FOLK SONGS FROM THE PHILIPPINES

This Hiligaynon folk song is a type of work song sung by a mananggete or those are into making the Visayan tuba wine. These mananggete climb coconut palm trees to gather the sap of the unopened coconut flowers which are left overnight to drip to bamboo containers. Early in the morning, and late in the afternoon, the mananggete collects the sap and pour it in a long bamboo container with a wooden hook called kawit. Before putting back the bamboo containers to collect the sap, these are cleaned with a bamboo implement with whittled end and are tapped on the coconut petioles to remove any dirt in a process called patik-patik . This song was collected by Priscilla V. Magdamo in 1958 in a Hiligaynon-speaking place in Visayas as sung by a certain Angelina Surilla. The notation below was taken from a learning module available online.

One of the most popular Philippine folk is this song about the parting of lovers. Dandansoy is the nickname of the man who is leaving his beloved in their place Payao.  Early version of this song appearing in the American period music book - the Progressive Music Series - Philippine Edition states that this song originated from the town of Culasi in Antique Province and was reported by a certain Fortunata Masipok.  The simple, yet lovely melody of the song truly have a universal appeal that it already have versions in many Philippine languages, primarily in the Visayan regions. The notation of the song below was taken from the thesis of Mr. Cainglet, available online. For classroom instruction purposes, only the first verse is given here.

This old song might have been very famous during the late part of the 19th century. Its music appeared in many scores around that time, say for example, in Manuel Walls y Merino' s La Musica Popular de Filipinas  its music was presented as El Balitao. Merino's short description of this balitaw  (dance-song) is very interesting, and is here quoted in its entirety as translated to English: " This dance is the most popular in the Philippines. It is generally played more than it is danced, and its figures come to be a specie of jota, although without the variety and elegance of this. It is usually played by bands or orchestras, or simply by guitars. This dance is so popular and the Indios have so much affection to it, that it is often said that as an indigenous person hears the balitaw, even if his father has died, he begins to dance it. "   During the America era, this song again appeared in the "Philippine Music Horizons" as the " Kettle Song " or th

Chua-ay is probably among the most popular Ifugao folk song. This simple song first appeared in Emilia Cavan's book "Filipino Folk Songs" published in 1924. According to this book, Chua-ay is an "Igorot Wedding Song." Nonetheless, it became popular in the academe as the Ifugao "rice pounding song," and the pounding of the pestles are supposed to follow the rhythm of the song. How this sudden change of understanding came down to present-day Filipino students is not known. The song text translation below was taken from Cavan's book, p. "v." Man-child brave, man-child strong, For thee we call, oe!, oe! Brave to fight, strong to work, We bid thee come, oe!, oe! Carry rice from field to town, oe!, oe!

  A Cebuano children's song about a rooster who loudly crows "kukuliya, kukula !" The rooster was later butchered and cooked into a delicious dish.  This is song was collected by Rosemary V. Diaz from a Cebuano-speaking area in the Visayas sometime in 1972. The complete song text is given below. The music transcription of the song below by Sr. Lilia Therese Tolentino, was taken from a learning module, available online.  Akong manok sa buhi pa, akong manok sa buhi pa  Kusog motuktugaok, "Kukuliya, kukula!" Kusog motuktugaok, "Kukuliya, kukula!" Akong manok sa buhi pa. Akong manok sa patay, akong manok sa patay na  Wa' nay motuktugaok, "Kukuliya, kukula!" Wa' nay motuktugaok, "Kukuliya, kukula!" Akong manok sa patay na. Akong manok sa lamisa, akong manok sa lamisa  Lami ang pagkaon, "Kukuliya, kukula!" Lami ang pagkaon, "Kukuliya, kukula!" Akong manok sa lamisa.

            Bahay Kubo (Nipa Hut), is probably the most popular Philippine folk song. School children are familiar with the easy tune of the song, and their benefit, they get acquainted with the most popular local vegetables, which according to song, grow around the tiny hut.

            Lubi-lubi is a Waray folk song about the coconut ( lubi ). The song simply means that the Waray folks can enjoy coconuts in all the 12 months of the year. The Waray version of the song (also called Lubi-lubi Lingkuranay ) is about a dwarf coconut (probably an allusion to a small maiden) which a man promises not to climb, after all it was not that tall. The song proceeds the now famous enumeration of the months of the year. The succeeding stanza is a dialogue between a maiden and a suitor who is trying to win her "immature" heart which she likened to a young coconut ( silot ). The maiden warns the suitor to first seek the permission of her parents before even picking one silot.           For those familiar with the song, the third verse, sung for the second part of the music can be sang: Kun waray sin abaniko/ Patay na inin lawas ko/ Lawas ko, ay, ay, madedesmayo/ San balhas nga dimasyado.           For classroom use purposes, the only the first two stanzas are sha