I'M NOT SORRY. Singer Martin Nievera says he only stayed true to the original form of the national anthem when he sang it at Manny Pacquiao's bout in the US. PEP and AP
Singer Martin Nievera on Monday said his version of the national anthem only reflected the “march feel" that the song originally had. Besides, Nievera said it was boxing legend Manny Pacquiao who had asked him to sing the anthem that way.
Nievera said he carefully studied not only the structure of the “Lupang Hinirang" but as well as its roots, even before deciding to sing it during Pacquiao’s winning match against British Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas last Sunday.
In his upbeat performance, Nievera – clad in a black Francis Magalona shirt and standing on the middle of the boxing ring – opened the anthem with slow and whisper-type of singing that later built up with a fast-paced beat. The song ended with a long and high note.
The singer, in an e-mail sent to GMANews.TV on Monday, said that he had been told by “people in the know" that the national anthem was originally intended to be a “march type" of song.
Nievera said this pushed him to “start [the song] slow and quiet and then march my way to the big ending."
Nievera, who was still in Las Vegas as of posting time, said his rendition was meant to evoke the feeling that previous performers of the anthem had failed to send across audience.
“Seeing others sing the anthem, I can never hear the most important words over all the screams of the fans and the boo's of the non fans. So I decided… that I would end it big and strong so I could be heard over the thousands," he said.
He said he hit a long and high note at the end of the anthem “to be able to communicate properly the [song’s last line], ‘Ang mamatay ng dahil sa ‘yo [To die for the country].’"
Nievera maintained that he only sang the anthem “with respect, pride and lots of passion for my country and my countrymen. I sang the anthem like it was the last song I would ever sing."
“I didn't make fun of it or turn it into an R&B song. I sang it straight and only adjusted the last few notes to deliver my message clearly," he added.
Nievera also said he did not want “to pale in comparison with [British icon] Tom Jones and [Filipino-American] Jasmin Villegas," who sang the British and the American national anthems, respectively.
It’s the boss’ directiveTeddy Atienza, head of the Heraldry Division of the National Historical Institute (NHI), on Monday criticized Nievera’s version, saying the crooner sang it wrong.
“Mali ang pagkanta niya… dapat sinundan niya ang nakalagay sa batas. Eh earlier sinabi niya na intention niya na ibahin niya [He sang the anthem wrong. He should have followed the original version. He had even earlier said he would make some changes to the song]," Atienza said in a radio interview.
The NHI is the government body that ensures that reverence and respect is accorded to the national anthem, the Philippine flag, and other national symbols.
If Section 37 of the Republic Act No. 8491 would be strictly observed, the national anthem must be performed in accordance with the musical arrangement of its composer Julian Felipe. Violators will have to pay a between P5, 000 and P20,000 fine or spend up to a year in prison.
Felipe – a music teacher and composer who headed the first ever national band under the administration of former President Emilio Aguinaldo – composed the anthem in 1898 to the tune of a military march.
But historians have argued that if the lyrics – separately crafted by Jose Palama in 1899 – were to be fitted into the music, the anthem’s pace would really have to be slowed down. Otherwise, the song would be hard to sing.
Atienza said the national anthem – if properly sung with a two-fourths beat and 100 metronome – should last for 53 seconds. It took Nievera one and a half minutes to sing the entire stretch of the song.
On the contrary, Nievera said everyone he had spoken to preferred a more upbeat anthem over a slowe-paced one.
“My boss, Manny Pacquiao told me, ‘basta wag yung mabagal. Gusto ko ‘yong parang march ang feel [I don’t want the song sung slowly. I want it to have a march feel],’" Nievera said.
Pacquiao personally chose Nievera to sing the national anthem for the boxer’s highly-anticipated bout with the British pugilist.
Nievera said Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee liked his version of the anthem and even “texted me on their way to Los Angeles, thanking me and saying she [Jinkee] and her seatmates had goose bumps" hearing the balladeer’s rendition.
Among the singers reprimanded by the NHI for deviating from the song’s original form were Charice Pempengco, Jennifer Bautista, and Christian Bautista, who was remembered for leaving out several lines of the anthem during a boxing match of Gerry Peñalosa.
All three singers have apologized, saying it was not their intention that some notes or lines in the song were changed or omitted.
Atienza urged the public to check the official NHI Web site (
http://www.nhi.gov.ph/) for the lyrics and the manner in which the anthem should be sung.
Career highlightNievera said he originally planned to sing the national anthem in a cappella, but still with the same “upbeat" pace. He only decided to sing it with musical accompaniment upon the advice of his record producer Chito Ilagan. Nievera’s rendition was arranged by Bobby Velasco.
Nievera said he considered singing before Pacquiao’s match as one of the greatest milestones of his career because he sang not only for millions of people across the globe but especially for the country and his countrymen.
“It was the highlight of my career, because all my life as a singer in almost every concert I have done in the last 26 years all I keep preaching is to love your country; to make your country proud," said NIevera.
“I felt I too was in a fight for my country and that is what made it the highlight of highlights in my life so far," he added.
Nievera the victory of Pacquiao had shattered criticisms that having a male performer sing the anthem during the boxing champion’s fight would spell bad luck.
"Some ‘stupid-stitious’ were calling me a jinx or malas of Manny… but now the curse, if there ever was one, was broken when Hatton fell," Nievera said.
The singer – estranged from long-time wife Pop Fernandez – took pride in the fact that “the door has now been opened" for other male singers to be accorded the same honor given to him by Pacquiao.
But while he was praised by the Pacman for belting the anthem, Martin admitted he tried but was unable to share a toast and join the boxing champion in the victory party staged after the historic fight.
“As I got there [to the venue], I was swarmed by the fans who had been partying the whole day and night. So you can almost imagine how hard it was for me to get from point A to point B. We caused such a scene that I had to find some way to escape, got my car and went home," he said.
Nievera said he could no longer wait to once more sing
karaoke with Pacquiao, liked they used to do before.
SealBut Nievera’s performance was not the only thing that received a beating from the NHI. Atienza also assailed the unauthorized flashing of the NHI’s seal after the singer’s performance.
The flashing of the seal indicated that Martin’s rendition was approved by the NHI, a thing that the NHI said it did not do.
“We are now undertaking the pertinent moves, like consulting the advertising board, to determine who was responsible for flashing the NHI seal," Atienza said, noting that Nievera’s singing of the anthem was sponsored by the Philippine Airlines (PAL).
The NHI said that the correct rendition was the one sung by Karylle Tatlonghari during the People’s Champ fight against Oscar de la Hoya in December 2008.
- GMANews.TV 
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