Nothing screams nostalgia more than 90s Filipino pop culture. 

To honor and remember the vibrant decade, this year’s Buwan ng Wika theme is named “Taralets,” a slang from the 90s using the words “tara” and “let’s go,” urging us to push through and discover more about our culture. From its timeless musical hits to iconic TV shows, the 90s certainly brought a lot to the table, defining a whole generation and even shaping today’s trends.

Let us take a closer glimpse at one of the most fascinating and colorful times in Pinoy pop culture.

Himig ng Panahon

As artists like Nirvana, Oasis, Backstreet Boys, and Spice Girls created a huge following from the other side of the globe, many Pinoy bands and singers also hit the mainstream media in the 90s. With the birth of iconic rock bands like Parokya ni Edgar, Afterimage, Eraserheads, and Wolfgang, the alternative rock scene in the Philippines grew and paved the way for today’s OPM rock bands. Steady beats from pop bands like Rivermaya, South Border, and Side A also made their way into the mainstream with their unadulterated sounds. Different singers and artists blessed our ears and karaoke machines with their ballads, some of which being Regine Velasquez, Jessa Zaragosa, Roselle Nava, and Jaya. Last but definitely not the least, who could forget Jolina Magdangal’s lively pop music? 

The decade’s music truly stood the test of time—what used to be heard only on radios, cassette players, walkmans, and discmans now exist in our personal playlists in music streaming apps. Most songs from the 90s are now considered OPM classics, with new Filipino artists making their own renditions of these songs, keeping the tunes alive.

Aral, Aliw, at Antig

While toddlers these days have nursery rhymes and songs on Youtube to watch, such as CoComelon and Super JoJo, 90s kids had edutainment (education + entertainment) shows. These include Batibot, a show that used various teaching methods like animation and muppets; Sineskwela, a kid-oriented science show; and Hiraya Manawari, a fairy tale series which focused on teaching good moral values. 

Aside from these, many youth and teen-oriented shows also brought smiles and laughs to the youth back then. One of which was Ang TV, a comedic kiddie variety show that featured many kids and pre-teens—some of which grew up to become today’s most respected stars. Bringing laughter not only to the youth, but also to the whole family, sitcoms like Home Along Da Riles and Oki Doki Doc were also a hit in the 90s.

Who could forget Filipino soap operas? From their classic subplots to tear-jerking scenes, dramas like Mara Clara, Mula Sa Puso, and Anna Luna have cemented their place in the industry—some of them even got their own remakes in the following decades!

These 90s trends may be a thing of the past, but they will never be forgotten. While most of these may be too jologs for today’s youth to enjoy, we cannot deny the impact it had on Pinoy pop culture. Nothing may fully replicate this decade, but with change comes growth and more opportunities for us to make more memories. As the times keep changing, we too, must keep on moving forward but we must also not forget the past that shaped us into who we are today. 

---

Jaemie Francine Talingdan