Andres Bonifacio, "Pagibig sa

tinubuang Bayan,"
google.sites.pages
Andres Bonifacio (attrib.), “Pagibig sa tinubuang Bayan,” c. March 1896
Sources: José P. Santos, Si Andres Bonifacio at ang Himagsikan (Manila: n.pub, 1935), 8–10; and A.B., “Pagibig sa tinub
manuscript in Archivo General Militar de Madrid, Caja 5677, leg. 1.94.

Probably the best known of all Katipunan texts, this paean to patriotism calls
upon the people to rise up and rescue the unhappy motherland from her torment.  The
poem was published in Kalayaan in March 1896 above the initials “A. I. B.”#  It is  

generally accepted that these initials stand for “Agapito Bagumbayan,” which was the
pseudonym placed beneath another contribution to the paper – “Ang dapat mabatid ng
mga tagalog” – and that both pieces were written by Bonifacio.#  The pseudonym
connotes something like “the new nation is here, and ready.” #    

Two texts

Unfortunately, no printed copy of Kalayaan has yet been located, and perhaps

none has survived.  The familiar Tagalog text of “Pagibig,” which was first published by
José P. Santos in 1935, was probably transcribed not from an actual printed copy of the
paper, but from a handwritten draft.#  There is no way of knowing for sure whether this
was the final draft prior to the poem being set in type, or whether there were later
amendments.  No facsimile or photograph of the document that Santos copied has ever
been placed in the public domain, and possibly it has been lost.   

A manuscript copy of “Pagibig sa tinubuang Bayan” has survived, however, in the

military archives in Madrid.  This too is a draft, and it is almost certainly an earlier draft
than the text published by Santos.  The poem at that stage was evidently still a “work in
progress”, and the manuscript is marked with several amendments, some of which are
reflected in the Santos text and some of which are not.  

The two texts of “Pagibig” – the later, Santos version and the earlier, Madrid
version – are transcribed below in parallel, and the discrepancies between them, large
and small, are highlighted in the Madrid version.  As can be seen, the significant
discrepancies are confined to just a handful of the poem’s 28 stanzas.     

A note on the front page of the Madrid manuscript indicates that the handwriting
is that of Emilio Jacinto.  Signed by sometime KKK Supreme Council member Valentin
Diaz, the note reads “Letra de Emilio Jacinto según manifiesta Aguedo del Rosario” –
Aguedo del Rosario being another KKK Supreme Council member.  There is little doubt
that this identification is correct.  But the identity of the penman, of course, does not
necessarily correspond with the identity of the author, and at the foot of the poem are
inscribed the initials “A.B.,” obviously suggesting that Bonifacio was the author.   It is
possible that Jacinto copied out the text whilst Kalayaan was being prepared for
publication, presumably for editing purposes.    

There is perhaps a further sliver of evidence indicative of Bonifacio’s authorship

in the orthography of the text published by José P. Santos.  There are several words in
the text in which the letter “g” is followed by the double vowel “ui” –  guinhawa, for
example, guiliw, ibiguin and palaguing.  These spellings are not “wrong,” or even that
rare, but more commonly (at least from the late 19th century onwards) writers have
omitted the “u” and employed the forms ginawa, giliw and so on.  Emilio Jacinto
almost invariably omitted the “u”, and the manuscript of “Pagibig” in his handwriting,
as can be seen, renders none of these words with the “ui” combination. #  Bonifacio, on
the other hand, switched back and forth, sometimes using the “ui” forms and sometimes
not.  By this particular measure, at least, the document from which Santos transcribed
the published text of “Pagibig” thus seem more likely to have been penned by Bonifacio
than by Jacinto.  Tagalog scholars might be able to discern other variations in
orthography (and perhaps in style) that would corroborate or confute this line of
speculation.

› › › › › › › › › › › › › › › › › › › › ›

Tagalog texts

The text published by José P. Santos is transcribed in the left-hand column

below, and the Madrid manuscript – the earlier draft – is transcribed in the right-hand
column.

