On National

Literature and Its

Social
Dimensions
LESSON 3
► WHAT ARE THE
THINGS THAT
COMES TO YOUR
MIND WHEN YOU
HEAR “NATIONAL
ARTIST AWARD”?
 NATIONAL ARTIST AWARD
► The National Artist Award confers the rank or title
of National Artist to Filipino citizens who have
made distinct significant contributions in the field
of arts and letters namely, music, dance, theater,
visual arts, literature, film, broadcast arts and
architecture.
► The award is said to represent the nation’s highest
ideals in humanism and aesthetic expression.
What is a Filipino
National Artist in
Literature?
It’s criteria are:
► Living artists who are Filipino citizens
at the time of nomination, as well as
those who died after the
establishment of the award in 1972
but were Filipino at the time of their
death.
► The form and content of their
writings created a sense of
nationhood or instilled nationalism.
► Pioneered a unique style of creative
expression in the literary arts that
inspired younger generations of
writers
► Displayed consistent excellence in
the quality of their works
► Gained recognitions and awards
from prestigious national or
international literary institutions
Who Selects the Filipino
National Artist in
Literature?
● Panel of literary experts
● Commissioners of the National
Commission on Culture and the Arts
(NCCA)
● Board of Governors of the Cultural
Center of the Philippines (CCP)
● President of the Republic of the
Philippines
National Artists of the
Philippines in Literature
 Amado V. Hernandez (1973)
► was born in Hagonoy,
Bulacan but grew up
in Tondo, Manila. His
poems and novels
written purely in the
Filipino mother tongue
tackle issues of the
poor and working
class.
Jose Garcia Villa (1973)
► was also a Manileño,
from Malate’s
Singalong St.; he was
known here and
abroad as the
“master of the
comma poem” a
unique style he
created.
Literary Reflections
First, A Poem Must Be
Magical by Jose Garcia Villa
First, a poem must be magical,
Then musical as a seagull. On the left is an excerpt
It must be a brightness moving of verses from one
example of Jose Garcia
And hold secret a bird’s flowering
Villa’s comma poem.
It must be slender as a bell,
And it must hold fire as well.
It must have the wisdom of bows
And it must kneel like a rose.
 Nick Joaquin (1976)
► a versatile Filipino from
San Juan, was a journalist,
poet, novelist, historian,
playwright, scriptwriter
and biographer. But it
was his mysterious and
suspense- filled novels
that became his
trademark style like the
featured book on the
right.
Carlos P. Romulo (1982)
► a 4’ 11” son of Camiling, Tarlac
was a WW2 soldier, UN
diplomat and foreign affairs
secretary under eight
Philippine presidents. He wrote
18 books, mostly memoirs
about him, Douglas McArthur,
Pres. Quezon and especially
Russian Andre Vishinky who he
silenced with this quote in a UN
Assembly: “It is the duty of the
little Davids of this world to fling
the pebbles of truth in the eyes
of the blustering Goliaths and
force them to behave!”
 NVM Gonzales (1997),
► a native of Romblon
island, was a poet,
essayist, novelist and
teacher who depicted
with his pen the Filipino
spirit in rural and urban
settings. Besides the book
featured on the left, his
other works also focus on
nature like The Bamboo
Dancers, The Winds of
Image Credit:
http://www.mgbertulfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/NVM-
April, Seven Hills Away
Gonzalez-Loam2.jpg
and Work in the
Mountains.
 Edith Tiempo (1999)
► who hails from
Bayombong, Nueva
Vizcaya was a poet, a
novelist, a literary critic, a
teacher and the only
female National Artist for
Literature. Her
masterpieces are famous
for her use of vivid
metaphors and vibrant
Image Credit:
http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1314371662l/12439096.jpg
description that are fluid
and not burdened with
trite details.
 F. Sionil Jose (2001)
► is a native of Rosales,
Pangasinan. He often gleans
local legends and epics from
his hometown as well as from
the Ilocos region to include in
his short stories and novels. His
works are also consistent in
depicting the themes of class
struggle, colonialism, social
justice and national
sovereignty.
Culminating Activity
► Choose one among the seven Filipino
National Artists in Literature tackled in this
presentation. From their body of literary
works, choose one of any genre and do
a critique of it. Did it meet the National
Artist criteria of creating a sense of
nationhood, unique style of creativity,
profound impact on society and
excellence? Explain why or why not?