Philippine National Hymn
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

"" ("Chosen Land"), originally titled in Spanish as "" ("Philippine National March"), and commonly and informally known by its
incipit The incipit () of a text is the first few words of the text, employed as an identifying label. In a musical composition, an incipit is an initial sequence of notes, having the same purpose. The word ''incipit'' comes from Latin and means "it beg ...
"" ("Beloved Country"), is the
national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...
of the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. Its music was composed in 1898 by
Julián Felipe Julián Reyes Felipe (: January 28, 1861 – October 2, 1944) was a Filipino composer of the music of the Philippine national anthem, formerly known as ''"Marcha Nacional Filipina"'', now known as "Lupang Hinirang". Early life Julián Felip ...
, and the lyrics were adopted from the Spanish poem "
Filipinas Filipinas may refer to: * ''Filipinas, letra para la marcha nacional'', the Spanish poem by José Palma that eventually became the Filipino national anthem. * The original Spanish name, and also used in different Philippines languages including F ...
", written by
José Palma José Palma y Velásquez (: June 3, 1876 February 12, 1903) was a Filipino poet and soldier. He was on the staff of ''La independencia'' at the time he wrote "Filipinas", a patriotic poem in Spanish. It was published for the first time in the ...
in 1899. The composition known as "Lupang Hinirang" was commissioned on June 5, 1898, by
Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
, head of the
Dictatorial Government of the Philippines The Dictatorial Government of the Philippines ( es, Gobierno Dictatorial de Filipinas) was an insurgent government in the Spanish East Indies inaugurated during the Spanish–American War by Emilio Aguinaldo in a public address on May 24, 1898, ...
, as a ceremonial and instrumental national march without lyrics, similar to the status of the "
Marcha Real The (; "Royal March") is the national anthem of Spain. It is one of only four national anthems in the world – along with those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino and Kosovo – that have no official lyrics. Although it had lyrics in the p ...
" in Spain. It was first performed in public during the
proclamation of Philippine independence The Philippine Declaration of Independence ( fil, Pagpapahayag ng Kasarinlan ng Pilipinas; es, Declaración de Independencia de Filipinas); es, Acta de la proclamación de independencia del pueblo Filipino, link=no) was proclaimed by Filipi ...
at Aguinaldo's residence in
Kawit Kawit, officially the Municipality of Kawit ( tgl, Bayan ng Kawit), is a first-class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population ...
,
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
, on June 12, 1898. It was re-adopted as the national march of the
Philippine Republic The term "Philippine Republic" or "Republic of the Philippines" refers to a succession of republics during and after the Philippine Revolution in the Philippines. The current government of the Philippines recognizes five "Philippine republics" in ...
( es, República Filipina) in 1899. Following the defeat of the First Republic in the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
and the subsequent colonial rule of the United States, the Flag Act of 1907 prohibited the public display of flags, banners, emblems, or devices used by the
Philippine Republican Army The Philippine Revolutionary Army, later renamed Philippine Republican Army (Spanish: ''Ejército Revolucionario Filipino''; Tagalog: ''Panghimagsikang Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''), was the official armed forces of the First Philippine Repu ...
during the war. Under the Flag Act, public performance of the national march was prohibited. Upon repeal of the Flag Act in 1919, the national march regained its popular status as the national anthem of the Philippines. Following the establishment of self-rule under the
Commonwealth of the Philippines The Commonwealth of the Philippines ( es, Commonwealth de Filipinas or ; tl, Komonwelt ng Pilipinas) was the administrative body that governed the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, aside from a period of exile in the Second World War from 1942 ...
, Commonwealth Act No. 382, approved on September 5, 1938, officially adopted the musical arrangement and composition by Julián Felipe as the national anthem. In the years after the revolution, the poem "Filipinas", written in 1899 by nationalist José Palma, gained widespread popularity as unofficial Spanish lyrics of the anthem. The Spanish lyrics were translated into English and, beginning in the 1940s, in the national language. The current
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
lyrics, written in 1956, were adopted and made official subject to a slight revision in the 1960s. On February 12, 1998, Republic Act No. 8491 was passed, codifying the 1956 Filipino lyrics into law.


