Philippine Literature and Texts (Pre-colonial Times and
Spanish Colonizations)
1. Philippine Literature and Texts (Pre-colonial Times
and the Spanish Colonization) 21st Century Literature
from the Philippines and the World
2. The variety and abundance of Philippine literature
evolved even before the colonial periods. Folk tales,
epics, poems and marathon chants existed in most
ethno linguistic groups that were passed on from
generation to generation through word of mouth. Tales
associated with the Spanish conquest also took part in
the country’s rich cultural heritage. Philippine Pre-
colonial Literature
3. Some of these pre-colonial literary pieces showcased
in traditional narratives, speeches and songs are tigmo
in Cebuano, bugtong in Tagalog, patototdon is Bicol and
paktakon in Ilongo. Philippine epics and folk tales are
varied and filled with magical characters. They are
either narratives of mostly mythical objects, persons or
certain places, or epics telling supernatural events and
bravery of heroes, customs and ideologies of a
community. Philippine Pre-colonial Literature
4. Owing to the works of our own archaeologists,
ethnologists and anthropologists, we are able to know
more and better judge information about our pre-
colonial times set against a bulk of material about early
Filipinos as recorded by Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and
other chroniclers of the past. Pre-colonial inhabitants of
our islands showcase a rich past through their folk
speeches, folk songs, folk narratives and indigenous
rituals and mimetic dances that affirm our ties with our
Southeast Asian neighbors. Philippine Pre-colonial
Literature
5. 1. Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang) of the Ilocanos
narrates the adventures of the prodigious epic hero,
Lam-ang who exhibits extraordinary powers at an early
age. At nine months he is able to go to war to look for
his father’s killers. Then while in search of lady love,
Ines Kannoyan, he is swallowed by a big fish, but his
rooster and his friends bring him back to life. Examples
of ethno-epics popularized by different ethnic groups in
the country
6. 2. The Agyu or Olahing of the Manobos is a three part
epic that starts with the pahmara (invocation) then the
kepu’unpuun ( a narration of the past) and the
sengedurog (an episode complete in itself). All three
parts narrate the exploits of the hero as he leads his
people who have been driven out of their land to
Nalandangan, a land of utopia where there are no
landgrabbers and oppressors. Examples of ethno-epics
popularized by different ethnic groups in the country
7. 3. Sandayo of the Subanon tells of the story of the
hero with the same name, who is born through
extraordinary circumstances as he fell out of the hair of
his mother while she was combing it on the ninth
stroke. Thence, he leads his people in the fight against
invaders of their land and waterways. Examples of
ethno-epics popularized by different ethnic groups in
the country
8. 3. Aliguyon or the Hudhud of the Ifugaos tells of the
adventures of Aliguyon as he battles his arch enemy,
Pambukhayon among rice fields and terraces and
instructs his people to be steadfast and learn the
wisdom of warfare and of peacemaking during harvest
seasons. Examples of ethno-epics popularized by
different ethnic groups in the country
9. Biag ni Lam-ang Sandayo Aliguyon or the Hudhud
10. 3. Labaw Donggon is about the passionate exploits
of the son of a goddess Alunsina, by a mortal, Datu
Paubari. The polygamous hero battles the huge monster
Manaluntad for the hand of Abyang Ginbitinan; then he
fights Sikay Padalogdog, the giant with a hundred arms
to win Abyang Doronoon and confronts the lord of
darkness, Saragnayan, to win Nagmalitong Yawa
Sinagmaling Diwata. Examples of ethno-epics
popularized by different ethnic groups in the country
11. Other epics known to most Filipinos are the Ibalon
of Bikol, Darangan which is a Muslim epic, the Kudaman
of Palawan, the Alim of the Ifugao, Bantugan of the
Maranao, the Hinilawod of Panay, and the Tuwaang of
Manobos. The Tagalogs pride their Myth of Bernardo
Carpio, a folk hero said to hold the mountains of San
Mateo apart with his powerful arms to prevent them
from colliding.
