‘Anak' singer Freddie Aguilar dies aged 72
Filipino singer-songwriter Freddie Aguilar, best known for his chart-topping international hit Anak, died in Manila aged 72, local media reported.
He had been receiving treatment at the Philippine Heart Center, according to social media posts by his wife, Jovie Albao-Aguilar.
Aguilar was one of the leaders of the locally based Original Pilipino Music movement of the 1970s, and was known for his political activism, often tackling social issues through song.
In the 1980s, he lent his voice to the People Power Movement that overthrew then-dictator Ferdinand Marcos, with his rendition of the traditional patriotic ballad Bayan Ko (My Country) serving as an anthem.
In a special 2018 resolution, the Philippine Senate lauded him for 'lifetime outstanding contributions to Philippine arts and culture.'
Anak, a Tagalog-language song about the struggles of raising a problematic child, sold more than 30 million copies. — AFP
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