It’s not surprising that Jose Mari Chan is so popular and so well-loved by fellow Filipinos around the globe. The now 78-year-old singer-composer has, in fact, become a Christmas icon and a special subject of meme makers, which he doesn’t mind at all.
He recently had a series of concerts in Canada with The CompanY! and his daughter Liza, and as per a Facebook post shared by Carlo Arreglado Orosa Full, the iconic singer became so emotional on stage.
Carlo posted, “A teary eyed Jose Mari Chan overwhelmed as the audience joins in the community singing of his biggest Christmas Hit “Christmas In Our Hearts.” With The CompanY & Liza Chan-Parpan !”
JMC is popularly regarded as “The Father of Philippine Christmas Music” after his album “Christmas In Our Hearts” was released in 1990 and instantly became a blockbuster spanning decades.
Trivia: Chan’s Christmas hit was based on a poem written by Chari Cruz-Zarate which was initially intended as a silver jubilee song for the Assumption High School Class of 1963. JMC decided to turn it into a holiday tune after realizing that it was too precious to use only as a homecoming song.
He shared in an interview, “The melody itself was composed in 1988 to a poem by my friend Chari Cruz Zarate, “Ang Tubig Ay Buhay,” which she used as a high school jubilee song.
“So I wrote the melody, and I never thought that two years later, I would use that melody for a Christmas song. And Universal Records approached me and said it’s time we make a Christmas album because of the success of ‘Please Be Careful With My Heart;, ‘Beautiful Girl’, etc.,” he added.
To date, more than three decades later, ‘Christmas in Our Hearts’ continues to bring good vibes and a festive mood to countless Filipinos around the globe and JMC stil feels the magic as he sings it with people.
Jose Mari Chan and The CompanY had a series of shows with the theme “Christmas In Our Hearts: Ilang Tulog Pa Ba? Pasko Na!” which were held on November 10 in Vancouver, November 11 in Edmonton, November 12 in Calgary, November 17 in Winnipeg, and November 19 in Toronto.
Fans of Mr. JMC also turned emotional as the iconic singer-composer is such a humble person with a kind heart.
“Ahhhhwwwy naiyak din ako… 
super duper mega bait ng taong yan kuya!!! I love the Man from the bottom of my heart. 
“
“Jose Mari Chan is a legend and he doesn’t know it. Filipinos love you!! You are the spirit of Christmas. You are the only singer in the country to be remembered every year when Christmas is approaching. And it will stay that way for years to come!!!”
“This song brings a lot of good memories to our family. My mom was Vietnamese. When she was still around, she would always ask me to buy the cassette tapes of Christmas In Our Hearts Album. She gave them to her Vietnamese friends. She was so fond of that song. Today, every time I hear this song, I always remember my mom. Sudden nostalgia. Thank you Jose Mari Chan for this song, for your music.”
Watch and be touched, too! (2:50 onward)