BAYAN KO
(My Homeland)

“Bayan Ko” is a beloved Filipino patriotic song originally written in Spanish by revolutionary general José Alejandrino during the Philippine–American War, as a response to the American occupation. It was later translated into Tagalog by the renowned poet José Corazón de Jesús, deepening its emotional resonance with the Filipino people. The poem was first set to music by Constancio de Guzman, whose melody helped cement the song’s place in the nation’s cultural memory. “Bayan Ko” regained widespread popularity during the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, when Freddie Aguilar’s stirring rendition turned it into a powerful symbol of resistance and national unity.