National Symbols: National Anthem

"Lupang Hinirang" ("Chosen Land")

Date of Adoption: 1898

Music by: Julián Felipe

Lyrics by: José Palma

The score for the national anthem of the Philippines began as an instrumental march commissioned by General Emilio Aguinaldo and composed by Julian Felipe. Felipe was a pianist from Cavite and a friend of revolutionary Maximo Inocencio. The march was first called “Marcha Filipina Magdalo” ("Magdalo Philippine March"), but the title was later changed to “Marcha Nacional Filipina” ("Philippines National March"). Its first public performance was given by the San Francisco de Malabon marching band at the ceremony declaring Philippine independence from Spain on June 12, 1898.

Lyrics were adopted the next year and were based on the Spanish language poem “Filipinas,” which was written by a young soldier named José Palma specifically for the purpose of being used with the anthem score. During the American occupation of the Philippines, the colonial government enacted the Flag Law, which prohibited use of all national symbols, including the national anthem due to the lyrics' condemnation of foreign rule. The law was repealed in 1919, and an English translation of the song, titled "Philippine Hymn" and written by Mary Lane and Camillo Osias, was declared the official anthem in 1938 by the Philippine Congress.

From 1948 to 1954 a Tagalog translation of the lyrics called "O Sintang Lupa" was approved by the Department of Education. This was revised in 1954 and 1962 and retitled "Lupang Hinirang." This Taglog version was confirmed as the country's national anthem in 1998. The national anthem is also informally known by its first line: “Bayang Magiliw” ("Beloved Country").

Tagalog Lyrics

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 iyo.

English Lyrics

Land of the morning
Child of the sun returning
With fervor burning
Thee do our souls adore.

Land dear and holy,
Cradle of noble heroes,
Ne'er shall invaders
Trample thy sacred shores.

Ever within thy skies and through thy clouds
And o'er thy hills and seas;
Do we behold thy radiance, feel the throb
Of glorious liberty.

Thy banner dear to all hearts
Its sun and stars alight,
Oh, never shall its shining fields
Be dimmed by tyrants might.

Beautiful land of love, oh land of light,
In thine embrace 'tis rapture to lie;
But it is glory ever when thou art wronged
For us thy sons to suffer and die.