In a way, I’m glad that deviation from the original composition in the singing of the Philippine national anthem is causing controversy.
That means that people still care very much about our national anthem, which is one of our patriotic symbols.
The latest in the “Lupang Hinirang” controversy is the version of much- admired Arnel Pineda (of the international band “The Journey”) sang last Sunday at the Pacquiao-Clottey fight at the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Texas.
I only caught up with Arnel’s performance in Monday’s evening news reports (I don’t watch boxing fights) but here’s the comment of the musically-inclined journalist Inday Espina-Varona in her Facebook wall: “The first two notes of Arnel’s Lupang Hinirang had us betting he wouldn’t hit the high notes. He was fine with the first high notes, sang the anthem straight and pure, and then he had to do the runs… ayan, sablay.”