History

"Lupang Hinirang" began as
incidental music Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, or some other presentation form that is not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as t ...
which
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
commissioned for use in the
proclamation of Philippine independence The Philippine Declaration of Independence ( fil, Pagpapahayag ng Kasarinlan ng Pilipinas; es, Declaración de Independencia de Filipinas); es, Acta de la proclamación de independencia del pueblo Filipino, link=no) was proclaimed by Filipi ...
from Spain. This task was given to
Julián Felipe Julián Reyes Felipe (: January 28, 1861 – October 2, 1944) was a Filipino composer of the music of the Philippine national anthem, formerly known as ''"Marcha Nacional Filipina"'', now known as "Lupang Hinirang". Early life Julián Felip ...
and was to replace a march which Aguinaldo had deemed unsatisfactory. The original title of this new march was "Marcha Filipina-Magdalo" (Philippine- Magdalo March), and was later changed to "Marcha Nacional Filipina" (Philippine National March) upon its adoption as the national anthem of the
First Philippine Republic The Philippine Republic ( es, República Filipina), now officially known as the First Philippine Republic, also referred to by historians as the Malolos Republic, was established in Malolos, Bulacan during the Philippine Revolution against ...
on June 11, 1898, a day before independence was to be proclaimed. Felipe said that he had based his composition on three other musical pieces: the "
Marcha Real The (; "Royal March") is the national anthem of Spain. It is one of only four national anthems in the world – along with those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino and Kosovo – that have no official lyrics. Although it had lyrics in the p ...
", which is the current Spanish national anthem; the "
Grand March A triumphal march is a musical form generally reflecting a triumph, victory or great joy. Many composers have written a triumphal march, with maybe the best known one being by Italian opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi for his 1871 grand opera, ''Aid ...
" from
Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...
's ''
Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 December ...
''; and the French national anthem, "
La Marseillaise "La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. The song was written in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg after the declaration of war by France against Austria, and was originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du R ...
". It was played by the ''Banda San Francisco de Malabón'' (now called the ''Banda Matanda'', from present-day
General Trias General Trias, officially the City of General Trias ( fil, Lungsod ng General Trias), is a 1st class component city A city ( fil, lungsod/siyudad) is one of the units of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are char ...
) during the proclamation rites on June 12. In August 1899, soldier and writer
José Palma José Palma y Velásquez (: June 3, 1876 February 12, 1903) was a Filipino poet and soldier. He was on the staff of ''La independencia'' at the time he wrote "Filipinas", a patriotic poem in Spanish. It was published for the first time in the ...
penned the Spanish poem ''
Filipinas Filipinas may refer to: * ''Filipinas, letra para la marcha nacional'', the Spanish poem by José Palma that eventually became the Filipino national anthem. * The original Spanish name, and also used in different Philippines languages including F ...
'', which in turn was derived from a Kapampangan poem called ''Labuad Mapalad'' by Mariano Proceso Pabalan of Bacolor, Pampanga written in September 1898 during his stay in Casa Hacienda in
Bautista, Pangasinan Bautista, officially the Municipality of Bautista ( pag, Baley na Bautista; ilo, Ili ti Bautista; tgl, Bayan ng Bautista), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population ...
. The poem was published for the first time for the first anniversary of the newspaper ''La Independencia'' on September 3, 1899, and was subsequently set to the tune of the "Marcha Nacional Filipina".The original text, as published in Barcelona, Spain in 1912: (Digital copy found online a
HathiTrust Digital Library
on March 31, 2010)
Contemporary restatements of and comments about the original text:
^
^
The Flag Act of 1907 prohibited the use of the anthem and other Philippine revolutionary and Katipunan symbols for a short period of time. When it was repealed back in 1919, the
Insular Government The Insular Government of the Philippine IslandsThis form of the name appeared in the titles of U.S. Supreme Court cases, but was otherwise rarely used. See Costas v. Insular Government of the Philippine Islands, 221 U.S. 623, 1911. The Admini ...
decided to translate the hymn from its original Spanish version to the English version. The first translation was written around that time by the renowned poet Paz Márquez Benítez of the
University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...
. The most popular translation, called the "
Philippine Hymn "" ("Chosen Land"), originally titled in Spanish as "" ("Philippine National March"), and commonly and informally known by its incipit "" ("Beloved Country"), is the national anthem of the Philippines. Its music was composed in 1898 by Julián ...
", was written by
Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
Camilo Osías Camilo Olaviano Osías, Sr. (born Camilo Osías y Olaviano; March 23, 1889 – May 20, 1976) was a Filipino politician, twice for a short time President of the Senate of the Philippines. Along with a certain American named Mary A. Lane, Osías t ...