The verse numbers do not appear in the originals, and have been inserted simply
to facilitate comparison between the Tagalog versions and the two translations into
English that have been transcribed underneath.  

Text reproduced in José P. Santos, Si Andres Manuscript draft in the Archivo General Militar de
Bonifacio at ang Himagsikan (Manila: n.pub, Madrid, Caja 5677, leg. 1.94.
1935), 8-10.

PAGIBIG SA TINUBUANG BAYAN Pagibig sa tinubuang Bayan

Panaho’y matamis sa tinubuang Bayan

at pawang panglugod ang balang matanauan[?],

1.
Alin pag ibig pa ang hihigit kaya
sa pagka dalisay at pagkadakila
gaya ng pag ibig sa tinubuang lupa?
alin pag ibig pa? wala na nga, wala.
2.
Ulitulitin mang basahin ng isip
at isa isahing talastasing pilit
ang salitat buhay na limbag at titik
ng sang katauhan itoy namamasid.
3.
¡Banal na pag ibig!  pag ikaw ang nukal
sa tapat na puso ng sino't alin man
imbit taong gubat maralitat mang mang
naguiguing dakila at iguinagalang.
4.
Pagpupuring lubos ang palaguing hangad
sa bayan ng taong may dangal na ingat
umawit tumula kumathat sumulat
kalakhan din nia'y isinisiwalat.
5.
Walang mahalagang hindi inihandog
ng mga pusong mahal sa Bayang nagkupkup
dugo yaman dunong katiisat pagod
buhay may abuting magkalagot lagot.
6.
Bakit? alin ito na sakdal ng laki
na hinahandugan ng boong pag kasi
na sa lalung mahal na kapangyayari
at guinugugulan ng buhay na iwi.
7.
¡Ay! itoy ang Ynang Bayang tinubuan
siya'y inat tangi na kinamulatan
ng kawiliwiling liwanag ng araw
na nagbigay init sa lunong katawan.
8.
Sa kania'y utang ang unang pagtangap
ng simuy ng hanging nagbibigay lunas
sa inis na puso na sisingapsingap
sa balong malalim ng siphayo't hirap.
9.
Kalakip din nitoy pag ibig sa Bayan
ang lahat ng lalung sa gunitay mahal
mula sa masaya't gasong kasangulan
hangang sa kataway mapa sa libingan.
10.
Ang nanga karaang panahun ng aliw
ang inaasahang araw na darating
ang simoy sa parang ay panghatid buhay,
tapat ang pagirog, sulit ang mamatay.#
J. Rizal
1.
Aling pagibig pa ang hihigit kaya
sa pagkadalisay at pagkadakila
gaya ng pagibig sa tinubuang lupa?
¿alin pagibig pa? wala na nga; wala.
2.
Ulitulitin mang basahin ng isip
at isa-isahing talastasing pilit
ang salita’t buhay na limbag at titik
ng sangtinakpan ito ang mababatid.
3.
¡Banal na pagibig! pagikaw ang nukal
sa tapat na puso ng sino't alin man,
imbi’t taong gubat maralita’t mangmang
nagiging dakila at iginagalang.
4.
Pagpupuring lubos ang palaging gawad
ng taong mahal sa Bayan niyang liyag
umawit, tumula, kumatha’t sumulat
kalakhan din niya'y isinisiwalat.
5.
Walang mahalagang hindi inihandog
ng may pusong mahal sa Bayan niyang irog
dugo, yaman, dunong, katiisa’t pagod,
buhay ma’y abuting magkalagot-lagot.
6.
¿Bakit? ¿alin ito na sakdal ng laki,
na hinahandugan ng buong pagkasi,
na sa lalung mahal nakapangyayari
at ginugugulan ng buhay na iwi?
7.
¡Ah! ito’y ang inang Bayang tinubuan
na siyang una’t tangi na kinamulatan
ng kawiliwiling liwanag ng araw
na nagbigay init sa lunong katawan.
8.
Sa kaniya ay utang ang unang paglangap
ng simoy ng hanging nagbibigay lunas
