FAMOUS FILIPINO FESTIVALS

SINULOG FESTIVAL | CEBU CITY

Every third weekend of January – Cebu City, Cebu

Sinulog Festival in Cebu City is a celebration held

every January in honor of Senior Santo Nino is one
of the biggest festival in the country today. The
Feast of the Sto. Niño is celebrated in Cebu with a
procession, street dancing competition and a fluvial
parade. Much like the Ati-atihan, the Sinulog Festival
is marked by frenzied revelry to the chant of “Pit
Senor!”

DINAGYANG FESTIVAL | ILOILO CITY

Every fourth weekend of January – Iloilo City, Iloilo

Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival is one of the biggest

festivals held every January, also in honor of the Sto.
Nino. Spectacle characterized by a frenetic stomping of
feet and hypnotic drumbeating. It is a colorful whirl of
thousands of people dressed in unique costumes
dancing and chanting all day and night.

SINULOG SA KABANKALAN | KABANKALAN CITY

Kabankalan City’s version of the Ati-atihan Festival. Also held every January in honor of the Sto. Nino.
 ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL| KALIBO, AKLAN

January 16-22 – Kalibo, Aklan

One of the most popular of the Philippine festivals,

the Ati-atihan is a celebration in honor of the Sto.
Niño. Revelers don colorful costumes, paint their
bodies black, and dance to the distictive beat of
“Hala bira!” around the town.

DINAGSA FESTIVAL | CADIZ CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

BACOLAODIAT FESTIVAL | BACOLOD CITY

Bacolaodiat festival is Bacolod City’s celebration of the

Chinese New Year. Marked by a street dance competition,
cultural presentations, chopstick food alley, giant lantern
parade and much more.
 PANAGBENGA FESTIVAL | BAGUIO CITY

23 February-3 March, Baguio City

Panagbenga Festival is a month-long flower

festival celebration. Held in the city of Baguio,
the summer capital of the Philippines. Street
dancing and spectacular float parades
highlighting the flowers of the city are just some
of the highlights of the festival.

BABAYLAN FESTIVAL | BAGO CITY

Babaylan festival is one unique festival which

depicts the rituals and ceremonies performed by
Babaylans in the olden times. Babaylans played a
great role in the history of the place.

KAAMULAN FESTIVAL | BACOLOD CITY

Claimed to be one of the most authentic ethnic festivals in

the country. The festival is a celebration of the culture and
tradition of the 7 tribal ethnic groups who are the original
inhabitants in the Province of Bukidnon, namely: Manobo,
Higaonon, Talaandig, Umayamnon, Matigsalug,
Tigwahanon, and Bukidnon.

PINTADOS DE PASI | PASSI CITY, ILOILO

Another cultural festival held in the province of

Iloilo is the Pintados de Pasi Festival. People can
witness performers artistically covered by the
henna tattoo as their main ornament.
 MORIONES FESTIVAL, MARINDUQUE

Holy Week – Boac,Magpoc, Marinduque

One of the most famous of Philippine festivals.

Colorfully garbed and masked as Roman soldiers and
centurions, locals reenact the life of Longinus
culminating in his beheading. The entire towns of
Boac, Morpog and Gasan are virtually converted into
huge stages as the story as Longinus unfolds.

PAHIYAS FESTIVAL | LUCBAN

May 15 – Sariaya, Lucban, Tayabas, Quezon

Homes are decked with kiping (multi-colored paper

thin, leaf-shaped rice kropeck) and harvested
vegetables; trade fair; civic parades, procession and
other activities.

PINTADOS KASADYAAN FESTIVAL |

LEYTE

June 29 – Tacloban City

Street pageantry and contest focusing on

the Leyteños’ old custom of tattooing that
signifies courage and status in the
community.
 MUDPACK FESTIVAL | MAMBUKAL RESORT, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

June 24, Murcia-Negros Occidental

Oneness with nature is the underlying theme behind Murcia’s annual mud-moving spectacle. Check on its
murky highlight – a lively street dancing parade with the participant wearing nothing but mudpacks. It’s a
sure fire way to mix our ecological concerns with good, clean, cloddy fun – just be sure to shower afterwards!

