‘Honest mistake’: Inverted Philippine flag displayed at Marcos-Trudeau meeting

THE Philippine flag was displayed upside down during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday.

Under the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, the flag shall have its blue field on top in times of peace and its red field on top in times of war.

Explaining what happened, Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said it was an “honest mistake.”

“It was an honest mistake that had nothing to do with our protocol officers,” she said.

During the meeting, Marcos expressed his appreciation for Canada’s hosting of thousands of Filipinos.

“There are many families that have grown up in Canada. They have always been unanimous in their praise for the way Canadian society has been open, warm, and hospitable to them,” Marcos said.

“We would like to return the favor, and we would like very much to promote this increased relationship,” he added.

Trudeau, meanwhile, invited Marcos to visit Canada, as the two countries will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2024.