The 17th Cebu City Council | Cebu City PIO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Councilor Jun Alcover is seeking to put a stop to the Cebuano rendition of the national anthem during official sessions.
He said that while the effort was well-intentioned, it would contradict the law.
Alcover cited Republic Act No. 8491, or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, which was explicit in requiring that Lupang Hinirang be sung only in the national language, Filipino, and not in any local dialect.
“Naa man gud na sa balaod. I don’t have any personal reasons ani. Mao na ang naa sa balaod,” he said in an interview on Thursday, July 24.
(It is already in the law. I don’t have any personal reasons for this. That is what is in the law.)
“Kita nga mga opisyal, legislators ta (We who are the officials, we are legislators), we are bound to respect the law,” he said.
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He noted that the Cebuano version was first sung during the inaugural session of the 17th Sangguniang Panlungsod on July 8, and was repeated during the third regular session on July 22, where he formally raised the issue.
He now intends to file a resolution on July 29 to discontinue the practice in future sessions.
While acknowledging efforts to promote local language and identity, Alcover said the council must prioritize legal compliance.
“Unahon lang usa ug kanta ang national anthem, then follow dayon ang Cebuano version if ganahan gyud sila,” he added.
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Law mandates
Republic Act 8491, also known as the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, mandates that the National Anthem, officially titled “Lupang Hinirang,” must be sung in the national language with the prescribed lyrics and the musical arrangement by Julian Felipe.
Public sing-alongs of the anthem are required during official occasions, where proper respect must be observed by standing, facing the flag, and saluting.
While the anthem’s use for recreational purposes is restricted, it is permitted during competitions, broadcasting, theater openings, and other sanctioned events.
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Government employees and institutions are “strictly required” to comply with these regulations, and violations may result in disciplinary action.
Penalties for non-compliance include public censure with publication and, for educational institutions, the cancellation of recognition upon a second offense.
Convictions for violations can also lead to monetary fines ranging from P5,000 to P20,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both, with stricter penalties imposed for subsequent offenses.
Additionally, chief executives of juridical persons are held liable for any infractions under the law.
Mayor, vice mayor support Cebuano version
The move by Alcover puts him at odds with Mayor Nestor Archival and Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, both of whom have publicly expressed support for singing the anthem in Cebuano.
In a press conference on July 14, Archival said he saw no issue with using the local language. He noted that the anthem’s meaning and melody remain intact regardless of language.
“The important thing is that the national anthem we sing, regardless of the language, is the same. It’s the same tune,” Archival said.
Still, he added that legal guidance would be necessary before any formal policy would be adopted.
“This is one thing we need to consult; we need to consult it in case there are implications,” he added.
Vice Mayor Osmeña, during a flag-raising ceremony, advocated for returning to the Cebuano version, a practice introduced under the late Governor Lito Osmeña in 1988 and revived this year by the Office of Muslim Affairs and Indigenous Cultural Communities (OMAICC).
Cebuano anthem not a new practice
The first time the national anthem was sung in Cebuano in official settings dates back to the term of the late Governor Emilio “Lito” Osmeña, who served from 1988 to 1992.
During his administration, the Cebu Provincial Board passed Ordinance No. 89-8, which banned the use of Tagalog as a medium of instruction in public schools in Cebu. This led to the removal of Filipino textbooks in Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies) and encouraged the wider use of Cebuano in both classrooms and public functions.
The Cebuano rendition of the national anthem gained ground during this period and was sung at schools and provincial government events. At the time, there was no legal restriction—RA 8491 had not yet been enacted, and its implementing rules were only approved in 2002.
Even President Fidel Ramos’s Executive Order on proper anthem observance took effect in 1993, a year after Osmeña’s term had ended.
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