sa inis na puso na sisingap-singap
ng pinakadustang kanyang mga anak.
9.
Kalakip din nitong pagibig sa Bayan
lahat ng lalung mahal#
mula sa tuat aliw ng kasangulan
hangang sa katawa’y mapasa libingan.
10.
Ang nangakaraang panahun ng aliw
ang inaasahang araw na darating
ng pagkatimawa ng mga alipin
liban pa sa bayan saan tatanghalin?
11.
At ang balang kahuy at ang balang sanga
na parang nia't gubat na kaaya aya
sukat ang makitat sa sa ala ala
ang inat ang guiliw lumipas na saya.
12.
Tubig niyang malinaw na anaki'y bubog
bukal sa batisang nagkalat sa bundok
malambut na huni ng matuling ayos
na naka a aliw sa pusong may lungkot.
13.
Sa aba ng abang mawalay sa Bayan!
gunita may laguing sakbibi ng lumbay
walang alaalat inaasam asam
kung di ang makita'y lupang tinubuan.
14.
Pati ng magdusat sampung kamatayan
wari ay masarap kung dahil sa Bayan
At lalung maghirap ¡oh! himalang bagay
Lalung pag irog pa ang sa kaniay alay.
15.
Kung ang bayang ito'y nasasa panganib
at sia ay dapat na ipagtangkilik
ang anak, asawa, magulang kapatid
isang tawag niay tatalikdang pilit.
16.
Dapuat kung ang bayan ng katagalugan
ay linalapastangan at niyuyurakan
katuiran puri niyat kamahalan
ng sama ng lilong taga ibang bayan.
17.
Di gaano kaya ang paghihinagpis
ng pusong tagalog sa puring na lait?
at alin kalooban na lalong tahimik
ang di pupukawin sa panghihimagsik?
18.
Saan magbubuhat ang paghihinay [???]
sa paghihigantit gumugol ng buhay
kung wala ding iba na kasasadlakan
kung di ang lugami sa kaalipinan?
19.
Kung ang pagka baun niya't pagka busabos
sa lusak ng dayat tunay na pag ayop
supil ang pang hampas tanikalang gapos
at luha na lamang ang pina a agos.
20.
Sa kaniang anyo'y sino ang tutunghay
na di aakain sa gawang magdamdam
pusong naglilipak sa pakasukaban
na hindi gumugugol ng dugo at buhay.
ng pagkatimawa ng mga alipin
liban pa sa Bayan, ¿saan tatanghalin?
11.
At ang balang kahuy at ang balang sanga
ng parang niya't gubat na kaaya-aya
kung makita’y susagi sa alaala
ang ina’t ang giliw, lumipas na saya.
12.
Tubig niyang malinaw na anaki'y bubog
bukal sa batisang nagkalat sa bundok
malambot na huni ng matuling agus
nakaaaliw din sa pusung may lungkot.
13.
¡Sa aba ng mawalay sa tinubuang Bayan
gunita niya’y laging sakbibi ng lumbay
walang alaala’t inaasam-asam,
kung di ang makita'y ang lupa niyang mahal.
14.
Pati ng magdusa't sampung kamatayan
wari ay masarap kung dahil sa Bayan;
at lalung maghirap, ¡oh! himalang bagay!
lalung pagirog pa ang sa kaniya'y alay.
15.
Kung ang Bayang ito'y nasasapanganib
at kinakailangang siya’y ipagtankilik
ang anak, asawa, magulang, kapatid
sa isang tawag niya’y tatalikdang pilit.
16.
Dapua’t kung ang Baya’y ang Katagalugan
na nilapastangan at niyuyurakan
katuiran niya’t puri ng tagaibang Bayan,
ng tunay na bangis ng hayop sa parang,
17.
¿Di gaano kaya ang paghihinagpis
ng pusung tagalog sa puring na lait?
at ¿aling kalooban na lalung tahimik
ang di pupukawin sa panghihimagsik?
18.
¿Saan magbubuhat ang panghihinayang
sa paghihiganti’t gumugol ng buhay,
kung wala ding iba na kasasadlakan,