12. There are shorter narratives that tell the origins of
the people, the stars, the sky and the seas. A famous
story that tells of the origin of man and woman is that
of Malakas (man) and Maganda (woman) who came out
of a bamboo after being pecked by a bird. This and
other stories of equal birthing of man and woman
throughout the archipelago assert a woman’s equal
position with a man within the tribal systems.
13. Literary Forms during the Pre-colonial Period
14. Mythology, body of myths of a particular culture,
and also the study and interpretation of myth. Myth is a
complex cultural phenomenon that can be approached
from a number of viewpoints. In general, myth is a
narrative that describes and portrays in symbolic
language the origin of the basic elements and
assumptions of a culture. Mythic narrative relates, for
example, how the world began, how humans and
animals were created, and how certain customs,
gestures, or forms of human activities originated.
Almost all cultures possess or at one time possessed
and lived in terms of myths. MYTHS
15. Myths are traditional stories occurring in a timeless
past. They involve supernatural elements and are
beyond the frontiers of logic. Long ago, when our
ancestors heard the sound of thunder and saw
lightning, they were frightened because they could not
understand why these things happened. In order to
understand these and other natural events, they
created stories. The stories were handed down from
generation to generation all over the country. Although
myths are not based on objective truth, they reflect
both universal worries and the worries of specific
cultures. MYTHS
16. WORLD LITERATURE: In the cold northern countries,
where the sun disappears almost completely during the
winter season, great fires were lit in the midwinter to
help the sun to be reborn. The ancient Greeks tell a
myth in which Prometheus stole fire from Zeus, the
chief god, and gave it to humans so that they could
keep themselves warm. To punish him, Zeus chained
Prometheus to a rock where his liver was eaten by an
eagle every day but grew again every night. MYTHS
17. a. The Gods and Goddesses (Ilocos) b. Why There is
a High Tide during a Full Moon (Ibanag) c. Why the Dead
Come Back No More (Ifugao) d. Mag-asawang Tubig
(Tagalog) e. How the Moon and the Stars Came to Be
(Bukidnon – Mindanao) Myths from the Different
Regions of the Philippines
18. One day in the times when the sky was close to the
ground a spinster went out to pound rice. Before she
began her work, she took off the beads from around her
neck and the comb from her hair, and hung them on the
sky, which at that time looked like coral rock. Then she
began working, and each time that she raised her pestle
into the air it struck the sky. For some time she
pounded the rice, and then she raised the pestle so high
that it struck the sky very hard. Immediately the sky
began to rise, and it went up so far that she lost her
ornaments. Never did they come down, for the comb
became the moon and the beads are the stars that are
scattered about. How the Moon and the Stars Came to
Be (An Epic from Bukidnon)
19. Traditional narrative or collection of related
narratives, popularly regarded as historically factual but
actually a mixture of fact and fiction. The medieval Latin
word legenda means “things for reading”. During
certain services of the early Christian Church, legenda,
or lives of the saints, were read aloud. A legend is set in
a specific place at a specific time; the subject is often a
heroic historical personage. LEGENDS
20. A legend differs from a myth by portraying a human
hero rather than one who is a god. Legends, originally
oral, have been developed into literary masterpieces.
Legends are stories about real people who are famous
for doing something brave or extraordinary. Every time
the story was told, it became more exaggerated and so
it is now difficult to tell how much of the story is really
true. LEGENDS
21. WORLD LITERATURE: One of the greatest legendary
figures in Britain is King Arthur. He was the son of King
Uther Pendragon, a Celtic King. King Uther gave his child
to Merlin the wizard. Merlin taught Arthur everything
he knew so that he could become a great king. When
King Uther died, Merlin stuck a sword into a rock and
said, ‘This sword is in the stone by magic. Only the true
king will be able to pull it out’. Many men tried but none
succeeded. When Arthur tried, the sword slipped out
easily. Arthur was made king. He went on to found the
Round Table, an order to knights who became famous
for fighting the wicked and helping the poor. LEGENDS
22. a. The Legend of the Sleeping Beauty (Kalinga) b.
