Contemporary Philippine Arts

From the Region

Lesson 1: Contemporary Art Forms in the

Philippines

Contemporary Art
 Is the at today produced by artist today
 Art of today, produced by artist who are living in the 21st century

Major Contemporary Art Form in the Philippines

1. Music
 Art form that appeals to the sense of hearing, composed by combining notes
into harmony

2. Literature
 Art form of language through the combined used of words, creating meaning
and experiences

3. Theatre
 Art form of performance
 Dramatic text is portrayed on stage by actors, and actresses and enhanced by
props, lights, and sounds

4. Film
 A technological translation of theater, special effects are utilized to enhance
the story telling

5. Dance
 Art of human form
 Body is used, mobilized and choreographed in a specific time and space

6. Architecture, Designs and Allied Arts

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 Structures that meant to be used as shelter
 Its art relies on the design and purpose of the structure

7. Visual Arts
 Art work such as painting, photography, or sculpture, that appeals primarily
to the visual sense and typically exists in permanent form.

Contemporary Art Practices from Various Regions

DANCE
 Tinikling- a Philippine dance which involves 2 individual performers hitting
bamboo poles.

 Carinosa- a Philippine national dance from the Maria Clara suite of Philippine folk
dances

DESIGN AND ART PURPOSE

 Lapu-Lapu Shrine- A 20 m bronze statue in the Mactan Shrine in Mactan Island,
Cebu Erected to honor Rajah Lapu-Lapu

 DANCE
1. Haladaya Festival- The northernmost town of Cebu, a festival in honor of the
warrior Datu Daya of Kandaya

2. Sinulog Festival- Dance ritual of the miraculous image of Sto. Nino

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Music Instruments of Filipinos

1. GANGSA
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- A flat gong played by the groups in the Cordillera region and the Islam and
animist group of the Southern Philippines.

2. SOLIBAO
- Is a hallow wooden Igorot drug topped with pig
skin or lizard skin
- Played by striking the drum had using the palm
of the hand

3. TONGATONG
- A Bamboo Percussion instrument used by
the people of Kalinga to communicate
with spirits during house blessings

4. DIWDIW-AS
- 5 or more different size of slender bamboo
that is tied together

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5. SAGGEYPO
- A bamboo pipe that is closed on one end
by a node with the open end held against
the lower lip
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6. BUNGKAKA
- A bamboo buzzer used by Kalinga and Ibaloi

7. KULINTANG
- A racked gong chime instrument played in the southern islands of the
Philippines, along with iys varied accompanying ensembles.

8. RONDALLA
- Is performed on ensembles comprising
mandolin instruments of various sizes
called banduria composed on the
Ibarian tradition.

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Songs Played by Filipinos

1. OPM
- Original Pilipino Music
- Originally referred only to Philippine pop songs, particularly ballad

2. HARANA AND KUNDIMAN

- In the 1920s Harana and Kundiman became more mainstream musical styles
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Lesson 2: Various Art Forms in the Philippines

Philippine Art History Timeline

Integral Geometric Faith and Social

Islamic Era

Spanish Era
Pre-Colonial Era

to life Designs Cathecism Secular Orientali National Realism

Moder Era
Japanese Era
American Era

Forms of
Contemporary Era

zation Identity
Arts

Pre-Colonial Era
The Philippines' pre-colonial period was filled with indigenous people engaged in
healthy trade with various cultures and economies in the region and the foreign traders.
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VISUAL ARTS

Sculpture, paintings, and pottery were the widely known

forms of visual arts in the Pre-Colonial Period, such as the tattoos
from the pintados in Panay, the Bulul that is a wooden sculpture
of the rice God of Ifugaos, and the Manunggul burial jar that was
found in Palawan.

