Raymond Quitugua displays the CNMI flag as he staged a protest action across from the Commonwealth Election Commission office last year.
THE office of U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan has informed local activist Edwin Raymond B. Quitugua that the CIA World Factbook’s description of the CNMI flag is now more accurate.
Last month, Quitugua sought the help of Kilili’s office in correcting the CNMI flag’s description in the Factbook.
In a letter last week, Kilili’s Chief of Staff Robert Schwalbach informed Quitugua that the Factbook’s description of the CNMI flag has been changed to reflect more accurately the Commonwealth Code.
The Factbook now describes the CNMI flag as “blue with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on a gray latte stone (the traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a mwaar or head lei (wreath); blue symbolizes the Pacific Ocean, the star represents the Commonwealth; the Chamorro latte stone and the Carolinian mwaar (head lei) represent elements of Marianas culture; the mwaar is composed of the flowers from four flowering plant: flores mayo (plumeria), ylang-ylang or langilang (Cananga adorata), angagha or peacock flower (caesalpinia pulcherrima) and teibwo or Pacific basil (Ociman tenuiflorum).”
Schwalbach thanked Quitugua for his attention to detail. “Because of you, [the CNMI flag’s] description is now more accurate,” Schwalbach said.
