Don't worry, you'll get over it.
If you are like most Filipinos, this uproar over a supposed insult to a sense of patriotism or love for country is very much like experiencing phantom limb syndrome. You feel some pain, possibly because somebody told you that it was insulting, but then again the national anthem may not be something you really care about.
Facebook friends who howled over Martin Nieverra's rendition of Lupang Hinirang may have been just voicing their personal preferences, at most. But some Congressmen, like Ted Casino, actually filed a resolution against Nievera's Philippine National Anthem. The National Historical Institute has voiced out its intent to seek legal action against the King of Pop.
But you know what? A lot of the people rode on the issue.
Ted Casino, when asked on the spot by a reporter to sing the National Anthem begged off from the challenge. Casino filed the resolution against Nieverra, not really out of a sense of patriotism but more to spite the 50 congressmen who went to watch Pacquiao-Hatton fight or perhaps to hit at the Arroyo Administration (whose many ads played during the event, which besides that, has a close ally in Solar Channel's owner Wilson Tieng who is the father of Irwin Tieng of the Arroyo backed Buhay Party list).
The National Historical Institute, for its part, is basically acting up as a pious guardian of all things Filipino and strangely enough, continues to write all its doctrines in English -- just like most of our National Heroes who fought for independence while talking and writing in Spanish.
One official of the virtually useless agency pointed out that if we can't even comply with a simple law that regulates how the national anthem should be sung, how could Filipinos be expected to comply with more complex laws? This is a fallacious argument and basically suggests that people who can't sing the national anthem become criminals. Really?
In any case, a report by Kuya Kim on TV Patrol was a good reminder that the National Anthem has evolved from the first time it was played during General Emilio Aguinaldo's proclamation as President. Juan Felipe, the composer, was commissioned to compose it as background music.
Its first lyrics were in Spanish.
Over the years, its title has undergone changes before it was finally called "Lupang Hinirang".
Over the years there have been moves, one by an activist group, to change the last line of Lupang Hinirang.
The original last line is, "ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo" (to die for you) and they wanted it changed to "ang pumatay ng dahil sa iyo" (to kill for you).
This is a bad idea and I don't agree with it, I don't want my fellow Filipinos singing a national anthem that basically has them vowing to be killers. A better idea would be to re-word it to say "ang mabuhay ng dahil sa iyo." I've always believed that it is better to live for a cause -- for one, suffering for your country is much more heroic where as dying means your suffering has ended.
Then again, I think what really matters more than singing the Philippine national anthem is living out its words in real life.
Here are the lyrics and see if you can tell yourself honestly which lines you have actually lived out.
Lupang Hinirang
Bayang Magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo’y buhay.
Lupang hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig,
‘Di ka pasisiil.
Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula at awit
Sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo’y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma’y ‘di magdidilim.
Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati’t pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya, na ‘pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa ‘yo.
Anybody can criticize anybody for not singing the anthem correctly and nothing really comes out of it. You'll have all this hoopla about national indignation, but in the end, people will still buy Martin Nieverra's albums or sing his other songs or go to his concerts.
And for that matter, Martin Nieverra wasn't the only one to sing the national anthem in a manner not prescribed by the law. For a while, before the celebration of the Philippine Centennial, there were different versions of the Philippine national anthem. There was a slow version which was played at most TV stations when they signed on or signed off. There was a military version which former President Fidel Ramos preferred and featured actual cannons being fired in synch with the beat. It was also during this time that MTVs style national anthems came out.
Here are other versions of the Philippine National Anthem as sung by other Pinoy pop singers.
Regine Velasquez:
Lani Misalucha:
Geneva Cruz:
Sarah Geronimo:
Charice Pempengco:
And here are a couple I've thrown in for my good friend and guitar guru Better Philippines:
Finally, my take on Martin Nieverra's Lupang Hinirang is that how we sing the National Anthem should fit the tune of the times, the spirit of the moment. Sing it when you are happy, sing it when you are sad, and most of all beyond singing it, LIVE THE ANTHEM OUT... LOVE YOUR COUNTRY!!!
