Yesterday’s Inquirer article on the Church’s built heritage and the issue of Martin Nievera’s ‘mangling” of Lupang Hinirang is appropriately juxtaposed. After all, nothing symbolizes the colonial period of our history as the churches in each town and our continuing liberation from colonialism as the National Anthem.
Since I was island hopping in the central Visayas when the PacMan chopped down Hatton like an old English oak tree, I was able to see the whole fight with fishers in a small island that rivals Boracay in two aspects, 1) it has better beaches and 2) it has satellite TV. The satellite TV link was provided by an EU grant in the island school. While everyone rejoiced, nonetheless all the people I talked to were undoubtly pissed off by how Martin Nievera sang the National Anthem. Even my barber in Manila was pissed off by how the anthem was sung.
In the Pinoy blogosphere, dominated by the conyos, hyphenated Filipinos and the educated elite tend to brush off the issue as Martin’s right to artistic expression and cultural evolution. Well I have news for you. THE SINGING DOES MATTER! Martin offended many Filipinos and if Pacquiao got chopped down by the Hatton hatchet, the result may have been catastrophic!
There are only three tangible things that connect us with the 1896 Revolution. These are 1) The Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), 2) The National Flag and 3) The National Anthem. All the rest are memory. Rizal, Bonifacio, Mabina are a memory and live largely on the public’s mind as statues. The IFI still counts as our the largest non-Roman Catholic church. It never even gets space for Christmas and Easter greetings in the Manila Bulletin while it gives space for the amateur Pope of El Shaddai (and a host of supposedly churchgoing politicians)! The IFI still has a vibrant worshipping community.
While the IFI no longer figures largely on the Pinoy consciousness (partly due to factionalism and that 1906 Supreme Court decision restoring colonial churches to the Catholics) , the flag and anthem still do. The flag and anthem remain sacred to the Pinoy. Any attempt to modify these national symbols will generate controversy. And surely even in a boxing match it did.
What behooves me is that why was Martin Nievera asked to sing the Anthem at all? In late 1980s (1987 was it?) Nievera and company sang the “we are the world” version of the National Anthem on TV. Nievera is a good artist in adopting American pop styles to Pinoy pop songs. But too bad the National Anthem isn’t a pop song. I haven’t met a Pinoy who thinks it can be sung like the Star Spangled Banner (which artists can freely interpret it and pop albums from Barbra Streisand, Leann Rimes, and even reggae and hip hop bands have it as a track). Not even George Canseco (whose pop songs are nationalistically politically correct) had Basil Valdez sing Lupang Hinirang in any of the albums.
Lupang Hinirang is so sacred that pop artists could only record a proxy and that is Constancio de Guzman’s kumintang “Bayan Ko” Freddie Aguilar, Asin, Coritha and numerous artists have interpreted “Bayan Ko”. Even then the song has achieved near sacred status that critics say the pop interpretations are offensive and they name Ka Freddie as a culprit!
With Lupang Hinirang in the 1980s correct me if I am wrong, but I believe it was National Artist Lucio San Pedro who complained to President Corazon Aquino about the USA for Africa version!
Now that era of the 1980s I want to banish from memory. That silly “We are the World: USA for Africa” flu even gripped Australia which was celebrating its bicentennial in 1988. When the music video of their “We are the World” is shown today, Australians cringe at something plainly borrowed from America.
Now what Martin Nievera did in the 1980s and on April 3, 2009 is akin to what heritage architect Augusto Villalon calls “Disneyfication”. He charges that the Philippine Roman Catholic Church has misinterpreted Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI’s directives in preserving colonial churches. I would agree in the large part. I think we can count with the fingers colonial churches that have been faithfully maintained. In Manila, I think it is only San Agustin and San Sebastian that have largely maintained their colonial character. Quiapo Church’s and Santa Cruz’ baroque is only the facade.
Vatican II ordered a reordering of churches in line with liturgical reforms (which Benedict is trying to reverse). While the council did not expressively mandate stripping of the high altars, many parishes did so. While the CBCP has a committee that looks into preserving our churches, it has only recommendary powers. The final say falls on the diocesan bishops and the parish priests. If you have a complaint on how your parish church heritage is being trashed, and your bishop doesn’t care, your only recourse is to Papa Ratzi, himself.
