The eight rays of the sun represent the first eight localities that revolted against Spanish rule in the Philippines in 1898 – the city of Manila and the provinces of Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac.
The three stars in the flag represent the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Senator Richard Gordon said the Senate and House of Representatives will ratify next week the reconciled Senate and House bills providing for the inclusion of an additional ray in the sun.
Earlier on Tuesday, lawmakers from both houses of Congress approved the change in the Philippine flag.
Gordon, chairman of the Senate panel and principal author of Senate Bill 3307, hailed the approval of the measure, saying it would promote greater unity among Filipinos regardless of religion.
 “We are a country that has had a conflict with our Muslim brothers for the last so many decades. I think this is a big step towards reuniting our country, recognizing the contributions of our fellow countrymen, the Filipino Muslims. We should recognize their deeds in our country,” Gordon said.
He said he proposed the addition of the ninth ray to the Philippine flag to honor the Muslim heroes who fought for the country’s independence against Spain. They include Lapu-Lapu, Sultan Kudarat and Rajah Sulayman, who, Gordon said, showed courage, bravery and integrity against the better armed Spanish foes.
He said he pursued his proposal despite initial opposition from the National Historical Institute.
The Congress’ approval of the change in the Philippine flag was welcomed warmly by Muslim Filipinos, describing it as “long overdue.”
Descendants of Sultan Kudarat and other Muslim warriors who fought and never bowed to foreign colonizers starting with the Spaniards, yesterday said the congressional action was a “direct credit” to the exploits of their ancestors. They expressed hope that it would lead to a “genuine step” for meaningful national unity.
“For several decades, government campaigns for meaningful national unity were bereft of one basic element – the true recognition and reflection in the national flag of the Muslims’ existence,” said Muammar Taurak, a Maranao college student in Marawi City who belonged to the lineage of the Muslim warrior Amai Pakpak.
Muslim government officials in Mindanao had clamored for such a revision in the Philippine flag since the time of the administration of former President Ferdinand Marcos in the 1960s. But their calls were not given much attention.
The lawmakers decried the absence of Muslim representation in the national flag a “socio-cultural and political injustice” to the Muslim residents in the Philippines.
They said the “blatant bias” in the national flag helped fuel separatism in Mindanao.