and an
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
, Mary A. Lane. In the 1920s, the time signature in performance was changed from 2/4 to 4/4 to facilitate its singing and the
key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...
was changed from the original
C major C major (or the key of C) is a major scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. C major is one of the most common keys used in music. Its key signature has no flats or sharps. Its relative minor is A minor and ...
to G. However, this change was not codified into law. The anthem was played alongside the United States anthem, "
The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the b ...
", which was adopted in 1931. It was played alongside each other until the country's eventual independence in 1946. Tagalog translations began appearing in the 1940s, with the first known one titled " Diwa ng Bayan" (Spirit of the Country), which was sung during the
Japanese occupation of the Philippines The Japanese occupation of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Pananakop ng mga Japones sa Filipinas''; ja, 日本のフィリピン占領, Nihon no Firipin Senryō) occurred between 1942 and 1945, when Imperial Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the ...
. The second most popular one was " O Sintang Lupa" (O Beloved Land) by Julián Cruz Balmaceda,
Ildefonso Santos Ildefonso Santiago Santos (1897–1984) was a Filipino educator, poet, and linguist. Recognized as one of the finest poets in Tagalog, Santos was also renowned with his translations of Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam and of the Philippine National Anth ...
, and Francisco Caballo; this was adopted as the official version in 1948. Upon the adoption of "Diwa ng Bayan", the song " Awit sa Paglikha ng Bagong Pilipinas" and the Japanese national anthem "
Kimigayo is the national anthem of Japan. The lyrics are from a ' poem written by an unnamed author in the Heian period (794–1185), and the current melody was chosen in 1880, replacing an unpopular melody composed by John William Fenton eleven years e ...
" were replaced. During the term of
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Ramon Magsaysay Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay Sr. (August 31, 1907 – March 17, 1957) was a Filipino statesman who served as the seventh president of the Philippines, from December 30, 1953, until his death in an aircraft disaster on March 17, 1957. An automo ...
, Education Secretary Gregorio Hernández formed a commission to revise the lyrics. On May 26, 1956, the Tagalog translation "Lupang Hinirang" was sung for the first time. Minor revisions were made in the 1960s, and it is this version by Felipe Padilla de León which is presently used. The Martial Law years from 1972 to 1981 during the second term of
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
up to the
1986 EDSA Revolution The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of c ...
saw the use of the National Anthem as the opening protest song of some political parties, activist organizations, and union groups, accompanied by the use of the "raised clenched fist" salute instead of the traditional hand-to-heart salute. This was notably done by opposition political parties and activists. The 1956
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
lyrics were confirmed in 1958 by
Republic Act This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws. Sources of Philippine laws ;Notes : *Customs may be considered as supplementary source of law, however, customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not be ...
No. 8491 (the "Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines") in 1998, abandoning use of both the Spanish and English versions. Philippine law requires that the anthem always be rendered in accordance with Felipe's original musical arrangement and composition, but the original
holograph An autograph or holograph is a manuscript or document written in its author's or composer's hand. The meaning of autograph as a document penned entirely by the author of its content, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by a copyist o ...
cannot be located. (archived fro
the original
on May 26, 2005)
Historian
Ambeth Ocampo Ambeth R. Ocampo (born 1961 in Manila) is a Filipino public historian, academic, cultural administrator, journalist, author, and independent curator. He is best known for his definitive writings about Philippines' national hero José Rizal and o ...
observed in 2006 that the Spanish lyrics, which were not intended to be sung when composed, do not flow with the music very well compared to later English and Tagalog versions which are smoother. Also, some of the original meanings in "Filipinas" have been lost in translation; for example, "''hija del sol de oriente''" () in the original Spanish version became "child of the sun returning" in the Philippine Hymn and "''perlas ng silanganan''" () in the present (official) version. In 2011, Senator
Bong Revilla Ramon Bautista Bong Revilla Jr. (; born Jose Mari Bautista; September 25, 1966) and commonly known as Bong Revilla, is a Filipino actor, television presenter and politician serving as a Senator since 2019, and previously from 2004 to 2016. The ...
introduced a bill which, among other things, would have removed the requirement that the anthem be sung "in its original
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
lyrics and march tempo", but this was not promulgated into law.SB2691 s.2011 * *