Legend of the Dama de Noche c. Legend of the Banana
Plant d. Legend of the Firefly Legends from the
Philippines
23. The proverbs or aphorisms express norms or codes
of behavior, community beliefs or they instill values by
offering nuggets of wisdom in short, rhyming verse. The
extended form, tanaga, a mono- riming heptasyllabic
quatrain expressing insights and lessons on life is “more
emotionally charged than the terse proverb and thus
has affinities with the folk lyric.” Some examples are the
basahanon or extended didactic sayings from Bukidnon
and the daraida and daragilon from Panay.
24. The folk song, a form of folk lyric which expresses
the hopes and aspirations, the people’s lifestyles as well
as their loves. These are often repetitive and sonorous,
didactic and naive as in the children’s songs or Ida-ida
(Maguindanao), tulang pambata (Tagalog) or cansiones
para abbing (Ibanag).
25. A few examples are the lullabyes or Ili-ili (Ilongo);
love songs like the panawagon and balitao
(Ilongo);harana or serenade (Cebuano); the bayok
(Maranao); the seven-syllable per line poem, ambahan
of the Mangyans that are about human relationships,
social entertainment and also serve as a tool for
teaching the young; work songs that depict the
livelihood of the people often sung to go with the
movement of workers such as the kalusan (Ivatan),
soliranin (Tagalog rowing song) or the mambayu, a
Kalinga rice-pounding song; the verbal jousts/games like
the duplo popular during wakes.
26. Made up of one or more measured lines with
rhymes and may consist of 4 to 12 syllables Showcase
the Filipino wit, literary talent, and keen observation of
the surroundings Involves reference to one or two
images that symbolize the characteristics of an
unknown object that is to be guessed RIDDLES (Bugtong
or Palaisipan)
27. 1. Nagtago si Pedro, labas ang ulo. (Pedro hides but
you can still see his head. ) 2. Hindi pari, hindi hari,
nagdadamit ng sari-sari. (Not a priest, not a king but
wears different kinds of clothes.) 3. Bugtong-pala-
bugtong, kadenang umuugong. (Riddle me, riddle me,
here comes a roaring chain). 4. Heto na si Kaka, bubuka-
bukaka. (Here comes Kaka, walking with an open leg.) 5.
Buhok ni Adan, hindi mabilang. (Adam's hair, you can't
count.) 6. Buhok ni Adan, hindi mabilang. (Adam's hair,
you can't count.) 7. Sa araw ay bungbong, sa gabi ay
dahon. (Roll in the morning, leaf in the afternoon). 8.
Iisa ang pasukan, tatlo ang labasan. (It has one
entrance, but has three exit. ) Examples of Riddles
28. Answers 1. Pako - (Nails) 2. Sampayan - (Clothesline)
3. Tren - (Train) 4.Gunting - (Scissors) 5. Ulan - (Rain) 6.
Tubig - (Water) 7. Banig - (Mat) 8. Damit/Baro - (Dress)
29. A proverb is a simple and concrete saying, popularly
known and repeated, that expresses a truth based on
common sense or experience. They are often
metaphorical. A proverb that describes a basic rule of
conduct may also be known as a maxim. These have
been customarily used and served as laws or rules on
good behavior by our ancestors. To others, these are
like allegories or parables that impart lessons for the
young. PROVERBS or EPIGRAMS (Salawikain or
Sawikain)
30. 1. A broom is sturdy because its strands are tightly
bound. Matibay ang walis, palibhasa'y magkabigkis.
People gain strength by standing together. 2. It is hard
to wake up someone who is pretending to be asleep.
