Instead of the 4/4 beat, the national anthem should be played or sung in the 2/4, according to the Department of Education.
“It’s time to rectify the error,” said Jonathan Malaya, education assistant secretary for special projects. He is also chair of the agency Task Force on the 110th Independence Day celebration.
Malaya said that “for decades, most, if not all the public and private elementary and secondary schools nationwide have been singing ‘Lupang Hinirang’ in the 4/4, or quadruple time.”
Republic Act No. 8491, or the Flag and Heraldic Code of 1998, specifies that the “Lupang Hinirang” “shall be in accordance with the musical arrangement and composition of (the late Julian Felipe),” Malaya told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. That is, playing or singing the anthem in the 2/4 tempo, he said.
Felipe’s original manuscript
“On (Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus’) orders, we double-checked with both the National Historical Institute and the National Library. They informed us that the proper singing of the anthem should be in the 2/4 time since the Julian Felipe original was a march,” he said.
In her March 31 letter to the department, National Library director Prudenciana Cruz said that “based on the original manuscript of Julian Felipe’s ‘Himno Nacional Filipino,’ which is deposited in this institution, the composition is conducted in 2/4 time.”
When interviewed, Malaya said the DepEd was set to issue a directive on the proper singing of the national anthem in schools.
Ban on canned music
A draft of the memorandum said canned music would be banned during flag ceremonies while the use of tattered or badly faced flags would be prohibited in all schools and offices.
Citing provisions of RA 8491, the order called for “appropriate sanctions on erring personnel or institutions whenever violations are observed.”
But Malaya later said the education department would forgo its plan because “wants to revisit their decision. He wants to call a meeting ... We’ve put the DepEd order on hold.”
Commissioned by Aguinaldo
A check with the DepEd files, including the Mabuhay Pilipinas memorabilia on the national anthem, said Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo commissioned Felipe on June 5, 1898, to work on a march for the then revolutionary movement.
Felipe, a 37-year-old Cavite pianist and composer, “worked on the assignment for six days and on June 11, sitting at a piano in the Aguinaldo residence living room, played his composition before the Presidente and his lieutenants.”
Performed for 1st time
“Named ‘Marcha Filipina Magdalo’ (after Aguinaldo’s nom de guerre and his Katipunan faction), the music was adopted on the spot and renamed the ‘Marcha Nacional Filipina (Philippine National March).’”
For the very first time, the national hymn was heard in public on June 12, 1898, as Aguinaldo proclaimed Asia’s first independent republic before a cheering crowd at his Kawit mansion
“Also displayed for the first time was the national flag, unfurled to the stirring strains of the Marcha Nacional played by the band from San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias, Cavite) whose members had learned the music only the day before,” said Mabuhay Pilipinas, a publication of De La Salle University and the Foundation for Sharing La Sallian Education.
For more than a year, the anthem remained without words. Toward the end of August 1899, a young poet-soldier, named Jose Palma (younger brother of Dr. Rafael Palma), wrote the poem “Filipinas,” which expressed in elegant Spanish verses the ardent patriotism of the Filipino people. The poem became the words of the anthem.
Banned
During the American occupation of the Philippines, the colonial government banned the song and other national symbols. It later decided to translate the hymn from Spanish to English.
Sometime in the 1920s, the anthem’s time signature was changed to 4/4 to facilitate its singing, while the key was changed from the original C major to G.
The hymn’s first translation was made around that time by Paz Marquez Benitez of the University of the Philippines. But the most popular translation, called the Philippine Hymn, was written by then Sen. Camilo Osias and Mary Lane, an American.
Legalized
The Philippine Hymn was legalized by an act of the Philippine Congress in 1938.
Tagalog translations appeared during the 1940s like “Diwa ng Bayan,” which was sung during the Japanese Occupation, and “O Sintang Lupa” by Julian Cruz Balmaceda, Ildefonso Santos and Francisco Caballo. The latter was approved in 1948 by the government as the national anthem.
During the Magsaysay administration, then Education Secretary Gregorio Hernandez formed a commission to revise the hymn’s Tagalog words.
Final version
On May 26, 1956, “Lupang Hinirang” was finally sung in Filipino (standardized Tagalog version). Minor revisions were made in the 1960s and this final version is in use today.
