Bayan Ko - a tribute of love for country, sung by Lea Salonga for Cory Aquino in Manila, Philippines
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Bayan Ko - a tribute of love for country, sung by Lea Salonga for Cory
Aquino in Manila, Philippines
August 5, 5:41 PM Philadelphia Romance Examiner Gina Alzate
As I listened to the song 'Bayan Ko' sung by International Broadway
Star, Lea Salonga, at President Cory Aquino's funeral on August 5,
2009, memories of times past started streaming into my waking
consciousness. Lea sang with so much love for both country and its
Beloved leader at the Manila Cathedral in Manila, Philippines. Her
passionate rendition hurled me back into a time in my life when I
learned the true meaning of freedom.
The year was 1986 and I was learning to sing this song with the help
of my voice teacher at the University of Alaska Anchorage. It was a
year of transformation for me as I wanted to face my fear of public
speaking. One of the strategies I came up to face my fear was to take
voice lessons. I have always wanted to sing 'Bayan Ko' with passion,
projection and resonance. I remember my teacher asking me what the
song meant, and I told him it was a tribute to my Beloved country.
Then, he asked me to imagine singing this powerful song as a love
song, that of a Lover for a Beloved. The song evoked images of
freedom in spite of hardship and loss, and the neverending love of a
people for their country. At that time I had the most difficult time
imagining Philippines as being free. Several years beforehand, I
experienced how Philippines came under Martial Law, and how fear swept
the land for many years afterwards.
Yet, as it would be my fate to witness, my medical unit deployed to
Clark Air Base in Angeles City for an exercise in March1986. I had
not given notice to my family in Manila that I was arriving as
military plans could change in a heart beat. I received permission
from my unit commander to visit my family and explore the countryside
the first weekend available to us. Unbeknownst to any of us at the
time, the People Power Revolution was at its height of toppling the
Marcos Regime. It was the most intense display of unity among
countrymen I have ever seen. People dressed in yellow t-shirts and
dresses, happiness written all over their faces, riding their cars and
motorcycles with so much joy, blowing their horn at every second.
What a sight and sound to behold!
Since Ferdinand Marcos and his family sought refuge in the United
States, the safety of Americans became an issue and all US military
bases had to be locked down as there were riots everywhere outside the
military compounds. The Filipinos were peaceful, yet their sheer
numbers were cause enough for the military to take precaution. So the
gates were closed, and I was on the outside of the gates. I appeared
Filipino and were among Filipinos, and I could not get back on the US
military base even though I showed my US military ID and orders to the
gate guards. Yet, I was not alarmed. I felt tremendous joy and pride
when I realized how democracy had returned to the Philippines once
again. After a few hours, my medical unit commander was located and
he came out to the gate personally to vouch for me that I was in the
US Armed Forces and a US citizen. As I entered through the gate and
back into US jurisdiction, I waved goodbye to my family in the
Philippines and rejoined my American family. I looked back at the
people in yellow attire and saw how freedom cannot be taken for
granted, that sooner or later, love of country always prevailed.
Now, I can sing 'Bayan Ko' with true passion, fervor, and pride.