Famous artworks during pre-colonial:

1) Carving
 Bulul (Cordillera) a granary God that plays an important role in rituals
 Hagabi (Ifugao) a wooden bench
 Santos/Sculptures of Saints (Laguna and Pampanga)

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 Okir (Tausog/Samal/Badjao) mythical sarimanok, the naga or serpent

 Manunggul Jar discovered at Manunggul Cave at Palawan

2) Weaving
 Textile Weaving
a. Pis Siyabit (Tausug of Sulu) a Headpiece woven
b. Malong (Maranao of Lanao de lSur)
 Mat and Basket Weaving
a. Tepo Mat (Sama of Tawi-Tawi) a double layered made of Pandan
leaves
b. Ovaloid basket (Itbayat, Batanes) a head sling made of nito or
bamboo used to carry the harvests
c. Bubo (Ilocos Region) A sturfy bamboo strips used to trap the fish

3) Ornamentation- a representations of various ethnolinguistic group

a. Wearing gold jewelry (upper class Tagalog)
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b. Tattooing (Visayan) It is believed to protect the individual from evil
spirits, it is also a sign of bravery and maturity.

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ARCHITECTURE, DESIGNS AND ALLIED ARTS

It refers to the traditional buildings and

structures developed and used prior to a given
culture's exposure to colonization by other cultural
groups, such as the Spanish or British.

DANCE
The history of Philippine folk dancing incorporates
influences from immigrants and conquerors while at the same
time maintaining distinctly Filipino roots. Philippine folk
dancing is a true reflection of daily life in past centuries while
enchanting modern audiences at the same time.

1) Pangalay Dance (Sulu) is mimetic of the movements of the sea birds

2) Mandaya’ Kinabua, Banog- banog (Higaoan & B’laan), and ma-manok (Bagobos in
Mindanao) is imitated the movements of predatory birds
3) Talip Dance (Ifugao)- used for courtship; mimetic of the movements of wild fowls
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4) Inamo Dance (Matigsalugs) and Kadaliws dance (T’boli)- represent the comedic
movement of the monkey
5) Tinikling Dance evocatice of the movement of the crane, balancing itself on stilt-
likeleegs or flirting away from the clutches of bamboo traps

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THEATRE

During the pre-historic times, theatre in the

Philippines was in the form of indigenous rituals, verbal
jousts or games, or songs and dances to praise gods.
According to early chronicles, pre-historic dramas
consisted of three elements – myth, mimesis, and
spectacle.

MUSIC

Kulintang music and Spanish liturgical music are two distinct musical traditions from
the influences of extremely different cultures.
During the pre-colonial period, Filipinos already had rich musical traditions. In the Southern
Philippines, particularly among the Magindanaon-Maranao and Tausug-Samal-Yakan
peoples, “the kulintang ensemble is often considered as the most cultivated of the region’s
musical expressions” (Hila 1989).

The kulintang refers to an ensemble

of gongs laid in a row. It consists of seven,
eight, and as many as twelve gongs
diminishing in size. It is the kulintang
instrument that provides the melody, and it
is supported by other instruments such as
the gandingan (a set of suspended gongs),
dabakan (goblet-shaped drum), and other
gongs such as agong and babendil. These
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other instruments “act as drones constantly repeating a particular rhythmic pattern for the
duration of the music” (Hila 1989).

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LITERATURE

Literary pieces transferred in traditional narratives, speeches, and songs include

Tigmo in Cebuano, Bugtong in Tagalog, patototdon in Bicol, and paktakon in Ilonggo.
Baybayin (to spell) was the pre-colonial writing system in the Philippines. Some modern
scripts in the Philippines descended from Baybayin.

Islamic Era
In the 13th century, traders and missionaries have introduced the religion of Islam in
the Philippines. Islamic art meshed with ethnic culture and produced a Filipino Muslim art
that reflects the ethnic background and Islamic identity of the people. Examples are:
Okkir/Langkit Malong, Sarimanok, Sunduk, Torogan, and Mosque.

ARTS
The only reminders of Filipino Muslim art inside mosques are the traditional art
form known as Okkir. This art form is believed to be of Hindu and Chinese influences.
Okkir uses geometric and floral artwork. One popular motif of this art form is the use of an
imagery of a dragon or serpent
Islamic art is characterized by designs of flowers, plant forms and geometric
designs. It is used in calligraphy, architecture painting, clothing and other forms of fine art.
As Islam spread around the world, this distinct form of art has become an integral part of
the identity of its followers, including the Philippines.

 Islamic art in the Philippines have two main artistic styles. One
is a curved-line woodcarving and metalworking called okir,
similar to the Middle Eastern Islamic art. This style is
associated with men.

