Bayan Ko

Bayan Ko (My Country) in Pinoy Pop form is a very famous song amongst Filipinos, understanding from my Filipino peers that it became famous amongst protestors of Marital Law in early 1980s after Ninoy Aquino's assassination on 21st August 1983. It was aired on Radio Veritas and voiced by a Pinoy Pop music star. Freddie Aquilar had given new interpretation to the traditional kundiman and is said to be the unofficial anthem of Philippines!

Originally composed as a poem by Jose Corazon de Jesus in 1929, it thrived among workers, peasants, guerrilla forces and student activists. During the Marcos dictatorship, this song was sang as a song of protest and was particularly useful to the masses who could be hauled to jail for any imagined or intentional insolence against Ferdinand Marcos.

I fell in love with the song the moment I heard it and had to search for the lyrics to sing along with Freddie Aguilar! With such beautiful lyrics and melody, it is no wonder that Filipinos have such deep feelings towards the song!

Here are the lyrics of the song:

Ang bayan kong Pilipinas
lupain ng ginto’t bulaklak
pag-ibig ang sa kanyang palad

nag-alay ng ganda’t dilag

At sa kanyang yumi at ganda

dayuhan ay nahalina

bayan ko, binihag ka

nasadlak sa dusa.

(My Philippines
land of gold and flowers
love bestowed beauty and grace upon her.
But her modesty and comeliness attracted the foreigner
who held her in bondage and despair.)

Ibon mang may layang lumipad
kulungin mo at umiiyak
bayan pa kayang sakdal dilag
ang di magnasang makaalpas!
Pilipinas kong minamahal
pugad ng luha ko’t dalita
aming adhika
makita kang sakdal laya!
(My beloved Philippines
land of my tears and sadness
our fervent yearning is to see you completely free.)

ENJOY!