The Filipino lyrics have been affirmed by Republic Act 8491, which states that “Lupang Hinirang” “shall always be sung in the national language.”
The public to stand at attention and face the Philippine flag when the anthem is played. In case no flag is displayed, the public should face the band or the conductor.
Members of the uniformed services, security guards and trainees in uniform should execute a salute to the anthem as prescribed by their regulations. The public is also required to put their right palms over their left chests until the last note of the anthem.
It prohibits its singing for “mere recreation, amusement or entertainment except during the following occasions: international competitions where the Philippines is the host or has a representative; local competitions, during the “signing off” and “signing on” of radio broadcasting and television stations, before the initial and last screening of films and before the opening of theater performances; and other occasions as may be allowed by the Institute.”
In addition to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine Flag, the Oath of Patriotism (Panatang Makabayan) shall also be recited in its original form while standing with the right hand with palm open raised shoulder high, and shall be recited in all basic education institutions after the singing of the National Anthem.
Section 20 of the law also states: “The rendition of the flag ceremony in official or civic gatherings shall be simple and dignified and shall include the playing or singing of the national anthem in its original Filipino lyrics and march tempo.”
Fines
The law prescribes fines ranging from P5,000 to P20,000 and jail terms of up to one year, or both, for violations of its provisions.
Erring public officials and employees may face administrative sanctions besides the penalties imposed by law.
Even moviegoers who do not stand up when the National Anthem is being played in cinemas will be sanctioned, as it empowers the security personnel and ushers in movie houses to arrest a violator and summon law enforcement officers to assist in conducting citizens' arrest.
Malaya said the DepEd “will be emphasizing the proper singing of the national anthem in the department’s flag advocacy campaign, which is part of the National Flag Day (May 28) and Independence Day festivities (set June 9 this year).”
Information drive
The nationwide information drive kicked off on April 6 with a seminar in Banaue, Ifugao. Similar programs were held in Palo town in Leyte, Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City.
“More than 6,000 public school teachers handling Music, Makabayan, Values Education, English and Filipino subjects, as well as school administrators, will also be oriented on the proper conduct of flag-raising and retreat ceremonies. They, in turn, will conduct echo seminars in their respective divisions,” Malaya said.
“It’s time to rectify the error,” said Jonathan Malaya, education assistant secretary for special projects. He is also chair of the agency Task Force on the 110th Independence Day celebration.
Malaya said that “for decades, most, if not all the public and private elementary and secondary schools nationwide have been singing ‘Lupang Hinirang’ in the 4/4, or quadruple time.”
Republic Act No. 8491, or the Flag and Heraldic Code of 1998, specifies that the “Lupang Hinirang” “shall be in accordance with the musical arrangement and composition of (the late Julian Felipe),” Malaya told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. That is, playing or singing the anthem in the 2/4 tempo, he said.
Felipe’s original manuscript
“On (Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus’) orders, we double-checked with both the National Historical Institute and the National Library. They informed us that the proper singing of the anthem should be in the 2/4 time since the Julian Felipe original was a march,” he said.
In her March 31 letter to the department, National Library director Prudenciana Cruz said that “based on the original manuscript of Julian Felipe’s ‘Himno Nacional Filipino,’ which is deposited in this institution, the composition is conducted in 2/4 time.”
When interviewed, Malaya said the DepEd was set to issue a directive on the proper singing of the national anthem in schools.
Ban on canned music
A draft of the memorandum said canned music would be banned during flag ceremonies while the use of tattered or badly faced flags would be prohibited in all schools and offices.
Citing provisions of RA 8491, the order called for “appropriate sanctions on erring personnel or institutions whenever violations are observed.”
But Malaya later said the education department would forgo its plan because “wants to revisit their decision. He wants to call a meeting ... We’ve put the DepEd order on hold.”
Commissioned by Aguinaldo
A check with the DepEd files, including the Mabuhay Pilipinas memorabilia on the national anthem, said Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo commissioned Felipe on June 5, 1898, to work on a march for the then revolutionary movement.
Felipe, a 37-year-old Cavite pianist and composer, “worked on the assignment for six days and on June 11, sitting at a piano in the Aguinaldo residence living room, played his composition before the Presidente and his lieutenants.”
