Historical Background of Philippine Literature

The word “literature” derived from the Latin term ‘litera’ which means letter. It is loosely interpret as any printed
matter written within a book, a magazine or a pamphlet. Others define these, as a faithful reproduction of
man’s manifold experiences blended into one harmonious expression.
-Because it deals with ideas, thoughts and emotions of man, literature can be said to be the story of man.
Man’s loves, griefs, thoughts, dreams and aspirations coached in beautiful language .
-Brother Azurin, said that “literature expresses the feelings of people to society, to the government, to his
surroundings, to his fellowmen and to his Divine Creator.”
(The expression of one’s feelings, according to him, may be through love, sorrow, happiness, hatred, anger,
pity, contempt, or revenge)
-For Webster, it is anything that is printed, as long as it is related to the ideas and feelings of people, whether it
is true, or just a product of one’s imagination.
-In PANITIKANG PILIPINO, written by Atienza, Ramos, Salazar and Nazal, “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 in his environment and, after struggles, to reach his Creator.”

WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

1. So that we can better appreciate our literary heritage

2. Appreciate something that we do not understand
3. We can trace the rich heritage of ideas handed down to us from our forefathers
4. Through studying literature, we will realize our literary limitations conditioned by certain historical factors and
we can take steps to overcome them.
5. 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

OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE in English and Time FRAMES

Philippine literature in English has achieved a stature that is, in a way, phenomenal since the inception of
English in our culture.
OPUS MAGNUMS- a phrase meaning great work, used to mean the greatest individual work that someone
creates, especially in the arts.

TIME FRAMES OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

1. The Period of Reo-orientation- English as a literary vehicle came with the American occupation in August 13, 1898 and
as they say, a choice bestowed on us by history.
-this happened when the Filipino revolutionists won against the Spaniards who colonized us for more than 300 years.
-June 12, 1898- raised the Philippine National Flag as a symbol of our independence. Gen. Aguinaldo, was selected as the
first President of the Philippine Republic but this was short-lived.
1900- English as medium of instruction in public schools and American soldiers were our first teachers
-August 1901- Thomasites arrived (500 American teachers arrived, on board USAT Thomas)
-1903-Filipino-American war resulted in the defeat of Miguel Malvar, and peace movement started as early as 1900.
-Many Filipino started writing again and the nationalism of the people remain to be undaunted. Filipinos went into all
forms of literature like news, reporting, poetry, stories, essays, and novels. Their writings clearly depicted their love of
country and their longing for independence
1908-primary and intermediate grades were using English note: Thomasites formalized and strengthened Philippine
education.
1900-1910- Periodicals El Renacimiento was founded in Manila by Rafael Palma in 1901 by Philippine Free Press,
established in Manila by R. Mc Collough Dick and D. Theo Rogers.
-Not much literary work were produced because writers were still adjusting to the idea of democracy, the new
phraseology of the English language, standards of the English literary style.

Poetry 1907: Sursum Corda, written by Juston Juliano, was published in El Renacimiento- first work to be published in
English- means “lift your hearts” or “hearts lifted” 1909: My Mother and Air Castles, by Jan F. Salazar were also
published, To My Lady In Laoag, by Proceso Sebastian.

“I love Chicago. It’s a second Manila to me.

While I dream of that distant land of my birth, this  great and wonderful city enfolds me in her arms!”
– Justo N. Juliano, 1926

Words are one of most important forms of communication bond. The word ‘diaspora,’ from the Greek word meaning ‘to
scatter,’ may be perceived as the naming of the ‘other’ which carries a sense of ‘displacement’; that is, communities of
people who have been dislocated or separated from their native homeland, as a consequence of colonial expansion,
through the movements of migration, immigration, exile or voluntary aspiration to leave the country and these people
contemplating a hope, or at least a desire, to return to their homeland at some point if the ‘homeland’ still exists in any
meaningful sense.

The above quote exhibits the diaspora hovering between two worlds. It pronounces the difficulties, ambiguities, and
dynamism in the process of diaspora’s identity formation, adoption, and adaptation. While scattered across oceans and
continents, diasporic individuals are linked by a common heritage, history, and racial/ethnic descent and consciousness.
Over time, they are marked by hybridity and heterogeneity – cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and national. They are defined by
traversal of the boundaries demarcating nation and diaspora.

