Both are obviously commercial in nature with the mere presence of the two networks’ roster of stars and talents in the video. Both were produced in good taste and quality considering the enormous amount of money and talents poured in to create such video. ABS-CBN produced their own Lupang Hinirang video first and it has been airing for several years already. Since the video was intended for the network's use only, it can be said that ABS-CBN single-handedly financed the production for the sole purpose of making a personal touch in the national anthem video which is being shown on TV before sign on and sign off. GMA Network meanwhile had their version made for showing in SM Cinemas and therefor is co-produced with the latter in an effort to make visualizations to the lyrics of the national anthem and to promote their talents at the same time to regular movie-goers who are not TV fanatics.
ABS-CBN’s version is patriotically solemn and classic while kept simple and elegant as they dressed their talents in white to symbolize purity in patriotism. The presence of the actors and actresses in the video is not to promote them since the video was only intended to be shown in the network airwaves but instead to set these people as an example that no matter how high their status are in society and no matter how far the places they have reached, they are still look back to where they came from, their motherland. The slow transition of the video frames and the subtle voices of the children singing the national anthem including the melodramatic drum rolls make a perfect combination in making the video genuinely heartfelt. In short, it is patriotic in a simple and elegant way.
GMA Network’s version which is a co-production with SM Cinemas came in very lavish and it was obvious that they poured in a lot of effort and money for the video. They made a rich visualization of the national anthem’s heroic lyrics by re-enacting important parcels of Philippine history. It was a hair-raising moment to watch the video as it reminds me of how Filipinos can be united to fight oppression both in the olden and modern times. One thing though, the directors and producers of the video are seemed to be confused on how they want the outcome to be. They are promoting patriotism in the basic sense but they can’t seem to be firm on how they want it employed: is it by showing parcels of history or by simple playing of the national anthem alone or both. There are a lot of things happening in the video and that the viewer loses his focus on singing the national anthem itself. Moreso, the video frames came in very fast transitions making it hard for the viewer to focus on one featured historical event. One has not yet identified the previous clip when another frame with a different event comes in. The put in a lot of shots and frames in a very short clip resulting in a very messy outcome. In short, GMA Network’s national anthem video is cinematically excellent production-wise but came out poor in terms of capturing patriotism because it only divides the attention of the viewers either from watching the videos or singing the Philippine National Anthem.