Mahirap gisingin ang nagtutulog-tulugan. While it is
easy to tell people something they do not know, it is
much harder if they are willfully choosing not to see
what is before them. Examples of Proverbs
31. 3. If you persevere, you will reap the fruits of your
labor. Pag may tiyaga, may nilaga. They don't call them
the fruits of labor for nothing. Hard work and
perseverance are needed to reach your goals. But if you
keep trying, one day you will enjoy the results of your
efforts. 4. New king, new character. Bagong hari,
bagong ugali. New leadership always brings new ways.
Examples of Proverbs
32. Chants are used in witchcraft and enchantments.
Our ancestors also believe in unseen spirits or
elemental spirits like dwarfs. They give respect, ask for
permission, and excuse or apology to these spirits in
order to deliver them from trouble and danger. Example
of chants, Tabi, tabi po, Ingkong, makikiraan po lamang.
Bari-bari Apo, umisbo lang ti tao. (Ilokano) CHANTS
(Bulong)
33. Sayings are used in teasing or to comment on a
persons’ actuations. Example of sayings, Nag-almusal
mag-isa; Kaninglamig, tinapa; Nahulog ang kutsara; Ikaw
na sana, sinta. SAYINGS (Kasabihan)
34. A quatrain with seven syllables each with the same
rhyme at the end of each line Example of tanaga,
“Tahak ng tingin, tulak ng sulyap, yakap, lapat ng titig sa
balikat, hatak pa, kindat, hakat.” TANAGA
35.  A form of folk lyric which expresses the people’s
hopes, aspirations and lifestyles.  Repetitive and
sonorous, didactic and naïve.  Traditional songs and
melodies.  Inspired by the reaction of the people to
their environment. FOLK SONGS
36. 1. Uyayi – lullaby 2. Komintang – war song 3.
Kundiman – melancholic love song 4. Harana – serenade
5. Tagay – drinking song 6. Mambayu – Kalinga rice-
pounding song 7. Subli – dance ritual song of courship
or marriage 8. Tagulaylay – songs of the dead Examples
of Folk Songs
37. The ambahan is a literary product and poetic
expression of the Southern Mangyans of Mindoro,
Philippines. As a definition, it can be stated that the
ambahan is: a. A rhythmic poetic expression with a
meter of seven syllable lines and having rhythmic end-
syllables. b. It is most often presented as a chant
without a determined musical pitch or accompaniment
by musical instruments. c. Its purpose is to express in an
allegorical way, liberally using poetic language, certain
situations or certain characteristics referred to by the
one reciting the poem. AMBAHAN
38. 1. Buli sa may kaingin Noong s'ya pa'y musmusin
Hindi ko pinapansin Nang gumulang, pagsapit Tanggi ko
ang lumain Sariwa kong kukunin Bayong kong lalalain
Lagi kong sasakbitin! Example of Ambahan
39. Philippine Literature during the Spanish Colonization
40.  Spanish colonization in the Philippines started in
1565 during the time of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the
first Spanish governor-general in the Philippines. 
Literature started to flourish during his time.  The
Spaniards colonized the Philippines for more that three
centuries. Historical Background
41.  The Spanish colonizers wanted to undermine the
native oral tradition by substituting for it the story of
the Passion of Christ. However, the native tradition
survived and even flourished in areas inaccessible to the
Spaniards.  The church authorities adopted a policy of
spreading the Church doctrines by communicating to
the natives in their own language. DOCTRINA
CHRISTIANA (1593) The first book to be printed in the
Philippines, was a prayer book written in Spanish with
an accompanying Tagalog translation.
42.  The task of translating religious instructional
materials forced the Spanish missionaries to employ
native as translators.  Eventually, these natives learned
to read and write both in Spanish and in their native
tongue. Ladinos – bilingual natives; they published their
works, mainly devotional poetry, in the first decade of
the 17th century. GASPAR AQUINO DE BELEN – the
most gifted among the ladinos. He wrote the Mahal na
Pasion ni Jesu Christo, a Tagalog poem based on Christ’s
passion, was published in 1704.
