FILIPINO NOVELISTS

Discussant: Mirajana C. Sanchez

Introduction

A country shaped by centuries of colonization by violent wars, long-lasting political upheaval, and the idyllic beauty
of its islands, the Philippines offers writers plenty of material to work with. In stories drawn from this complex
heritage, Filipino authors stand out for their creative, compelling voices.

Filipino Novelists

1. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Realonda was a Filipino nationalist and polymath during the tail end of the
Spanish colonial period of the Philippines.
- Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not) is the most controversial and widely-known – it’s included in
the current education curriculum of Filipino high school students. This novel sparked the social awakening
of Filipinos during the Spanish colonial era.
2. Francisco Balagtas, also known as Francisco Baltazar, was a prominent Filipino poet, and is widely considered
one of the greatest Filipino literary laureates for his impact on Filipino literature.
- Francisco Balagtas’ Florante at Laura is Another famous masterpiece in Philippine literature, it is written
in the form of ‘awit’ where there are four lines per stanza and 12 syllables per line. Set in the fictional
kingdom of Albania, it tackles the story between Duke Florante and Princess Laura, who’s also being
pursued by Florante’s enemy Count Adolfo.
3. Amado Vera Hernandez, commonly known as Amado V. Hernandez, was a Filipino writer and labor leader who
was known for his criticism of social injustices in the Philippines and was later imprisoned for his involvement
in the communist movement.
- Amado V. Hernandez’s Mga Ibong Mandaragit (Birds of Prey) is a novel that tackles social-political issues,
particularly Philippine revolution and neocolonialism, it has a connection to Rizal’s earlier novels – Noli
Me Tángere and El Filibusterismo.
4. Nicomedes "Nick" Márquez Joaquín was a Filipino writer, historian, and journalist best known for his short
stories and novels in the English language. He also wrote using the pen name Quijano de Manila. Joaquín was
conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the Philippines for Literature.
- Nick Joaquin was recognized as National Artist of the Philippines for Literature in 1976. In his historical
novel entitled The Woman Who Had Two Navels, Joaquin examines the effects and influence of the past
towards the post-war events in the Philippines. Lead female character Connie Escobar thinks she has two
navels, and thus requests her doctor to remove one – which symbolically means that she wants to shun
away from a traumatic past.
5. Francisco Sionil José is one of the most widely read Filipino writers in the English language. His novels and
short stories depict the social underpinnings of class struggles and colonialism in Filipino society.
- Like Hernandez and Joaquin, F. Sionil Jose’s works have been deeply influenced by Rizal. This was reflected
in his books and short stories, particularly the five-part novel series Rosales Saga, which narrated class
struggles and colonialism experienced by Filipinos. Po-on A Novel is the first book in the Rosales Saga,
which tells stories about Rosales, Pangasinan in the Philippines.
6. Lope K. Santos was a Filipino Tagalog language writer and former senator of the Philippines. He is best known
for his 1906 socialist novel, Banaag at Sikat and to his contributions for the development of Filipino grammar
and Tagalog orthography.
-Lope K. Santos’ Banaag at Sikat (From Early Dawn to Full Light) has been dubbed the ‘bible of the Filipino
working class.’ It is considered by Filipino critic Teodoro Agoncillo as one of the most important books in
 Philippine literature in 1949. That’s because according to Agoncillo, it paved the way for the development
of a system on how Tagalog novels were written.
7. Lualhati Torres Bautista is one of the foremost Filipino female novelists in the history of contemporary
Philippine literature. Her novels include Dekada '70, Bata, Bata, Pa'no Ka Ginawa? and ‘GAPÔ.

-Lualhati Bautista has captured true-to-life scenarios in the ’70s through her novel Dekada ‘70. The Marcos
era in the ’70s is a dark chapter in Philippine history. No one dares to speak against the government for fear
of execution – in some cases, bodies are not even retrieved. Hence, it has been a tumultuous period, especially
for the Filipino parents to protect their kids from the oppressive regime and at the same time, stand together
as one family. It mentions changes that arose after the Plaza Miranda bombing and the suspension of the Writ
of Habeas Corpus in the Philippines. The novels tells the story of lead protagonist Amanda Bartolome and her
family, where she had to deal with facing the law and her responsibilities towards her five sons.

8. Bob Ong is the pseudonym of a contemporary Filipino author known for using conversational writing
technique to create humorous and reflective depictions of Philippine life. The author's actual name and
identity is unknown.

-Bob Ong’s “Aba nakakabasa na pala ako?!” which can be translated as “Wow I can read now?!” rose to fame
for depicting the supposed unforgettable moments of his life as a student, starting from the first time of
entering school up to his college days.

- Unlike classic traditional novels, Bob Ong’s books make use of conversational Filipino language as he narrates
stories in a humorous way while depicting the real-life situations in Philippine context.

“The Role of Teaching the English Novel in Developing Language”

• Abstract

In teaching English as a foreign language, the novel plays a vital role in developing and enhancing the language
skills because in the novel the full range and variety of the English language is displayed with concrete examples
of writing skill in action. A novel can be a stimulating resource for activities for language learners without
necessarily involving them in a dedicated analysis of a highly literary criticism nature.

Summary

The Philippines has a lot of talented novelists to showcase. Our very own national hero, Jose P. Rizal is
one of them. Other novelists such as Francisco Balagtas, Amado V. Hernandez, Nick Qoaquin, F. Sionel Jose, Lope
K. Santos, Lualhati B. Bautista, and Bob Ong are just some of the renowned novelists of the Philippine literature.

• References
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/the-10-best-books-in-philippine-literature/
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/the-filipino-authors-you-should-know/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jose-Rizal
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311669562_The_Role_of_Teaching_the_English_Novel_in_Deve
loping_Language_Skills