Instructional Course Module No.

11
Instructor: Joann May T. Lumanog, PhD

Subject Code : ELEC 2

Descriptive Title : Philippine Popular Culture

I. Greeting/Salutation
Good day students! Welcome to the subject Philippine Popular
Culture. This subject locates popular culture as a historico-spatial
condition and phenomenon of Philippine modernity. In this subject, we
will investigate how the term popular culture is operationalized,
circulated, re-produced, consumed and instrumentalized by the recurring
social order. We will also consider popular culture as a body of
knowledge that informs us of the national life’s sphere of social activities
and lived experience economy

II. Course Description:

This course provides the students with critical perspectives in
understanding and way of knowing popular culture in the Philippines.
This also gives emphasis on popular culture through the study of
Cultural Studies with a strong focus on culture industry; provides
multi-disciplinal attention on how art can be explored in popular
culture and vice versa.

III. Objectives
Throughout this course, the students will be able to:
1. Provide students with the necessary tools of analysis on exploring
the diverse forms of arts by utilizing the everyday contexts of power,
mode of production, representations and subjectivity as critical tropes
2. Divulge Pop Culture through mixed media culture such as visual
culture, geography, cinema, music/sound, popular prints and
publications, radio and television, fashion, ads, cyberspace,
experience, economy etc. and look at how these cultural products
intimate the contemporary social relations and life—specifically, the
affect, feelings and senses, corporeality, performances, space and
place, technology, globalization and identities

IV. General Instructional Guidelines

1. Each Module has a brief instruction and followed by a list of
objectives. Read them and follow instructions carefully;
2. Before going over the activities, answer the PRE-TEST
EVALUATION.
 3. Part VII – Discussions elucidate the main concepts of the topic
based on the objective of this module;
4. Each activity must be according to the objectives of this Module.
Note the skills or strategies you tried to develop; and
5. At the end of this module, take the POST TEST EVALUATION
ACTIVITY or ASSESSMENT when you have mastered all the activities.

V. Learning Outcomes
1. Discuss the cultural heritage of the country.
2. Discuss the Philippine Culture .

VI. Pre-Test Evaluation (Assessment)

QUESTIONS TO PONDER
1. What is culture?
2. How can we take good care of our culture?
3. Why is it important to appreciate our own cultural heritage?

VII. Discussions

PHILIPPINE CULTURE AND FILIPINO IDENTITY

Philippine society is a unique blend of diversity and homogeneity.

Although geographically part of Southeast Asia, the country is culturally
strongly Euro-American. Forces of assimilation have constantly worked to
overcome cultural differences between the various ethnic groups that are
scattered—sometimes in relative isolation—throughout the archipelago.

Nearly four centuries of Western rule, however, have left an indelible

imprint on the Philippines, serving as a conduit for the introduction of
Western culture and as the catalyst for the emergence of a sense of
Philippine political and cultural unity. While the Christian churches built by
the Spanish and the mosques built by the Muslims provided a spiritual
anchor, the educational system established by the United States and
expanded by the Filipinos has become emblematic of cultural unity and
socioeconomic progress.

Nonetheless, through the persistence of strong family ties, the revival

of the barangay as the smallest unit of government, increased attention to
Asian history and literature, and subsequent revival of dormant traditions,
the Philippines has strengthened its Asian heritage without abandoning its
Western cultural acquisitions.
Daily life and social customs
Life in the Philippines generally revolves around the extended family,
including parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins (up to several times
removed), and other relatives. For Catholic families, godparents—those to
whom care of children are entrusted should the parents die or otherwise be
incapacitated—also figure prominently in the kinship network. Members of
extended families typically gather for major life events such as baptisms and
confirmations (for Catholic Filipinos), circumcisions (for Muslim Filipinos),
and marriages, as well as for major religious and other national holidays.
Among the religious holidays officially observed in the Philippines are
Christmas and Easter, as well as Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the
Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Other major holidays include New Year’s
Day, Labor Day (May 1), and Independence Day (June 12).

The arts
Early Spanish chroniclers testified that the Filipinos carved the
images of their anitos (gods and goddesses) and ancestors in wood. They
also played a variety of musical instruments, including end-blown flutes,
nose flutes, jew’s harps, gongs, drums, and lutes, among others. Various
seasonal celebrations (e.g., harvest) and life rituals (e.g., courtship and
marriage) called for certain instrumental music, songs, and dances.

Although the community of practitioners of rural performing arts has

been diminishing, efforts have been under way to revive as well as
recontextualize some of the indigenous traditions so that they resonate with
an increasingly cosmopolitan Philippine society. Some of the local dance
traditions have been preserved or reinterpreted by contemporary performing
groups such as Bayanihan (the national folk dance company of the
Philippines), established in the mid-20th century, as well as by the Ramon
Obusan Folkloric Group and Ballet Philippines.