MASKARA FESTIVAL | BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

October 19 – Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

The biggest annual event that reflects the Bacoleños love for fun and gaiety. Coinciding with Bacolod City’s
charter day celebration, the festival features sports competitions, cultural programs, carnivals, beauty contest
and a long Mardi grasstyle costumed and masked street dancers.
 FILIPINO WEDDING TRADITIONS
Filipinos still adhere to numerous widely-held folk beliefs that have no scientific or logical basis but
maybe backed-up by some past experiences (yet can be dismissed as mere coincidence). Below are just a
few that concerns weddings. Some are still practiced to this day primarily because of 'there's nothing to lose
if we comply' attitude while the others are totally ignored for it seemed downright ridiculous.
Brides shouldn't try on her wedding dress before the wedding day or the wedding will not push
through. Knives and other sharp and pointed objects are said to be a bad choice for wedding gifts for this
will lead to a broken marriage.
Giving arinola (chamberpot) as wedding gift is believed to bring good luck to newlyweds.
Altarbound couples are accident-prone and therefore must avoid long drives or traveling before their wedding
day for safety.
The groom who sits ahead of his bride during the wedding ceremony will be a henpecked
husband. If it rains during the wedding, it means prosperity and happiness for the newlyweds. - A flame
extinguished on one of the wedding candles means the one on which side has the unlit candle, will die ahead
of the other.
Throwing rice confetti at the newlyweds will bring them prosperity all their life. The groom must
arrive before the bride at the church to avoid bad luck. It is considered bad luck for two siblings to
marry on the same year. Breaking something during the reception brings good luck to the
newlyweds. The bride should step on the groom's foot while walking towards the altar if she wants him
to agree to her every whim.
A bride who wears pearls on her wedding will be an unhappy wife experiencing many heartaches
and tears. An unmarried woman who follows the footsteps (literally) of the newlyweds will marry
soon. Dropping the wedding ring, the veil or the arrhae during the ceremony spells unhappiness for the
couple. In early Filipino custom, the groom-to-be threw his spear at the front steps of his intended's
home, a sign that she has been spoken for. These days, a ring suffices as the symbol of engagement.
The Engagement
After the couple has decided to marry, the first order of business is the pamanhikan, where the groom
and his parents visit the bride's family to ask for her hand in marriage. Wedding plans are often made at this
time, including a discussion of the budget and guest list. Don't be surprised if the groom-to-be is expected
to run some errands or help out around the bride's house. This tradition is called paninilbihan, where the
suitor renders service to his future wife's family to gain their approval.
The Wedding Outfits
The white wedding dress has become popular in the last hundred years or so with America's influence
in the Philippines. Before that, brides wore their best dress, in a festive color or even stylish black, to celebrate
a wedding. Orange blossom bouquets and adornments were a must during the turn of the last century. For
men, the barong tagalog is the traditional Filipino formal wear. It is a cool, almost transparent, embroidered
shirt, made from silky pina or jusi, two native ecru fabrics. It is worn untucked, over black pants, with a white
t-shirt underneath. These days, a Filipino groom might wear the conventional black tux, but Filipino male
wedding guests will usually show up in their finest barongs.
The Ceremony
In pre-colonial days, a wedding ceremony lasted three days. On the first day, the bride and groom
were brought to the house of a priest or babaylan, who joined their hands over a plate of raw rice and
blessed the couple. On the third day, the priest pricked the chests of both bride and groom and drew a little
blood. Joining their hands, they declared their love for each other three times. The priest then fed them
cooked rice from the same plate and gave them a drink of some of their blood mixed with water. Binding
their hands and necks with a cord, he declared them married. The majority of Filipino weddings are now
Catholic weddings, but some native traditions remain. Most have special "sponsors" who act as witnesses to
the marriage. The principal sponsors could be godparents, counselors, a favorite uncle and aunt, even a
parent. Secondary sponsors handle special parts of the ceremony, such as the candle, cord and veil
ceremonies. Candle sponsors light two candles, which the bride and groom use to light a single candle to
symbolize the joining of the two families and to invoke the light of Christ in their married life. Veil sponsors
place a white veil over the bride's head and the groom's shoulders, a symbol of two people clothed as one.
Cord sponsors drape the yugal (a decorative silk cord) in a figure-eight shape--to symbolize everlasting
fidelity--over the shoulders of the bride and groom. The groom gives the bride 13 coins, or arrhae, blessed
by the priest, as a sign of his dedication to his wife's well-being and the welfare of their future children.
The Food
The Filipino wedding feast is elaborate. One feast celebrated at the turn of the last century involved
these foods: First was served cold vermicelli soup. The soup was followed by meats of unlimited quantity--
stewed goat, chicken minced with garlic, boiled ham, stuffed capon, roast pork and several kinds of fish.
There were no salads, but plenty of relishes, including red peppers, olives, green mango pickles and
crystallized fruits. For dessert, there were meringues, baked custard flan, coconut macaroons and sweetened
seeds of the nipa plant.

