Magellan

Before the ships were ever seen,
Our islands thrived in gold and green.
Barangays by sea and shore,
Trading silk and spice and more.

Then one day in 1521,
Foreign sails blocked out the sun.
Magellan came with troops and sword,
Claimed the land for his king and lord.

But on Mactan the story turned,
Where Lapu-Lapu’s courage burned.
Our heroes fought with all their might,
And Magellan fell the island fight.

Years rolled on, the Spaniards stayed,
Churches built and taxes paid.
Galleons sailed both east and west,
Three long centuries put to test.

Then heroes rose with pen and blade,
Rizal wrote and Bonifacio swayed
their own blades for freedom, loud and clear,
“Enough of chains, the end is near!”

Revolution lit the land,
Emilio Aguinaldo took command.
But new flags came across the sea,
Another power claimed to thee.

Two more wars and decades passed,
Till independence came at last.
In 1946, Filipino stood,
A nation rising as it should.

Through trials, challenge and changing years,
Through hope and sweat, through blood and tears,
This is part of the past, part of reality.
This is a part of Philippine History.