CHRISTMAS is the Philippines’ longest holiday (more of a season than one Christian holy day) running from the December 16 start of the series of nine pre-dawn masses to the Epiphany, the movable feast of the Three Kings which used to be celebrated on January 6.

Local folk in the largely farming countryside call the dawn masses misa de gallo as their celebration coincides with the crack of dawn when the cock (gallo) crows to welcome a new day.

With the celebration extended over almost a month, homecoming Filipinos (balikbayan) who are drawn back to the family hearth by the force of tribal ties and tradition are not likely to miss the Christmas marathon of love, reunion, feasting, gift-giving, sharing and singing. For foreign visitors, this is the best time to have meaningful fun with a lovely people!

To highlight the musicality of Christmas marked by love, joy and sharing, we chose to feature in Postscript the popular Filipino carol “Ang Pasko ay sumapit!” (Christmas is here!) made more popular after National Artist Levi Celerio arranged it with Tagalog (Filipino) lyrics.

Notes culled from Wikipedia: Maligayang Pasko at Masaganang Bagong Taon (“Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year”), now popularly known as Ang Pasko ay Sumapit (”Christmas has Arrived”), was originally composed by Vicente D. Rubi and Mariano Vestil in 1933 in Cebuano as Kasadya ning Táknaa (“How Blissful is this Season”).

A version of the song in Tagalog was used by Josefino Cenizal as the marching song Ang Pugad ng Aguila (“Hawk’s Nest”) in 1938. National Artist Levi Celerio also wrote Tagalog lyrics in the 1950s. The song using Celerio’s lyrics is sung today in various communities, especially in churches in the Philippines and abroad.

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Tagalog lyrics by Levi Celerio

Ang Pasko ay sumapit
Tayo ay mangagsi-awit
Ng magagandang himig
Dahil sa ang Diyos ay pag-ibig.

Nang si Kristo’y isilang
May tatlong haring nagsidalaw
At ang bawa’t isa ay nagsipaghandog
Ng tanging alay.

Bagong Taon ay magbagong-buhay
Nang lumigaya ang ating bayan
Tayo’y magsikap upang makamtan
Natin ang kasaganahan.

Tayo’y mangagsi-awit
Habang ang mundo’y tahimik
Ang araw ay sumapit
Ng sanggol na dulot ng langit.

Tayo ay magmahalan
Ating sundin ang gintong aral
At magbuhat ngayon
Kahit hindi Pasko ay magbigayan!

English free translation:

Christmas has arrived
Let us all sing
Beautiful melodies
For in God is love.

When Christ was born
Three kings came to visit
And each of them presented
Unique gifts.

Start a new life at the new year
To bring joy to our people
Let’s strive in order to achieve
prosperity for us all.

Let us all sing
While the Earth is quiet
The day has arrived
Of the infant given by heaven.

Let us all love one another
Let’s follow the golden rule
And from now on
Even when it’s not Christmas, let’s share!

Cebuano original version:

Kasadya ni’ng Táknaa
Dapit sa kahimayaan.
Mao ray among nakita,
Ang panagway nga masanagon.

Buláhan ug buláhan
Ang tagbaláy nga giawitan.
Awit nga halandumon,
Ug sa tanang pasko magmalípayon.

Bag-ong tuíg, bág-ong kinabúhì.
Dinuyogan sa átong mga pagbati.
Atong awiton ug atong laylayon
Aron magmalípayon.

Kasadya ni’ng Táknaa
Dapit sa kahimayaan.
Mao ray among nakita,
Ang panagway nga masanagon.

Buláhan ug buláhan
Ang tagbaláy nga giawitan.
Awit nga halandumon,
Ug sa tanang pasko magmalípayon.