On the national anthem and getting up on one's feet
Published Oct 8, 2018 12:26 am
BELOW THE LINE
By AMBASSADOR JOSE ABETO ZAIDE
Ambassador José Abeto Zaide
The off-keyed attempt of Senate President Vicente Sotto III to upgrade and bring up to speed the last lines of our national anthem drew a volley of spirited rejoinders.
My own comment on the intramurals in last Monday’s column (The Singer, not the Song) elicited a response from reader Jose Olivers. I reproduce his narrative on the evolution of our national anthem (with the apology about expurgating a line which would have required parental guidance). My tocayo begins his spiel:
“I first learned to sing the Philippine National Anthem in the Osias/Lane English translation. But some of the phrases were so tongue-twisting for young elementary students like us that ’land dear and holy’ became ‘landing hinuli’; ‘thee do our souls adore’ became xxxx xx xxxxxxxx.
“Good that a Tagalog version was made later. But before ‘Bayang magiliw, Perlas ng Silanganan’, there was the Tagalog version whose opening line was ‘O sintang lupa, bayang anak ng araw’, which, in my limited understanding of the Spanish language, was closer to the original Spanish lyrics ‘Tierra adorada, hija del sol de oriente.’
“The Philippine National Anthem that we know today was originally composed by Julian Felipe as a march in the key of C, with a brisk tempo of 120 metronome time. When Jose Palma provided the original Spanish lyrics which were first published in a supplemental issue of ‘La Independencia’ on Sept. 3, 1899, the key of C was found to be too high for singing. Hence it was transposed to the key of G, with 92 metronome time. In 1938, the Philippine National Assembly enacted Commonwealth Act No. 382 ‘to preserve the original music as set by its composer, Julian Felipe, and to achieve uniform performance all over the country.’
“Earlier, in 1924, Julian Felipe's application for a copyright of his composition under the title ‘Himno Nacional Filipina’ was denied because the piece was observed to have acquired the nature of a "common public property" having been used continuously for more than 20 years. Felipe, however, was compensated for his work, through Act No. 3207 approved during the 3rd session of the Sixth Philippine Legislature, appropriating P4,000.00 as payment to him upon delivery of the original manuscript of his work to the Philippine Library and Museum.
“This is my modest contribution to the raging debate -- which has by now subsided -- to the proposal of Senate President Tito Sotto to change the last line of ‘Lupang Hinirang’. (Sgd.) Pepe O.”
Ambassador José Abeto Zaide
The off-keyed attempt of Senate President Vicente Sotto III to upgrade and bring up to speed the last lines of our national anthem drew a volley of spirited rejoinders.
My own comment on the intramurals in last Monday’s column (The Singer, not the Song) elicited a response from reader Jose Olivers. I reproduce his narrative on the evolution of our national anthem (with the apology about expurgating a line which would have required parental guidance). My tocayo begins his spiel:
“I first learned to sing the Philippine National Anthem in the Osias/Lane English translation. But some of the phrases were so tongue-twisting for young elementary students like us that ’land dear and holy’ became ‘landing hinuli’; ‘thee do our souls adore’ became xxxx xx xxxxxxxx.
“Good that a Tagalog version was made later. But before ‘Bayang magiliw, Perlas ng Silanganan’, there was the Tagalog version whose opening line was ‘O sintang lupa, bayang anak ng araw’, which, in my limited understanding of the Spanish language, was closer to the original Spanish lyrics ‘Tierra adorada, hija del sol de oriente.’
“The Philippine National Anthem that we know today was originally composed by Julian Felipe as a march in the key of C, with a brisk tempo of 120 metronome time. When Jose Palma provided the original Spanish lyrics which were first published in a supplemental issue of ‘La Independencia’ on Sept. 3, 1899, the key of C was found to be too high for singing. Hence it was transposed to the key of G, with 92 metronome time. In 1938, the Philippine National Assembly enacted Commonwealth Act No. 382 ‘to preserve the original music as set by its composer, Julian Felipe, and to achieve uniform performance all over the country.’
“Earlier, in 1924, Julian Felipe's application for a copyright of his composition under the title ‘Himno Nacional Filipina’ was denied because the piece was observed to have acquired the nature of a "common public property" having been used continuously for more than 20 years. Felipe, however, was compensated for his work, through Act No. 3207 approved during the 3rd session of the Sixth Philippine Legislature, appropriating P4,000.00 as payment to him upon delivery of the original manuscript of his work to the Philippine Library and Museum.
“This is my modest contribution to the raging debate -- which has by now subsided -- to the proposal of Senate President Tito Sotto to change the last line of ‘Lupang Hinirang’. (Sgd.) Pepe O.”
…
Taiwan calls for support to participate at the United Nations. General Assembly. The new Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) Representative Michael Peiyung Hsu asks the Philippines and all like-minded democracies to support its campaign to participate in the UN system and to recognize Taiwan’s determination to contribute to regional and global affairs. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted at the 70th session of the UNGA in 2015, set bold goals to shift the world onto a sustainable, resilient path. The meeting pledged a revitalized Global Partnership for Sustainable Development encompassing all countries, all stakeholders, and all peoples, such that no one would be left behind. Yet in leaving out Taiwan’s 23 million people, it falls short of the principle which underpins the Unite Nations and deprives Taiwan and the international community of opportunity to work together for the common good. To ensure that the UN remains relevant to all people, Mr Hsu enjoins the organization to stand up to the external pressure and open its doors to Taiwan. On people-to-people relations, Taiwan seeks to widen and deepen ties through tourism exchanges with the Philippines in line with President Tsai Ing-Wen’s ‘New Southbound Policy’. Filipino visitors to Taiwan reached 290,784 in 2017, an almost 70% increase over 2016. Taiwan has extended the visa-free privilege for Filipinos until July, 2019. Conversely, Taiwan is our 6th top tourist source market with over 60,000 arrivals in the first quarter of 2018. Taiwan is always among the first to respond to natural or man-made devastation and serious reverses in the Philippines. As soon as the fighting had ceased and smoke had settled, Taiwan air-freighted 10,780 tons of rice to the beleaguered residents of Marawi. This was followed with the building of 400 homes for residents who had been displaced during the five-month battle with the pro-ISIS Maute group. (The project to give back residents their abode was handled by volunteers from the Tzu Chi Foundation.) Mr. Hsu is an old Manila hand, a former senior official at TECO Manila who returns as the balikbayan TECO representative in the Philippines. He and his lady, Mme. Charlotte Hsu, will host tomorrow, 9 October, Taiwan’s Double Ten celebration at the Grand Ballroom of the Sofitel Philippine Plaza. The celebration will provide the occasion to turn over to the Philippine Chairman and Resident Representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan, the Honorable Angelito T. Banayo, the monetary contribution of Taiwan and the Taiwanese people to help families afflicted by last September’s typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) get back on their feet. FEEDBACK: [email protected]