^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

The Flag in the National Anthem (Philippines)

Lupang Hinirang

See also:

Lupang Hinirang

Like many patriotic hymns, the Philippine national anthem mentions and even describes elements of the national flag. In the current and sole official version of the anthem (as per Republic Act 8491, The Flag and Heraldic Code) in the Filipino language, the flag is mentioned and described in the penultimate verse:

"Lupang Hinirang"	"Chosen Land"
Bayang magiliw, Perlas ng Silanganan Alab ng puso, Sa Dibdib mo'y buhay.	Beloved country, Pearl of the Orient, The heart's fervor, In your bosom is ever alive.
Lupang Hinirang, Duyan ka ng magiting, Sa manlulupig, Di ka pasisiil.	Chosen land, You are the cradle of the brave. To the conquerors, You shall never surrender.
Sa dagat at bundok, Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw, May dilag ang tula At awit sa paglayang minamahal.	In the seas and mountains, In the air and in your azure skies, There is splendor in the poem And song for dear freedom.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y Tagumpay na nagniningning, Ang bituin at araw niya, Kailan pa ma'y di magdidilim,	The sparkle of your flag Is victory that shines. Its stars and sun Shall forever never dim.
Lupa ng araw ng luwalhati't pagsinta, Buhay ay langit sa piling mo, Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi, Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo.	Land of the sun, of glory and our affections, Life is heaven in your arms; It is our joy, when there are oppressors, To die for you.

The original lyrics of the anthem were written in Spanish by José Palma, and published on September 3, 1899 in La Independencia, a year after the flag (May 1898) and the music to the anthem (June 1898) were first unveiled. The poem, entitled "Filipinas," became the basis for all subsequent versions of the anthem. It originally contained a reference to the flag in its fourth verse:

"Filipinas"	"Philippine National Anthem"
Tierra adorada Hija del sol de Oriente Su fuego ardiente En ti latiendo esta.	Land of the morning Child of the sun returning With fervor burning Thee do our souls adore.
Patria de amores! Del heroismo cuna, Los invasores No te hallaran jamas.	Land dear and holy, Cradle of noble heroes, Ne'er shall invaders Trample thy sacred shores.
En tu azul cielo, en tus auras, En tus montes y en tu mar Esplende y late el poema De tu amada libertad.	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.
Tu pabellon, que en las lides La victoria ilumino No vera nunca apagados Sus estrellas y su sol.	Thy banner dear to all hearts Its sun and stars alight, Oh, never shall its shining fields Be dimmed by tyrants might.
Tierra de dichas, del sol y amores, En tu regazo dulce es vivir. Es una gloria para tus hijos, Cuando de ofenden, por ti morir.	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.

An English version by Camilo Osias and Mary Lane was made official by Commonwealth Act 382 in 1938, and remained the legal national anthem into the early years of independence. This version also maintained the flag reference in the penultimate verse.

During Japanese occupation a Tagalog version was created to serve as the anthem for the Second (commonly referred to as "Puppet") Republic, with the goal of promoting the ideology behind the Japanese Empire's so-called "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere," which was "Asia for Asians." It only mentioned the flag in passing in the last verse:

"Diwa ng Bayan"	"Spirit of the Nation"
Lupang mapalad, Na mutya ng silangan; Bayang kasuyo, Ng Sangkalikasan.	Blessed land, Muse of the East; Nation in union With nature.
Buhay at yaman, Ng kapilipinuhan; Kuha't bawi, Sa Banyagang kamay.	The life and riches Of the Filipino nation Captured and retaken From foreign hands.
Sa iyong langit, Bundok, Batis, Dagat na pinalupig; Nailibing na ng karimlan, Ng kahapong pagtitiis.	Through your skies, mountains, Springs and seas that were conquered Buried already is the darkness Of past suffering.
Sakit at luha, hirap, Susa at sumpa sa pagaamis; ay wala nang lahat at naligtas, Sa ibig maglupit.	The pain and tears, hardship, Difficulty and curse of oppression Are all gone and (we) are saved From those who wish to be cruel (to us).
Hayo't magdiwang Lahi kong minamahal, Iyong watawat ang siyang tanglaw; At kung sakaling ikaw ay muling pagbantaan, Aming bangkay ang siyang hahadlang.	Let us celebrate, beloved race, With your flag as our guiding light; And if ever you are threatened once more, Our corpses will stand in the way.

In 1948, two years after independence was granted by the United States, a new Tagalog version, "O Sintang Lupa," was approved. This new version was more faithful to the Spanish original compared to the previous Tagalog version used in the Japanese-era. Upon closer examination, if compared to the Spanish and Commonwealth-era English versions, it actually is closer to the latter. "O Sintang Lupa" was later revised and became "Lupang Hinirang" in 1956, which in the 1960s was itself revised to become the anthem in its present form — closer in content to the Spanish original than the English version, and written in a less formal version of Tagalog, to reflect the national language policy on the Pilipino (later, Filipino) language.

"O Sintang Lupa"	"O Beloved Land"
O sintang lupa, Perlas ng Silanganan; Diwang apoy kang Sa araw nagmula.	O beloved land, Pearl of the Orient, You are spirited fire Coming from the sun.
Lupang magiliw, Pugad ng kagitingan, Sa manlulupig Di ka papaslang.	Land of our affection, Cradle of bravery, To the conquerors You shall never fall.
Sa iyong langit, simoy, parang. Dagat at kabundukan, Laganap ang tibok ng puso Sa paglayang walang hanggan.	Through your skies, air, meadows, Seas and mountains, Widespread are the beating of hearts For eternal freedom.
Sagisag ng watawat mong mahal Ningning at tagumpay; Araw't bituin niyang maalab Ang s'yang lagi naming tanglaw.	Your dear flag symbolizes Brilliance and victory; Its radiant sun and stars Will always be our guiding light.
Sa iyo Lupa ng ligaya't pagsinta, Tamis mabuhay na yakap mo. Datapwa't langit ding kung ikaw ay apihin Ay mamatay ng dahil sa 'yo.	In you, Land of joy and affection, Sweet life in your embrace. Heaven will it also be that when you are oppressed To die for you.
Jay Allen Villapando, 6 March 2009