Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) President Emmanuel Leyco has underscored the importance of appreciating original Pilipino music (OPM) and Filipino popular culture for an individual's holistic growth.
Leyco reiterated the need to embrace the history that shaped Filipino hits to have a "better understanding of the country's gains and struggles."
"Napakahalaga ng OPM sa kasaysayan at kultura ng ating bayan. Ang ating kultura at kaluluwa ng ating pagkatao (OPM plays an important role in our history and culture. It is our nation's culture and soul)," he added.
Leyco said OPM and popular culture reflect the experiences and grievances of Filipinos, as well as the country's fight, success, and failure.
"From the Juan Dela Cruz Band and Hotdog to Apo Hiking Society, Side A, and the more current musicians, there lies the ebb and flow of the evolving history of the Filipino people," Leyco wrote in a Facebook post.