Hayyy Pasko!!

Except for the struggle I have getting up each morning because of the onset of chilly December breeze, there’s practically no other hint of Christmas air in my place now. The wreath that has graced the front door for several years now has finally gave way. Or it has secretly buried itself long ago. I can’t even find it.

But the other day, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to usher in the christmas spirit no matter how faint and ordinary it may be. I went through my CD stacks and looked for an old UST Singers CD which has, as one of the cuts, the first Pinoy christmas carol ever written after World War II. The great Philippine National Artist Felipe De Leon wrote Payapang Daigdig “the morning after he saw that bombs during the Second World War had leveled the entire city of Manila.”

The rendition of UST Singers makes the song more haunting and touching as its history. Thanks to CD samplers, I found a way for you to listen to excerpts of the song (by Filipino flutist Ray Sison and guitarist Lionel Valdellon).


http://cdbaby.com/mp3lofi/raysison-06.m3u


Payapang Daigdig

Ang gabi’y payapa
Lahat ay tahimik
Pati mga tala sa bughaw na langit
Kay hinhin ng hangin, wari’y umiibig
Sa kapayapaan ng buong daigdig.

Payapang panahon
Ay diwa ng buhay
Biyaya ng Diyos
Sa sangkatauhan
Ang gabi’y payapa, lahat ay tahimik
Pati mga tala
Sa bughaw ng langit.