Freddie Aguilar, iconic Filipino folk singer, passes away

Filipino folk singer Freddie Aguilar has died at 72.

The news was communicated to the Manila Standard on Tuesday morning by George Briones, general counsel of the Federal Party of the Philippines (PFP), a formation of which Aguilar was national executive vice president.

According to reports, the artist died around 1:30 am (local time) Tuesday at the Philippine Heart Center. He is survived by his wife Jovie and children.

Aguilar was a political activist and his version of the song "Bayan Ko" ("My Homeland") became an anthem against the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos. On the other hand, the song "Kumusta ka" ("How are you, my love?") became a reference for all those Filipinos living in exile.

However, the song that brought him worldwide fame was "Anak" ("Child"), being released in 56 countries and 26 languages. "Anak" sold 30 million copies and was ranked in Billboard magazine as number two on its list of the top 100 worldwide hits of the 1980s.

In 2016, Aguilar sang at the inauguration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

That same year, Duterte appointed him as presidential adviser for Culture and the Arts, as well as a member of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).