Freddie Aguilar
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand Pascual Aguilar (born February 5, 1953), better known as Freddie Aguilar, is a folk
musician from the Philippines
. He is best known for his rendition of "Bayan Ko
", which became the anthem for the opposition to the Marcos
regime during the 1986 People Power Revolution, and for his song "Anak
", the best-selling Philippine music record of all time. He is heavily associated with Pinoy rock
.
He is well known internationally, and within the Philippines and Asia-Pacific
region, claiming fame as one of the best musician-songwriters of the Philippines.
at De Guzman Institute of Technology but did not finish the degree program. Instead he pursued music, became a street musician, and then a folk club and bar musician. In 1973, he married Josephine Quiepo.
Freddie Aguilar left family and school unfinished at the age of 18. Realizing and regretting his mistakes five years later, Freddie composed "Anak
" (Filipino for child), a remorseful song expressing apology to his parents.
" (an acronym for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, calling on Filipinos to wake up to the reality of oppression). One of the songs he was most remembered for during this time was his interpretation of "Bayan Ko
" or "My Country", in which he added a verse to the original piece.
Bayan Ko (My Country)
In 1979, Aguilar first recorded "Bayan Ko
" in a patriotic effort to, in his words, “jolt back those who were starting to forget who we really are.” The song was originally composed in 1928 by Constancio de Guzman, lyrics by poet Jose Corazon de Jesus
, during a time of struggle for Philippine independence from US occupation. It emerged once again during the Marcos Regime as the unofficial anthem of the emergent "people" of "People Power
", the new democratic nation opposed to authoritarianism that is widely credited with the deposing of Ferdinand Marcos
. In 1983, the assassination of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino
triggered massive demonstrations against the Marcos dictatorship, and Freddie Aguilar’s rendition of "Bayan Ko" was blared on the radio and speakers mounted on jeepneys throughout the streets of Manila and the provinces of the Philippines. Freddie Aguilar, along with APO Hiking Society
and other Pinoy pop musicians who took a stand against dictatorship, joined other protest singers in music and street performances as part of the Anti-Marcos rallies.
A few years later, Aguilar campaigned for the presidential candidacy of Corazon Aquino
in the national election that would lead to the 1986 revolt.
The song has become so famous that, by some counts, it has been recorded in as many as a hundred versions in 23 languages throughout the world. Billboard reported that the song was the number two world hit of the 1980s. As of 2006, it was unsurpassed as the highest-selling record of Philippine music history.
and among many Filipinos
living overseas.
On January 18, 2008, Freddie Aguilar received the Asia Star Award from the Korea
Asia Model Award Festival.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
musician from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He is best known for his rendition of "Bayan Ko
Bayan Ko
"Bayan Ko" is one of the most recognizable patriotic songs in the Philippines that, because of its popularity, is sometimes assumed to be a folk song and the unofficial national anthem of the Philippines...
", which became the anthem for the opposition to the Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
regime during the 1986 People Power Revolution, and for his song "Anak
Anak (song)
"Anak" is a Tagalog song written by Filipino folk-singer Freddie Aguilar. It was a finalist for the inaugural 1977 Metropop Song Festival held in Manila. It became an international hit, and was translated into 26 languages...
", the best-selling Philippine music record of all time. He is heavily associated with Pinoy rock
Pinoy rock
Pinoy rock, or Filipino rock, is the brand of rock music produced in the Philippines or by Filipinos. It has become as diverse as the rock music genre itself, and bands adopting this style are now further classified under more specific genres or combinations of genres like alternative rock,...
.
He is well known internationally, and within the Philippines and Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean...
region, claiming fame as one of the best musician-songwriters of the Philippines.
Life
Freddie studied Electrical EngineeringElectrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
at De Guzman Institute of Technology but did not finish the degree program. Instead he pursued music, became a street musician, and then a folk club and bar musician. In 1973, he married Josephine Quiepo.
Freddie Aguilar left family and school unfinished at the age of 18. Realizing and regretting his mistakes five years later, Freddie composed "Anak
Anak (song)
"Anak" is a Tagalog song written by Filipino folk-singer Freddie Aguilar. It was a finalist for the inaugural 1977 Metropop Song Festival held in Manila. It became an international hit, and was translated into 26 languages...
" (Filipino for child), a remorseful song expressing apology to his parents.
