<p><strong><em>Martsa ng Bayan</em></strong> (English: <strong><em>March of the People</em></strong>) is a <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/revolutionary">revolutionary</a> song composed by <ahref="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Democracy_Movement_(Philippines)">national democratic</a><ahref="https://everything2.com/title/activism">activist</a><ahref="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Manuel_Santiago">Jess Santiago</a> in the 1980s. It was written for all sectors of <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/Philippines">Philippine</a> society to unite against the <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/Ferdinand+Marcos">Marcos</a><ahref="https://everything2.com/title/dictatorship">dictatorial</a> regime. Now it is still used today as an <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/anti-dictatorship">anti-dictatorship</a>, <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/anti-fascist">anti-fascist</a> song, especially (as of writing) against the current administration of <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/Rodrigo+Duterte">Rodrigo Duterte</a>.</p>
<p>I was not born before or during the <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/Martial+Law">Martial Law</a> era, but I know that my countrymen and women fought against the fascist and dictatorial regime of <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/Ferdinand+Marcos">Marcos</a>. This song is one of the proof that the people are unhappy with the regime's <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/corruption">corruption</a>, <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/feudalism">feudalism</a>, and violation of <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/human+rights">human rights</a>. It was not only the <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/worker">workers</a>, <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/peasant">peasants</a>, and <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/progressivism">progressive</a><ahref="https://everything2.com/title/student">students</a> who fought back, but also the middle-class, the <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/church">church</a> people, and the patriotic <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/bourgeoisie">bourgeoisie</a>. The song says:</p>
<blockquote>
<em>
<ahref="https://everything2.com/title/worker">Manggagawa</a> at <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/farmer">magsasaka</a><br/>
<ahref="https://everything2.com/title/youth">Kabataan</a> at <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/professional">propesyunal</a><br/>
Mga alagad ng <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/church">simbahan</a><br/>
<ahref="https://everything2.com/title/businessmen">Negosyante</a> at <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/leader">pinunong</a><ahref="https://everything2.com/title/patriotism">makabayan</a>
</em>
</blockquote>
<p>The song is still relevant in today's Philippine society. We have a new Marcos: <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/Rodrigo+Duterte">Rodrigo Duterte</a>. A Marcos-wannabe, a <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/fascist">fascist</a>, <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/anti-poor">anti-poor</a>, <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/anti-worker">anti-worker</a>, and a puppet of the <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/United+States+of+America">United States</a>. The Filipino must once again <ahref="https://everything2.com/title/revolt">revolt</a> and chant this song.</p>
<ahref="https://everything2.com/user/pandakekok9/writeups/Martsa+ng+Bayan"title="Originally published in Everything2"><imgsrc="everything2_logo.png"alt="Originally published in Everything2"/></a><br/>