Popong Landero's lyrical creations are graphic shapes of reality. They are candid, sincere, faithful. There's no mistaking the message in the symbolisms and imagery carved into the melodic texture of the compositions. They are a frank declaration of what the songster wishes to convey to his audience in his own lyrical intensity...in his own falsetto-shrill sincerity.

   Popong is a rugged artist born out of a rugged existential experience. And his lyricism spells out in an equisitely sounded beauty such rugged quality in his songs. The outstanding feature, however, in Popong's poesies is their being a candid perception of the world which the artist has been very familiar with. He transforms this world in a little bit philosophical way into an audio spectacle that the listeners can experience vicariously.

   And what is this world? It is a forestworld-- a world where one can easily get lost in the labyrinthine crosspaths of social interests. It is "pugad ng kasakiman...kabulukan...karangyaan...kahirapan".

   In a very real sense, Popong is a social commentator. But he is a philosopher, too. He gives us something to ponder about while he sings. Listen...

   Sa muli kong pagdilat ng aking mga mata.
   Hindi ko na nasaksihan ang ganda ng umaga.
   Ang hamog sa umaga .
   Hindi ko na mayayapos.
   Ang buhay ko ngayon 'y sa panganib nakagapos.

   Life in its varicolored shapes is the subject of Popong's rugged artistry. He is a natural poet, and his songs are rough sketches of people, things, events in life in the world he belongs to.

   In fine, his songs are a new and happy phenomenon in Filipino folk music. Verily their lyrical quality can stand on their own literary merit. When sung and rendered in their complete audio vestments they are a rare experience-- what sounds and words are meant to do to change the world. �