UNIQUE FILIPINO CUISINES AND DISHES

Filipino cuisine is a blend of the exotic and familiar. Just as the Filipino people are part Malay, Chinese
and Spanish, so is the cooking of the Philippines. And more recently other cultures have influenced Filipino
food. These influences have come from the Americans, Japanese, and Germans.
Spanish additions to the Filipino cuisine predominate. It has been said that about 80 percent of the dishes
prepared in the Philippines today can be traced to Spain. The Spaniards introduced tomatoes and garlic along
with the technique of sauteing them with onions in olive oil.
Another significant addition to the Filipino cuisine by the Spanish was many baked goods and desserts,
among them Pan de Sal (a crusty dinner roll), Flan, (an egg custard), Ensaymada (cheese buns), and many,
many other delicious foods.
The most significant influence of the Americans came after World War II, with the widespread distribution of
canned goods. One of the results is Filipino fruit salad, which consists of American canned fruit cocktail,
mixed with native sweet preserves of buko (young coconut), kaong (palm nuts) and bits of langka (jackfruit),
giving it a Filipino taste and mixture.
The coastal and mountainous region around the northern tip of Luzon Island is rugged and so is life. The
people tend to be thrifty and live simply, traits well reflected in their style of cooking. This region is populated
mainly by the Ilocanos and Pangasinans along with minority groups such as the Ifugaos, Bontocs, Ibanags
and Kalingas.
The Ilocanos like their vegetables steamed or boiled and flavored with bagoong, a permented paste derived
from shrimp or fish. And to give their vegetables extra flavor, pork or a broiled fish is added, as in such
Ilocano dishes as Pinakbet, Dinengdeng or Inabraw.
In the central part of Luzon, including the area directly surrounding the capital of the Philippines, Manila, the
combination of an abundant and stable food supply and the influences of foreign peoples, particularly the
Spanish and Chinese, has resulted in the most sophisticated cuisine in the Philippines. The Rellenong Manok
(stuffed chicken), for instance, the carcass of a chicken is removed from the intact skin. The skin is then
stuffed in such a way that at the center is a sausage, often chorizo de Bilbao, surrounded by a layer of
carrots, celery and eggs encased in a mixture of chicken, ground pork, raisins, peppers and spices. This is
then stuffed back into the skin, sewn back up, steamed and baked to a golden brown. It is served with a
spicy, tangy red sauce, creating a sweet and savory dish satisfying not only to the different tastes and
textures of the mouth but to the senses of sight and smell as well.
The Philippines is the only country in Asia that is predominantly Christian, particularly Catholic. The only
exception is western Mindanao. Because of the Islamic edicts against eating pork, which is used extensively
in the rest of the Philippines, the people of Mindanao have taken advantage of the cattle and fish grown in
this area.
Mindanao cooking has borrowed from Indonesia and Malaysia the use of hot chilies and spices used to make
curry, as in Tiola Sapi, a spicy boiled beef, Pirna, a fish entree heavily spiced with hot chilies, and Lapua,
blanched native vegetables seasoned with salt and vinegar and guinamos.
As you can see, what makes the cooking of Mindanao distinct from the other regions of the Philippines is
how it has been heavily influenced by Malaysia, Islam and the food products that are grown or gathered in
the area. Being so close to the Equator, both the food and temperature in Mindanao are hot.
As there are differences in regional cooking, there are differences in the attitudes toward food. Of the foods
used as staples, most Filipinos on the island of Luzon prefer rice. Visayans on the islands of Cebu, Leyte, and
Samar use corn extensively. People of Luzon and some in the Visayas will eat root crops such as sweet
potatoes, hams and cassava as a dessert or snack. But to eat them as a staple in these regions would indicate
to others that one is desperately poor; whereas in Mindanao, cassava, or paranggi, is the staple crop.
Bicolanos and Tagalogs of Southern Luzon, where coconut trees grown abundantly, use lots of coconut in
their recipes.
Many varieties of hot chili peppers are found in the Philippines, the hottest and most popular being the siling
