Beyond EDSA: How music has carried the sound of dissent across generations
When one speaks of the EDSA People Power Revolution, certain songs immediately come to mind, such as Bayan Ko, Magkaisa, and Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo. These tracks chronicled the spirit of the 1986 uprising and called on Filipinos to unite in peace, courage, and patriotism at the time.
Years later, new protest anthems emerged: There's Tatsulok, which was written just a few years post-EDSA but continues to be a favorite protest song to this day. Other tracks include Gloc-9’s Upuan, released in 2009, which calls out persistent corruption in the government, as well as Ben&Ben's 2021 song Kapangyarihan, featuring SB19, which pushes back on abuse of power.
Here, some singers and songwriters look back on how they created timeless anthems of resistance—from songs that echoed along EDSA to one of today's protest releases.
Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo
Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo was written in 1986 around a month after the EDSA Revolution. Universal Records, then known as WEA Records, commissioned Apo Hiking Society singer-songwriter Jim Paredes to work on the song for a patriotic album, with proceeds going to the rehabilitation of the Catholic radio station Radyo Veritas.
The song was performed by a supergroup of 15 artists, which included Paredes' band, folk duo Inang Laya, Celeste Legaspi, Noel Trinidad, Gretchen Barretto, among others. It became known for its descriptive lyrics, capturing the look and feel of the People Power Revolution.
In an interview with PhilSTAR L!fe, Paredes described it as "the easiest song I ever wrote." He said, "It took me two minutes to write it, but five minutes to play it. Basically, that's it."
He shared that while he had an analog experience in recording the song, he had laser focus doing it due to the richness of his experience.
"It was probably in my mind trying to form itself. But when I sat on the piano, there was no correction whatsoever. There was no change of lyrics. There's nothing. It was really just a crazy essay," he recalled.
The song was also performed during former president Cory Aquino's funeral and had two remakes: one in 2011 by ABS-CBN for the 25th anniversary of the EDSA Revolution and another in 2023, released by Paredes for the uprising's 37th anniversary, both featuring well-known artists.
Per Paredes, while the song talks about a specific event in Philippine history, the message doesn't end there.
"Para sa akin, ito was the theme song of not just what happened in EDSA but the continuing efforts of practicing democracy. Democracy is not an easy setup but it was the theme song of freedom-loving people who actually risked their lives during those four days," he mused.
Tatsulok
Written just a few years after EDSA, Tatsulok was born during the tumultuous early years of the country's first woman president, Cory Aquino, whose elected government was in conflict with the New People's Army. Activist Rom Dongeto described the situation in the song for his band Buklod's patriotic album.
"Itong kanta na 'to talaga, cinapture niya 'yung mahabang panahon na ang mga sektor na ito, ang mga kababaihan, mga matatanda, mga bata, ang pinakakawawa 'pag mayroong mga digmaan o may armed conflict," he told L!fe. "Sa mas malaking panawagan ng kanta, sinasabi niya, 'Bakit hindi natatapos 'yung digmaan o 'yung problema ng ating bansa? Bakit hindi natatapos?'"
Dongeto explained that Tatsulok is about a power structure that remains at play even to this day.
"'Yun 'yung tatsulok, it's a social pyramid. It represents that sense na maliit, nasa apex lamang, maliit na porsyento ng ating bayan, ang nakikinabang sa kabuuang kayamanan ng ating bayan," he said. "Nasa pulitika sila, nasa power sila. At 'yung mas malaking base, sa baba, ito 'yung mamamayan. Sila 'yung patuloy na nahihirapan."
But the song's true potential was realized when it was covered by Bamboo and turned into a well-known rock hit in 2007. From then on, Tatsulok never left the Filipino consciousness.
The song took on new shapes as political contexts changed. During former president Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, the lyrics "Totoy makinig ka, 'wag kang magpa-gabi / Baka mapagkamalan ka't humandusay dyan sa tabi," would sound closer to home than ever. In recent times, the flood control issue uncovered the growing discrepancy between the rich and the poor, as described in the song.
"Natutuwa ako bilang composer kasi patuloy na naintindihan ng mga tao 'yung kahalagahan ng kant,a pero nalulungkot din ako dahil halos mag-40 years na ang edge sa revolution and yet maraming fundamental na mga problema ang hindi na pa nasosolusyonan," Dongeto said.
Kapangyarihan
Ben&Ben's Kapangyarihan feat. SB19 was not inspired by the EDSA revolution, but it has become an anthem of resistance since it recalls an incident of police brutality: the fatal shooting of Sonia and Frank Gregorio committed by police officer Jonel Nuezca in Tarlac in 2020.
With its aggressive lyrics talking about holding power to account, the song found its way to become an anthem for public accountability and justice, particularly during the Trillion Peso March protests in September 2025 at the height of the flood control scandal.
"The song was born out of the pure desire to give voice to the voiceless, and to give a simple but firm message. We never expected it to be an anthem," song composer and Ben&Ben vocalist Paolo Benjamin told L!fe. "We hope for a future where the state of our country does not necessitate a song such as this."
Guico believes that young people have the power to drive progress and lead the way to good governance.
"I have faith in the new generation, and I believe now will be the time that things actually change for the better," he said.
