Aside from poetry, many forms of literature can be classified according to its period in

Philippine history which has a strong effect on Filipino literary writers’ ability since ancient
times until these days. Some of the old forms of prose and poetry are being modified by modern-
day writers through their creative imagination while new forms of literature are arising with the
advent of technology.
As shown in the table that follows, literary forms in literature are divided into the
following era; (1) Pre-colonial times, (2) Spanish colonial tradition, (3) American colonial
period, and Contemporary Period.
● signifies the different forms

⮚ signifies the examples

Era Literary Form Different Forms and/or Examples
Folk ⮚ tigmo in Cebuano,
Speeches ⮚ bugtong in Tagalog,
⮚ burbutia in Ilocano
⮚ paktakon in Ilongo and patototdon in Bicol
Songs or Awit ⮚ Uyayi or hele is a lullaby of putting a child to sleep
⮚ Soliranin is a song for travelers
⮚ Kumintang is a war song
⮚ Maluway is for collective behavior
⮚ Kundiman for melancholic love song
⮚ Panambitan is a courtship song
⮚ Pamanhikan is a song of a would-be bridegroom
⮚ Subli is a dance ritual song of courtship & marriage
⮚ Dallot & duayya are Ilocano love songs
⮚ Dung-aw is a wake or dirge song

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 ⮚ Bagbato is a song ritual for harvest from Mountain
province
⮚ Laji, Kanta or kalusan are popular folk songs in
Batanes
Tagalog ⮚ Salawikain or Sawikain
Proverbs or ⮚ Sarsarita in Iloko
Aphorisms
Tanaga ⮚ basahanon or extended didactic sayings from
Bukidnon daraida
⮚ daragilon from Panay
Pr Folk songs ⮚ children's songs or Ida-ida (Maguindanao), tulang
e pambata (Tagalog) or cansiones para abbing (Ibanag)
Co
lo ⮚ drinking songs or tagay (Cebuano and Waray); dirges
ni and lamentations extolling the deeds of the dead like
al the kanogon (Cebuano) or the Annako(Bontoc)
Pe
rio
d
Lullabyes ⮚ Ili-ili (Ilongo); love songs like the
panawagon and balitao (Ilongo);
⮚ harana or serenade (Cebuano);
⮚ bayok (Maranao);
⮚ ambahan of the Mangyans; he seven-syllable per line
poem
⮚ kalusan (Ivatan),
⮚ soliranin (Tagalog rowing song)
⮚ mambayu, a Kalinga rice-pounding song
⮚ duplo , the verbal jousts/games
Narrative ⮚ kissa among the Tausug of Mindanao
Song
Folk ⮚ Folktales
Narratives
⮚ fables

⮚ myth

Sp Theater ⮚ komedya or later called moro-moro

an ⮚ sinakulo
is ⮚ sarswela
h Religious ⮚ dalit
Co Lyrics
lo
⮚ novenas
⮚ catechisms

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ni Religious ⮚ pasyon-dialogo (dialogue),
al Poetry ● Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong
Pe Panginoon natin na tola" (Holy Passion of Our
rio Lord Jesus Christ in Verse) by Gaspar Aquino de
d Belen
⮚ Manual de Urbanidad (conduct book);
⮚ ejemplo (exemplum)
⮚ tratado (tratado).
● "Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana
at si Feliza" (Correspondence between the Two
Maidens Urbana and Feliza)
● Ang Bagong Robinson" (The New Robinson)
Secular ⮚ korido
poetry or the ● “ Ibong Adarna”
metrical ⮚ awit
romance ● “Florante at Laura” in Tagalog
Secular lyrics ● Ang Manok Kong Bulik ("My White Rooster” )
of Jose Corazon de Jesus

Novels ● “Noli Me Tangere,”

● “El Filibusterismo”
A Free verse or ● “ Ako ang Daigdig” of Alejandro G. Abadilla
m Modernist
eri Poetry
ca
n Short story ● “ Dead Stars” by Paz Marquez Benitez
Co Zarzwela ● “ Tanikalang Ginto,”of Juan Abad
lo ● “Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas” & of Aurelio Tolentino
ni ● “Malaya” of Thomas Remigio
al ● “Hinde Ako Patay,” by Juan Abad, Aurelio Tolentino,
Pe Juan Matapang Cruz,& Juan Crisostomo Sotto
rio Novels in ● Published in Liwayway, Bannawag, and Bisaya.
d Tagalog n ● Iloko, Hiligaynon, & Sugbuano
Novels ● “Bulalakaw ng Pag-asa,” by Ishmael Amado
● “Nena at Neneng,”by Valeriano Hernadez
“Pinaglahuan,” by Faustino Aguilar &
● “ Banaag at Sikat” by Lope K. Santos
Balagtasan ⮚ Bukanegan in Ilocos,

⮚ Crissottan in Pampanga,
Essay in ● “I am a Filipino” by Carlos P, Romulo
English
Newspapers ● “El Nuevo Dia ( The New Daily) established by Sergio
Osmena
● “ El Grito Del Pueblo” ( The Call of Nation) established
by Pascual Poblete
● “El Renacimiento” ( The Rebirth) established by Rafael
Palma

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 Tagalog ⮚ dali or pasingaw
fiction
One-act play ● “ Wanted Chaperone,” &
● “ Forsaken House” by Wilfredo Maria Guerrero
Co Mobile Text ⮚ Textanaga
nt Tula
e ⮚ Dalitext
m
po ⮚ Dionatext
ra Graphic novels ● “Trese 5: Midnight Tribunal,” by Ferdinand Benedict T. Tan
ry & Jonathan A. Baldisimoa ;
Pe
● “Zsazsa Zaturnah sa Kalakhang Maynila” by Carlo Vergara
rio
d Creative ● “The Cardinal’s Sins, the General’s Cross, the Martyr’s
Nonfiction Testimony, and Other Affirmations” by Gregorio C.
Brillantes
● “Manananggal Terrorizes Manila And Other Stories”
by Jessica Zafra
Chick lit ● “Spotlight New Adult” by Mina V. Esguerra
● “Tall Story” by Candy Gourlay
● “All’s Fair in Blog and War” by Chrissie Per
Speculative ● “Smaller and Smaller Circles” by FH Batacan
Fiction ● “Sink” by Isabel Yap
● “The Secret Origin of Spin-Man” by Andrew Drilon
Flash fiction ● “100 Kislap,” by Abdon M. Balde Jr.
● “Karapote: Antolohia Dagiti 13 a Nasuerte A Sarita” by Ariel
S. Tabag
Hyper Poetry ● http://www.yhchang.com/ALL_FALL_DOWN.html
Hyper Fiction http://www.glasswings.com.au/GlassWings/modern/24hours/
eBooks ● https://www.anvilpublishing.com/ebooks/
Blogs ● https://www.rappler.com/rappler-blogs

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