In my travels around the country, I have seen some churches whose interiors have been so throroughly modernized. I wonder what happened to the colonial retablos and santos? Of course the prevailing chismis is that the cura parroco sold them. Worse the colonial coventos are demolished. Inside the church, the Tridentine style communion rails were removed. This was done in Pasig Church (now Cathedral) and the city’s historian says nobody knows what ever happened to these.
Conversely especially in Metro Manila, post Vatican II churches are being reordered with faux baroque altars. One of the worst examples is the Carmelite Church in Broadway, Quezon City. There are a few possible exceptions. The modernist Santo Domingo on Quezon Avenue lends well to baroque reordering. But then again, Santo Domingo isn’t a post Vatican II church.
Vatican II and Spanish colonialism represents our ecclesiastical history. It is a complete loss of historical memory if we reorder our churches without concern about the viewpoints of who built the churches. The same too with how the National Anthem is sung.
Cuando nos ofenden, dulce es morir..
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HA!Ha1Ha!HA!HA! SMALL THINGS MATTERS TO FLIPS …. big things don’t matter …. ha!ha!ha!ha!
Singing Karaoke of Bayang Magiliw, BIG DEAL! Fake perfume, BIG DEAL! WHEELING AND DEALING BY CORRUPT BUREACRATS no big deal!!!!
HA!HA!HQA!HA!HA! WALANG PAGKAIBA ANG MGA FLIPS!!!!
WE’RE DOOOOOMED!!!!! ha!ha!ha!ha!ha!
Flips are actually FilAms like you. Never heard anyone in the provinces of the Republic of the Philippines call themselves a Flip.
Of course walang pagkakaiba ang nga Flip tulad mo sa Kano.
I learned the word “Flips” from papered-Americans thru blog. I’m not a Flim-Am. I’m neither a Filipino. A filipino has corrosive toxic attitude. They come to you with bible and rosaries then stab you in the back … HA!HA!HA!HA!
You must be a Flip Blackshama!!!! HA!HA!HA!HA!
I just cannot undderstand why Flips cannot tell between fantasy and reality ….Well, if they did this would have been a great country ….HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!
The word Flip is a neologism of the neocolonizing Kano which unfortunately some Fil Ams believe refers also to the residents and citizens of the Republic of the Philippines.
Iba ang realidad ng FilAm sa amin, pre, Uwi ka na kaya! At least Manny Pacquiao is no Flip and won’t sing the Star Spangled Banner while doing his job.
HA!HA!HA!HA! I didn’t know Flip like you adore education-optional sports!!! HA!HA!HA!HA! Kasi pag ang Flip matalo sa debate they up the ante … They go for boxing match !!!! HA!HA!HA!HA!
That is why Flips like Manny Pacquiao. Pagmatalo si Manny sa debate mag-suntukan na lang!!! THAT IS WHY WE ARE PROGRESSIVE!!!! ha!ha!ha!ha!
FLIPS are coined by Filipino-TNTs and Filipino-American, the Flim-Flam. Americans deragotory word for Filipinos are “monkeys”. HA!HA!HA!HA!
Filipinos living in America are Filipino Americans. They send
money to their families in the Philippines. As is the culture
of Filipinos.
Flip
Friendly
Loving
Intelligent
Person
Inggit lang si blackshama sa achievements ng mga Filipino sa America.
We dont want to be called Flips. We are Filipino Americans.
Why should I be jealous of Fil Am achievements in America? I am more jealous of Filipino achievements in the Philippines. That’s says I could have done more.
Nonetheless having lived in America (ooops the Confederacy!) and Australia and despite the problems of Pinoys being migrants, I believe the higher level of fair play (in the USA) and fair go (in Oz) gives a sort of advantage to the migrant to excel.
Now do we have that in the Philippines?
2. vaya con dios 19 up, 13 down
Spanish meaning “go with god”, typiclly used before ending a helpless victims life with a 9 mm round inside his forehead!
Vaya con dios, man
HA!HA!HA!HA!H!
Blackshama being distracted by Flip-etymology and Renato’s comments is relief so the bigger issues, he can ignore. And already mentions the bigger issue, which is
… what ever happened to those?
…the colonial coventos are demolished. Inside the church, the Tridentine style communion rails were removed. This was done in Pasig Church (now Cathedral) and the city’s historian says nobody knows what ever happened to these.
… these which made the Philippines of 40 years ago and 90 years ago so much more lupang hinirang… what ever happened to those?