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 The other style is geometric tapestries, and is
associated with women. The Tausug and Sama–
Bajau exhibit their okir on elaborate markings
with boat-like imagery. The Marananaos make
similar carvings on housings called torogan.
Weapons made by Muslim Filipinos such as the
kampilan are skillfully carved.

 Buraq
This extraordinary figure is a buraq, a half-horse,
half-human, winged figure from the Islamicised people of
the southern Philippines, most probably Mindanao. It has
been carved from several pieces of wood, with dark
staining, and has various decorative hammered plates of
silvered copper attached to it, as well as wire earrings in
the ears.
It stands on four feet, on a flat platform. The
crowned head is detachable, as are the carved wings. The wings are carved on both the
upper and undersides with Islamic-inspired, Malay-like scrollwork typical of Mindanao
and the Sulu Archipelago. The head is able to swivel around so that it can ‘look’ in any
direction.
Such figures were decorative and were displayed among the Maranao people of
Mindanao during important feasts.

 Langkit Malong
Worn by men and women, the Maranao malong a landap is
characterized by decorative tapestry bands called langkit that
join sections of plain fabric to make a full tubular garment.
The central, wide vertical langkit is called landap and the
narrower bands that run across the width of the malong is
called tobrian.
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 Sunduk
Like Western gravestones, Bajau grave markers commemorate
and mark the resting places of the dead. The markers consist of two
components, the kubul, a low openwork fence that surrounds the grave,
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and the sunduk, an upright element at the center of the enclosure. The form of sunduk
reflects the gender of the deceased.

 Batik
Clothing reflects the style and colours of their
ethnic background. A design related to Islam thatis used in
the Philippines is the batik cloth design. This kind of design
traces its influence from Indonesia. It contains abstract
themes with geometric and floral design. However, human
and animal depiction is a rare motif in batik.

 Okir/Okil
Okir or okil is the term for rectilinear and
curvilinear plant-based designs and folk motifs that can
be usually found among the Moro and Lumad people of
the Southern Philippines, as well as parts of Sabah.

ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND ALLIED ARTS

1) Mosques
Mosques in the Philippines have a common architectural feature
that is similar with its Southeast Asian neighbors. It is made of light
materials such as wood, bamboo and cogon grass and was used in
the building of the early types of mosques but these light materials
did not last long. The Philippines is composed of diverse
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culture. One of it is the Islamic culture that could be said as one of

the pioneers in the making of the Philippine culture. Architecturally, Islamic architecture in
the Philippines is dominantly present in Mosques only.

2) Torogan
A torogan is a traditional ancestral house built by
the Maranao people of Lanao, Mindanao, Philippines
for the nobility. A torogan was a symbol of high social
status. Such a residence was once a home to a sultan or
datu in the Maranao community.
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DANCES
The highlight of the celebration included the most awaited cultural dances of the
Maranao. It is characterized by colors and instrumental sounds with elegant fabric
decorations. Most of the Maranao’s traditional and cultural dances were created from the
Darangen, an ancient epic of the Maranao community that was well performed at festivals
and occasions for entertainment.
1) Kapmalo-Malong
Kapmalo-malong, also known as Sambi sa Malong, is
an elegant cultural dance that exemplifies different ways of
using malong. Performed by men and women, the dance
highlights malong‘s colorful designs and how it is worn.
To fully absorb the steps of this dance, one must learn
and understand the significance of malong – a simple tubular
yet highly functional piece of cloth for all Filipino-Muslim.

2) Singkil
One of the most famous royal dances of the
Maranaos is the singkil, a popular form of dancing in
which the woman is elegantly dressed and gently steps in
and out of the clipping bamboos while holding a fan and
moving to the
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accompaniment of kulintang [a set of eight small gongs of bronze, on a wooden stand in the
shape of a Sarimanok] and agung [a set of two wide-rimmed, vertically suspended gongs
used by Filipino-Muslim] which are the main instruments used in singkil music.

3) Kapagapir-apir
Another famous Maranao dance is Kapagapir-apir in
which the ladies gracefully perform with their hands, holding
fancily colored fans, and then slowly moving in small steps
[kakini-kini] while twisting and balancing, with fans
covering their faces.

