Philippine Literature

Ang Literatura ng
Pilipinas

I. Pre-colonial Literature

Oral tradition brought about various

literary forms to different ethnic or
indigenous groups.
Literature was communal, collective, and
functional.
Literature used the language of daily life,
developed from a Malayo-Polynesian
base.
Written forms also existed using the
syllabic script, probably of Sanskrit origin.
The common baybayin had 17 symbols
3 vowels and 14 consonants.
Literature sprang from the experiences
of the community and served its needs

A. Traditional Verses
1. riddles usually a rhyming couplet, each having
a regular syllabic count, varying from four syllables to as
many as 14 syllables. Riddles draw their subjects from
everyday life, and they are used to test wit, ingenuity,
and imagination.
2. proverbs terse statements of practical wisdom
based on long experience and observations about life.
They cover a wide range of subjects from the expressions
of general attitudes toward life to exhortations on
behaviour. Proverbs are stated in figurative language and
are usually rendered in rhyming couplets. They serve to
ensure social conformity.
3. songs are of great variety, expressive of a
gamut of human experiences and feelings. They are sung
at almost every occasion: work, worship, wedding, war,
with the accompaniment of musical instruments, mostly
percussive and stringed. They include lullabies, street

4. ritualistic chants used for ritual or

ceremony to propitiate the gods and spirits. The
mimetic rituals are like drama, but the non-mimetic
ones include chanting of invocations to particular
divinities or environmental spirits, or formulas to
ward off the spell of evil spirits. A good example is
the burial chants of the Cordillera people.
5. short lyric poems many indigenous
poetic forms made use of monorhyming sevensyllable lines like the tanaga of the Tagalogs and
the ambahan of the Hanunuo-Mangyans.
6. nursery and nonsense rhymes used
for games and play of children.

Mga Karunungang Bayan

Nang bata pay paruparo
Nang tumanda nay latigo.
Ang magtanim ng hangin
Bagyo ang aanihin.
Utos na sa pusa
Utos pa sa daga.
Pedro Penduko
Matakaw ng tuyo
Nang ayaw maligo
Kinuskos ng gugo.

Akoy nakahiga sa kamang malambot,

Ako ay kinagat ng isa pong surot
Ako ay nabigla at tuloy nautot
Kaawa-awang surot namatay sa angot.
Tabi, tabi po, apo
Baka po kayo mabunggo.
Paano nakakuha ng
bayabas ang mangangaso
na hindi siya sinaktan ng
mga matsing?

B. Folk Epics are lengthy narrative

poems revolving around supernatural
events, heroic deeds, or folk heroes.
They were either chanted or sung with
a certain seriousness of purpose. They
were recited in communal gatherings
as a way of strengthening tribal pride
and unity.

Subalit dumating sa kanilang buhay ang isang

napakalungkot na pangyayari. Nagkaroon ng tagtuyot.
Namatay ang lahat ng mga mga halaman at mga hayop.
Nagkamatay ang mga tao sa uhaw at gutom. Naisip ng
mga taong hukayin ang ilog. Inabot ng tatlong araw ang
paghuhukay bago bumalong ang tubig. Dahil sa lakas ng
pagbalong ng tubig ay may mga namatay. Nagdiwang din
ang mga tao kahit may mga namatay sapagkat silay may
tubig na. Subalit hindi nahinto ang patuloy na pagbalong ng
tubig hanggang sa mangalunod ang lahat ng tao maliban
sa magkapatid na Wigan at Bugan. Ang lalaki, si Wigan, ay
napadpad sa bundok ng Amuyao at ang babae, si Bugan,
ay ipinadpad ng baha sa bundok ng Kalawitan.

Biag ni Lam-ang Ilocano

Ibalon or Handiong Bicolano
Ullalim Kalinga
Hudhud and Alim Ifugao
Bindian and Kabunian Ibaloi
Hinilawod Sulod
Agyu ad Baybayan Bukidnon
Banlakon Pulangion
Tuwaang Manuvu
Sambila Tahavawa
Guman Subanon
Bantugan Maranao
Indarapatra at Sulaiman Maguindanaon
Parang Sabir Tausug
Silungan Siasi
Kudaman Palawan

Ang bundok ng Kurayang pinanahanan ng maraming tao

Ay pinapaglagim ng isa pang ibong may pito ang ulo;
Walang makaligtas sa bagsik ng kanyang matalas na kuko
Pagkat maaaring kanyang matanaw ang lahat ng tao.

