I don't know the writer of this song, but I first heard it from my uncle, Joel Tingbaoen, when I was in my teen growing up back in the 80s.
About two years ago, I recorded this song and uploaded it on YouTube and is the most viewed song of mine so far. The other day someone requested for the lyrics, thus I am posting here for everyone interested.
The video does not contain the complete lyrics of the song. I realized it later after I had already uploaded that there are two stanzas missing. The lyrics below is, of course, complete.
Just a note on the lyrics, this version is from the Kankana-ey dialect of Mountain Province. Those of us from Benguet speak Kankana-ey also but slightly different from them. Benguet and Mountain province Kankana-ey differ in accent, spelling, vocabulary.
The Prodigal Son Kankana-ey Verion/ Umudi Nanbabawi
Ay waday dindinge yo storian
Hesu Kristo nandawat si tawid na dat ilako
inmey ed adaadawi inom sugal
ya babae tan et maid patinggan din lagsak sidi
San agew et ginumdang san
bulsa na et nakgang into pay di panganan nay nakpinakpit nan buang ka maseg-ang
Imeyak et nan pakpakan sin
beteng di kadangyan ngem adik maanusan nabangges ay binay-an dak pay kinan
Sak pay dat memnemnem basol
ko ay nadagsen pangaasim ay ama pakawanem adiak maibilang is anak mo ay esang
mang-ibilang ka ay baa ka maseg-ang.
Dat kanan san amana menpalti
kayos baka lagsak tay dinmateng nan naamas ngem datma datngan ay unga.
Ilan ta syay men adalan ingaag
mo isnan ingam inayan dis ik-ikkan tay umudi nanbabawi met gayam.
Maid teken si engka
manpaingan umudi nanbabawi met gayam.
