Easy to agree with........

It makes a welcome change, when Nation States act to protect their symbols of democracy.
Well done Philippines...!!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11473753


At times I feel despair when I see demonstrators burning flags or stamping on them, and generally making an utter mess of a Nation's symbol.

In Italy there has always been a law that crimininalizes defacing or mis-using the national flag, and it is painful for me to see idiots burning the british one in public, and nothing gets done because of freedom of speech or expresssion laws....

I am always a little uneasy when a state brings in laws to stop people making fun of their national anthem or even burning the flag. Like you Dom I also feel upset when I see people burning a British (or American or pretty much any flag), but I like the US approach to it. There they protect freedom of speech above all else, so a flag or book burner may well be condemned for their actions in the voices of people who do not approve but no criminal activity takes place because of it.

Also, this new law essentially stops people like Moymoy Palaboy from miming to their own anthem in one of their comedy routines!

The Philippines is fairly new to Democracy and it is understandable that they feel like it could all be taken away from them with an overthrow from whichever faction, but cutting free speech is not good for their overall success as a nation.