Many Filipino musicians have risen to prominence in the Western

classical music tradition, including the composer and conductor Antonio J.
Molina, the composer Felipe P. de Leon (known for his nationalistic themes),
and the opera singer Jovita Fuentes. The Cultural Center of the Philippines,
the Folk Arts Theater, and the restored Manila Metropolitan Theatre (all in
Manila) provide homes for the performing arts, featuring local and foreign
opera and ballet. To encourage the development of arts, the government
gives awards of recognition and maintains a National Arts Center
(established 1976), which includes the Philippine High School for the Arts in
Los Baños, south of Manila.

Filipino painters have included Juan Luna, whose agitated works helped
inspire a sense of Filipino nationalism in the late 19th century; Fernando
Amorsolo, who is known for his traditional rural scenes; the muralists
Carlos V. Francisco and Vicente Manansala; and the modernists Victorio
Edades and Arturo Rogerio Luz. Among sculptors, Guillermo Tolentino and
Napoleon Abueva are prominent. Rural artists from mountainous regions in
northern Luzon and craftsmen living northwest of Manila and in Paete on
the eastern shore of Laguna de Bay are known for wood carvings. Romblon
and other nearby islands are noted for their marble sculptures. Notable
Filipino architects include Juan F. Nakpil, Otilio Arellano, Fernando
Ocampo, Leandro Locsin, Juan Arellano, Carlos Arguelles, and Tomas
Mapua.

The outspoken political novels of nationalist leader José Rizal were

Philippine literary landmarks of the late 19th century, and the work of Nick
Joaquin has been among the most highly acclaimed Philippine literature
since the mid-20th century. The diverse cultural heritage of the country not
only animates most of Joaquin’s fiction writing, but it is also central to his
nonfiction work. Among the most celebrated of Joaquin’s works are his play
A Portrait of an Artist as a Filipino (1966) and his biography of assassinated
presidential candidate Benigno Aquino, The Aquinos of Tarlac: An Essay on
History as Three Generations (1983). Spanish was the prinicipal literary
medium until the end of the 19th century, before yielding to English after
U.S. occupation. Since independence an increasing number of writers have
been composing their works in Filipino or Tagalog.

Filipinos have a tradition rich in local and regional lore. Myths and
legends deal with such subjects as the origin of the world, the first man and
woman on earth, why the sky is high, why the sea is salty, and why there
are different races. Other tales are associated with the Spanish conquest.
On the island of Mindanao an epic known as the Darangen (―To Narrate in
Song‖) depicts the historical and mythological world of the Maranao
community, while in northern Luzon the Ilocano epic Biag ni Lam-ang (―Life
of Lam-ang‖) recounts the exploits of a traditional folk hero.

The Philippines has produced a handful of internationally acclaimed

films, including Himala (1982), which recounts the adventures of a young
miracle worker; Oro, Plata, Mata (1982), the story of two noble families on
the island of Negros during World War II; and Small Voices (2002), the tale
of a teacher in an impoverished rural community who, through music,
inspires her students to shed their cynicism. Despite its successes, the film
industry in the Philippines has remained small, its growth hindered by
escalating production costs, high taxes, uncontrolled piracy of videotapes
and CDs, and the popularity of foreign films over local productions.
Cultural institutions
The National Museum in Manila, which houses a substantial
ethnographic collection, is the principal government vehicle for preservation
and conservation of the country’s tangible and intangible cultural property.
Many of the provinces have established their own museums dedicated to
local history and tradition. A few institutions of higher education—such as
the University of Santo Tomas, Silliman University in eastern Negros,
Mindanao State University in Lanao del Sur, and the University of the
Philippines at Diliman—likewise have added museums to their campuses.
The National Library serves as a repository for Philippine literary materials
and supervises public libraries throughout the country.

A number of locations in the Philippines have been designated as

UNESCO World Heritage sites. These include four 16th-century churches
built by the Spanish in Manila, Santa Maria, Paoay, and Miag-ao
(collectively designated in 1993), the 16th-century trading town of Vigan
(1999) in northwestern Luzon, and the ancient rice terraces of the northern
Luzon cordilleras (1995). Local nongovernmental organizations such as the
Heritage Conservation Society and some historical groups have also sought
to preserve the local heritage.