Other anthems

"Lupang Hinirang" was not the first Philippine national anthem to ever be conceived. The composer and revolutionist
Julio Nakpil Julio Nakpil y García (22 May 1867 – 2 November 1960) was a Filipino musician, composer and a General during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. He was a member of the Katipunan, a secret society turned revolutionary government which was ...
composed "
Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan The ''Marangál na Dalit ng̃ Katagalugan'' ( English title: ''Honorable Hymn of the Tagalog Nation/People'') is a song of the Philippine Revolution composed in November 1896 by Julio Nakpil at the request of Andres Bonifacio as the anthem of t ...
" (Honourable Hymn of the Tagalog Nation/People) upon the request of
Andrés Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
, the leader of the
Katipunan The Katipunan, officially known as the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK; en, Supreme and Honorable Association of the Children of the Nation ...
, the secret society that had spearheaded the Revolution. Bonifacio had converted the organization into a revolutionary government—with himself as President—known as the
Tagalog Republic Tagalog Republic ( fil, Republika ng Katagalugan, more precisely "Republic of the Tagalog Nation/People"; es, República Tagala) is a term used to refer to two revolutionary governments involved in the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish ...
just before hostilities erupted. The term "''Katagalugan''" in Bonifacio's usage referred to the Philippine Islands and its population as a whole; not just ethnic Tagalogs, but all
Filipinos Filipinos ( tl, Mga Pilipino) are the people who are citizens of or native to the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos today come from various Austronesian ethnolinguistic groups, all typically speaking either Filipino, English and/or othe ...
. Nakpil composed his national anthem for Bonifacio in Balara (part of modern
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
) in November 1896, and Bonifacio later promoted its use in Cavite, where it was still known as late as 1898. But after Bonifacio's ''Katipunan'' and ''Republika ng Katagalugan'' were superseded by a succession of various governments led by Aguinaldo starting in 1897, Nakpil's anthem was never officially adopted by them. Some sources assert that an English version written by Mary A. Lane and
Camilo Osías Camilo Olaviano Osías, Sr. (born Camilo Osías y Olaviano; March 23, 1889 – May 20, 1976) was a Filipino politician, twice for a short time President of the Senate of the Philippines. Along with a certain American named Mary A. Lane, Osías t ...
was legalized by Commonwealth Act No. 382. The act, however, only concerns itself with the instrumental composition by Julián Felipe. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
,
Felipe Padilla de León Felipe Padilla de León (May 1, 1912 – December 5, 1992) was a Filipino classical music composer, conductor, and scholar. He was known for composing different sonatas, marches and concertos that reflect the Filipino identity. De Leon was also ...
composed " Awit sa Paglikha ng Bagong Pilipinas", commissioned as a replacement anthem by the Japanese-sponsored
Second Philippine Republic The Second Philippine Republic, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines ( tl, Repúbliká ng Pilipinas; es, República de Filipinas; ja, フィリピン共和国, ''Firipin-kyōwakoku'') and also known as the Japanese-sponsored Phi ...
. It was later adapted during the martial law era under President
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
into the patriotic song titled "Hymn of the New Society", not to be confused with the " March of the New Society".


