TO THE FILIPINO FLAG: A SALUTATION by Guillermo V. Sison

Raise our flag and hail it proudly,
Keep it there and guard it bravely,
See it waving in the sun;
Hail the symbol and the flower
Of our people's pomp and power,
See it's grandeur in the sun.

In its colour is the story
Writ in blood of dead men's glory‐
Fly it for our martyred brave;
In our dreams we will remember,
In our breasts will grow forever,
All the valor of our brave.

Where are all the hands that held it,
Lips of fire that kissed and hailed it
in balintawak's first cry?
Where are those who died defending
Tirad Pass, their flag up holding,
Flashing it against the sky?

Here we are, the young and daring,
Ready with the country sharing
Sharing in the love of flag;
Here we are beneath its shadow,
Soul undaunted. True to follow
Valiantly our country's flag.

Drape our flag about our bosom
Warmly, till in us will blossom
Flame for our beloved land;
Breathe on it our burning spirit,
Bless it with our life, defend it
With a bold, heroic hand.

Let the flag, as fire to weld us,
Bind our fibres firmly, make us
Strong, invincible, and all
Thus united we shall flourish,
From the earth we shall not perish
Our young nation shall not fall.

Holy flag of God's fair country,
Flag of hope and faith and glory,
Holy Filipino flag!
Be in peace our inspiration,
Guiding gleam and veneration,
Radiant Filipino flag!

Wave, O flag, o'er farms of golden
Grain; o'er mountains, fields,
wealth‐laden
O'er this paradise of peace!
We will work with warmer passion,
Build our dreams a living tension,
Grow in God's sweet light and peace.

Flag that loosed us our serfdom;
Flag that gave us morning, freedom;
Lead our race, the the brown and free!
None shall haul thee down and trample
On our freedom's sacred temple,
None shall slave again the free!