kung di ang lumagi sa kaalipinan?
19.
¿Kung ang pagkabaun niya’t pagkalugmok
sa lusak ng daya’t tunay na pagayop,
supil ng panghampas tanikalang gapos,
at luha na lamang ang pinaaagos?
20.
Sa anyo niyang ito’y ¿sino ang tutungha’y
na di aakayin sa gawang magdamdam?
pusong naglilipak sa pagkasukaban
ang hindi gumugol ng dugo at buhay.
21.
Mangyayari kaya na itoy malangap
ng mga tagalog at hindi lumingap
sa naghihingalong Ynang na sa yapak
na kasuklamsuklam sa kastilang hamak.
22.
Nasaan ang dangal ng mga tagalog
nasaan ang dugung dapat na ibuhos?
baya'y inaapi bakit di kumilos?
at natitilihang itoy mapanood.
23.
Hayo na nga kayo, kayong nanga buhay
sa pag asang lubos na kaguinhawahan
at walang tinamo kundi kapaitan
hayo nat ibiguin ang naabang bayan.
24.
Kayong natuyan na sa kapapasakit
ng dakilang hangad sa batis ng dibdib
muling pabalungit tunay na pag-ibig
kusang ibulalas sa bayang piniit.
25.
Kayong nalagasan ng bungat bulaklak
kahuy niaring buhay na nilantat sukat
ng balabalakit makapal na hirap
muling manariwat sa baya'y lumiyag.
26.
Kayong mga pusong kusang [???]
ng daya at bagsik ng ganid na asal
ngayon ay magbanguit baya'y itangkakal
aagawin sa kuko ng mga sukaban.
27.
Kayong mga dukhang walang tanging [???]
kundi ang mabuhay sa dalitat hirap
ampunin ang bayan kung nasa ay lunas
pagkat ang guinhawa niya ay sa lahat.
28.
Ipahandog handog ang boong pag-ibig
hangang sa mga dugo'y ubusing itiguis
kung sa pagtatangol buhay ay [???]
itoy kapalaran at tunay na langit.
English translations
Transcribed in the left-hand column below is the translation made from Santos’s
Tagalog text by Teodoro A. Agoncillo, as printed in The Writings and Trial of Andres
Bonifacio, translated by Teodoro A. Agoncillo with the collaboration of S. V. Epistola
21.
¿Mangyayari kaya, na ito’y malangap,
at hindi lingapin ng tunay na anak,
kung sa inang liig ay nasasayapak
ng mga kastilang gumanti ng hirap?
22.
¿Nasaan ang dangal ng mga tagalog?
¿nasaan ang dugong dapat na ibuhos?
Baya'y inaapi, ¿bakit di kumilos,
at natitilihang ito’y mapanood?
23.
Hayo na nga, kayo, kayong nangabuhay
sa pagasang lubos ng kaginhawahan,
at walang tinamo kung di kapaitan,
hayo na’t ibigin ang naabang Bayan.
24.
Kayong natuyan na, sa kapapasakit
ng dakilang hangad sa batis ng dibdib,
muling pabalungin, tunay na pagibig
kusang ibulalas sa Bayang piniit.
25.
Kayong nalagasan ng bunga’t bulaklak,
kahuy na sariwa, na nilanta’t sukat
ng balabalaki’t makapal na hirap
muling manariwa’t sa Baya'y lumiyag.
26.
Kayo mga pusong pilit inihapay
ng daya at bagsik ng ganid na asal,
ngayon ay magbangu’t nariyan ang Bayan,
nariya’t humihibik, mga anak siya’y antay.
27.
Kayong mga dukhang walang tanging palad,
kung di ang mabuhay sa dalita’t hirap,
ampunin ang Bayan, kung nasa ay lunas,
pagka’t ginhawa niya’y ginhawa ng lahat.
28.
Datapua’t ibigin ng lubos na lubos
sa lahat ng bagay itangi sa loob
at sa kalakhan niya’y dapat na iubos
ng malaking puso ang malaking linkod.
A.B.
(Manila: Antonio J. Villegas; Manila Bonifacio Centennial Commission; University of
the Philippines, 1963), 5-8.