43. 1. The first Filipino alphabet called ALIBATA was
replaced by the Roman alphabet. 2. The teaching of the
Christian Doctrine became the basis of religious
practices. 3. The Spanish language which became the
literary language during this time lent many of its words
to our language. 4. The periodicals during these times
gained a religious tone. Spanish Influences on the
Philippine Literature
44. 5. Many grammar books were printed in Filipino,
like Tagalog, Ilocano, and Visayan. 6. European legends
and traditions brought here became assimilated in our
songs, corridos and moro- moros.
7. Ancient literature was collected and translated to
Tagalog and other dialects. 8. Until the 19th century,
the printing presses that published literary works were
owned and managed by religious order. Thus, religious
themes dominated the literature of the time.
45. Religion and institutions that represented European
civilization enriched the languages in the lowlands,
introduced theater which we would come to known as
komedya, the sinakulo, the sarswela, the playlets and
the drama. Spain also brought to the country, though at
a much later time, liberal ideas and an internationalism
that influenced our own Filipino intellectuals and
writers for them to understand the meanings of “liberty
and freedom.” Literature in this period may be classified
as religious prose and poetry and secular prose and
poetry.
46. Religious lyrics written by ladino poets or those
versed in both Spanish and Tagalog were included in
early catechism and were used to teach Filipinos the
Spanish language. Fernando Bagonbanta’s “Salamat
nang walang hanga/gracias de sin sempiternas”
(Unending thanks) is a fine example that is found in the
Memorial de la vida cristiana en lengua tagala
(Guidelines for the Christian life in the Tagalog
language) published in 1605.
47. Another form of religious lyrics are the meditative
verses like the dalit appended to novenas and
catechisms. It has no fixed meter nor rime scheme
although a number are written in octosyllabic quatrains
and have a solemn tone and spiritual subject matter.
But among the religious poetry of the day, it is the
pasyon in octosyllabic quintillas that became
entrenched in the Filipino’s commemoration of Christ’s
agony and resurrection at Calvary. Gaspar Aquino de
Belen’s “Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong
Panginoon natin na tola” (Holy Passion of Our Lord
Jesus Christ in Verse) put out in 1704 is the country’s
earliest known pasyon.
48. NUESTRA SENORA DEL ROSARIO It contains the
biographies of saints, novenas, and questions and
answers on religion. LIBRO DE LOS CUATRO
POSTRIMERIAS DEL HOMBRE First written book in
typography. ANG BARLAAN AT JOSEPHAT Biblical Story
printed in the Philippines and the first Tagalog novel
printed in the Philippines even though it is only a
translation. Some of the books published
49. THE PASION This is the book about the life and
sufferings of Jesus Christ. URBANA AT FELISA by
Modesto de Castro, Father of Classical Prose in Tagalog
Influenced greatly the behavior of the people in the
society. ANG MGA DALIT KAY MARIA (Psalms of Mary)
Collection of songs praising the Virgin Mary.
50. 1. Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala (Art and Rules
of the Tagalog Language) Translated to Tagalog by
Tomas Pinpin in 1610 Written by Fr. Blancas de San Jose
2. Compendio de la Lengua Tagala (Understanding the
Tagalog Language) Written by Fr. Gaspar de San Agustin
in 1703 Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala (Tagalog
vocabulary) First Tagalog dictionary written by Fr. Pedro
de San Bueneventura in 1613. Literary Compositions
51. 3. Vocabulario de la Lengua Pampanga (Pampanga
vocabulary) - the first book written in Pampango written
by Fr. Diego in 1732 4. Vocabulario de la Lengua Bisaya
(Bisayan Vocabulary) - Best Visayan language book -
Written by Mataeo Sanchez in 1711 5. Arte de la Lengua
Ilokana (The Art of the Ilocano Language) - First Ilocano
grammar book by Francisco Lopez 6. Arte de la Lengua
Bicolana (The Art of the Bicol Language) - First book in
the Bicol Language by Fr. Marcos Libson in 1754
52. 1. Mi Ultimo Adios, Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal 2. Dasal at Tocsohan by
