Freddie Aguilar, the acclaimed Filipino singer-songwriter, passed away in Manila on Tuesday, May 27th, at the age of 72. Local media sources confirmed the news.

Aguilar had been receiving medical care at the Philippine Heart Center, according to social media updates from his wife, Jovie Albao-Aguilar.

A former street performer, Aguilar rose to prominence as a leading figure in the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) movement during the 1970s. He was also known for his political activism,frequently addressing social issues through his music.

During the 1980s, he became a voice of the People Power movement that led to the ousting of then-dictator Ferdinand Marcos. His rendition of the customary patriotic song “Bayan Ko (My Country)” became an anthem for the movement.

According to his Spotify profile, Aguilar began his music career performing cover songs for American military personnel stationed in the Philippines.

“This is not goodbye, just farewell for now,” Albao-Aguilar wrote on her Facebook page. “It was a good fight because we are fighting together.”

Aguilar converted to Islam in 2013 at the age of 60 to marry Albao-Aguilar, who was 16 years old at the time, under the country’s Muslim Family Code.

In 2018, the Philippine Senate passed a resolution recognizing Aguilar for his “lifetime outstanding contributions to Philippine arts and culture.”

The resolution stated that he was the “only singer and composer who broke into the Western market and gained massive global recognition, bringing pride and honor to our country.”

His Tagalog-language song “Anak,” which tells the story of the challenges of raising a tough child, sold over 30 million copies worldwide.