By: Julian Bass; Artwork by Ren Gomos
As the sun shines far over the pearl
It gleams with the adamant pride of a people
Bound together by the weaves of blood, history, and faith
Unchanged, unhindered, and resolute
A story runs through the character of each man, woman, and child
Like the sand of the bay; saturated with the elements of their land
It flows through them as a culmination of their being
Forming the collective unwavering soul of the Filipino
It is from this in which they derive their strength
To stand against their own follies
In the chaotic order which spreads beneath their feet
A smile of good hope radiates the light of way
Learning from the mantle of the fathers
He falls not to the plagues of man
Not that which yearns for gold
Nor those who fight for the throne
His passing is but a temporary leave
His story? Carved into the flesh of those dear
When the acts of a Filipino inspire the blood and faith of his neighbors
Then his deepest essence will be immortalized