The approval Tuesday by the bicameral conference committee of Congress to add a ninth ray to the sun in the Philippine flag was welcomed warmly by Muslim Filipinos, who described it as long overdue.

Descendants of Sultan Kudarat, Amai Pakpak and other Muslim warriors who fought and never bowed to foreign colonizers starting with the Spaniards yesterday said that while the congressional action is a direct credit to the exploits of their ancestors, it would also bring about a a genuine step to 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 belonging to the lineage of Amai Pakpak in Marawi City.

Members of the legislatures of the defunct Central Mindanao Autonomous Government under the Marcos administration had passed resolutions asking the Manila government to revise the national flag and add a ninth solar ray for the Muslim sector, but the clamor failed to get attention.

Legislators of succeeding Muslim autonomous governments including now Lanao del Sur Rep. Pangalian Balindong had decried the absence of Muslim representation in the national flag, calling it a “socio-cultural and political injustice”.

According to militant Muslim groups, the blatant bias in the national flag had somehow encouraged the Bangsa Moro armed struggle for independence.

Sen. Richard J. Gordon, chairman of the Senate bicameral panel and principal author of Senate Bill 3307, said bicameral approval of the measure would foster 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 bid step towards reuniting our country, recognizing the contributions of our fellow countrymen, Muslim Filipinos.

We should recognize their deeds in our country,’’ Gordon said.

SB 3307 proposed amendments to Republic Act 8491, or ‘’An Act Prescribing the Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-of-Arms and Other Heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines.’’

“This is a great step in recognizing the fact that we had Muslims such as Lapu-Lapu, Sultan Kudarat, Amai Pakpak and Sorongan who kept fighting the Spaniards long before this country thought of a revolution against Spain,” Gordon said.

“The said measure would foster unity, making sure that nobody is excluded. If we are to have national unity in this country it must begin with our flag, it must be symbolized in our flag.’’

The bicameral panel members were Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee; Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri; Representative Del de Guzman, chairman of the House panel; and Reps. Ma. Carisssa Cocoluella, Salvador Escudero III and Roman Romulo.