LITERATURE
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Filipino Muslim Literature is an inventory of diverse cultures that displays features
and cultures of the Muslims in the Philippines. These distinctions distinguish one Muslim
cultural community from another.

1) Bantugan
Bantugan is an epic story told in the great oral
tradition of the Maranao tribe. It is a story about the great
Prince Bantugan, the greatest warrior of the kingdom of
Bantugan.

2) Sarimanok
The Sarimanok is the legendary bird that has
become an ubiquitous symbol of Maranao art. It is
depicted as a fowl with colorful wings and feathered
tail, holding a fish on its beak or talons. The head is
profusely decorated with scroll, leaf, and spiral motifs.
It is said to be a symbol of good fortune.
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Spanish Era

MUSIC
 Spanish Colonial Music (1521-1898)
Music developed during this period, is one of the roots for modern Filipino music. It
was during this period that guitars became popular. The three (3) main forms introduced to
the Filipinos were the Harana, Kundiman, and Rondalla. Most of these forms were
developed as a result of the fusion between tribal music styles and traditional Spanish and
Mexican music.
1. Harana
- It is practiced in small towns and rural places. This is how the men court the women
from before. A man accompanied by his friends would visit a woman and sing to her
love songs to express his sincerity to her.
- The suitor is usually accompanied by his friends for moral support and also helps
him with the songs he will use to serenade the woman.
- Also called “Habanera Filipina” (because its rhythmic element came from the
Spanish Tango or Habanera)

2. Kundiman
- Kundiman may be similar to Harana because the song is dedicated to a woman.
Although in kundiman, a man is singing about his longing for a loved one.
- This was also used in Spanish Era as a mean to express ones’ love for country and
longing for freedom.
- The Kundiman was used in this way, because the Spaniards did not allow songs
pertaining to patriotism.

3. Rondalla
- Rondalla is an ensemble of instruments. Philippine rondallas consists of piccolo
bandurria, bandurria, and la-ud, and the guitar-shaped octavina and mandola,
guitarra and double bass.
- Used to accompany several Hispanis-influenced song forms and dances.
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LITERATURE
Philippine Literature was born in Spanish. There had been a rich literary tradition in the
islands before the Spaniards arrived but it was the Spanish to publish those tales and stories.
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1. Alibata
- The first Filipino alphabet was the Alibata (also known as Baybayin).
- When the Philippines was colonized, it was then changed later on by the Roman
Alphabet.

2. Doctrina Christiana
- An early book on the catechism of the Catholic Church, written in 1593 by Fray
Juan de Plasencia, and is believed to be the one of the earliest printed book in the
Philippines.

3. Pasyon
- This is the book about the life and sufferings of Jesus Christ.

THEATRE
In the three whooping centuries the Spaniards were on the Philippine shores, they used
theater forms like the sinakulo and the komedya to spread Catholic dogma and keep
Filipinos under Spanish rule.
1. Komedya de Santo
- If you grew up as a Catholic, then you know that Christians love their saints. Pick a
place, activity of thing and there might be a patron saint for that.
- Back when the Spaniards were occupying the motherland, they celebrated these
saints by staging their stories, the miracles they brought on, or anecdotes from their
lives. These shows sometimes also tell the story of Christ. They called these shows
as a “Komedya de Santo”.

2. Salubong
- Lent is also a major Catholic holiday, and the journey of Christ’s passion and
resurrection naturally gave birth to many different types of theater forms that began
during the Spanish period.
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- One of the most well-known is the salubong which originated from via crucis, or a
procession that commemorates the fourteen stations of the cross.

3. Zarzuela
- A Spanish lyric-dramatic genre of theatre which emerged towards the end of the
Spanish colonial period and the start of the American colonial period.
- This form of theatre typically incorporates popular song and dance along with its
spoken dialogue.

DANCE
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The Spaniards introduced many of their native folk dances to the Filipinos. Spanish
dances tend to use colorful clothes with props such as umbrellas, bamboos and castanets.
The most prominent use of dances during the Spanish period was during fiestas.

1. La jota ManileÑa
- The dance is named after the capital city of the Philippines, Manila, where an
adaptation of Castillan Jota afloats with the clacking of bamboo castanets played by
the dancers themselves.
- The costume and the graceful movements of the performers noticeably inspired by
the Spanish culture.

