Tan Gatue and Philippine Flags

Happy Independence Day to all my kababayans out there!

Its the Philippines' 114th Independence Day today and flags are seen raised and displayed almost everywhere.  Have you ever wondered who makes all these flags?  I have always wondered who commercially manufactures our Philippine flags, especially the ones used for our government institutions and schools.

I do not know how many manufacturers there are out there, but I stumbled upon the family name Tan Gatue, a family that runs the Atlas Super Flags in Sta. Cruz, Manila.  According to history, this family of flag makers have been making flags since the late 1910.  To date,  Gregory D. Tan Gatue who runs Atlas Super Flags is the fourth generation of this company; his grandfather Alejandro Tan Gatue who came from China in 1903 was the one who pioneered this noble business. 

The flags made by this company is seen all over the country especially at SM Malls, one of their major clients.  Atlas Super Flags with their 102 years of flag-making experience has already earned accreditation from the National Historical Institute for their reliability in making Philippine flags.

By the way, did you know that the Philippine flag is the only flag in the world that is displayed upside down when the country is at war?  So kids, take note how it should be displayed...blue on top and red at the bottom.  If its the other way around, we are at war.