Opinion: ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ Not Really A ‘Hymn’

Oh, the irony of the Bagong Pilipinas hymn! A hymn, by definition, should be a song of praise, ideally to a deity or, at the very least, to one’s nation. But Bagong Pilipinas? It’s more of a national scolding session, urging Filipinos to mend their ways.

And let’s talk about the composition—an exquisite blend of superficial lyrics and a melody that’s about as inspiring as a midweek traffic jam. It’s less a solemn anthem and more an entry in a Filipino song festival, complete with forgettable charm unlike the easily-recalled “Sa ilalim ng puting ilaw.”

“Lupang Hinirang,” the national anthem, can be proudly belted out a cappella. Bagong Pilipinas demands a karaoke machine to do it justice. Clearly, it’s a hymn in name only, offering the nation what feels more like a half-hearted jingle.

Facebook/Meta’s Double Standard!

Oh, the delicate dance of Facebook/Meta’s community standards! In their infinite wisdom, they graciously remove posts deemed “spam” with the precision of a digital surgeon. Yet, they’ve bestowed upon netizens the power to use “@everyone,” broadcasting their messages to every Tom, Dick, and Harry with the subtlety of a foghorn.

This brilliant dichotomy ensures that while our feeds remain free of insidious spam, we’re simultaneously bombarded with Aunt Karen’s latest multi-level marketing scheme. It’s a masterclass in monopolizing control, deciding which content is the true villain while unleashing a floodgate of notifications.

Truly, Facebook’s double standard is an art form, balancing the need for order with the chaos of unrestrained tagging. After all, who better to curate our digital lives than the benevolent overlords of Meta?

In Antipolo, They Sing ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ Hymn Differently (video)