MANILA, 29 February 2008 — Effective immediately, tapes or CDs of the Lupang Hinirang can no longer be played during flag-raising and retreat ceremonies in Philippine schools.
The ban is covered by a directive from the Department of Education in a move to oblige all Philippine school students to memorize the national anthem.
“It’s embarrassing that we don’t know the lyrics of our own national anthem especially during world events,” Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said.
Lapus was reacting to an event when singer Christian Bautista forgot the lyrics while singing at the opening of Manny Pacquiao’s boxing bout in Las Vegas last year.
Lapus likewise ordered all schools to renew efforts in strengthening respect and allegiance to the flag.
He directed the department officials to observe Republic Act No. 8491 known as the “Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines” to comply with the instructions on the proper display and use of the flag. “A badly-faded and tattered flag is disallowed to fly in any school or office,” he said.
Earlier, the department distributed new Philippine flags to government agencies and offices to change the old ones.
Lapus also instructed field officials to institute appropriate sanctions on erring institutions or personnel.
He did not specify though what sanctions will be imposed on erring personnel and institutions.
Its music composed in 1898 by Julian Felipe, and its lyrics adapted from a poem titled Filipinas and written in Spanish by Jose Palma in 1899, the anthem was played during the proclamation of Philippine independence on June 12, 1898, in Kawit, Cavite.
It was banned during the early part of the American occupation of the Philippines, but in 1919 the song was translated into English and called the “Philippine Hymn.”
The present version, often mistakenly called the Bayang Magiliw, or Beloved Country, is from the song’s first line, was completed in 1966.
