A thousand voices stitched from flocks to fields,
every morning light the waves washed the islands’ tears.
The burning sky of Luzon, the fisher’s roar in Visayas,
and the Mindanao’s farmers’ pleas.
Crying was inevitable by the nation,
as it carries every seed planted to liberation.
Children speak for learning under roofs,
when lessons scream through broken pens.
For workers’ blood, the towers built;
yet one may never enter it.
We are the bells that never rings,
as to the man of hour that never speaks.
Justice is never a kingdom to those who are powerful,
nor a diamond precious to few people;
it is a bread to the sheep divided equally for all,
for democracy that is of, by and for the people.
The door that opens wide as the ocean,
where all scarred voices awaken.
Languages may sprout in differences –
Tagalog’s romantic voice echoes,
Ilocano’s sweetness vibes linger, as Cebuano’s thunder strikes,
and Chavacano’s broken Spanish yet never breaks.
Many tongues are threading in our promise land,
everyone is united and beyond.
Let no one disgrace us by our races –
may it be our age, name, class or skin colors;
a united nation is never built with same peoples,
it is built by understanding and respecting heart that unites.
Like a rock; strong and sturdy,
Together we stand, speak and strive amidst adversity.
Raise your voice like a pen is mightier than a sword,
serve as light in the darkness of the Caveland.
Speak the truth ‘til the ears of the deaf listens,
Be firm ‘til the pack of wolves follows,
For the walls of silence, screams the Weaks,
but hope appears last at Pandora’s box.
Oh! Philippines – land of promise,
may it never remain as promise –
we are the voice that never ran out of tune;
one melody, one beat and one rhythm.
Together we chase justice and hope,
one act, one people and one nation!