2. CariÑosa
- It is originated in Panay Island and was introduced by the Spaniards during their
colonization of the Philippines.
- It is related to some of the Spanish dances like the Bolero and the Mexican dance
jarabe tapatio or the Mexican hat dance.

3. Polka sa Nayon
- This ballroom polka was popular in the province of Batangas in the Spanish time. It
was usually danced during town fiestas and in big social affairs.
- The dance has an average difficulty, with different variations of polka step being
used all throughout, with a lively tune to go by it.
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ARCHITECTURE
When we got colonized by the Spaniards, they also brought impact to the architecture
which can be seen until today.

1. Baroque Churches
- The Baroque churches in the Philippines consists of 4 churches built during the
Spanish colonial era in the late 16th century – San Agustin Church in Manila, San
Agustin Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion in Santa
Maria, Ilocos Sur, and Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church in Iloilo.
- These churches have stood out in the history of the Philippines by furthering
Christianity in the island nation, providing political stability during the colonial rule
of the Spanish.

2. Calle Crisologo
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- Located in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, this historical heritage serves as a view for us to have
a glimpse of the Spanish period.
- Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned
Spanish colonial town in Asia.
- Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in
the Philippines, from China and from Europe.

3. Intramuros
- The name Intramuros means “inside the wall”. For 400 years, Intramuros served as
the center of the Spanish occupation, originally built to be the residence for Spanish
government officials and their families.

VISUAL ARTS
Images of the Holy Family and the saints were introduced to the Filipino psyche through
carved santos, the via crucis (stations of the cross), engravings on estampitas, and through
paintings on church walls.

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1. Retablos
- A vertical multi-tiered structure behind the altar with an elaborate frame enclosing
revered objects, which may include religious paintings, sculptures or both.

2. Religious Paintings
- Artistic imagery using religious inspiration and motifs and is often intended to uplift
the mind to the spiritual. It can be done by the use of oil painting and other painting
techniques.

3. Sculpture/ Carving
- Sculpture during the Spanish colonial period consisted mostly of santos, or images
of religious saints.
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American Era
The cession of the Philippines to the U.S. by Spain happened. The U.S. regime
lasted until the U.S. recognition of Philippine independence in 1946.
 Secular form of Art
- They set out to conquer the Filipinos through education and governance- the
public school system and a system of government.
The coming of the Americans brought in new art forms and a different kind of
outlook in life. The Americans educated the Filipinos and, thus, influenced their way of
thinking and creativity. The New Philippine Government under General Emilio Aguinaldo
was defeated by the new colonial masters (the Americans) who bought the country form its
old master (the kingdom of Spain) by way of the Treaty of Paris.

MUSIC
After the 333-year reign of the Spaniards, the American colonists brought with them
a new breed of music. During this era, vaudeville (bodabil), cabaret (kabaret) and kundiman
became the most popular forms of music (Anupol, 2007). Songs became a hybrid of other
forms of music that were popular then such as the kundiman. Nevertheless, the influence of the
Americans in Filipino music proved to be evident during the 1960’s (during the popularity of the
Beatles) and 1970’s (“disco fever”) (Anupol, 2007).
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Musical Characteristics:

Blues, folk, R&B, and rock and roll were brought by the Americans when they
arrived. They also made music a part of the educational curriculum. This improved the
Filipinos' musical abilities, and they exploited these abilities to copy Western music to
produce localized versions of that music. Eventually, the Philippines catered its own talents
like Lea Salonga at a much later date. Jukeboxes, AM radio, American dance halls,
vaudeville, jazz, Broadway musicals, and vinyl recordings were nevertheless widely used at
this time, allowing people to listen to American rock bands.

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Musical Forms:
Songs evolved from other popular musical genres of the time, such kundiman. Yet,
during the 1960s (during the Beatles' heyday) and 1970s ("disco fever"), the American
influence on Filipino music became clear.
Less "formalized and institutionalized" musical genres gained popularity in kabaret
concert halls, vaudeville productions with humorous, raunchy, and occasionally filthy
pieces set to jazz music, and even occasionally traditional grass-roots kundiman. Some
musical forms are Symphony and opera.

