20th Century Filipino Composers

• LEVI CELERIO - made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the only person to make music with a leaf. He also wrote the lyrics for over 4,000 songs, and received numerous awards for his musical achievements in film. He is a National Artist for Music and Literature.
• CONSTANCIO DE GUZMAN - is the composer of the nationalistic song Bayan Ko .Acknowledged as the "Dean of Filipino Movie Composers and Musical Directors," De Guzman became the music director of movie production companies like Sampaguita, LVN, Royal, Excelsior, Lea, and Tagalog Iang-Ilang Productions.
• MIKE VELARDE JR. - was a composer, conductor, and musical director. He composed the popular song Dahil Sa Iyo in 1938. In 1975 the Philippine Government Cultural Association awarded him the Cultural Achievement Award in Popular Music. He received the Gawad CCP Para Sa Sining in 1986.
• SANTIAGO SUAREZ - was an accomplished composer of traditional Filipino love songs. His popular works include Dungawin Mo Hirang, Bakya Mo Neneng, Caprichosa, Sa Libis ng Nayon, and Kataka-taka.
• RESTIE UMALI - was a composer, teacher, and musical arranger. He arranged the Philippine national anthem and the local classic Kataka-taka for the Boston Pops Orchestra when it performed for the Philippine Independence Night in Boston in 1972. He wrote a total of more or less 120 movie theme songs, and composed more than 250 scores for movies.
• ANGEL PENA - was a classical and jazz composer, musical arranger, and bass player. He is widely considered by modern Filipino jazz musicians as "one of the founders of traditional jazz. in the Philippines."
• ERNANI CUENCO - was a composer, film scorer, musical director, and music teacher; and was named National Artist for Music in 1999. His works embodied the Filipino sense of musicality, with the classical sound of the kundiman evident in many of his ballads. To this day, his compositions continue to be popular and well-loved. He is a National Artist for Music.
• GEORGE CANSECO - was considered "a nationally acclaimed composer of numerous popular Filipino classics." He wrote the classic Kapantay Ay Langit, a movie theme song, as well as Child, the English-language version of Freddie Aguilar's signature song Anák. He also served as President of the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. FILSCAP).
• LEOPOLDO SILOS SR. - was a composer, singer, and musical arranger. He composed and recorded romantically soulful songs. He was the award-winning musical director of the television musical program Aawitan Kita.