Ever since the 2022 elections, President Bongbong Marcos has used “Bagong Pilipinas” as his brand for the kind of governance he aims to implement for the country. This campaign slogan became iconic during the election, particularly through the song “Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Mukha” sung by Filipino rapper Andrew E. Its lively rhythm and catchy lyrics easily gained popularity, with many Filipinos engaging with it both in the real world and online communities.
As the nation moves forward under President Marcos’ administration, the “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign has also evolved and has taken on a more formal role in governance.
Recently, through Memorandum Circular 52 signed on June 4 by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin under the authority of President Marcos, Malacañang has mandated “all national government agencies and instrumentalities, including GOCCs (government-owned and -controlled corporations) and educational institutions, such as SUCs (state universities and colleges)” to recite the Bagong Pilipinas Hymn and Pledge during weekly flag ceremonies.
This directive is intended to take effect “immediately” and aims “to further instill the principles of the Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance and leadership among Filipinos.”
Now, despite its intentions, this new directive has faced considerable backlash on social media. Aside from those pointing out that it is giving “North Korea Vibes,” critics believe that the circular is unnecessary given the many pressing issues the country is facing, such as poverty. Many also believe that existing patriotic recitations like “Lupang Hinirang,” “Panatang Makabayan,” and “Panunumpa sa Watawat” are already sufficient and are even more effective in promoting nationalism.
Additionally, many comments noted the similarity of this initiative to the “Bagong Lipunan” campaign, which was also sung in flag ceremonies during the Martial Law era under President Ferdinand Marcos.
Earlier today, the Bagong Pilipinas Hymn was already played at some flag ceremonies across the country, including the one held at Malacañang’s New Executive Building.
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