labuyo. While they are available. While they are available throughout the Philippines, only the people of Bicol
at the southern tip of Luzon and the Muslims of western Mindanao use hot peppers extensively in their
cooking.
The most popular meat for most Filipinos is pork. Other popular meats are beef and poultry. The tagalogs
and Pampanguenos eat frogs as a delicacy, but the rest of the people of the Philippines rarely touch them.
Fish is also very popular and readily available. Visayans prefer saltwater fish like sardines, tuna, bonito and
mackerel, which abound in the waters surrounding the Philippines. Tagalogs, Pampanguenos, Ilocanos, and
Pangasinans prefer freshwater fish caught in the rivers, lakes and streams that are located within these
areas. In Pangasinan and Pampanga, there is a system of fish farming or aquaculture in which bangus,
mudfish, catfish, carp and tilapia are raised in artificially created ponds and rice paddies.
Traditional Filipinos rarely use cutlery for eating. Instead, they eat with their fingers and hands. The technique
is called kamayan and the word for “to eat” is kumain. In this technique, small balls of rice are formed with
the fingers while pressing them against the plate. Small pieces of fish, meat and vegetables can also be
incorporated into this ball of rice. Then they are brought to the mouth with the finger tips and pushed in
from behind with the thumb.
The western influence introduced forks, knives and spoons to the Philippines. In the West, the knife and pork
are the primary pieces of cutlery, but in the Philippines, it is the spoon and fork. Here, the fork is held with
the left hand and the spoon in the right. The fork is used to spear and hold the piece of food while the spoon
is used to cut or tear off small pieces. The smaller pieces of food is then placed in the spoon, and the fork is
used to push rice into the spoon. The piece of food and rice are then brought to the mouth with the spoon
and eaten.
In the West, dinner is sequential, starting with a soup and/or salad, an antipasto or appetizer, followed by
the entree and finished off with a dessert. Planning a Filipino menu is based on contrasts of taste and texture
rather than different courses. The taste sensations of sweet, sour, bitter and salty are introduced into the
menu along with a variety of textures such as smooth, silky, crispy, crunchy, chewy. Rather than serving the
individual components separately, they are all brought to the table at one time, and is it is up to the guest
to decide what combination they want to create. Dining at a Filipino table is more like eating at a buffet than
a traditional western-style sit-down dinner.
At the heart of any Filipino meal is a bowl of rice, short, long or medium grain. There are dozens if not
hundreds of different varieties of rice, each of which gives a different “mouthfeel” and taste.
Served with the rice is a meat, fish or poultry, broiled, fried or roasted, giving the meal a crispy and chewy
texture. Another way to include that texture is with some fried lumpias, or egg rolls. Both the meats and
lumpias are then flavored with something salty, such as a soy sauce, bagoongs (fish or shrimp paste) or
patis (fish sauce). These salty sauces are then flavored with something sour such as kalamansi, lemon juice,
or vinegar just before being served. A bowl or cup of soup, such as sinigang, is also served, to add a smooth
and silky taste and texture to the meal.
Many Filipinos also add a noodle dish, such as pancit, or a stew-like dish such as adobo or caldereta for an
added savory taste.
Since the Filipino style of cooking lends itself to individuality, the cook who wishes to can choose dishes with
an eye to richness and in content. By varying recipes, the emphasis can be placed on healthy cooking. There
are many products on the market now that contain reduced fat content and low-fat coconut milk is also
available.
No Filipino meal would be complete without dessert, whether it is simply fruit, like bananas, mangoes,
papayas and melons, or sweets like matamis na kamote (sugarglazed sweet potatoes) and kaong (palm nut)
or true desserts like flan (egg custard) and native cakes like biko or bibingka made from rice and coconut
milk. The dessert isn’t served just at the end of the meal--it is not unusual to eat it as part of the meal, for
not only extra texture but the sweetness needed to counteract the salty, sour and sometimes bitter taste
that are part of the meal.

