Butting in has its rewards. I learned just that when I stuck my nose into a huddle of teenagers (nephews, nieces, cousins) last weekend. The topic was the national anthem and how hard it is to sing it straight on your own. I disagreed and told the group I could sing it straight without
buckling. And that's exactly what I did (show off!). But when they asked me to recite the country's pledge of allegiance (Philippine patriotic oath), Panatang Makabayan, I failed. It is, after all, not commonly heard, much less recited, by those already out of school. Usually done right after singing the national anthem during mandatory morning flag ceremonies, the Panatang Makabayan ng Pilipinas, is a beautiful verse of pledge to the country, as well as to the ideals of being a Filipino. I learned from the group, however, that there is a new version of the Panatang Makabayan, an official version that has been used since 2001! What they are reciting is school these days is a revised version of the pledge we used to do when I was in school. I learned something new again.

Panatang Makabayan ng Pilipinas: new (revised) version

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Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas,
Aking lupang sinilangan,
Tahanan ng aking lahi,
Kinukupkop ako at tinutulungan
Maging malakas, masipag at marangal.
Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas,
Diringgin ko ang payo
Ng aking magulang,
Susundin ko ang tuntunin ng paaralan,
Tutuparin ko ang tungkulin
Ng mamamayang makabayan:
Naglilingkod, nag-aaral at nagdarasal
Ng buong katapatan
Iaalay ko ang aking buhay,
Pangarap, pagsisikap
Sa bansang Pilipinas

Panatang Makabayan ng Pilipinas: old (original) version

Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas.
Ito ang aking lupang sinilangan.
Ito ang tahanan ng aking lahi.
Ako’y kanyang kinukupkop at tinutulungan,
Upang maging malakas, maligaya at kapakipakinabang.

Bilang ganti ay diringgin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang.
Susundin ko ang mga tuntunin ng aking paaralan.
Tutuparin ko ang tungkulin ng isang mamamayang makabayan at masunurin sa batas.

Paglilingkuran ko ang aking bayan nang walang pag-iimbot at nang buong katapatan.
Sisikapin kong maging isang tunay na Pilipino,
sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa.

Personally, I still prefer the old version. It may be a bit longer than the revised version but it's the one I connect with, probably because I recited it almost everyday in grade school. To me it's perfect. I don't even understand why they had to revise it. I find nothing wrong with it so why fix something that isn't broken? Does anyone know why the Panatang Makabayan was revised?

Panatang Makabayan Video (new/official version)

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