Marcelo H. del Pilar 3. Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa by
Andres Bonifacio 4. Ninay by Pedro Paterno 5. Florante
at Laura by Francisco Baltazar 6. Ibong Adarna by Jose
dela Cruz Filipino Works during Spanish Times
53. Folk songs became widespread in the Philippines.
Each region had its national song from the lowlands to
the mountains of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Examples of Folk Songs A. Leron-leron Sinta (Tagalog) B.
Pamulinawen (Iloko) C. Dandansoy (Bisaya) D. Atin Cu
Pung Sing-sing (Kapampangan) E. Sarong Banggi (Bicol)
FOLK SONGS
54. LERON-LERON SINTA – this song depicts
humbleness. It’s the story of a man who tries to show
what he got to win the heart of his beloved one.
PAMULINAWEN – a song about a man courting and
pledging his love to a beautiful girl named
Pamulinawen. DANDANSOY – a farewell song; the title
is the name of the boy to whom the singer is saying
goodbye. ATIN CU PUNG SING-SING – the song is a
request from a lady who lost her ring given by her
mother. She will give her heart to a man who can find
the beloved ring.
55. There were many recreational plays performed by
Filipinos during the Spanish times. Almost all of them
were in poetic form. 1. Tibag – the word tibag means to
excavate. This ritual was brought here by the Spaniard
to remind the people about the search of St. Helena for
the Cross on which Jesus died through a dramatic
performance RECREATIONAL PLAYS
56. 2. Lagaylay – this is a special occasion for the
Pilareños of Sorsogon during Maytime to get together.
This also shows praise, respct and offering love to the
Blessed Cross by St. Helena and the mound she dug in.
3. The Cenaculo – this is a dramatic performance to
commemorate the passion and death of Jesus Christ. 4.
Panunuluyan – this is presented before 12:00 on
Christmas Eve. This is a presentation of the search of
the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph for an inn wherein to
deliver the baby Jesus.
57. 5. Salubong – an Easter play that dramatizes the
meeting of the Risen Christ and his Mother. 6. Carillo
(Shadow Play) – this is a form of dramatic
entertainment performed on a moonless night during a
town fiesta or on dark nights after a harvest. This
shadow play is made by projecting cardboard figures
before a lamp against a white sheet. The figures are
moved like marionettes whose dialogues are produced
by some experts. 7. The Zarzuela – considered the
father of the drama; it is a musical comedy or
melodrama three acts which dealt with man’s passions
and emotions like love, hate, revenge, cruelty, avarice
or some social or political proble.
58. 8. Sainete – a short musical comedy that were
exagerrated and shown between long plays. 9. The
Moro-Moro – a play that depicts a Christian princess
who is captured by the Mohammedans. The father
organizes a rescue party where fighting between the
Moros and Christians ensues. 10. Awit – fabricated
stories from writer’s imagination although the setting
and characters are European; refers to chanting. 11.
Corrido – were usually on legends or stories from
European countries like France, Spain, Italy, and Greece;
refers to narration.
59. 12. Karagatan – this is a poetic vehicle of a socio-
religious nature celebrated during the death of a
person. 13. Duplo – this replaced the Karagatan; this is
just a poetic joust in speaking and reasoning. 14.
Balagtasan – a poetic joust or a contest of skills in
debate on a particular topic or issue. 15. Dung-aw – a
chant in free verse by a bereaved person or his
representative beside the corpse of the dead.
60. Submitted by: Joann Sinilong Alyssa Marie Ursal
Love Laine Caayon Atthea Jane Lepiten 12 – Faraday
Students Submitted to: Mrs. Julie Ann Fernan Subject
Teacher