Iba ‘Yan is a song response by singer-songwriter and theater artist Ada Tayao to those who say that Ferdinand Marcos is a hero. Recorded and released in 2017 and one of the first songs recorded in Musika Publiko’s outdoor recording sessions in the Songs for Peace Project. Ada’s play on the words bayan, bayani, and iba ‘yan is a reminder for the Filipino people about Ferdinand Marcos: “‘di sya bayani bayan, iba ‘yan. Iba ‘yan.”
Here’s how Ada Tayao and the song’s project team describe Iba ‘Yan:
Iba ‘Yan is an apology, a reminder, and a call to action. It is an apology to our nation, its history, and the people who fought for the democracy of future generations. It is a reminder of the importance of knowing and immersing oneself in one’s roots, not just from a cultural aspect but also through a historical lens.
It is a call to action to never be complacent in upholding our freedom, to not allow future generations to confuse “Marcos” and “bayani,” and to make sure that people are well-informed and discerning enough to realize that Marcos is different—not a bayani, but “Iba ‘Yan.”
There’s another version of the video produced by SubSelfie and featuring artwork by AG Sano here.