 The Philippine Constabulary Band

- was a symphonic band
- founded by Walter H. Loving on October 15, 1902
- On October 15, 1902, US Civil Governor General William Taft formally
approved the band, originally composed of 400 volunteer male vocalists.
- It brought international fame to the country through its participation in
international expositions, such as the St. Louis Exposition in 1904, the Panama
Canal Exposition in 1915, and the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1937.
- It also played during the 1909 inauguration of US President William Howard
Taft. After Loving’s death, the band was reorganized in 1946 and placed in the
service of the Philippine Army.
- It was led by Col. Antonino Buenaventura, National Artist for Music named in
1988.
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 The Deltas
- The Deltas were playing wild and frantic Rockabilly but unlike many other
bands, they related heavily to the blues idiom

 RJ & The Riots

- RJ & The Riots started circa 1960
and were one of the first bands with
electric instruments in the Philippines
and one of the premier electric
instrumental bands in the country.
- They were also the first rock band in
the Philippines to release original
rock n’ roll songs with lyrics.

LITERATURE
Philippine literature during the American rule was influenced by two factors, first of
which is, education. Spanish colonialism's demise freed the printing industry from
restrictions on religion. The printing press was utilized to prevent American culture from
influencing Philippine culture because the printing business was controlled by patriotic
investors. Newspapers in our different dialects flourished all over the archipelago. Because
certain newspapers had a place for literary essays, writers had the chance to showcase and
reveal the unique potential of Filipinos.
The most well-known periodicals that made use of short stories and poems are:
1. Liwayway (1922, Tagalog)
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- It contains Tagalog serialized novels, short stories, poetry, serialized comics,
essays, news features, entertainment news and articles, and many others. In fact,
it is the oldest Tagalog magazine in the Philippines.

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2. Bisaya (1930, Cebuano)

- A weekly Cebuano magazine now published by the Manila Bulletin
Publishing Corporation, Philippines. It has the record of being the oldest
magazine in Cebuano which is still published, and "the most successful
periodical in Cebuano" 

3. Hiligaynon (1934, Ilonggo)

- The leading Ilonggo weekly magazine published in the Philippines since
1934. It contains Ilonggo serialized novels, short stories, poetry, serialized
comics, essays, news features, entertainment news and articles, and many others.
Hiligaynon closed during the notorious Martial Law era, but was resurrected in
1989.

4. Bannawag (1934, Ilokano)

- It has been acknowledged as one foundation of the existence of
contemporary Iloko literature. It is through the Bannawag that every Ilokano
Writer has proved his mettle by publishing his first Iloko short story, poetry, or
essay, and thereafter his succeeding works, in its pages. The magazine is also
instrumental in the establishment of GUMIL Filipinas the umbrella organization
of Ilokano writers in the Philippines and in other countries.

The literary genres that flourished during the American Period were poetry,
sarswela, short story, and the novel. Poetry was written in the three languages - Filipino,
Spanish, English, and in the different dialects.
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Some of the known poets during the American period were:

Carlos P. Romulo, Maria Agoncillo, Jose Garcia Villa, Maximo Kalaw, Carlos Bulosan, Paz
Marquez Benitez, and Salvador P. Lopez.

 There were three collections of poems printed namely Filipino Poetry edited by
Rodolfo Dato, The English German Anthology of Poets edited by Pablo Laslo, and a
pre-war collection by Carlos Bulosan.

 The Balagtasan
- named after Francisco F. Balagtas
- is a debate in verse, a poetical joust done almost
spontaneously between protagonists who debate over the pros
and the cons of a certain issue
- The first ever balagtasan was held in March 1924 at the
Insituto de Mujeres, with Corazon de Jesus and Florentino
Collantes as rivals.
- Jose Corazon de Jesus, known also as Huseng Batute, became the first ever king
of the Balagtasan.

Huseng Batute
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THEATRE
When American colonial rule was established, the United States introduced the
American way of life through education, media, and language. Their influence on Philippine theatre
is most apparent through the bodabil (vaudeville) and the plays and dramas staged or translated into
English.