Masaya at maringal ang kasalan. Pati na ang langit ay

nasayahan sa kasalang ito, kayat nang matapos ang kasal sa
simbahan ay nagtungo muna ang mga ito sa bahay ng babae,
at pagkatapos ay sa bahay naman ng lalake at dito
ipinagpatuloy ang masayang pagdiriwang.
Sa kailukuhan ay may isang kaugalian, na pagkatapos
ng kasal kinakailangang sumisid ang lalaki sa ilog upang
humuli ng isda.

Morphology of Filipino Epics

Adapted by Dr. Isagani Cruz from the

Morphology of
Russian Folktales of Vladimir
Propp.
1. Aalis ang bayani sa kanyang bayan.
2. Makakatanggap ang bayani ng isang mahiwagang
bagay.
3. Dadalhin o pupunta ang bayani sa pook kung saan
naroroon ang isang hinahanap na karaniwan ay isang
mahal sa buhay.
4. Magsisimula ang bayani ng isang labanan.
5. Makikipaglaban ang bayani nang matagalan.
6. Pipigilan ng isang diwata ang labanan.
7. Ibubunyag ng diwata na magkamag-anak pala
ang bayani at ng kanyang kaway.
8. Mamamatay ang bayani.
9. Mabubuhay muli ang bayani.
10. Babalik ang bayani sa kanyang bayan.
11. Magpapakasal ang bayani.

C. Folk Narratives perform the function of

explaining natural phenomena, past events,
contemporary beliefs, and comprehending the natural
environment.
1. Creation myths deal mainly with the creation
of the universe, the origin of people, the gods,
supernatural beings, and divinities.
2. Legends deal mainly with the origin of local
phenomena or happenings, origin of places,
plants, animals, things, and names.
3. Fables deal with animals and inanimate beings
made to speak and act like rational beings and
teaching morals.
4. Fantastic stories deal with the unseen world
or the underworld, and with odd, whimsical, or
grotesque characters
5. Folk tales deal with humorous or heroic stories

II. Literature Under Spanish Colonial

Period
(1565 1898)
A. First Publications xylographic methods
were used by printing presses controlled by
Spanish
friars.
1. Catechism
books Doctrina Christiana en
Lengua Espanola y Tagalog. This book contained
prayers and Christian doctrines.
2. Vocabulary and grammar books
example is Arte y regla de la lengua tagala (1610) by
Fr. Blancas de San Jose. Similar types were published
for lengua pampanga, bicol, and iloco.

B. Poetry became the most popular vehicle

for literary expression.
1. Ladino poems have alternating Spanish
and vernacular lines
Salamat nang Ualang Hangga (1605) by Fernando
Bagongbanta
Auit (1610) by Tomas Pinpin
2. Marian hymns (1865) by Fr. Mariano Sevilla
are sung during the Flores de Mayo celebrations
3. Pasyon the verse narrative of the suffering
and death of Christ.
Ang Mahal na Pasion ni Jesu Cristong Panguinoon
Natin ng Tola (1704) by Gaspar Aquino de Belen

4. Metrical romances allowed and encouraged by

the ecclesiastical censors because of their harmless
plots triumph of good over evil, Christians over their
enemies.
(1) Corridos are extended verse narratives
based on European tales, mostly on courtly love and
chivalric adventures.
Ibong Adarna, Don Juan Tioso, Don Juan Tenorio, Ang
Doce Pares ng Francia, Bernardo Carpio
(2) Awit similar to corridor but its plot is a
fabrication of the author although the characters and
the setting may be European. Moreover, corrido is
octosyllabic quatrains while awit is dodecasyllabic
quatrains.
Florante at Laura

