“Lupang Hinirang” (“Chosen Land”), originally titled in Spanish as “Marcha Nacional Filipina” (“Philippine National March”), and commonly and informally known by its incipit “Bayang Magiliw” (“Beloved Country”), is the national anthem of the Philippines. Its music was composed in 1898 by Julián Felipe, and the lyrics were adopted from the Spanish poem “Filipinas“, written by José Palma in 1899.
The composition known as “Lupang Hinirang” was commissioned on June 5, 1898, by Emilio Aguinaldo, head of the Dictatorial Government of the Philippines,[2] as a ceremonial and instrumental national march without lyrics, similar to the status of the “Marcha Real” in Spain. It was first performed in public during the proclamation of Philippine independence at Aguinaldo’s residence in Kawit, Cavite, on June 12, 1898. It was re-adopted as the national march of the Philippine Republic (Spanish: República Filipina) in 1899.
“Lupang Hinirang” began as incidental music which PresidentEmilio Aguinaldo commissioned for use in the proclamation of Philippine independence from Spain. This task was given to Julián Felipe and was to replace a march which Aguinaldo had deemed unsatisfactory. The original title of this new march was “Marcha Filipina-Magdalo” (Philippine-Magdalo March), and was later changed to “Marcha Nacional Filipina” (Philippine National March) upon its adoption as the national anthem of the First Philippine Republic on June 11, 1898, a day before independence was to be proclaimed.[5] Felipe said that he had based his composition on three other musical pieces: the “Marcha Real“, which is the current Spanish national anthem; the “Grand March” from Giuseppe Verdi‘s Aida; and the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise“.[6] It was played by the Banda San Francisco de Malabón (now called the Banda Matanda, from present-day General Trias) during the proclamation rites on June 12.
