Freddie Aguilar

On January 3, 2018, Aguilar's residence in North Fairview, Quezon City was destroyed by a fire, which was reported to have started at his music room. The fire destroyed most of Aguilar's valuables estimated at around ₱15 million , including his art collection, awards, musical instruments, records, and other personal memorabilia. Aguilar was at "Ka Freddie's" his bar & restaurant along Tomas Morato Avenue during the fire. His wife, son Jonan, and mother-in-law were all inside his residence during the fire, but were able to escape unharmed with the help of their neighbors.

On October 17, 2013, Aguilar openly admitted, in spite of the controversy that followed, that he is in a relationship with a 16-year-old girl, with plans to marry and even have children, as his partner insisted that she is willing to have a baby.

On November 22, 2013, Aguilar, under Islamic rites, married his partner in Buluan, Maguindanao. Aguilar had converted to Islam six months prior to these reports, so that he could marry his then 16-year-old girlfriend. His Muslim name is Abdul Farid.

On January 18, 2008, Aguilar received the Asia Star Award from the Asia Model Award Festival in Korea.

A few years later, Aguilar campaigned for the presidential candidacy of Corazon Aquino in the national election that would lead to the 1986 revolt.

Freddie Aguilar's "Anak" not only broke the Philippine record charts in 1979, but it also hit the no. 1 spot in Japan and achieved considerable popularity in other countries as Angola, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and parts of Western Europe. The song has become so famous that, by some counts, it has been recorded in as many as a hundred versions in 23 languages throughout the world. Billboard reported that the song was the number two world hit of the 1980s. As of 2006, it was unsurpassed as the highest-selling record of Philippine music history.

In 1978, Aguilar first recorded "Bayan Ko" in a patriotic effort to, in his words, "jolt back those who were starting to forget who we really are." He also provided a rendition of the song as it is inspiring and gave him excitement and a surge of power. The song was originally composed in 1928 by Constancio de Guzman, with lyrics by poet Jose Corazon de Jesus, during a time of struggle for Philippine independence from US occupation. It emerged once again during the Marcos regime as the unofficial anthem of the emergent "people" of "People Power", the new democratic nation opposed to authoritarianism that is widely credited with the deposing of Ferdinand Marcos. In 1983, the assassination of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino triggered massive demonstrations against the Marcos dictatorship, and Aguilar's rendition of "Bayan Ko" was blared on the radio and speakers mounted on jeepneys throughout the streets of Manila and the provinces of the Philippines. At the funeral of Senator Aquino, Freddie Aguilar sang "Bayan Ko" and felt that Aquino was a man of action who even gave his life for the freedom of the Philippines. During the performance, Freddie Aguilar did not feel scared anymore and felt strong and confident. He then decided to join the cause as well. Aguilar, along with APO Hiking Society and other Pinoy pop musicians who took a stand against dictatorship, joined other protest singers in music and street performances as part of the anti-Marcos rallies.

In 1978, he married Josephine Queipo and with her had 4 children: Maegan, Jonan, Isabella, and Jeriko.

Ferdinand Pascual Aguilar (born February 5, 1953), better known as Freddie Aguilar or Ka Freddie Aguilar, is a folk musician from the Philippines. He is best known for his rendition of "Bayan Ko", which became the anthem of the opposition against the Marcos regime during the 1986 People Power Revolution, and for his song "Anak", the best-selling Philippine music record of all time. He is heavily associated with Pinoy rock.