When the PH flag takes a husband's place at home

For widows of fallen soldiers, the flag is not just a national emblem. It is memory, mourning, and meaning-stitched into every fold.

- By KRIZETTE CHU

When the Philippine flag was placed in Ligaya Cornito Serrano's hands at her husband's funeral, the world seemed to blur around her. “The pain was overwhelming,” she says. “But I had to stay strong—I was seven months pregnant and had a four-year-old who needed me.”

Her husband, Staff Sergeant Benito Gammad Serrano, was among the soldiers killed during the Marawi siege in 2017. Since then, the flag-now stored in a box beside his Lapu-Lapu Medal and personal keepsakes-has become a quiet presence in her home. On his birthday, death anniversary, and national holidays, Ligaya hangs it proudly in front of their house. “It’s my way of honoring him,” she says. “To me, the flag now represents his courage, our love, and the freedom he helped defend.”

For many military widows like Ligaya, the flag is no longer just a patriotic symbol-it is a lifeline. It marks the moment their lives changed, and remains a visible reminder of sacrifice.