As you can see, the cooking of the Philippines is a blend of traditional, native cooking and the best aspects
of foreign influences. Recipes and techniques have been adopted and then adapted to the Filipino taste.
Filipino cooking is tasty without being too spicy, simple but not sparse, different but not strange, and
satisfying without being overwhelming. As Filipinos go out to the rest of the world and as the rest of the
world visits the Philippines, new ideas will be brought to the Filipino kitchen. It is this meeting of the East
and West with a steady and constant evolution of traditional dishes that is Filipino cuisine.

FILIPINO FAMILY VALUES, CULTURES AND BELIEFS

 The Roman Catholicism in Philippines is dominant but other religions are important as well. To
distinguish about their uniqueness is through their unique beliefs and practices.

In Islam religion, the believers only eat halal food. Islam teaches to be forgiving, to value friends,
family and to create good relationship with the people around them. There are five pillars of Islam that are
obligatory for every Muslim such as: the testimony of faith, praying five times a day, giving alms, pilgrimage
to Mecca and Medina for those financially and physically able, and fasting.

In Born Again Evangelical Christian, its followers believe salvation is only through Christ. They believed
the truth of the Bible through its fulfilled promises in their lives and in those around them. They believed that
Christianity is attached on God’s love and through Christ, they can inherit eternal life. They accept Jesus
Christ as their Lord and personal Savior and build a personal relationships with Him. They read the Bible
regularly and attend youth fellowships and Sunday worship services.

Believers and followers of Mormon do not drink coffee or tea. Mormon teaches them that being
spiritual does not only mean going to church on Sundays or practicing rituals. It taught them to keep
developing of themselves in the best way possible so they can be a blessing to others. They believed that
the Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three different beings with the same purpose.
When they pray, they talk God to, not Jesus Christ. They attend a three-hour Sunday service plus Sunday
school classes. On Saturdays, children and teenagers aged 12 to 18 go to seminary classes to study the
scriptures. They also hold activities like sport fests that thought to help to develop other aspects of their
lives.

In Members of God International (Ang Dating Daan), its believers and followers do not wear jewelry
or have their hair cut. They believed that God, and all the commandments they have inside the church are
purely biblical and not hearsay sent their leader. They have three kinds of services such as, Prayer meeting
on Wednesdays or Thursdays, a Worship service on Saturday night or Sunday morning and Thanksgiving on
Saturday or Sunday.

In (INC) known as Iglesia ni Kristo, its believers and followers do not eat dinuguan (pork meat or
beef meat cooked with its blood). They believed that they found their beliefs and practices to be the ones
that match what is stated in the Holy Bible. Their faith and everything they do is based from the Bible. They
attend worship services twice a week – one on the weekend and one on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

In Jehovah’s Witness, its believers and followers do not celebrate birthdays. They believed that
families play a crucial role in helping each other’s love for Jehovah grow. They look and see forward to
paradise on Earth, where will be no more wickedness, crime and sickness. They believed in judgment day
called Armageddon and in the Everlasting life – that Jehovah created the Earth especially for human beings.
They believed that Jehovah is the Creator of all things. They do not believed in a Trinity instead, Jehovah is
the Father of Jesus and they are not the same. The Holy Spirit is not a persona but God’s working force.

In Buddhism, its believers and followers believe in Karma and in Reincarnation. For them Buddhism
answers why they were born humans and not animals and why they are continuously suffering. Their unique
faith teaches them to develop love and compassion for all human beings. They believed in “cause and effect”.

In (AH) known as Agnostic Humanism, its followers do not know, care, or believe whether or not any
God exists. They believed that life is what they make it. They committed to the use of critical reason and
factual evidence instead of clinging to faith or mysticism. They believed that God existing is meaningless
since one cannot test whether or not God exists. They have no faith in any unseen being. For them, there
are no rules on food or clothes. Of course, they eat food that would not harm their body and wear clothes
that are decent and worthy of respect.

These so-called beliefs and practices make the Philippines unique.