50 congressmen watching Pacquiao-Hatton fight prevented the resumption of the impeachment case against Mercedita because of lack of quorum. Where is the outrage?
I do agree with blackshama. Martin Nievera should have been better vetted. What
behoovespuzzles me is why Martin Nievera was asked to sing the Anthem at all?Kasi sikat siya, e! HA!HA!HA!
Pacman chose Martin from a list of singers.
irreverent singing and…
irreverent art?
…how about sticking an image of the flag in one’s ear just like martin did?
What can you say about Pacquiao’s mouthpiece? It has the flag too.
read it was given by a local dentist.
Stipulated in Republic Act 8491…
It’s a good thing Martin already introduced his version of the anthem at Robinson’s Place Manila on April 28, 2009. The 50 or so “nationalists,” i would like to believe, were able to join Martin in the singing…with fervor…and, of course, with the corresponding salute…
(Emphasis mine.)
We Filipinos hold on too much on the past. Singing the National
Anthem in different way is too small an issue. We understand that
the Singer is an Artist. And Artist will always find ways to express
his art and his talent. The words of the National anthem is
there. He did not change it. Why are you all complaining?
Churches were put there by the Spanish Colonizers to remind the Colonized their presence and authority. The Spanish friars were
like the Islamic Mullahs of Iran. They are the enforcers of the
colonial laws and rules. Remember the abuses of the Spanish Friars
described in the Rizal’s novel “Noli Me Tangere”.
RIGHT ON, TASIO! RIGHT ON!
Did Jesus Christ got angry because we made Our Father who art in heaven into some rock song? …. errrr … he must be angry because Filipinos has not progress since we made Our Father into metal-heavy rock-and-roll song …..
Hmmmmm …. You may be wrong Tasio, though, in my view you are right! But God is beyond comprehension. He’s thoughts is unfathomable ….
BUT STILL YOU ARE RIGHT TASIO!!!!
Renato: Flips plagiarized the Our Father metal-heavy rock-and-roll song version. Even plagiarized the bow-your-head-and-speak-softly version. Only the Aetas and a few tribess that Flips don’t talk to have non-plagiarized religions, except the plagiaristic flips may have converted them already. PROGRESS!!!!!
HA!HA!HA!HA!
(…. there, now I have a better plagiarization of Renato).
Did you know (if the weblink is to be believed) that Filipinos wearing clothes that display SaudiArabia, Australia, Japanese or USA flags are violating the law?
SECTION 34. It shall be prohibited:
a) To mutilate, deface, defile, trample on or cast contempt or commit any act or omission casting dishonor or ridicule upon the flag or over its surface;
b) To dip the flag to any person or object by way of compliment or salute;
c) To use the flag:
1) As a drapery, festoon, tablecloth;
2) As covering for ceilings, walls, statues or other objects;
3) As a pennant in the hood, side, back and top of motor vehicles;
4) As a staff or whip;
5) For unveiling monuments or statues; and
6) As trademarks, or for industrial, commercial or agricultural labels or designs.
d) To display the flag:
1) Under any painting or picture;
2) Horizontally face-up. It shall always be hoisted aloft and be allowed to fall freely;
3) Below any platform; or
4) In discotheques, cockpits, night and day clubs, casinos, gambling joints and places of vice or where frivolity prevails.
e) To wear the flag in whole or in part as a costume or uniform;
f) To add any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawings, advertisement, or imprint of any nature on the flag;
g) To print, paint or attach representation of the flag on handkerchiefs, napkins, cushions, and other articles of merchandise;
h) To display in public any foreign flag, except in embassies and other diplomatic establishments, and in offices of international organizations;
i) To use, display or be part of any advertisement or infomercial; and
j) To display the flag in front of buildings or offices occupied by aliens.
Blackshama
I dunno Ben. When I watch his Robinson performance courtesy of Baycas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUOffMJWfcw
I must say my first reaction was that I’ve never seen ANYONE do it with more fervor. Burning pa. As if Pops married…Ricky Hatton or something. hehe.
I guess we just have to call it the Mellow Touch Lupang Hinirang.
Also, no one does it right. Most of the time it sounds like a…Communion Song.
i like the robinson stint than the actual at mgm grand. parang napiyok kasi sa huli nung sunday.
“The Best LUPANG HINIRANG video”
…according to its title…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yw3qfcwJXo&NR=1
For what purpose was the preview at Robinson’s Place Manila done?
(Emphasis mine.)