Heber Bartolome, folk music icon of ‘Tayo’y Mga Pinoy’ fame, passes away

Dominic Menor, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Bartolome formed Banyuhay with brother Jesse and Mark dela Cruz, whose act rose to fame in the 1970s and whose songs spoke to the common man. Heber Bartolome Facebook" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/11/16/20211116-heber-bartolome.jpg"/><figcaption>Bartolome formed Banyuhay with brothers Jesse and Levi, whose work catapulted them to fame in the 1970s and whose songs spoke to common folk and their struggles. <em>Heber Bartolome Facebook</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Heber Bartolome, the Filipino folk music legend who preached the value of self-worth in his masterpiece &quot;Tayo&#x27;y Mga Pinoy,&quot; died Monday night, his brother Jesse confirmed. </p><p>He was 74.</p><p>&quot;Nawalan siya ng pulso kaya dinala sa Veterans (Memorial Medical Center),&quot; Jesse told ABS-CBN News. </p><p>&quot;Mahusay na pintor (Heber), matulungin sa kapwa.</p><p>&quot;Isa siyang haligi ng Pinoy rock. May social relevance ang mga gawa niya. Pero may love songs din siya.&quot;</p><p>Heber Bartolome formed Banyuhay with brothers Jesse and Levi, whose work catapulted them to fame in the 1970s and whose songs spoke to common folk and their struggles.</p><p>&quot;Wala akong kantang hindi hango sa tunay na karanasan. Kasi mahirap magsulat ng hindi mo naman naranasan. Ang maganda kasi sa mga sinusulat mo, iyong mga binabanggit mong salita nagmamarka sa mga nakikinig na meron karanasan ganu’ng din,&quot; Bartolome said in an interview with <a href="https://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/folk-rock-icon-heber-bartolome-chats-with-rene-molina-on-netkapihan-nz/" target="_blank">GoodNewsPilipinas.com</a> in June.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/07/07/16/fil-canadians-bring-ph-literature-music-to-canada">Fil-Canadians bring PH literature, music to Canada</a></li></ul><p>In the same interview, he said he was sick, but he did not elaborate.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/11/21/15/watch-eric-nicolas-transforms-into-heber-bartolome">WATCH: Eric Nicolas transforms into Heber Bartolome</a></li></ul><p>He named his band after a literary magazine he put together before martial law was declared in 1972. He was designated a visual artist and contributed poems on Banyuhay, which means metamorphosis. </p><p>A University of the Philippines alumnus, Bartolome and his band are considered OPM pillars. Besides being a musician, he was also a painter. </p><p>Later on, he taught Filipino literature at De La Salle University; Gary Valenciano and Ralph Recto were among his students, he said in the same interview.</p><p>But Bartolome&#x27;s pièce de résistance was &quot;Tayo&#x27;y Mga Pinoy&quot;, a song that protested against Filipinos subsuming their identity in favor of Western tendencies. </p><p>He said the music and words to it just came to him. </p><p>&quot;Nakatayo lang kami sa pinto sa tapat ng dormitoryo namin. Inaantay ko kapatid ko. Siya naman merong gitara. May mga inii-scale siya. Tapos nagcomment ako, ganito dapat scale. Tapos sa scale na iyon nanggaling iyong melody,&quot; he told GoodNewsPilipinas.com.</p><p>&quot;Lagi kong sinasabi God given ang mga sinulat ko. Parang ginagamit ka ng kung sino na, may bumubulong. Biglang dadaan sa isip mo. Hindi iyong parang susulat ako ng tungkol sa pagiging makabayan. Wala akong ganu’ng mga impression.&quot;</p><p>The nationalist message behind &quot;Tayo&#x27;y Mga Pinoy&quot; caught the attention of Francis Magalona, who sampled it in a rap version he produced and released in the 1992 album &quot;Rap Is Francism.&quot;</p><p>One of Bartolome’s last public performances was on the Filipino Music Legends series <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjaOhreYFtw" target="_blank">“Behn Cervantes the Roofdeck.”</a></p><p>Prior to the pandemic, Bartolome said he had been performing live every year in Canada.</p><p>His music put a spotlight on the daily hardships of the masses.</p><p>Bartolome wrote about inequality (“Karaniwang Tao”), the plight of commuters (“Pasahero”), poverty during his time (“Almusal”) and social apathy (“Inutil sa Gising”).</p><p>Erehwon Center for the Arts, a community promoting Filipino artists, described Bartolome&#x27;s songs as having &quot;transcended time and have continued to appeal to and move various generations of audiences.&quot;</p><p>Mark dela Cruz, a frequent collaborator of Bartolome, remembered the revered artist.  <strong>-- Mario Dumaual and Reyma Deveza, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/markdelacruzph/posts/10162121229683868" data-width="auto"> </div><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YycpIt7NaHw?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Bartolome, the OPM legend who preached the value of self-worth in his masterpiece ‘Tayo’y Mga Pinoy,’ died Monday night, his brother confirmed.

Heber Bartolome, folk music icon of ‘Tayo’y Mga Pinoy’ fame, passes away | ABS-CBN

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Sports

More

Showbiz

Heber Bartolome, folk music icon of ‘Tayo’y Mga Pinoy’ fame, passes away

Heber Bartolome, folk music icon of ‘Tayo’y Mga Pinoy’ fame, passes away

Dominic Menor,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 16, 2021 08:42 AM PHT

|

Updated Apr 17, 2022 03:06 AM PHT

Read More:

Heber Bartolome

OPM

Filipino folk

Tayo'y Mga Pinoy

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Advertise with Us

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.