Transcribed in the right-hand column below is the translation made from

Epifanio de los Santos’s Spanish version [[“Amor a la patria” in his “Andrés
Bonifacio”, Revista Filipina, 2 (November 1917), 64-6.]] and published in Philippine
Review, III:1-2 (January-February 1918), 40-1. De los Santos did not describe the
document on which he based his Spanish translation, but it is reasonable to assume it
was the same document that his son, Jose P. Santos, reproduced in Si Andres Bonifacio
at ang Himagsikan two decades later.  The translation into English is generally credited
to Gregorio Nieva, the publisher of Philippine Review, but this cannot be confirmed.#

Both translations, it may be noted, render “ang mga tagalog” as “the Filipinos”
and “Katagalugan” as “Filipinas”.

Agoncillo translation Philippine Review translation

Love of Country Love of Country
1. 1.

What love can be Is there any love that is nobler

purer and greater Purer and more sublime
than love of country? Than the love of the native
What love? No other love, none. country?
What love is? Certainly none.
2. 2.

Even when the mind repeatedly reads Though the mind may not cease
and try to understand reflecting
the history that is written and printed And sifting with perseverance
by humanity, this (love of country) can be seen. What humanity has printed and
3. written:
That will be the result, none
Holy love! when born other.
of a pure heart, 3.
the humble and the backwoodsman, the poor, the unlettered Sacred love! when thou reignest
become great and respected. In a loyal heart, be it even
4. A plebeian's, a rustic's
untutored
Love of country Thou makest it grand and
is always the desire of a man with honor; revered.
In songs, in poetry, in his writings
the greatness of the country is always the theme. 4.
5. To give the fatherland
Nothing dear to a person with a pure heart boundless honor
is denied to the country that gave him birth: Is the purpose of all who are
blood, wealth, knowledge, sacrifices, worthy
E'en if life itself ends. And who sing, or compose, or
6. make verses
To spread their country's glory.
Why? what is this that is so big
to which is dedicated with utmost devotion,
all that is dear 5.
and to which life is sacrificed. There is nothing worth having
7. the patriot
Will not give for his native land:
Ah, this is the Mother country of one's birth, Blood  and wealth, and
she is the mother on whom knowledge and effort,
the soft rays of the sun shine, Even life, to be crushed and
which gives strength to the weak body. taken.
6.
8. Why? What thing of infinite
To her one owes the first kiss greatness
of the wind that is the balm Is this, that all knees should be
of the oppressed heart drowning bended
in the deep well of misfortune and suffering. Before it? that it should be held
higher
9. Than the things most precious,
Entwined with this is love of country, even life?
everything that is dear to the memory, 7.
from the happy and careless childhood Ah! the land it is that gave us
to the hour of death. birth,
10. Like a mother, and from her
alone
The bygone days of joy, Came the pleasant rays like the
the future that is hoped sun's
will free the slaves, That warmed the benumbed
where can this be found but in one's native land? body.
11. 8.
Every tree and branch To her we owe the first breath
of her fields and forest joyful to behold, That enlivened the breast
'tis enough to see them to remember oppressed
the mother, the loved one, and the happiness now gone. And smothered in the abyss
12. Of pain and grievous suffering.
9.
Her clear waters -- With the love of country are
they come from the mountain springs, coupled
the soft whisper of the rushing wavelets All dreams and all ideals,
enlivens the sorrowing heart. From joyful, restless childhood
13. Till the grave receives the body.
10.
How unfortunate to be separated from the country! The times gone-by of gladness
Even memory is in sorrow's embrace, And the day to come that we
nothing is desired sigh for
but to see the country of one's birth. When the yoke shall be taken
14 from us:
What are they but dreams of the
This fourteenth stanza is omitted in Agoncillo’s translation, patriot?
perhaps due simply to a printing or publishing  error.
11.
15. And every tree and branchlet
If this country is in danger Of its woods and its laughing
and she needs defending, meadows,
Forsaken are the children, Bring back to the mind the
the wife, the parents, the brothers and sisters memory