C. Prose Narratives
1. Barlaan at Josaphat (1712) By Baltazar
de Santa Cruz translated by Fr. Antonio de Borja into
Tagalog. It tells the story of the conversion to
Christianity of a young Indian prince.
2. El Martir de Golgota (1863) Juan
Evangelistas Tagalog version of Enrique Perez
Escrichs fictional biography of Christ.
3. Tandang Basio Macunat (1882) by Fr.
Miguel Lucio Bustamante
4. Urbana at Feliza (1855) by Fr. Modesto de
Castro, constituted a code of conduct for the period.
5. Lagda a Visayan compilation of maxims
first published under the Caton Christiano (1734,
1746, 1850) in Waray and in Cebuano (1865, 1893).

D. Drama became the most effective tool

in propagating the new faith and replaced the
pagan rituals and ceremonies of the precolonial era.
1. Panunuluyan is the Tagalog version
of Mexican posadas, held on the eve of
Christmas.
2. Cenaculo dramatization of the
passion and death of Jesus Christ from Palm
Sunday to Easter Sunday.
3. Salubong Easter play that
dramatizes the meeting of the Risen Christ
and His mother
4. Tibag or Santacruzan performed in

5. Karagatan indigenous dramatic form

from old legendary practice of testing the mettle
of young men vying for a maidens hand. An
imaginary ring is retrieved from the sea through a
clash of wits involving the use of puns,
metaphors, proverbs, and quotations from the
Bible, the metrical romances, and the Penal Code.
6. Duplo considered a forerunner of the
balagtasan, composed of two teams of
dupleras/belyakas and dupleros/belyakos.
7. Carillo a shadow play presented
outdoors on dark or moonless nights, had its
remarkable similarity to the wayang plays of Java.

8. Comedia most comedias have the

same plots as the awit and corridos, a
spectacular play of courtly love usually
between a prince and princess of different
religion (Christian and Muslim) that ends with
the victory of Christians. Famous writers of
comedia included Jose de la Cruz (Huseng Sisiw)
and Francisco Baltazar (Balagtas).
9. Sainete 18th century dramatic form, a
short musical comedy, depicting scenes from
everyday life with rustic or lower class figures
as characters and had a wide range of themes.

E. Propaganda Movement - launched in Spain by

a group of young illustrado students and graduates
to demand for reforms in the Philippines from Spain.
1. La Solidaridad (1889 1895) the
propagandists newspaper founded and edited by
Graciano Lopez Jaena. Marcelo H. del Pilar later
became its editor. Its writers included Jose Rizal,
Mariano Ponce, Juan Luna, Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo,
Jose Ma. Panganiban, Fernando Canon.
2. Fray Botod a novellete in Hiligaynon, a
satire about a pot-bellied, abusive, and immoral friar
written by Graciano Lopez Jaena.
3. Leona Florentino her 22 poems were
published in Paris in 1889 in an international
encyclopedia of women writers

III. Literature Under American

Colonization
A. EarlyPeriod
(1898
1945)(1898 1930) period of transition

and
learningbecame the official medium of
1.
English
instruction.
Magazines started publication: College Folio (1910),
Philippine Free Press (1905), Philippines Herald
(1920), Philippine Education Magazine which gave
literary prizes.
Zoilo Galang published Child of Sorrow (1921), first
Filipino novel in English, and Life and Success (1921)
first volume of essays in English.
The UP Writers Club was founded (1927).
Newspapers and magazines provided space for
literary pieces for the regions: Muling Pagsilang
(1903, Tagalog), Ang Kaluwasan (1902, Cebuano),
Makiugalingon (1913, Hiligaynon), and Nueva Era
(1908, Ilocano), Liwayway (1922, Tagalog), Bisaya

F. The Revolutionary Period

1. Kalayaan the publication of the
Katipunan edited by Emilio Jacinto.
Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas, Pag-ibig
sa Tinubuang Lupa, Andres Bonifacios
poems
Liwanag at Dilim, A Mi Madre, Kartilla
ng Katipunan Emilio Jacintos works
2. El Verdadero Decalogo by Apolonario
Mabini