Lyrics


Official lyrics

The following Spanish, English and Tagalog versions of the national anthem have been given official status throughout Philippine history. However, only the current
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
version is officially recognized by the Flag and Heraldic Code, approved on February 12, 1998, which specifies, "The National Anthem shall always be sung in the 'national language' within or outside the country; violation of the law is punishable by a fine and imprisonment." Several bills have been introduced to amend the Flag and Heraldic Code to highlight the importance of complying, abiding and conforming to the standard expression as prescribed by law, but none have been enacted into law.


Other historical lyrics


Lyrics in other regional languages


Proposed lyrical revisions

The final line of the national anthem, "ang mamatay nang dahil sa 'yo" (literally "to die because of you
he country He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
and translated above as "For us, thy sons to suffer and die."), is subject to certain proposed revisions for allegedly being defeatist. In 2013, Filipino musician
Joey Ayala José Íñigo Homer Lacambra Ayala (born June 1, 1956 in Bukidnon, Philippines), professionally known as Joey Ayala, is a Filipino singer, songwriter and former chairman of the music committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. ...
, tampered with the national anthem in a forum by changing the last line to "ang magmahal nang dahil sa 'yo" ("to love for the country") and arranged the time signature from 4/4 to 6/8, drawing mixed reactions from the public. In 2018, Senate President
Tito Sotto Vicente Castelo Sotto III (; born August 24, 1948), professionally known as Tito Sotto, is a Filipino politician, entertainer and athlete who served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022. Before that, had two stints each as Senate Majority Lea ...
suggested that last line should be revised to "ang ipaglaban ang kalayaan mo" ("to defend your freedom") as it reflects the commitment of the
Filipinos Filipinos ( tl, Mga Pilipino) are the people who are citizens of or native to the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos today come from various Austronesian ethnolinguistic groups, all typically speaking either Filipino, English and/or othe ...
to defend the country's independence, but his suggestion was not well-received by Filipino netizens.


Music and tempo

R.A. 8491 specifies that in official or civic gatherings the anthem "shall be in accordance with the musical arrangement and composition of
Julián Felipe Julián Reyes Felipe (: January 28, 1861 – October 2, 1944) was a Filipino composer of the music of the Philippine national anthem, formerly known as ''"Marcha Nacional Filipina"'', now known as "Lupang Hinirang". Early life Julián Felip ...
." However, when literally followed, this would require performance by a pianist or by a brass band, as these were the only versions that were produced by Julián Felipe. The original version was composed in duple time (i.e., in a
time signature The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
of 2/4) and was changed to the present quadruple time (4/4) in the 1920s to make singing easier by reducing emphasis on syncopation. During televised boxing matches featuring Filipino boxer
Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Philip ...
, singers have been both praised and criticized by the
National Historical Institute The National Historical Commission of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, abbreviated NHCP) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of Philippine history and cultural heritag ...
(NHI) for singing too slow or too fast. The NHI says that the proper tempo is a 2/4 and 100 metronomes and that the anthem should last 53 seconds.


