PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

MODULE 2

LITERATURE FROM
THE ILOCOS
REGION
Our Lady of the Pillar College - Cauayan
College of Accountancy

Prepared by:
Raymus A. Sta. Cruz, LPT
Faculty-In-Charge, Philippine Literature

INTRODUCTION Learning
Hi! Welcome to our second Objectives
module!
At the end of this module, you
In the previous module, you have been
should be able to:
immersed with the fundamental concepts in
1. Identify and appreciate

Philippine Literature which include the various authors and literatures

definition of literature and its types, the in the Ilocos Region across

centuries.
Philippine literature timeline, and some
2. Analyze one literature from
approaches in analyzing and interpreting
the Ilocos Region using at
literature.
least one literary approach.

And as you embark with this module, we will 3. Identify the theme of one

now start our journey in Philippine literature by literature from the Ilocos

Region.
exploring literature from the Ilocos Region.
 Our Lady of the Pillar College - Cauayan, Inc.
Philippine Literature College of Accountancy

Literature from the Ilocano literature is one of the

tributaries to the general Philippine literature,

most active

ILOCOS Region next

English.
to Tagalog and Philippine literature in

Taking a closer look...

Brief History of Literature from the Ilocos
Region
Brief Overview of the Ilocos Region: A. Pre Colonial/Colonial Period
A region in the Philippines, encompassing the Composed of riddles, folk songs, proverbs,

northwestern coast of Luzon Island. lamentations (dung-aw), and epics.

Known for historic sites, beaches and well Ancient Ilokano poets express themselves in

preserved Spanish colonial city of Vigan. folk and war songs as well as the improvised,

It comprises four provinces, namely: Ilocos versified and at times impromptu long poem

Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan. delivered in a sing song manner.

Iloko poetry was generally patterned after

Spanish models during the Spanish regime.

The earliest known written Iloko poems:  (a)

Romances translated from Spanish by

Francisco Lopez an Augustinian Friar, and (b)

Doctrina Cristiana by Cardinal Bellarmine the

first book to be printed in Iloko.

Pedro Bucaneg, the first known Ilokano poet,

collaborated with Lopez in the Translation of

the Doctrina into Iloko. He is also the Father of

Ilokano Poetry and Literature. And he wrote the

popular Epic known as Biag ni Lam-Ang (Life of

Lam-Ang ) in 17th century.

Literature from the Ilocos Region

Also known as Iloko Literature.

Pertains to the literary works of various Ilokano

Writers regardless of language used, be it Iloko,

Tagalog, English, among others.

In Ilocano language, Iloko and Ilocano are

different. Iloko is the language and Ilocano

refers to the people using the Iloko language.

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 Our Lady of the Pillar College - Cauayan, Inc.
Philippine Literature College of Accountancy

B. 19th Century Another Iloko novel which was written before

Appearance of Leona Florentino, who has been the end of the 19th century by Don Quintin Alcid

considered by some as the National Poetess of was entitled Ayat, Kaanonto Ngata? (Love,

the Philippines. When Shall it Be?)

Florentino's poems which have survived,

however, appear to the modern reader as C. 20th Century

being too sweet for comfort and sentimental in Was comparatively more intense in literary

nature. activities.

Isabelo Delos Reyes, Leona Florentino's son, Literatures in this period:

follow the footsteps of her mother as he wrote Biag ti Maysa a Lakay , Wenno Nakaam ames a

various poems, short stories, and political Bales (Life of an Old Man or A Dreadful

articles. Revenge) by Mariano Gaerlan.

Uray Narigat no Paguimbagan ( Improvement

Despite Obstacles) by Facundo Madriga.

Sabsabong ken Lulua (Flowers and Tears) by R.

Respicio

Apay a Pinatayda ni Naw Simon? (Why Did They

Kill Don Simon?) First Detective Novel in Iloko by

Leon Pichay.

Puso ti Ina (A Mother’s Heart) by Leon Pichay.

Bannawag, a sister publication of Liwayway,

Bisaya and Hiligaynon, hit the streets on

November 3, 1934, Iloko literature hit the

headland.

Early Bannawag short stories showed sustained

growth. Short stories written in the 1920s were

poor imitations of equally poor American

Fiction. The growth of short story was not

apparent until Bannawag resumed publication

The Comedia, otherwise known as the moro- in 1947.

moro, and zarzuela were presented for the first Themes of short stories when the publication of

time in Ilocos in 19th century. Moro-moro is a Bannawag was resumed: war, Guerilla

highly picturesque presentation of the wars activities, Japanese atrocities, murder, pillage,

between Christians and Muslims. And the and death.

zarzuela, the equally pricturesque depiction of

what is at once melodrama, comic opera, are

Ilocano
still as popular today as they were when first

staged in the Ilocos.

LITERATURE
Printing of the First Iloko Novel, written by Fr.

Rufino Redondo, an Augustinian Friar, titled

Matilde de Sinapangan.

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 Our Lady of the Pillar College - Cauayan, Inc.
Philippine Literature College of Accountancy

REFERENCES
Datu, P. A., Pascua, P. A., & Olayres, W. H. (2017). 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the
World: Redefining Literature Across Nation and Time. Quezon City: Cronica Bookhaus.

Martinez, R. M., & Dado, R. H. (2019). 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World.
Manila: Mindshapers.

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