Project in English 326

Philippine Literature during

the Japanese Occupation

Submitted by:
J.C. P. Olavides
Student

Submitted to:
Mr. Rolando A. Montecillo Jr.
Instructor
 The Japanese Period (1941 – 1945)

I. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

At the height of the Filipinos’ long-

winded pursuit for independence,
the Philippines was yet again
conquered by another foreign
country: Japan. The Japanese,
longing for new territories to
accommodate their rising population
and manufacturing goods, started
the war in the Pacific.

Despite their combined effort, the

American and Philippine military
The Bataan Death March (1942)
were defeated by the Japanese
forces. This led to the fall of Corregidor, where thousands US-Philippine troops
surrendered and were forced to undertake the infamous “Bataan Death March” to
a prison camp 105 kilometers away.

The Japanese ruled most of our archipelago for three years. Eventually, the US
Military forces led by General Douglas MacArthur and the Filipino guerrilla
resistance liberated the Philippine Islands from the Japanese.

Like the Philippine Commonwealth, the advancement of Philippine literature was

interrupted. Philippine literature in English came to a halt because most media,
including newspapers, were stopped by the Japanese.

The Filipino language flourished during the Japanese because Pres. Manuel L.
Quezon, before his untimely death in year 1944, declared Filipino as the national
language of the Philippines. Filipino literature experienced renewed attention
because writers in English turned to writing in Filipino. Many Fillipino writers
wrote plays, poems and short stories.
While the Japanese occupation
decimated the Filipino population,
destroyed the economy and
wrecked our infrastructure, one
can say that there are still a few
silver linings to this tribulation. As
said by writer Marcus Vaflor, the
country experienced a cultural
renaissance when artists and
writers rediscovered the beauty of
indigenous arts and literature. The
presence of a foreign invader
strengthened our national identity. General Douglas MacArthur, President Osmeña, and
Conclusively, the hardships of war staff land at Palo, Leyte on October 20, 1944.
strengthened the Filipinos’ indomitable will to survive.

II. LITERARY WORKS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING WRITERS

POETRY

The Japanese occupation influenced Filipino poets and writers to adopt the
structure of Japanese poetry in writing Filipino poems. Among these types of
poetry are:
 Haiku – a poem of free verse that is made up of 17 syllables divided
into three lines (5-7-5). The Haiku, although short, is meaningful and
allegorical.
 Tanaga – a short poem similar to the Haiku with measure and rhyme
 Karaniwang Anyo (Usual Form)

The prominent poets of this period were:

1. Gonzalo K. Flores
a. “Tutubi” (Haiku)
Hila mo’y tabak. .
Ang bulaklak nanginig
Sa paglapit mo.
 b. “Anyaya” (Haiku)
Ulilang damo
Sa tahimik na ilog
Halika, sinta.
2. Ildefonso Santos – a writer of Liwayway, a Filipino newspaper
a. “Palay” (Tanaga)
Palay siyang matino
Nang humangi’y yumuko
Ngunit muling tumayo
b. “Kabibi” (Tanaga)
Kabibi, ano ka ba?
May perlas maganda ka
Kung idiit sa tainga
Nagbubuntunghininga

3. Rodolfo S. Rosales
a. “Love” (Haiku)
Pill in the evening
Black coffee in the morning
And headaches at noon

A recurring theme of the poetry written during the Japanese occupation was
nationalism, country, love, life in the barrios, faith, religion and the arts.

DRAMA

Many movie houses showing American films were closed during the Japanese
period. As a result, the Filipino playwrights began showing stage shows. The plays
were Tagalog adaptations of English plays.

The translators of English plays were:

1. Francisco Soc Rodrigo
2. Alberto Concio
3. Narciso Pimentel
 The prominent playwrights of this period were:
1. Jose Ma. Hernandez (“Panday Pira”)
2. Francisco Soc Rodrigo (“Pula, Sa Puti”)
3. Clodualdo del Mundo (“Bulaga”)
4. Julian Cruz Balmaceda (“Sino Ba Kayo?”, “Dahil Sa Anak”, “Higante ng
Patay”)

SHORT STORY

The strict regulations of the Japanese government prevented Filipinos from

publishing books. During this period, the field of short stories widened and
became prevalent during the Japanese period.