The last vestiges of cultural affi liation in a diaspora is often found in community resistance to language change and in
maintenance of traditional religious practice. But sometimes it is the evolving words of the overseas community that
reaches; challenges the monologic exclusivity on which dominant versions of national identity are based and the cultural
and historical mechanisms of belonging; and strengthens the bonds with their native homeland. This is the case with the
words PINOY.

The term Pinoy was created by expatriate Filipinos born or living in the United States of America during the 1920s, to
differentiate the experiences of those immigrating to America. It was later adopted by Filipinos in the Philippines. Today,
it is now a slang term proudly used to refer to all people of Filipino descent.
In the United States, the earliest published usage known is a Philippine Republic article written in January 1924 by Dr.
Justo Nicholas Juliano, from Manila, Philippines, and a member of the faculty of the Carl Schurz High School in
Chicago – “Why does a Pinoy take it as an insult to be taken for a Shintoist or a Confucian?” and “What should a Pinoy do
if he is addressed as a Chinese or a Jap?”

In the Philippines, the earliest reference of the word was in 1927, in a book titled “History of the Philippine Press,” which
lists a publication “Pinoy; English-Spanish-Visayan; Weekly; Pinoy Pub. Co.; 12-27 -1926 Candaba, Pampanga”.
The term Pinoy also appears in the semi-autobiographical novel “America Is In The Heart” by Carlos Bulosan: “The Pinoys
work every day in the fi elds…” (p. 120, 1946).

We were intrigued to learn that Justo N. Juliano had resided in Chicago and wanted to learn more about him. Juliano was
a Filipino poet and advocate for Philippine independence. Born on December 6, 1887, in Manila, PI, he died on Friday,
January 28, 1972, in Zephyrhills, Florida. His wife was Josephine (nee Meyer) They had two sons and a daughter. He was
84 years old.
His patriotic piece Sursum Corda” is the first known Filipino poem published in English and appeared in the Philippine Free
Press in 1907.

Juliano was a teacher at the Paco Intermediate School in Manila and was also the editor of The Filipino Teacher as well as
the secretary of the Philippine Teachers’ Association. It seems that Juliano was forced to resign from both his position as
a teacher and his roles within the PTA after his poem was published, although he was re-elected as General Secretary
in May 1910. He was punished not for his verses but for his politics. His poem contravened the Sedition Law passed
by the US Congress at the time, which also prohibited the public display of the Philippine flag. Refusing to retract his
anti-colonial position on American occupation, he was, ‘forced to resign as a government teacher’; Afterwards, he
immigrated to the United States of America and attended university in Chicago. To support himself, Dr. Juliano taught
Spanish. and was head of the Spanish Department at Carl Schurz High School in Chicago until he retired in 1953.
There is still so much to learn about Dr. Justo N. Juliano, but his introduction of the word PINOY, his writings, and his life
experiences help us to reexamine the Filipino heart and the meaning of home.

2. Period of Imitation- (1910-1925) the UP College Folio, published the literary compositions of the first Filipino writers in
English. Thet were the pioneers in short story writing.
-Filipino writers imitated heavily American and British models which resulted in a stilted, artificial and unnatural style,
lacking vitality and spontaneity.
 Short stories, novels and essays in English came to exists in this period. Writers of this folio included
Fernando Maramag (the best editorial writer of this period) Juan F. Salazar, Jose M. Hernandez,
Vicente del Fierro, and Francisco M. Africa and Victoriano Yamzon. They pioneered in English poetry.
 Essay noted Essayist: Carlos P. Romulo, Jorge C. Bocobo, Mauro Mendez, and Vicente Hilario- truly
scholarly characterized by sobriety, substance and structure. They excelled in the serious essay,
especially the editorial type. Informal Essay: Manlapaz, Godofredo Rivera, Federico Mangahas,
Francisco B. Icasiano, Salvador P. Lopez, Jose Lansang and Amando G. Dayrit-introduced the informal
essay, criticism and the journalistic column. They spiced their work with humor, wit and satire.
 Novel: Zoilo Galang: Author of A Child of Sorrow- first novel in English published in 1921.
 Short stories: Paz Marquez Benitez- author of Dead Stars, stood out as a model of perfection in
character delineation, local color, plot and message. Other short stories published during this time were
but poor imitations of their foreign models, published in 1920’s.
 Philippine Collegian-replaced the UP College Folio Newspapers and periodicals also saw print during this
time lije the Bulletin, the Philippines Herald (1920), the Philippine Review, the Independent, Rising
Philippines and Citizens, and the Philippine Education Magazine 1924.
 3. Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925-1941) –Filipino writers had acquired the mastery of
English writing.
-competently wrote on a lot of subjects although the old-time favorites of love and youth persisted.
-poetry produced during this time was original, spontaneous, competently written and even socially
conscious.
-Poetry Noteworthy names in this field include: Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion, Jose Garcia Villa, Angela
Manalang Gloria, Abelardo Subido, Trinidad Tarrosa Subido and Rafael Zulueta da Costa. They turned
our not only love poems but patriotic, religious, descriptive and reflective poem as well. They wrote in
free verse, in odes and sonnets and in other types.
-Jose Garcia –author of Footnote to Youth, published in 1933 and Mir-in-isa- known as the Comma Poet-used the
pen name Doveglion (derived from dove, eagle, lion)- was awardes as the National Artist of the Philippines title for
literature in 1973.
Short Story probably, because of the incentives provided by publication like the Philippine Free Press, The Graphic, The
Philippine Magazine and college publications like the UP Literary Apprentice, poetry and the short story flourished
during these times.
1930-1940- the Golden Era of Filipino writing in English Characteristics: There were still remnants of Spanish influence in
the use of expressions that were florid, sentimental, exaggerated and bombastic. The influence of the Western culture
also was already evident.