Usage

The anthem is usually played during public gatherings in the Philippines or in foreign countries where the Filipino audience is sizable. The Code also provides that it be played at other occasions as may be allowed by the National Historical Institute (now known as the
National Historical Commission of the Philippines The National Historical Commission of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, abbreviated NHCP) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of Philippine history and cultural herita ...
). It prohibits its playing or singing for mere recreation, amusement, or entertainment except during International competitions where the Philippines is the host or has a representative; local competitions; during the "
sign-on A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonwealth countries exce ...
" and "
sign-off A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonwealth countries exce ...
" of radio broadcasting and television stations in the country; and before the initial and last screening of films and before the opening of theatre performances. Until 1999, the national anthem was played with four
ruffles and flourishes Ruffles and flourishes are preceding fanfare for honors music, ceremonial music for distinguished people. By country Israel In the Israeli Defence Forces, ruffles and flourishes are sounded as a guard of honor presents arms to signify the honors ...
as the presidential salute
honors music The anthem for a person, office or rank is music played on formal or ceremonial occasions in the presence of the person, office-holder, or rank-holder, especially by a military band. The head of state in many countries is honored with a prescribe ...
during the beginning of civil or military parades following Spanish and Taiwanese tradition, especially on national holidays. Since that year it has been played solely during the presentation of award recipients on anniversary parades or following the presidential honors. The national anthem is played each morning early breakfast on
radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
and
television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
by
GMA Network GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network (f ...
and at the
sign-on A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonwealth countries exce ...
and
sign-off A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonwealth countries exce ...
(replay rerun recorded sign-on) of its transmission for the day.


Regulation

Article XVI, Section 2 of the
1987 Constitution The Constitution of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas'' or ''Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas'', Spanish: ''Constitución de la República de Filipinas'') is the constitution or the supreme law of the Republic of the Philippines ...
specifies that "The
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
may, by law, adopt a new name for the country, a national anthem, or a national seal, which shall be truly reflective and symbolic of the ideals, history, and traditions of the people. Such law shall take effect only upon its ratification by the people in a national referendum."


Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines

Republic Act This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws. Sources of Philippine laws ;Notes : *Customs may be considered as supplementary source of law, however, customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not be ...
No. 8491 ("The Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines") regulates usage of the National Anthem, and contains the complete lyrics of "Lupang Hinirang". Enacted in 1998, it requires that the anthem "shall always be sung in the
national language A national language is a language (or language variant, e.g. dialect) that has some connection—de facto or de jure—with a nation. There is little consistency in the use of this term. One or more languages spoken as first languages in the te ...
" regardless if performed inside or outside the Philippines, and specifies that the singing must be done "with fervor". The code specifies penalties for violation of its provisions. Section 48 provides for public censure and cancellation of licenses and permits, Section 49 requires the
Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
and the Commission on Higher Education to ensure that all students commit the national anthem to memory, section 50 specifies penalties of fine or imprisonment for violations.


See also

* ''
Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan The ''Marangál na Dalit ng̃ Katagalugan'' ( English title: ''Honorable Hymn of the Tagalog Nation/People'') is a song of the Philippine Revolution composed in November 1896 by Julio Nakpil at the request of Andres Bonifacio as the anthem of t ...
'' *
Flag of the Philippines The national flag of the Philippines ( tgl, Pambansang watawat ng Pilipinas; ilo, Nailian a bandera ti Filipinas; ceb, Nasudnong bandila ng Pilipinas; es, Bandera Nacional de Filipinas) is a horizontal List of flags by design#Bicolour, bicol ...
* Oath of Allegiance (Philippines) * ''
Panatang Makabayan The Patriotic Oath ( tgl, Panatang Makabayan) is one of two national pledges of the Philippines, the other being the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag ( tgl, Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watawat). It is commonly recited at flag ceremonies of schools ...
'' *
Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine Flag The Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine Flag ( fil, Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watawat ng Pilipinas), or simply the Pledge to the Philippine Flag ( fil, Panunumpa sa Watawat), is the pledge to the flag of the Philippines. It is one of two nation ...


Notes


References


Further reading

*


External links


Various versions of the Philippine National Anthem
{{Portal bar, Philippines, Music Asian anthems National symbols of the Philippines National anthem compositions in F major National anthem compositions in B-flat major Tagalog-language songs Philippine anthems National anthems