2. Regional writers flourished.

Bicol : Timoteo Ortile (playwright), Nicolas Arrieta
(playwright), Jose Figueroa (poet), Manuel
Fuentebella (poet), Enrique Centenera (fictionist)
Kapampangan: Juan Crisostomo Sotto (poet,
fictionist), Aurelio Tolentino (playwright), Lino Dizon
(poet)
Hiligaynon: (Magdalena Jalandoni (novelist, poet),
Angel Magahum (novelist and dramatist), Ramon
Muzones (novelist)
Cebuano: Sulpicio Ossorio (novelist), Tomas
Hermosisima (novelist), Vicente Ranudo (poet),
Marcel Navarra (fictionist), Piux Kabahar (dramatist)
Ilocano: Mena Pecson Crisologo (novelist, dramatist),
Leo0n Pichay (poet)
Waray (poets): Iluminado Lucente (Julio Carter),
Casiano Trinchera (Kalantas), Eduardo Makabenta

3. Tagalog writers wrote seditious zarzuelas.

Walang Sugat (1902) Severino Reyes

Tanikalang Ginto (1902) Juan Abad
Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas 91903) Aurelio
Tolentino
Hindi Aco Patay (1903) Juan Matapang Cruz
Anak ng Dagat (1922) Patricio Mariano
Other writers: Hermogenes Ilagan, Fulgencio
Tolentino, Bonifacio Abdon, Leon Ignacio, Juan
Hernandez

4. Spanish writing continued.

Crisalidas (1914) Fernando Maria Guerrero

Pentelicas (1914) - Cecilio Apostol
Cantos del Tropico Manuel Bernabe

5. Tagalog poetry produced great writers and the

balagtasan.
Ang Pangginggera (1912) Lope K. Santos
Tungkos ng Alaala (1913) Pedro Gatmaitan
Mga Gintong Dahon (1920), Sa Dakong Silangan
(1928) Jose Corazon de Jesus
6. Tagalog novels developed as a genre.
Fulgencia Galbillo (1907), Capitan Bensio (1907)
and Alfaro (1909) Gabriel Beato Francisco
Madaling Araw (1909), may Pagsintay Walang
Puso (1911), Sampaguitang Walang Bango (1918)
Iigo Ed Regalado
Lalaking Uliran o Tulisan (1914) Juan Lauro
Arciwals
Pusong Walang pag-ibig (1910), Bagong Dalaga
(1910) Roman Reyes
Banaag at Sikat (1904) Lope K. Santos

7. English short stories and anthologies started to

become popular.
Dead Stars (1925) Paz Marquez Benitez
Box of Ashes and Other Stories (1925) Zoilo M.
Galang
Filipino Love Stories (1927) edited by Paz Marquez
Benitez
Stealer of Hearts and other Stories (1927) Jose Villa
Panganiban
Philippine Short Stories: the Best of 1928 Jose
Garcia Villa
8. Filipino poems in English gained popularity.
Sursum Corda (19070 Justo Juliano
Reminiscences (1921) Lorenzo Paredes
Never Mind (1922) Procopio Solidum
Azucena (1925) Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion
9. Other published works
Thinking for Ourselves (essay) Vicente H. Hilario and

B. The Later Period (1930 1945) period of

emergence and recognition
1. Literary organizations were formed:
Philippine Book Guild (1936), Philippine Writers
League (1939), The Veronicans, and the Bachelorettes
2. Literary awards gave new impetus to
writing.
Commonwealth Literary Awards (1940) : Literature
and Society (essay) Salvador P. Lopez; How My
Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife (short story)
Manuel Arguilla; Like the Molave (poetry) Rafael
Zulueta da Costa; His Native Soil (novel) Juan C.
Laya

3. Art for arts sake clashed with art with

proletarian literature.

Jose Garcia Villa versus Salvador P. Lopez

4. The tabloid Sakdal inspired the Sakdalista
Uprising - Benigno R. Ramos.
5. The Pacific War and the Japanese
Occupation de-emphasized English and pushed
Tagalog as national language.
Without Seeing the Dawn (1947) Stevan
Javellana
America Is in the Heart (1946) Carlos Bulosan
25 Pinakamabubuting Maikling Kuwento ng
Taong 1943 (1944) Macario Pineda.

