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Apo Hiking Society

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The Apo Hiking Society is a famous music group from the Philippines. They are a major part of Original Pilipino Music, or OPM. This term describes music that comes from their own culture. The group is known for its catchy songs and clever humor. People love them because they represent the heart of Filipino music. They helped make OPM a huge movement in their country.

The group's story began in 1969 at Ateneo de Manila High School. At first, there were twelve members in the group. As they grew up and went to college, the group changed. Most members left to find other jobs after graduation. Only three men remained to form the famous trio. These three were Danny Javier, Jim Paredes, and Boboy Garrovillo. They worked together to create many famous songs and albums.

The group's name was actually a funny joke. They were originally called the Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society. This name was a play on a famous Philippine hero. Apolinario Mabini was a smart leader during a revolution. However, he had polio and could not use his feet. Because he could not walk, a "hiking society" was a joke. Later, they shortened the name to just "APO."

APO achieved many great things during their long career. They released 27 different albums over fifty years. In 1978, they won second place in a big song festival. They were the first Filipino pop artists to play at Carnegie Hall in New York. They also performed in many other places like Canada and Japan. In 1994, they won the first Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino award. This award is like the Filipino version of a Grammy.

Today, the music of APO lives on through others. Many young bands play their songs in special tribute albums. Two of these albums are called Kami nAPO Muna. These albums feature many different artists singing APO's famous hits. Jim Paredes and Boboy Garrovillo still perform as a duo today. Danny Javier was a lead singer until he passed away in 2022. Their music continues to connect Filipinos all over the world.

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