APO Hiking Society
The Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, later popularly known as Apo Hiking Society, or simply APO, is a Filipino musical group, composed of Danny Javier, Jim Paredes, and Boboy Garrovillo. Javier died in 2022, leaving Paredes and Garrovillo as a duo.
Apo Hiking Society is regarded as one of the pillars and icons of Original Pilipino Music (OPM). The group was formed and had its beginnings in 1969 at the Ateneo de Manila High School, with 12 members: Lito de Joya, Sonny Santiago, Gus Cosio, Renato Garcia, Chito Kintanar, Kenny Borton, Bruce Brown, Butch Dans, Doden Besa, Ric Segreto Macaraeg, Jim Paredes, Boboy Garrovillo, and the 13th member, Danny Javier, who joined in college. The group's name was created from the acronym AMHS representing their school, and having an irreverent reference to the Philippine revolutionary intellectual and hero, Apolinario Mabini. It was later shortened to "Apo", an Ilocano term for a wise man or a Tagalog term for grandchildren, and later re-branded to "APO" (all caps). Contrary to popular belief, the "Apo" name was not a reference to the Philippines' highest peak, the potentially-active stratovolcano Mount Apo. The group's name and meaning was a joke for the fact that Mabini had been paralyzed by polio during the Philippine revolution and cannot use his feet, hence the name.
As the students advanced into college, their lead vocalist, Danny Javier joined the group. After graduation, the majority of its members left to pursue individual careers, with only three members remaining: Javier, Jim Paredes, and Boboy Garrovillo.
In the span of their professional career, APO emerged as a principal adherent to the musical movement termed Original Pilipino Music (OPM), a term coined by Javier, a milieu in which their original musical contributions and cultural influence became essential. APO became involved in record production, talent management and organizing artists under the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (O.P.M., acronym translation: "Organization of Philippine Singers/musicians"). The group expanded its activities into establishing and furthering the careers of new OPM artists in the Philippines.
To date, the group has released 27 albums in the five decades of its professional existence. Two successful tribute albums were produced in 2006 and 2007 by their management group, featuring numerous young bands reinterpreting APO's expansive repertoire.
The group frequently utilized their brand name, "APO", as a clever component for Tagalog puns in titles for television shows such as their own noon-time variety shows, Sa Linggo nAPO Sila and 'Sang Linggo nAPO Sila, live programs and marketing materials, for example, as in nA PO, which transliterates as "already" (polite/formal usage).
Paredes and Garrovillo remain active in the industry and perform occasionally as a duo. In 2022, Javier died from a prolonged illness.
Paskonapo
- 2006-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z
Mismo
- 1999-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z
Barangay Apo
- 1993-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z
1-2-3
- 1992-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z
Songbuk
- 1991-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z
Direksyon
- 1987-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z
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