Performed for 1st time
“Named ‘Marcha Filipina Magdalo’ (after Aguinaldo’s nom de guerre and his Katipunan faction), the music was adopted on the spot and renamed the ‘Marcha Nacional Filipina (Philippine National March).’”
For the very first time, the national hymn was heard in public on June 12, 1898, as Aguinaldo proclaimed Asia’s first independent republic before a cheering crowd at his Kawit mansion
“Also displayed for the first time was the national flag, unfurled to the stirring strains of the Marcha Nacional played by the band from San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias, Cavite) whose members had learned the music only the day before,” said Mabuhay Pilipinas, a publication of De La Salle University and the Foundation for Sharing La Sallian Education.
For more than a year, the anthem remained without words. Toward the end of August 1899, a young poet-soldier, named Jose Palma (younger brother of Dr. Rafael Palma), wrote the poem “Filipinas,” which expressed in elegant Spanish verses the ardent patriotism of the Filipino people. The poem became the words of the anthem.
Banned
During the American occupation of the Philippines, the colonial government banned the song and other national symbols. It later decided to translate the hymn from Spanish to English.
Sometime in the 1920s, the anthem’s time signature was changed to 4/4 to facilitate its singing, while the key was changed from the original C major to G.
The hymn’s first translation was made around that time by Paz Marquez Benitez of the University of the Philippines. But the most popular translation, called the Philippine Hymn, was written by then Sen. Camilo Osias and Mary Lane, an American.
Legalized
The Philippine Hymn was legalized by an act of the Philippine Congress in 1938.
Tagalog translations appeared during the 1940s like “Diwa ng Bayan,” which was sung during the Japanese Occupation, and “O Sintang Lupa” by Julian Cruz Balmaceda, Ildefonso Santos and Francisco Caballo. The latter was approved in 1948 by the government as the national anthem.
During the Magsaysay administration, then Education Secretary Gregorio Hernandez formed a commission to revise the hymn’s Tagalog words.
Final version
On May 26, 1956, “Lupang Hinirang” was finally sung in Filipino (standardized Tagalog version). Minor revisions were made in the 1960s and this final version is in use today.
The Filipino lyrics have been affirmed by Republic Act 8491, which states that “Lupang Hinirang” “shall always be sung in the national language.”
The public to stand at attention and face the Philippine flag when the anthem is played. In case no flag is displayed, the public should face the band or the conductor.
Members of the uniformed services, security guards and trainees in uniform should execute a salute to the anthem as prescribed by their regulations. The public is also required to put their right palms over their left chests until the last note of the anthem.
It prohibits its singing for “mere recreation, amusement or entertainment except during the following occasions: international competitions where the Philippines is the host or has a representative; local competitions, during the “signing off” and “signing on” of radio broadcasting and television stations, before the initial and last screening of films and before the opening of theater performances; and other occasions as may be allowed by the Institute.”
In addition to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine Flag, the Oath of Patriotism (Panatang Makabayan) shall also be recited in its original form while standing with the right hand with palm open raised shoulder high, and shall be recited in all basic education institutions after the singing of the National Anthem.
Section 20 of the law also states: “The rendition of the flag ceremony in official or civic gatherings shall be simple and dignified and shall include the playing or singing of the national anthem in its original Filipino lyrics and march tempo.”
Fines
The law prescribes fines ranging from P5,000 to P20,000 and jail terms of up to one year, or both, for violations of its provisions.
Erring public officials and employees may face administrative sanctions besides the penalties imposed by law.
Even moviegoers who do not stand up when the National Anthem is being played in cinemas will be sanctioned, as it empowers the security personnel and ushers in movie houses to arrest a violator and summon law enforcement officers to assist in conducting citizens' arrest.
Malaya said the DepEd “will be emphasizing the proper singing of the national anthem in the department’s flag advocacy campaign, which is part of the National Flag Day (May 28) and Independence Day festivities (set June 9 this year).”
Information drive
The nationwide information drive kicked off on April 6 with a seminar in Banaue, Ifugao. Similar programs were held in Palo town in Leyte, Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City.
“More than 6,000 public school teachers handling Music, Makabayan, Values Education, English and Filipino subjects, as well as school administrators, will also be oriented on the proper conduct of flag-raising and retreat ceremonies. They, in turn, will conduct echo seminars in their respective divisions,” Malaya said.