at the country's beck and call. Of the mother and past days of
16. gladness.
And if our land, Filipinas, 12.
is offended and her honor, reason, and dignity outraged, Its crystalline cooling waters
by a traitorous foreign country; That flow from the springs in
17. the mountains,
The soft murmur of swift
What unhappiness and grief current
will invade the heart of the Filipino? Are balm to the heart that is
And will not even the most peaceful drooping.
Rise to avenge her honor? 13.
Unhappy the exile from his
18. country!
His mind, full of sad
Where will the strength recollections,
to take revenge and to throw away life come, Is haunted by anxious longing
if none can be relied upon for help, For the land where stood his
but those suffering from slavery? cradle.
19.
If his suffering and slavery 14.
are in the mire of deceit and oppression, Misfortune and death seem
one holds the whip, the chains that bind, lighter
and only tears are allowed to roll down. When we suffer them for our
20. country,
And the more that for it we
Who is there to whom her condition suffer,
Will not fill the soul with sorrow? The more our love grows - oh,
Will the heart most hardened by treachery marvel!
Not be moved to give her its life blood? 15.
21. If our land with danger is
Will not, perchance, her sorrow threatened
Drive the Filipinos to come to the rescue And help must be quickly
of the mother in agony, trampled forthcoming,
underfoot by the mean Spaniards? Children, wife, and parents and
22. brothers
Where is the honor of the Filipino? At her first call we must
where is the blood that should be shed? abandon.
The country is being oppressed, why not make a move,
you are shocked witnessing this. 16.
And if our land, Filipinas,
23. Is offended, and outraged her
Go, you who have lived honor
in the full hope of comfort, And her dignity into the mire
and who reaped nothing but bitterness, Is dragged by the foreign
Go and love the oppressed country. impostor:
17.
24. Will by boundless grief not
invaded
You who, from the stream of your breast, Be the heart of the Filipino?
have lost the holy desire to sacrifice, And will not the most peaceful
Once more let true love flow, even
express that love for the imprisoned country. Rise to avenge her honor?
25. 18.
And whence will it come, the
You from whom the fruit and flowers vengeance,
of your life have been plucked The sacrifice of our life blood,
by intrigues and incomparable sufferings, If at the end of the struggle,
once more freshen up and love thy country. We shall fall into cruel
26. bondage?
You, so many hearts that... [???] 19.
of cheating and oppression of the mean in actions, If to her fall and prostration
now rise up and save the country, Into the mire of fraud and
snatch it from the claws of the tyrant. derision
Will be added the lash and the
27. shackles,
You who are poor without... [???] Naught being left her but
except to live in poverty and suffering, mourning?
protect the country if your desire is to end 20.
your sufferings, for her progress is for all. Who is there whom her
28. condition
Will not fill the soul with
Dedicate with all your love -- sorrow?
as long there is blood -- shed every drop of it, Will the heart most hardened
If for the defense of the country life is... [???] by treachery
this is fate and true glory. Not be moved to give her its life
blood?
21.

Will not, perchance, her sorrow

Drive the Filipinos to come to
the rescue
Of the mother in agony,
trampled
Underfoot by the foe
disgusting?
22.
Where is Filipino honor?
Where the blood that must be
set flowing?
Their country in peril - why
passive?
Will they calmly see her suffer?

23.
Come ye, who have been living
Of future felicity dreaming,
And have tasted naught but
sorrow,
Come, love your unhappy
country.
24.
Ye, in whom the struggling
desire
Has dried the springs of the
bosom,
May true love again be born in
you
And flow for your suffering
country.
25.
Ye, who have lost the fruit and
the flower
Of the trees of this life, withered
early
By so many perplexing sorrows,
Revive and succor your country.
26.
Ye, who are propitious victims
Of deceit and bestial rigor,
Arise now to save your country,
Free her from the claws of the
traitor!

27.
Ye, wretches, who nothing
demanded
But to live 'midst sorrows and
torments,
Strike a blow to save your
country,
Since she is our common
mother.
28.
Unto her in holocaust loving
The last drop of your blood you
must offer,
If to free her your life you have
given,
Yours is glory then and
redemption.