A number of locations in the Philippines have been designated as

UNESCO World Heritage sites. These include four 16th-century churches
built by the Spanish in Manila, Santa Maria, Paoay, and Miag-ao
(collectively designated in 1993), the 16th-century trading town of Vigan
(1999) in northwestern Luzon, and the ancient rice terraces of the northern
Luzon cordilleras (1995). Local nongovernmental organizations such as the
Heritage Conservation Society and some historical groups have also sought
to preserve the local heritage.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Philippines

It’s no surprise that the Philippines is on everyone’s bucket list of
must-visit countries. The country has so much to offer from pristine
beaches and natural wonders to historical and cultural sites. Whether its
century-old structures, breathtaking mountains, thriving coral reefs, or the
UNESCO World Heritage Sites Philippines, indeed, is full of places everyone
just has to see.
The recognition greatly helps identify Filipino heritage sites that
highlight our culture and the wonders of nature. But more than giving an
identity, it also helps in the preservation and protection of these man-made
structures and natural wonders.
1. Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras:

Topping the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Philippines is the
Cordillera Rice Terraces. It is an outstanding example of an evolved, living
cultural landscape that can be traced as far back as 2,000 years ago.

While this UNESCO World Heritage Site was built a thousand years
ago, the traditional farming technique is still practiced to this day. That’s
why the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are an important part of
the Philippine culture and identity. It is also a living testament to the
sophistication of pre-colonial Filipinos because the Cordilleras were hardly
affected by colonization.

2. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

One of the most remarkable heritage sites in the Philippines is the

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. Most people consider this UNESCO World
Heritage Site as every diver’s dream as it covers 130,028 hectares, including
the North and South Reefs.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is one of the Philippines’ best diving

spots where you can see over 350 species of coral and almost 500 species of
fish. The reserve also protects one of the few remaining colonies of breeding
seabirds in the region.

3. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is one of the world’s

most impressive cave systems. What makes it to the UNESCO World
Heritage Sites Philippines is its uniquely and impressive features of
spectacular limestone karst landscapes, pristine natural beauty, and intact
old-growth forests and distinctive wildlife.

With an underground river measuring up to 8.2 kilometers, it is said to

be among the longest in the world. The highlight of the heritage site Puerto
Princesa Subterranean River National Park is that it flows directly into the
sea, with its brackish lower half subjected to tidal influence, distinguishing
it as a significant natural global phenomenon.

4. Historic City of Vigan

Established in the 16th
century, Vigan is the best-
preserved example of a
planned Spanish colonial
town in Asia according to
UNESCO. One of the reasons
for its inclusions in the
cultural heritage sites in the
Philippines is that its
architecture reflects the
coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from
China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no
parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.

Next to Manila and Cebu, Vigan was the third most important city during
the height of the Spanish colonial era in the 18th and 19th centuries. Vigan
was the center of Spanish colonial power in northern Luzon. The range of
structures along the plazas and streets reveals the story of the town. The
large buildings evoke political or religious power; grand homes speak of
wealth, while others show more modest means; and cobblestones streets
speak of history. This world heritage site is a living testament to the Spanish
colonial era that exerts a strong cultural influence on the modern Philippine
nation.

VIII. Post-Test Evaluation Activity (Assessment)

Read the questions carefully. Write/ encode your best answer.

1. Describe a Philippine Society. Discuss how the cultural differences

affect the diversity of attitudes and values of Filipinos. (10 points)
2. Discuss the following aspects of Philippine arts:
a. Music (5 points)
b. Folklore (5 points)
c. Visual Arts (Painting, sculpting) (5 points)
d. Literature (5 points)
3. Why is there a need to preserve the cultural heritage of our
country? In your opinion, how important is it to preserve our own
heritage? (10 points)
4. Describe at least 2 of your favorite UNESCO World Heritage Sites in
our country. Discuss how these sites exemplify our culture and
heritage. (10 points)

IX. Terminology (Definition of Terms)

Definitions were under the discussion part

X. Summary
The culture of the Philippines is characterized by cultural
diversity. Although the multiple ethnic groups of the Philippine
archipelago have only recently established a shared Filipino national
identity, their cultures were all shaped by the geography and history
of the region, and by centuries of interaction with neighboring
cultures, and colonial powers. In more recent times, Filipino culture
has also been influenced through its participation in the global
community.
 XI. Rubrics/ Criteria for the Assessment Conducted
The student’s output for this module will be gauged using this rubric.
Areas of Excellent Good Average Poor Score
Assessment 8-10 pts. 5-7 pts. 3-4 pts. 1-2 pts.
Ideas Presents ideas Presents Ideas are too Ideas are
in an original ideas in a general vague or
manner consistent unclear
manner

Organization Strong and Organized Some No

organized beg/mid/end organization; organization:
beg/mid/end attempt at a lack
beg/mid/end beg/mid/end

Sentence Sentence Sentence Sentence No sense of

Structure structure structure is structure is sentence
enhances evident; limited; structure or
meaning; flows sentences sentences flow
throughout the mostly flow need to flow
piece
Mechanics Few (if any) Few (if any) Several errors Numerous
errors errors errors

TOTAL

XII. References (Resources and Media)

 Cultural life.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Philippines/Cultural-life

 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Philippines: List of 9 Jaw-

Dropping Sites. https://www.zenrooms.com/blog/unesco-world-
heritage-sites-philippines/