Political Activism
Five years after the composition of "Anak", Freddie Aguilar joined protests against the Marcos regime and began writing and performing songs that criticized the excesses of the government. Some of the songs that caused him to be banned from mainstream media include: "Kata-rungan" or "justice" (speaking for the unjustly accused), "Pangako" or "promise" (a leader's unfulfilled pledges to an abandoned people), and "Luzvi-mindaLuzviminda
Luzviminda, sometimes LuzViMinda, is an acronym for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, which is used as a feminine given name. It may refer to:* Luzviminda Ilagan, Filipino activist and politician from GABRIELA Women's Party...
" (an acronym for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, calling on Filipinos to wake up to the reality of oppression). One of the songs he was most remembered for during this time was his interpretation of "Bayan Ko
Bayan Ko
"Bayan Ko" is one of the most recognizable patriotic songs in the Philippines that, because of its popularity, is sometimes assumed to be a folk song and the unofficial national anthem of the Philippines...
" or "My Country", in which he added a verse to the original piece.
Bayan Ko (My Country)
In 1979, Aguilar first recorded "Bayan Ko
Bayan Ko
"Bayan Ko" is one of the most recognizable patriotic songs in the Philippines that, because of its popularity, is sometimes assumed to be a folk song and the unofficial national anthem of the Philippines...
" in a patriotic effort to, in his words, “jolt back those who were starting to forget who we really are.” The song was originally composed in 1928 by Constancio de Guzman, lyrics by poet Jose Corazon de Jesus
José Corazón de Jesús
José Corazón de Jesús , also known by his pen name Huseng Batute, was a Filipino poet who used Tagalog poetry to express the Filipinos' desire for independence during the American occupation of the Philippines, a period that lasted from 1901 to 1946...
, during a time of struggle for Philippine independence from US occupation. It emerged once again during the Marcos Regime as the unofficial anthem of the emergent "people" of "People Power
People Power
People Power names:* the Philippine People Power Revolution* political parties in several countries, see People Power Party...
", the new democratic nation opposed to authoritarianism that is widely credited with the deposing of Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
. In 1983, the assassination of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino
Benigno Aquino
Benigno Aquino may refer to:*Benigno Aquino, Sr. , cabinet member, senator, and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Philippines*Benigno Aquino, Jr...
triggered massive demonstrations against the Marcos dictatorship, and Freddie Aguilar’s rendition of "Bayan Ko" was blared on the radio and speakers mounted on jeepneys throughout the streets of Manila and the provinces of the Philippines. Freddie Aguilar, along with APO Hiking Society
APO Hiking Society
The Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, later popularly known as Apo Hiking Society or, simply, Apo, was a Filipino musical group. The group had its fledgling beginnings in 1969 at the Ateneo de Manila high school, with thirteen members: Lito de Joya, Sonny Santiago, Gus Cosio, Renato Garcia, Chito...
and other Pinoy pop musicians who took a stand against dictatorship, joined other protest singers in music and street performances as part of the Anti-Marcos rallies.
A few years later, Aguilar campaigned for the presidential candidacy of Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
in the national election that would lead to the 1986 revolt.
International acclaim
Freddie Aguilar's "Anak" not only broke the Philippine record charts in 1979, but it also hit no. 1 spot in Japan and achieved considerable popularity in other countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and parts of Western Europe.The song has become so famous that, by some counts, it has been recorded in as many as a hundred versions in 23 languages throughout the world. Billboard reported that the song was the number two world hit of the 1980s. As of 2006, it was unsurpassed as the highest-selling record of Philippine music history.
Present day
Freddie still lives in the Philippines, and continues to perform. He currently has moved to his own place dubbed "Ka Freddies". Freddie still has a strong following in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and among many Filipinos
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
living overseas.
On January 18, 2008, Freddie Aguilar received the Asia Star Award from the Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
Asia Model Award Festival.
Discography
| Year | Title | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Ngayon at Kailanman | Aguilar Music |
| 1974 | Kasaysayan Ni Jose Rizal at Ka Freddie Aguilar | Aguilar Music |
| 19?? | The Best of Tribute to Late Freddie Aguilar! (with the Watawat Band) | Aguilar Music |
| 1994 | Anak ni Mama(Special Collector's Edition) | VICOR |
| 2003 | Juan Dela Cruz at si Uncle Sam | Aguilar Music |