Name, Anthem, Seal and Flag

May the name, national anthem and seal of the Philippines be changed?

Yes! Name, anthem and seal may be changed by an act of Congress, but any change must be ratified by the people in a referendum.

“The Congress may, by law, adopt a new name for the country, a national anthem, or a national seal, which shall all be truly reflective and symbolic of the ideals, history, and traditions of the people. Such law shall take effect only upon its ratification by the people in a national referendum.”

If change is to be made on the design of the Philippine flag, how is it to be achieved?

The provision on the flag, however, does not specify how the design may be changed. The result is that the provision is fellester.blogspot.com placed on the same level as all the other provisions of the Constitution not qualified by the phrase “as may be provided by law.” Thus it can be changed only by a constitutional amendment. This means that any proposed change can come only from Congress as a constituent assembly, from a constitutional convention, or from the people through initiative. And it must be submitted to the people for approval in a plebiscite.(Fiddling with the colors and rays of the flag by By Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J., Philippine Daily Inquirer,10/05/2009)