1. 26. Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925- 1941) Essay Essays during this period improved with the
years in quality and quantity, in content, subject and style. a. Political, social reflective essays: Federico
Mangahas, Salvador P. Lopez, Pura S. Castrence, Vicente Albano Pacis, Ariston Estrada and Jose A.
Lansang. b. Critical essays were espoused by Salvador P. Lopez, I.V. Mallari, Ignacio Manlapaz, Jose
Garcia Villa, Arturo B. Rotor, and Leopoldo Y. Yabes. An example of this is Maximo V. Soliven’s THEY
CALLED IT BROTHERHOOD. c. Personal or Familiar essays were written by F.B. Icasiano (Mang Kiko),
Alfredo E. Litiatco, Solomon V. Arnaldo, Amando G. Dayrit and Consuelo Gar (Catuca).
2. 27. Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925- 1941) Salvador P. Lopez Author of LITERATURE AND
SOCIETY (1940) a collection of critical reflections and serious essays and which won first prize in the
Commonwealth Literary Contest of 1940. Camilo Osias Author of THE FILIPINO WAY OF LIFE (1940) a
series of essays on the Filipino way of life as drawn from history, folkways, philosophy and psychology of the
Philippines
3. 28. Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925- 1941) 1941: F.B. Icasiano (Mang Kiko) was reprints of the
best of Icasiano’s essays in the Sunday Times Magazine under the column From My Nipa Hut. It is an essay
of the common “tao” and is written with humor and sympathy. August 16, 1941: Carlos P. Romulo had an
editorial printed in the Philippines Herald. Entitled I AM A FILIPINO, it was reprinted in his book MY
BROTHER AMERICANS in 1945 in New York by Doubleday & Co. Other essayist include Ignacio
Manlapaz, Vicente Albano Pacis, I.V. Mallari, Jose M. Fernandez, Leopoldo Y. Yabes, Isidro L. Ritizos, Pura
Santillan. The Philippine Writer’s League put out a collection of essays called Literature Under the
Commonwealth. Amando G. Dayrit with his column Good Morning Judge led others like Leon Ma. Guerrero,
Salvador P. Lopez, Vicente Albano Pacis, Jose A. Lansang and Federico Mangahas.
4. 29. Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925- 1941) Biography 1925-1941 1935: I.P. Caballero and
Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion wrote about QUEZON. 1938: THE GREAT MALAYAN won a prize in the
national contest sponsored by the Commonwealth of the Philippines. This was written by Carlos Quirino, the
most famous biographer of the period. He also wrote Quezon, the Man of Destiny. 1940: I.V. Mallari’s The
Birth of Discontent revealed the sensitive touch of a writer who in simple language was able to reveal his
profound thoughts and feelings. History Not much about history has been written by Filipino writers. 1937,
with regard to literary history, we can cite Teofilo del Castillo’s The Brief History of the Philippine Islands.
5. 30. Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925- 1941) PUBLICATIONS The Philippine Free Press provided
the first incentives to Filipino writers in English by offering prizes to worthwhile contributions. Other
publications followed suit. THE DRAMA (1925-1941) Drama during this period did not reach the heights
attained by the novel or the short story. The UP provided the incentives when they introduced playwriting as
a course and established the UP Little Theater.