by Luis G. Dato
Hail, Philippine, O my dear native land,
Where sampaguitas, ylang-ylang bloom,
Let thy sweet music sound from every strand,
Which knew for centuries the tyrant’s doom;
As pearl of orient seas the bards have sung
Thy beauty rare, thy scenic charm extolled,
And poets of strange lands and diverse tongue
Tales of thy fame and of they heroine told.
The sacred blood of thy time-honored sone
Has freely shed that thou at last might see
This much-coveted Freedom thine today,
The priceless heritage of Liberty,
Hail, Philippines, dear Fatherland adored,
Thou Paradise on earth that gave me birth,
What more to ask now that thou art made free
With the Divine protection in this earth?
The whole world watches, eagerly as thou
Set sail upon the rough, uncharted sea,
Thy independent nation to rebuild.
Hail beautiful Philippines, all hail to thee,
May thou live long, they storms that break subdue,
Wild though the tempests roar and the storms rage
Keep on the gallant fight, and keep they sail,
Steer safely through a glorious anchorage.
Thy beautiful rolling hills and mountains blue,
Shall now reecho not the dreadful roar,
The deafening burst of deadly shell and bomb,
And the oppressors’ fire resound no more;
Bataan’s stand, and at Corregidor
Now are but brilliant records of they past,
Now Freedom rings from shore to sounding shore,
May then thine independence through time last.
Thy banner which floats in the skies azure
In gallant and majestic splendour will wave,
A symbol of thy aspirations pure
In this now homeland of thee free and brave;
Its golden sun and stars unclouded shine,
Its colors — crimson, pure white and sky blue,
Stand for true Pilipino courage, light
And truth to which thy sone will e’er be true.
