Origin The Spanish lyrics of "Bayan Ko" were originally written for the
Severino Reyes zarzuela,
Walang Sugat ("no wound"). Attributed to the
propagandista, General
José Alejandrino, the song expressed opposition to the ongoing
American Occupation. The popular and mainly used 1929
Tagalog version is attributed to
José Corazón de Jesús, and the music to Constancio de Guzmán.
Protest song during the Marcos dictatorship "Bayan Ko" regained cult popularity during the
Marcos dictatorship, with protesters singing their own version in protests. After
President Ferdinand Marcos imposed
Martial Law in 1972, the song was deemed seditious. Public performances of the song were banned, with violators facing potential arrest and detention. People were emboldened to sing it at the 1983 funeral of
Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and the ensuing 1986
People Power Revolution, where
Freddie Aguilar led crowds in singing.
Post-EDSA People Power (1986–present) Since the 1986 Revolution that toppled the Marcos government and ushered in the
Fifth Republic, the song has been associated with anti-government protests. In February 1987, a cover by pop singer
JoAnne Lorenzana was launched as part of a nationalistic campaign by
PLDT, and was aired on radio and television for the first anniversary of the Revolution. On 1 August 2009, "Bayan Ko" was sung as the
recessional of the noon
Mass at
EDSA Shrine, ending the ''
quarant'ore'' for
Corazón Aquino. The service, originally intended to pray for the former leader's recovery, was instead done to mourn her
sudden death early that morning. Crowds sang it again during the transfer of her remains from
La Salle Green Hills to
Manila Cathedral on 3 August for the
lying in state. At the
Requiem Mass on 5 August,
Lea Salonga sang it as the recessional while Aquino's casket was borne out to the Cathedral steps. A military band repeated it as the flatbed
hearse carrying the casket and
honor guard began the hours-long funeral procession. Mourners sang "Bayan Ko" for the last time with several hymns as Aquino's casket was entombed beside her husband at the couple's mausoleum in
Parañaque. A month later, British all-male chorale group
Libera sang "Bayan Ko" as an
encore to their first Philippine tour in
Cebu and
Manila. Moved by the performance, the audience sporadically applauded throughout the group's performance. As part of their Summer Philippine tour the following year, Libera gave an encore performance on the hit noontime variety programme,
Showtime on 14 April 2010. The
University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers sang "Bayan Ko" during the inauguration of President
Benigno Aquino III and
Vice-president Jejomar Binay on 30 June 2010 at the
Quirino Grandstand. In 2016, the song figured in
nationwide protests in the aftermath of the
burial of former Philippine President
Ferdinand Marcos at the
Libingan ng mga Bayani. The song has figured in
nationwide protests against Philippine president
Rodrigo Duterte in 2020. Following the death of President
Benigno Aquino III on 24 June 2021, "Bayan Ko" was sung by mourners and supporters as the urn containing the late president's ashes was buried beside his parents at their mausoleum at the
Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque. ==Lyrics==