The prominent short story writers of this period were:

1. Narciso Reyes (“Lupang Tinubuan”)
2. Liwayway Arceo (“Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa”)
3. NVM Gonzales (“Lunsod Nayon at Dagat-dagatan”)
Other writers:
1. Brigido Batungbakal
2. Macario Pineda
3. Serafin Guinigundo
4. Alicia Lopez Lim
5. Ligaya Perez
6. Gloria Guzman

PHILIPPINE LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

The noteworthy contributors to Philippine literature during this period were:

1. Carlos P. Romulo – a Pulitzer Prize winning writer of the books
entitled:
a. “I Saw the Fall Of The Philippines”
b. “I See the Philippines Rise”
c. “Mother America and My Brother Americans”
2. Nick Joaquin – a producer of the play entitled:
a. “The Woman who looked Like Lazarus”
 3. Carlos Bulosan – a novelist
a. “The Laughter of My Father (1944)”
b. “The Voice of my Father (1943)”
c. “Six Filipino Poets (1942)”
4. Alfredo Litiatco – a novelist
a. “With Harp and Sling (1943)”
5. Pres. Jose P. Laurel – the president during the Japanese occupation
a. “Forces that Make a Nation Great”
6. Rafael Zulueta da Costa – a poet
a. “Like the Molave”
7. Manuel E. Arguilla – wrote short stories
a. “How my Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife”
8. Salvador P. Lopez – an essayist
a. “Literature and Society”
9. Juan Laya – a novelist
a. “His Native Soil”
10. F.B. Icasiano – wrote essays in The Philippine Review
11. Fred Ruiz Castro – wrote several poems

Other contributors to Philippine literature during this period were:

1. Leon Ma. Guerrero
2. Raul Manglapuz
3. Juan Collas
4. Tomas Confesor
5. Roman A. de la Cruz
6. Elisa Tabuñar
III. REFLECTION AND REACTION

The front page of The Tribune, one of the two Filipino newspapers that weren’t stopped by
the Japanese (1942)
During World War II, my great-grandfather was captured by the Japanese
troops and was imprisoned in Ozamis, Misamis Oriental. Following the defeat of
the Japanese, he escaped prison and returned to his family. He and his family rode
a Bangka across the bay in secret and stayed in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, where he
and his clan would settle down over the years that followed.

I know my late great-grandfather’s story because I read a book about the

origins of my family written by my family. I was also told this story by my
grandfather who was born during World War II. My grandfather’s story made me
realize that literature is a window to the past.

The written works of the Filipinos during the Japanese occupation reflects
heavily on the state of the post-war society. Since Filipino writers retreated to the
far-flung provinces to escape the wrath of the Japanese, their poems were about
the serenity of the provincial life. The ones who stayed on the cities began writing
in Filipino and singing songs about the freedom and independence that has
eluded them for many years.
 Literature, to me, captures the depth of the human experience. There is
nothing else in this world that allows me see what others see and feel what others
feel. It provides insights to the thoughts of other people. “Grow and be Like a
Molave” has shown me that Manuel L. Quezon truly believes that a nation is
nothing less than its citizenry. “A La Juventud Filipina” has shown me that Rizal
believes that the Filipino youth is the hope of the motherland. The written works
of the Filipinos long gone has made me aware of the beliefs they have held.

The literature from this time period is not always written since they can be
shared orally. They are the war stories of your great-grandfathers and the
childhood memoirs of your lolas and lolos. Literature is more than just ink on
paper. Literature is within you. Literature is you.

Although the Japanese occupation brought about great turmoil, we can’t

deny that it also brought about, with the help of literature, a renewed sense of
nationalism for the Filipinos of the past, present and the future.