is just a spin.
Why we fact-checked this: State symbols must be treated with utmost reverence. The Great Seal of the Philippines represents the country as well as its people. It is a constant reminder to uphold our Filipino values as stated on our National Motto: Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan at Makabansa. Under the law, nobody has the right to use it other than its intended purpose.
As Filipinos, we should be familiar and knowledgeable about national symbols. It arouses our patriotism and altruism just by looking at those. Unfortunately, however, disinformation purveyors always find a way to further their candidates at the expense of disrespecting our national symbols.
The spirit animals of BBM and Sara, according to their campaign posters, are the tiger (The Tiger of the North) and the monkey-eating eagle (The Eagle of the South).
What is represented in the country seal are the symbols of the colonizers. The Spanish Lion is in the red field, representing our more than 300 years under Spanish rule. The eagle grasping an olive branch and war arrows on the blue background is not the Haribon but the bald eagle, the national bird of the USA.
These symbols are reminders that Spain and the United States have a deep historical significance on the Philippines. [https://www.sunstar.com.ph/…/philippine-coat-of-arms…]
Moreover, Republic Act 8491, known as the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines prohibits its use in any advertisement or infomercial (Sec. 34, i). [https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/…/republic-act-no-8491/]
ADVERTISEMENT