 FILIPINO LITERATURE
In PANITIKING PILIPINO written by Atienza, Ramos, Salazar and Nazal, it says that “true literature
is a piece of written work which is undying. It expresses the feelings and emotions of people in response to
his everyday efforts to live, to be happy n his environment and, after struggles, to reach his Creator.”
Why We Need to Study Philippine Literature?
We can enumerate many reasons for studying literature. Here are but a few: We study literature so
that we can better appreciate our literary heritage. We cannot appreciate something that we do not
understand. Through a study of our literature, we can trace the rich heritage of ideas handed down to us
from our forefathers. Then we can understand ourselves better and take pride in being a Filipino.
Like other races of the world, we need to understand that we have a great and noble tradition which
can serve as the means to assimilate other cultures. Through such a study, we will realize our literary
limitations conditioned by certain historical factors and we can take steps to overcome them. Above all, as
Filipinos, who truly love and take pride in our own culture, we have to manifest our deep concern for our
own literature and this we can do by studying the literature of our country.
General Types of Literature
Literature can generally be divided into two types; prose and poetry.
Prose consists of those written within the common flow of conversation in sentences and paragraphs,
while poetry refers to those expressions in verse, with measure and rhyme, line and stanza and has a more
melodious tone.
I. PROSE
a. Novels. A long narrative divided into chapters and events are taken from true-to-life stories.
Example:WITHOUT SEEING THE DAWN by Stevan Javellana
b. Short story. This is a narrative involving one or more characters, one plot and one single
impression.
Example:THE LAUGHTER OF MY FATHER by Carlos Bulosan
c. Plays. This is presented on a stage, is divided into acts and each act has many scenes.
Example:THIRTEEN PLAYS by Wilfredo M. Guerrero
d. Legends. These are fictitious narratives, usually about origins.
Example:THE BIKOL LEGEND by Pio Duran
e. Fables. These are also fictitious and they deal with animals and inanimate things who speak and
act like people and their purpose is to enlighten the minds of children to events that can mold their ways and
attitudes.
Example:THE MONKEY AND THE TURTLE
f. Anecdotes. These are merely products of the writer’s imagination and the main aim is to bring
out lessons to the reader.
Example:THE MOTH AND THE LAMP
g. Essay. This expresses the viewpoint or opinion of the writer about a particular problem or event.
The best example of this is the Editorial page of a newspaper.
h. Biography. This deals with the life of a person which may be about himself, his autobiography
or that of others.
Example:CAYETANO ARELLANO by Socorro O. Albert
 i. News. This is a report of everyday events in society, government, science and industry, and
accidents, happening nationally or not.
j. Oration. This is a formal treatment of a subject and is intended to be spoken in public. It appeals
to the intellect, to the will or to the emotions of the audience.
II. POETRY
A. Narrative Poetry. This form describes important events in life either real or imaginary. The
different varieties are:
1. Epic. This is an extended narrative about heroic exploits often under supernatural control.
Example:THE HARVEST SONG OF ALIGUYON translated in English by Amador T. Daguio
2. Metrical Tale. This is a narrative which is written in verse and can be classified either as a ballad
or a metrical romance.
Examples:BAYANI NG BUKID by Al Perez HERO OF THE FIELDS by Al Perez
3. Ballads. Of the narrative poems, this is considered the shortest and simplest. It has a simple
structure and tells of a single incident. There are also variations of these: love ballads, war ballads, and sea
ballads, humorous, moral, and historical or mythical ballads. In the early time, this referred to a song
accompanying a dance.
B. Lyric Poetry. Originalaly, this refers to that kind of poetry meant to be sung to the
accompaniment of a lyre, but now, this applies to any type of poetry that expresses emotions and feelings
of the poet. They are usually short, simple and easy to understand.
1. Folksongs (Awiting Bayan). These are short poems intended to be sung. The common theme
is love, despair, grief, doubt, joy, hope and sorrow.
Example:CHIT-CHIRIT-CHIT
2. Sonnets. This is a lyric poem of 14 lines dealing with an emotion, a feeling, or an idea. These
are two types: the Italian and the Shakespearean.
Example:SANTANG BUDS by Alfonso P. Santos
3. Elegy. This is a lyric poem which expresses feelings of grief and melancholy, and whose theme
is death.
Example:THE LOVER’S DEATH by Ricaredo Demetillo
4. Ode. This is a poem of a noble feeling, expressed with dignity, with no definite number of syllables
or definite number of lines in a stanza.
5. Psalms (Dalit). This is a song praising God or the Virgin Mary and containing a philosophy of
life.
6. Awit (Song). These have measures of twelve syllables (dodecasyllabic) and slowly sung to the
accompaniment of a guitar or banduria.
Example:FLORANTE AT LAURA by Franciso Balagtas
7. Corridos (Kuridos). These have measures of eight syllables (octosyllabic) and recited to a
martial beat.
Example:IBONG ADARNA
C. Dramatic Poetry
1. Comedy. The word comedy comes from the Greek term “komos”meaning festivity or revelry.
This form usually is light and written with the purpose of amusing, and usually has a happy ending.
2. Melodrama. This is usually used in musical plays with the opera. Today, this is related to
tragedy just as the farce is to comedy. It arouses immediate and intense emotion and is usually sad but
there is a happy ending for the principal character.
 3. Tragedy. This involves the hero struggling mightily against dynamic forces; he meets death or
ruin without success and satisfaction obtained by the protagonist in a comedy.
4. Farce. This is an exaggerated comedy. It seeks to arouse mirth by laughable lines; situations
are too ridiculous to be true; the characters seem to be caricatures and the motives undignified and absurd.
5. Social Poems. This form is either purely comic or tragic and it pictures the life of today. It may
aim to bring about changes in the social conditions.