ROCK ON PATRIOTS!
And just to prove that it doesn't matter how National Anthems are played, here's one by Jimi Hendrix of the Star Spangled banner. He didn't get sued for this.
And did you know that the 1512 overture had features the French National Anthem and the Russion National Anthem?
5 comments:
never thought of myself as a guitar gur. was never that good. but i did provide free guitar lessons at a church in kamuning a few years back. i guess that makes me a guro.
anyway, this is one of your best posts as far as i'm concerned. lots of info and insight. i especially liked this observation.
"The National Historical Institute, for its part, is basically acting up as a pious guardian of all things Filipino and strangely enough, continues to write all its doctrines in English -- just like most of our National Heroes who fought for independence while talking and writing in Spanish.
One official of the virtually useless agency pointed out that if we can't even comply with a simple law that regulates how the national anthem should be sung, how could Filipinos be expected to comply with more complex laws? This is a fallacious argument and basically suggests that people who can't sing the national anthem become criminals. Really?"
personally, i don't see anything wrong if we change the rendition of the national anthem. however, as a matter of taste, the musical arrangement used for martin nievera's rendition was not good at all.
from a musical standpoint, i find the philippine national anthem not as interesting to improvise on compared to the star spangled banner. i guess it has something to do with the fact that lupang hinirang was composed as a march.
BP,
My opinion on what is good music is just like your opinion on what a good movie is. If it makes me tap my feet, smile, bang my head, or God forbid, dance, then I figure that it is good music.
I think Martin's rendition was trying for a more dramatic, cinematic, ek ek... Maybe it didn't work and that's what people are really mad about.
It seems to me that the other renditions by Lani Misalucha, Regine Velasquez, Sarah Geronimo or Geneva Cruz wasn't sung to the right tempo. But the thing is, no one really raised a hoot about it not being sung at the right tempo. Only Charice's rendition matched the right tempo, I think and please do correct me if I am wrong about this.
Anyway, in Facebook, I posed this question:
To those who were indignant over Martin Nievera's rendition of Lupang Hinirang, did you stand up when the national anthem was sung?
If you didn't then, you would have broken the law too.
See RA 8491, Chapter 3, Section 38
And here's another thing to think about...
Why aren't people picking a bone about Francis Magalona's Philippine Flag shirts?
Bakit walang nagagalit kay Francis Magalona for using the flag as a fashion accessory?
Here's the relevant sections of RA 8491.
CHAPTER I: THE NATIONAL FLAG
SECTION 34. It shall be prohibited:
a) To mutilate, deface, defile, trample on or cast contempt or commit any act or omission casting dishonor or ridicule upon the flag or over its surface;
b) To dip the flag to any person or object by way of compliment or salute;
c) To use the flag:
1) As a drapery, festoon, tablecloth;
2) As covering for ceilings, walls, statues or other objects;
3) As a pennant in the hood, side, back and top of motor vehicles;
4) As a staff or whip;
5) For unveiling monuments or statues; and
6) As trademarks, or for industrial, commercial or agricultural labels or designs.
d) To display the flag:
1) Under any painting or picture;
2) Horizontally face-up. It shall always be hoisted aloft and be allowed to fall freely;
3) Below any platform; or
4) In discotheques, cockpits, night and day clubs, casinos, gambling joints and places of vice or where frivolity prevails.
e) To wear the flag in whole or in part as a costume or uniform;
f) To add any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawings, advertisement, or imprint of any nature on the flag;
g) To print, paint or attach representation of the flag on handkerchiefs, napkins, cushions, and other articles of merchandise;
h) To display in public any foreign flag, except in embassies and other diplomatic establishments, and in offices of international organizations;
i) To use, display or be part of any advertisement or infomercial; and
j) To display the flag in front of buildings or offices occupied by aliens.
i think in the case of francis m's t-shirts, the defense is his graphics were not really of the philippine flag but merely utilized elements from it specifically the three stars and sun.
that's what i heard. never actually saw the actual shirt.
I think you will agree that graver than the sin of not following the law is making palusot and succeeding!!
Hehehe!
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