In 1898, the first bodabil was produced by the

Manila Dramatic Guild for the sole purpose of entertaining
American soldiers and other Americans residing in Manila. It
was also the first theatrical performance since the revolution.
In the 1930s, the country was introduced to
Broadway theatre or stage plays through the westernized
education that was provided in most private schools for
privileged children. Shakespearean tragedies and comedies, as well as western classics, were
performed in the original English or English adaptation.

 Vaudeville
- is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19 th century
- A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based
on a comical situation: a dramatic composition or light poetry, interspersed with songs
or ballets. Vaudeville was popular in the Philippines during the American period up to
the Japanese occupation.
- The bodabil is not a straight-up play. The theatrical performance is, in fact, a mix of
songs, dances, comedy skits, and even magical performances. Local audiences bought-
in and productions soon found themselves becoming entertainment spectacles that can
be transported from one town to the next. Not long after, the bodabil was interjected
into comedias and zarzuelas, as intermission numbers known as jamborees.

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FILM

As the country was placed under U.S. rule, it enjoyed many of the U.S.’s
technological advances in real time. One of the most significant was film and all of the many
equipment that produced it. On January 1, 1897 six movies were exhibited for the first time on a 60-
mm Gaumont Chronomatograph projector at the Salon Pertierra, Escolta.
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 The Silent Pictures Era (1897 to 1929)
Three other parts, the first of which was what Maslog calls the Dominance of
Documentary, in turn dominated this era. Indeed, American filmmakers went to the
Philippines to shoot local scenes and events such as Eruption of the Taal Volcano in 1911,
fiestas at the Obando, or trade at Binondo. Foreign documentaries were also commonly
shown in small parts of the city. Documentaries such as those that narrated the life of
Napoleon or the assassination of President McKinley. These were usually accompanied by
an orchestra.

The second part of the Silent Picture Era is the Rise of Feature Films. La Vida de
Rizal is the country’s first feature film, directed and produced by the American Harry
Brown, and based on a popular stage play by Edward Meyer Gross. It starred the original
saruswela actors, including the playwright’s wife Titay Molina-Gross, who managed the
dramatic troupe from which the stars of this film were from. El Fusilamiento de Rizal was a
competing feature film, produced by another American Albert Yearsley.

The third part of the Silent Picture Era is The Cinema of Philippines. In 1917,
brothers Jose and Jesus founded the film company Malayan Movies, which had the self-
proclaimed goal of adapting the current movie industry “to the conditions and tastes of the
country.” This was obviously in reaction to foreign movies which were Americanizing
Filipino tastes. With this, in 1919 Jose Nepomuceno produced the first Filipino made film—
Dalagang Bukid, another sarsuwela adaptation. Nepomuceno would go on and produce
many films since such as La Venganza de Don Silvestre (1920), Noli Me Tangere (1930),
and Makata at Paraluman (1933).
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 The Talking Pictures Era

In 1929, George P. Musser produced the first Filipino talking picture, Ang

Aswang, just two years after the first “talkie” or talking picture was shown in the U.S.
and in the following decade.

THE 1930s
PUNYAL NA GINTO
-the first complete Filipino talking picture made by Jose Nepomuceno
-based on a Liwayway novel by Antonio Sempio
-produced with help from Harris and Tait (of Filipino Films)
 Contemporary Philippine Arts
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The first division is called the Rise of Commercial Film Companies. In 1937,
Sampaguita and Excelsoir Pictures were established. In 1938, LVN Pictures, and in 1939
X’otic Films. By 1941, the big companies had their own studio lots and production
facilities.
Another division of this era was the Commercialization of Film, which
immediately followed the previous division. This saw the rise of the “star system.” Instead
of hiring actors based on merit, film companies usually chose their actors based on their
appeal (charming and glamorous) and looks (most resembled American actors and were
mestizahin). It followed the Hollywood practice of building up stars. These growing film
companies tended to focus on marketable faces and stories, mostly of love. Actors were
usually coupled in many films to produce fanfare and a loyal following, such as in the case
of Norma Blancaflor and Jaime Dela Rosa or Rogelio dela Rosa and Rosa del Rosario.
It was also during this period that Philippine film saw the Rise of Genre Movies.
Still imitating Hollywood, local movies classed themselves into well-known genres:
Adventure or action, drama or melodrama, musical comedy,

