Since I've been blogging more about patriotic songs lately, triggered by Lea Salonga's rendition of Bayan Ko, I thought I'd try to recall the other songs we used to sing when I was still in school. These are the songs that we sang in class.


We sang this song a lot in Grade Five and Grade Six. When I was still in the lower grades I used to wish I was already in the higher grades so I could learn the song. I think it's the Armed Forces Hymn, but I'm not sure.

----------------------------
Philippines my native land,
the country of the brave!
Pearl of all the orient seas,
the home of men upright.
We are ready all the time
to work for peace and right,
Philippines, dear Philippines,
for freedom all of us will fight.

Freedom for freedom,
freedom for the right!
Freedom for freedom,
we all must fight
for...

Repeat first stanza
---------------------------------

Also, another one of my favorite patriotic songs, Pilipinas Kong Mahal. It has lyrics in English and in Filipino, the weird thing is that the Filipino version is not a translation of the English version. LOL. Also the English version has more stanzas.

----------------------------------
Pilipinas Kong Mahal

Ang bayan ko'y tanging ikaw,
Pilipinas kong mahal,
Ang puso ko at buhay man
Sa iyo'y ibibigay
Tungkulin ko'y gagampanan
Na lagi kang paglingkuran
Ang laya mo'y babantayan
Pilipinas kong hirang...

Philippines My Beloved
(Rough translation by Laya)
My country is you alone,
Philippines my beloved,
My heart and even my life
To you I will give
My duty I will fulfill
To serve you always
And guard your freedom,
Philippines my beloved.

The English version goes:

Philippines My Philippines

I love my own, my native land
Philippines my Philippines
To thee I give my heart and hand
Philippines my Philippines
The trees that crown thy mountains grand
The seas that beat upon thy strand
Awake my heart to thy command
Philippines my Philippines

Ye islands of the eastern sea
Philippines my Philippines
Thy people we shall ever be
Philippines my Philippines
Our fathers lived and died in thee
And soon shall come the day when we
Lie down with them at God's decree
Philippines my Philippines

Yet still beneath thy ardent sky
Philippines my Philippines
More numerous sons shall live and die
Philippines my Philippines
In them shall breathe the purpose high
The glorious day to bring more nigh
When all may sing without a sigh,
Philippines my Philippines

Thy past has little known of peace
Philippines my Philippines
From want and war without release
Philippines my Philippines
Then speed the day when evils cease
And happiness to thee increase
Thy day of plenty and of peace,
Philippines my Philippines.
-------------------------------------
I don't know who wrote and composed these songs. They are beautiful, but I think we took them for granted when we were still singing them in school. What happens when they're not sung anymore? Do the children even realize what they are singing, or are they just mouthing the words without thinking about them?

There's a song with the lyrics "Luzon Visayas at Mindanao, Pilipinas ang tanglaw," but I forgot the other words. I'll have to look it up or ask around about it. If you remember this song or other patriotic songs, please tell me about them. Thanks!

Here's one song I learned in Grade Four about my native island, although I forgot some of the words. It's a good way to learn the different regions on the island:

Welcome to Mindanao

We welcome you, we welcome you to Mindanao
___________________ is the land of promise
We welcome you, we welcome you to Moroland
The land of promise the land of pearls.
Bukidnon pineapple factories,
Agusan has lumberyards
Surigao has golden mines,
And Cotabato, rice granaries
Davao Oriental has abaca plantations
Misamis Occidental has coconuts,
Zamboanga has fishing grounds
Sulu and Lanao, the lands of pearl.