![[Pedro Ramon Fernandez municipal flag]](../images/a/ar-w-pf.gif)
Last modified: 2021-12-24 by rob raeside
Keywords: san roque department | corrientes province | argentina |
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image by Ivan Sache, 04 Jan 2014
The municipality of Pedro R. Fernández (1,329 inhabitants in 2001) islocated in the west of the Corrientes Province.
The place is named for Pedro Ramón Fernández, Deputy and Vice Governor of the Corrientes Province, who offered in 1889 plots from the San Diego estate to build the railway line between Monte Caseros and Corrientes. The San Diego railway station was inaugurated in February 1911. The Pedro R. Fernández colony, then part of the 1st Section of the San Roque Department, was founded on 28 July 1929 by Mercedes Gomez de Fernández and her son Eduardo Fernández, with the support of Benjamín González, Governor of Corrientes. The San Diego station was renamed Manuel Florencio Mantilla on 28 July 1925. Accordingly, Pedro R. Fernández is better known as Estación Manuel Florencio Mantilla, Estación Mantilla, or, simply, Mantilla. Official documents often call the place Pedro R. Fernández - Estación Mantilla. The Corrientes politician Manuel Florencio Mantilla (1853-1909; Deputy, 1894-1898; Senator, 1898-1909) was a firm supporter of provincial autonomy and of the development of railway.
The flag Pedro R. Fernández is, in its upper part, horizontally divided white - sky blue, the blue stripe forming a triangle reaching the upper corner of the flag. The lower part of the flag is vertically divided green-brown by a curvy line. A black railway is placed on the right border of the green stripe; two black palm trees stand on the left of the railway. A yellow rising sun bordered by a black gear wheel emerges from the blue stripe.
The flag was unveiled for the celebration of the 83rd anniversary of the foundation of the town.
The flag was selected among 39 proposals submitted to the public contest "Todos Por Nuestra Bandera" (All for Our Flag), organized by the municipality. The winning proposal was designed by Roberto Carlos Meza Niella, born in Mantilla and currently living in Florianópolis (Brazil), and submitted by his niece Melani Ferrari, from Colegio San Diego.
White represents the permanent quest of peace by men.
Sky blue represents the firmament, whose splendour and munificence are celebrated in the "chámame" song "El cielo de Mantilla" [Mantilla Sky] by the Chamamé composer and singer Teresa Parodi.
Green represents the vegetation, as the symbol of the natural environment of the settlement.
Brown represents the cloak of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the patron saint of the town.
The railways recalls the origin of the settlement, built close to the Mantilla station; they also represent emigration of the youth in search of work and higher studies.
The sun / gear wheel is the symbol of the young history of the settlement.
The yataí palm tree* represents the vegetation, as seen by those entering the town by train. It is characteristic of the area, on the side of Road No. 12, forming a fragrant and unmistakable, cordon** welcoming the locals and the foreigners.
*Butia yatay (Mart.) Becc. is a palm tree species native to northern Argentina (Corrientes, Entre Ríos,, Misiones and Santa Fe Provinces), Paraguay, and Uruguay, also cultivated. Pedro R. Fernández - Estación Mantilla was established the permanent seat of the Yataí Provincial Festival, scheduled to the first week of February, by Provincial Law No. 5885 of 11 July 2009, published on 30 July 2009 in the official gazette.
** "El Litoral", 8 June 1898, announced the inauguration of the San Diego railway station in "a place located near a small lake and surrounded by thick palm tree woods".
Ivan Sache, 04 Jan 2014