FILIPINO MUSIC & THEATER ARTS

 FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS
Dumog - Filipino Wrestling Martial Arts
Dumog is a Filipino style of stand-up wrestling. It also refers to the grappling techniques used by many
Filipino martial arts.
The Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) have constantly evolved over time, and it is likely that Dumog was
influenced to some degree by grappling methods from other arts such as western wrestling, Judo and Jujutsu.
Many FMA practitioners during the post-World War II era cross trained in other arts as well as their native dumog
and referred to it as “Combat Judo”. This is a term that isn't used anymore, due to the confusion it caused to
westerners as to the true origins of the art.
Dumog Techniques
According to Wikipedia, "Dumog is based on the concept of “control points” or “choke points” on the
human body, which are manipulated – for example: by grabbing, pushing, pulling - in order to disrupt the
opponent’s balance and to keep him off balance".
Dumog techniques can be assisted by the environment around you such as a wall, a table or a chair. These
help to immobilize the opponent, or hurt him further by collision with the object. Similarly, Dumog techniques can
be used to manipulate an opponent for use as a shield to protect yourself from multiple attackers. It can also be
used to quickly remove a person from an area, much like security or law enforcement “come-along” type
techniques.
Eskrima/Kali/Arnis - Instructions for Techniques, Stickwork, Kicks, etc.
Eskrima (or Escrima) is a Filipino martial arts that focuses on the use of sticks, bladed and impact/blunt
weapons, improvised weapons, and hand-to-hand (empty hand) techniques. Eskrima is also known as Kali and
Arnis. Eskrima belongs in the same category as other stick-based martial arts styles such as Bataireacht, Canne
de Combat, Tahtib, etc.
This martial arts from the Philippines uses weapons such as a Yantok or Baston (used interchangeably)
(fighting stick), Baraw (knife), Bolo (machete), Bankaw (staff), etc. Please see the history of Eskrima/Kali/Arnisfor
additional historical insight to the art and the evolution of the name for the style.
Eskrima/Kali/Arnis Sparring
According to WEKAF Canada, some of the basic rules
associated with Eskrima/Kali/Arnis sparring include the following:
• The contest area or ring shall be not less than five
(5) meters and not more than seven (7) meters square.
• The contest shall consist of three (3) rounds of one
(1) minute each, with thirty (30) seconds rest in between rounds.
• Striking or target points shall be any part of the
body above the knee except the groin and the neck. This includes
the front and the sides of the thighs and body, both arms and
hands, and the top, front and sides of the helmet. Hitting the back
of the body is only allowed when the competitors are facing each
other (i.e., through the use of curving strikes). Hitting the back of
the head is not allowed, due to insufficient padding on the back
of the helmet. Only two (2) consecutive strikes to the same target
area are permitted.
• Legitimate strikes or blows include cut or slash,
wrist-snapping or flicking (witik, kurbada), abaniko (fan), etc.
Thrusting, butting (punyo), and footsweeps have been legal in the
past, but have been eliminated because the protective gear is
presently not sufficient to allow these techniques to be used
safely. Improvement in the protective equipment may result in the re-instatement of these techniques. Two-
handed strikes are prohibited.
Complementary Styles
• Jeet Kune Do - As its ideology revolves around usefulness and flow of the martial arts therefore
stick fighting is often seen in JKD, also the Kung Fu / Wing Chun basis would help the Kali practitioner easily flow
and transition into the empty hand fighting if they loose their weapon.
• Dumog - The Filipino grappling / wrestling art which uses a great number of "throws" which work