IV. Literature Under the Republic (1946

1985)
A. Post-Liberation Period (1946 -1985)
1. Barangay Writers Project was organized
in 1946 with N.V.M. Gonzales as its first
president.
Heart of the Islands (1947) Manuel A. Viray
Phil. Cross Section (1950) Maximo Ramos
Phil. Poetry Annual (1950) Florentino B. Valeros
2. National magazines resumed
publications and their literary awards.
Guardia de Honor (1949, first prize Philippine
Free Press) by Nick Joaquin

3. Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for

Literature began in 1950.
4. Publications flourished.
Diplomats and Other Poems (1952) Nick
Joaquin
Prose and Poems (1952) Dominador Ilio
Daedalus and Other Poems (1961) Ricaredo
Demetillo
Sunflower (1960) Tita Lacambra Ayala
Children of the Ash Covered Loam (1954),
Season of Grace (1956), The Bamboo Dancers
(1959) N.V.M. Gonzales
Villa Magdalena (1965), The Volcano (1965),
You Lovely people (1955), Brother My Brother
(1960), The Day the Dancers Came and Other

B. Modern Period (1960 1985) marked by a

growing militancy of national consciousness
1. Tagalog writers embraced modernism.
Manlilikha, Mga Piling Tula: 1961-67 (1967) Rogelio
Mangahas, editor
Mga Agos sa Disyerto (1964) Efren Abueg, editor
Makinasyon (1968), Peregrinasyon (1970),
Doktrinang Anakpawis (1979), Ang Makata sa
Panahon ng Makina (1972) Virgilio Almario
Hagsik ng Silahis (1980) Lamberto Antonio
Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (1966) Edgardo M. Reyes
Sitsit sa Kuliglig (1972), Dunung-dunungan (1975),
Kristal na Uniberso (1989) Rolando Tinio
Isang Dipang Langit, Panata sa Kaayaan, Luha ng
Buwaya, Mga Ibong Mandaragit Amado V.
Hernandez
Dekada 70 (1984) Lualhati Bautista

2. Nationalist writers organization was

formed in 1971, called Panulat para sa
Kaunlaran ng Sambayanan (PAKSA)
Sigwa (1972) First Quarter Storm writers:
Ricardo Lee, Wilfredo p. Virtucio, Fanny A.
Garcia, Norma Miraflor, Domingo Landicho, Jun
Cruz Reyes
The Making of a Filipino (1969), The
Philippines: A Past Revisited (1975), The
Philippines: The Continuing past (1978)
Renato Constantino
Mga Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni
Juan de la Cruz (1979) Jose f. Lacaba
Utos ng Hari at Iba pang Kwento (1981) Jun
Cruz Reyes

V. Literature After EDSA (1986 present)

A. Creative writing centers and organizations
honed literary craft of young writers.
1. Summer writing workshops: UP, Silliman
University, DLSU, UST, San Carlos University
2. Writers organizations workshops: UMPIL, PEN,
GAT, KATHA, LIRA, GUMIL, LUDABI, etc.
B. Literary critics articulated literary trends and
movements.
Kritismo (1992) Soledad Reyes
Ang Panitikan ng Pambansang Demokrasya (1990)
Gelacio G. Guillermo
Images of Change (1988) Alice Guillermo
The Other View (1989) Elmer Ordoez
First Person, Plural (1987), Intertext (1990) Edel
Garcellano
Beyond Futility (1984) Isagani Cruz

C. More publishing houses printed literary

works
University presses : UP, Ateneo, DLSU, UST
Commercial presses: Anvil, Kalikasan, Giraffe,
New Day, GCF Books
D. More writers published their works.
Dreamweavers (1987) Marjorie Evasco
Men from the East Charlson Ong
The Unusual Journey of Edgar Jopson (1989)
Benjamin Pimentel Jr
Palipalitong Posporo (1991) Benilda S. Santos
Roses from the Rubbles Conrado de Quiroz