Flag of Southern Leyte

Southern Leyte

Use| State flag
Proportion| 13:25[1]
Adopted| ca. 1970s[1]

The Flag of Southern Leyte is the provincial flag of Southern Leyte, Philippines. It is a green field with thin white horizontal and vertical stripes meeting within the upper hoist quarter of the flag to form an offset cross; upon this cross is a wreath composed of an abaca (Manila hemp) leaf and a palm frond, while four "Star of Leyte" orchid flowers are set in a descending diagonal line from the cross intersection to the lower fly.

The flag was adopted sometime in the mid-1970s to early 1980s, when Ferdinand Marcos was promoting his "Bagong Lipunan" (New Society) vision.[1] It is one of the few provincial flags of the Philippines which deviate from the common design, i.e., a plain field with the provincial seal in the center.[2]

Older Southern Leyte flag

## Symbolism

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* The green field represents agriculture, the primary industry of the province.[3]
* The golden fringe represents hope and prayer for bountiful harvests in the midst of unpredictable natural events.[3]
* The cross alludes to the province's most significant historical event: the first Catholic mass in the Philippines, which is widely thought to have been celebrated in Limasawa.[3]
* The coconut palm frond and abaca leaf represent the province's most important agricultural products.
* The four Phalaenopsis x intermedia ("Star of Leyte") orchid flowers, which are endemic to the province, represent the four major geographical divisions of the province:
* Maasin—Macrohon—Padre Burgos area (also includes Limasawa, which was part of Padre Burgos until 1989[4])
* Sogod Bay area — Bontoc, Libagon, Malitbog, Sogod and Tomas Oppus
* Pacific area — Anahawan, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Saint Bernard, San Juan and Silago
* Panaon area — Liloan, Pintuyan, San Francisco and San Ricardo

## See also

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* Southern Leyte
* Flags of the Philippine provinces

## References

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1. ^ a b c Villapando, J.A. (17 January 2017). "Current Provincial Flags Series - SOUTHERN LEYTE". Philippine Vexillological Association. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
2. ^ Villapando, J.A. (25 May 2017). "Current Provincial Flags of the Philippines - Summary Sheet". Philippine Vexillological Association. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
3. ^ a b c "A Primer on the Official Symbols of the Province - Provincial Flag". Provincial Government of Southern Leyte. 13 July 2013. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
4. ^ "Local Government Units of Southern Leyte – Municipality of Limasawa". Provincial Government of Southern Leyte. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2017.