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Intro:
Totoy, bilisan mo, bilisan mo ang takbo
Ilagan mga bombang nakatutok sa ulo mo
Totoy, tumalon ka, dumapa kung kailangan
At baka tamaan pa ng mga balang ligaw
The song started with the word "totoy," which is a common Filipino term for ordinary male citizens. It implied that Totoy was running around in a dangerous setting, perhaps during the war when curfews were strictly enforced, police and military brutality was frequently reported on the news.
Tatsulok By: Balleza
Tatsulok By: Bamboo
Totoy, makinig ka, 'wag kang magpa-gabi
Baka pagkamalan ka't humandusay d'yan sa tabi
Totoy, alam mo ba kung ano ang puno't dulo
Ng di matapos-tapos na kaguluhang ito?
It demonstrates and states past events that are still occurring today, such as the EJK (extrajudicial killing), controversy during drug war operations, in which they claim that one wrong move could justify the police shooting you, and that the worst-case scenario is that they can fabricate a story of you "fighting back" or the "pagtatanim ng ebidensya" to justify and claim that the person allegedly doing the EJK was means in self-defense or the person they kill is deserving to be killed, the lyrics have a warning not to go outside at night because it is extremely dangerous to do so.
Hindi pula't dilaw tunay na magkalaban
Ang kulay at tatak ay 'di s'yang dahilan
Instead of focusing on discrepancies in allegiances, it encourages us to focus on the root of the problem: numerous power-hungry individuals trying to seize and retain power at all costs. The song makes us furious that the wealthy and powerful are the only ones who can "afford" justice, while the rest of the population is oppressed.
Hangga't marami ang lugmok sa kahirapan
At ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman
Habang may tatsulok at sila ang nasa tuktok
Hindi matatapos itong gulo
The fact, the truth, and the reality is that the powerful and wealthy can manipulate the lower classes with their power, money, and influence and that everyone can fall or be a victim of a flawed justice system that excludes the powerful and wealthy. That they could quickly and conveniently avoid committing crimes or offenses by paying the victim, witness or family, scaring or killing them if they speak out, manipulating the court to get the case dismissed or making them the winner, demonstrating the reality of having power, influence, and money to do whatever they desire.
Tatsulok By: Bamboo
Tatsulok By: Balleza
Ililigtas ang hininga ng kay raming mga tao
At ang dating munting bukid, ngayo'y sementeryo
Totoy, kumilos ka, baliktarin ang tatsulok
Tulad ng dukha, nailagay mo sa tuktok
It addresses the problem of social inequality, in which the wealthy become wealthier and the poor become poorer. The "totoy" is told to take action to turn the pyramid upside down. The idea that a few wealthy people will continue to enjoy luxurious lifestyles while the majority of the population suffers from poverty, or the fact that those with power dominate the country's main political and social structures. Few people own property or businesses, while farmers are landless and oppressed and workers struggle to make ends meet on low daily wage income.
Bamboo did not write 'Tatsulok,' but he popularized it by singing it. Bamboo is a singer-songwriter and musician. He started his career as the lead singer or vocalist of Rivermaya. It was written in 1989 by Rom Dongeto, a singer/songwriter, and was first performed in 1991 by the folk band Buklod, which consisted of Dongeto, Noel Cabangon, and Rene Boncocan. He wrote it nearly 30 years ago, but it became famous in the 2000s. He wrote it as a protest song, and woke up the Filipinos, causing them to open their eyes, minds, and ears to the reality that occurred before and continues to exist now.
The term "tatsulok" refers to the triangle formed by the three social classes, with the majority of Filipinos living at the bottom there are the Filipinos who are poor. The wealthy Filipinos live at the triangle's tip, which is the smallest part, while the middle class lives in the middle. The message of "Tatsulok" is to start acting and participating in Philippine political issues or matters, since the country's situation will stay static and will not change until Filipinos begin with themselves. The song is meant to elicit indignation and revulsion in order to spark a revolution, and it is one of the few songs that accurately depicts the poor's plight.
Tatsulok By: Bamboo
Tatsulok By: Balleza
The song is about the facts, the truth, and the reality of what has happened in the Philippines in the past and present about those who have power, influence, and wealth, as well as poverty and the Philippines' unjust justice system. The transition of the Philippines from repressive martial law to Ninoy Aquino's return to democracy in 1983 is discussed.
That is the fact, the truth and the reality that we must act now to change it and make things better before it is too late.
After listening and comprehending the song, I honestly came to a realization about the system we have here in the Philippines and the way that bamboo sings it. It really grabs the listener's attention. That it is true, a fact, and a reality that having power, wealth, and influence enables you to do anything you want and easily dominate everyone around you. I became more open-minded, informed, and curious of what is really going on or happening in our country. Like I previously said, we must act now to change things and make things better before it is too late.