by locking up (usually part of the arm) and then using it like a tether to pull the center of gravity away from the
feet causing the person to fall. These types of movements allow the practitioner to easily stay on their feet and
throw their opponent with little effort.
• Silat - An Indonesian art which utilizes additional knee and elbow strikes along with some
interesting take down maneuvers. With the Philippines being a bladed / weapon based culture, the Kali practitioner
can easily appreciate the uniqueness of Silat weapons such as the Karambit (a small double edged, claw like knife)
and the Sarong (a flexible sash similar to an infinity scarf).
• Boxing - Simple boxing footwork is beneficial in combination with Kali stick fighting footwork to
better help the practitioner move around.
Kino Mutai - The Philippine's "Biting" Martial Arts
Kino Mutai (Kina Mutai or Kina Motay) is a Filipino martial arts that uses unconventional tactics such as
biting and eye-gouging. While the prime focus of Kino Mutai is on grappling techniques, it also uses brutal tactics
such as biting in order to win or survive an attack.
While this Filipino martial arts might be seen as just dirty street fighting, Kino Mutai is taught by some
martial arts schools in order to help students escape from the grasp of a larger, stronger opponent. Kino Mutai
techniques are occasionally added as a component to other Filipino styles such as Eskrima/Kali/Arnis.
Panantukan - Philippines Martial Arts Style
Panantukan (or Suntukan) is the boxing component of Filipino martial arts. It consists of upper-body
striking techniques such as punches, elbows, headbutts and shoulder strikes. It also includes low-line kicks and
knee strikes to the legs, shins and groin.
This martial arts is not a sport, but rather a street-oriented fighting system. The techniques have not been
adapted for safety or conformance to a set of rules for competition. Common targets include the biceps, triceps,
eyes, nose, jaws, temples, groin, ribs, spine and the back of the neck.
Sikaran - Philippines Martial Arts Style
Sikaran is a Filipino martial arts focused almost exclusively on kicking. Hands and arms are only used for
blocking. The signature move for Sikaran is the Biakid kick or “dragon whiplash”. This kick is similar to a spinning
hook kick. However, Sikaran users will frequently target the back of their opponent's head with this kick. In
contrast, other martial arts target mainly the side of the head with this type of spinning kick.
According to Seletaria Sikaran-Arnis, "Sikaran is an ancient Philippine art of kick fighting. It is a Tagalog
word that connotes “Kicking.” Tagalog is the most commonly used dialect in the Philippines and adopted as the
national language of the country officially known as Pilipino. Sikaran is a coined word derived from the root word
sikad (kick)."
Yaw Yan - Philippines Martial Arts Style
Yaw Yan is a Filipino martial arts that is used in stand-up fighting contests as well as mixed martial arts
tournaments. Yaw Yan was invented by Grand Master Napoleon A. Fernandez in the 1970s.
While the stand-up portion of Yaw Yan is similar to Muay Thai, Yaw Yan utilizes more long range strikes
and less clinches. According to Yaw Yan Ardigma, "Yaw-Yan is designed for Filipino fighters"… especially "for small
Filipinos to fight against big and heavy opponents." Moreover, in addition to kicks and punches, Yaw Yan students
also learn take downs, grappling, stick fighting and knife fighting.
According to Yaw-Yan Kampilan, Yaw-Yan students need to "learn 40 basic kicks". Moreover, "advanced
disciples have to be able to execute and apply complex advanced kicks requiring great dexterity, flexibility, and
mastery. Most of these advanced kicks are trick kicks could catch unsuspecting opponents by surprise"… "Yaw-
Yan fighters have been known for breaking their opponent’s strong femur bone if not the ribs or jaw, with one
mountain storm kick".