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DANCE
Inevitably, the Americans' entry into the country brought with it their cosmopolitan
and commercial culture. Their Black-influenced music and dances appealed to the
terpsichorean bent of the Filipinos. Already schooled in the zarzuela, they found fascination
in the vaudeville (later called the stage-show) which is a mix of the theatrical, minstrel and
circus acts that attracted both the elite and the masses.
The cakewalk, buck-and-wing, skirt-dance, clog, tap and soft-shoe were performed
in the zarzuela theaters, later with the cinema shows. Social dances also became part of the
repertoire on stage, such as the Charleston, foxtrot, big apple, one-step, slow-drag, the
Latin-influenced tango, rumba, samba, mambo and cha-cha.

 John Cowper
- dean of Philippine vaudeville
 Bayani Casimiro and Nieves Manuel
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- the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of the Philippines
 Don Jose Zarah
- A noted Portuguese dancer-impresario from the Spanish times, carried on into the
'60s at the Clover Theater.

ARCHITECTURE, DESIGNS AND ALLIED ARTS

All architectural designs are classical in nature, including art deco design on
buildings and houses. City planning was a huge step in the development of Manila, where
major buildings are Neo-Classical in designs the same designs used in Washington DC.
During this time, Daniel Burnham commissioned to design Manila and Baguio, while
William Parsons implemented the Burnham plans.
An outstanding American contribution to the country was the creation of a civil
government.

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The ruling military government of the Americans during that time invited the
renowned Chicago architect and town planner Daniel Burnham to improve the city of
Manila and establish a summer capital in the area of Baguio after finally establishing
American rule on the island.
The arrival of Burnham led to the formation of the Burnham Plan, which recognized
the city of Manila as a uniquely European city in the tropics and as such persisted to
construct its architecture in line with the existing style.
The varied style, the combination of historic styles, also discovered its way in some
of the commercial buildings rising in the business district, such as the Regina Building
along historic Escolta.
Once the Spanish colonial era ended, the American colonial era came in with the
establishment of civil government houses as its most impactful influence on the Philippines.
With this, a drastic change in architectural design was observed. The government buildings
that were built “resembled Greek or Roman temples.”

 Beaux Arts Style–Integrated Structures

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The American influence on Philippine architecture is divided into two, with the first
kind involving the first generation of Filipino Architectures “who studied engineering and
architecture in the United States, which were sponsored by colonial masters.” This first
generated integrated the Beaux Arts style into structures, and combined concepts of utility
and modernism.

 Art Deco Style Structures

The second generation, on the other hand, focused on the integration of the Art Deco
style in architecture by various architects. This kind of style centered around, “exuberant
exoticism, and exotic embellishments and ornamentation.” Examples of such buildings from
this generation include the Manila Metropolitan Theater, ELPO Building, and the Old Jaro
Municipal Hall.
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VISUAL ARTS
The new art patrons, like the tourists and the foreign investors, favored landscapes,
still life, and genre themes that depicted the beauty of the land and its people. Portraits were
still preferred by the public officials, usually showing them in respectable poses. The main
theme of artworks in this time is national identity.

 Don Fabián de la Rosa y Cueto (May 5, 1869 – December 14, 1937)

- He was the first Filipino painter of the 20th century.
He was the uncle and mentor to the Philippines'
national artist in painting, Fernando Amorsolo, and to
his brother Pablo. He is regarded as a "master of
genre" in Philippine art.
- Some of his works are A Remembrance of the Villa
Borghese, Marikina Valley, Young Filipina, and Woman Planting Rice

 Fernando Amorsolo (1927 - 2022)

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- Fernando Amorsolo became famous during the
American Period because of his paintings that depict
Filipino culture.
- He is the so-called "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art"
- Some of his works are:
 Afternoon meal of the rice workers, 1951, oil on
canvas. Won first prize at the New York World's
Fair.
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 Fruit Gatherer, oil on board, 1950. A specimen of Amorsolo's conception of

an ideal Filipina beauty.
 El Ciego (The Blind Man), oil on panel, 1929.
 Palay Maiden is an oil canvas painting made in 1920 depicting a portrait of a
woman holding grain, a crop that is commonly grown in the country.

 Guillermo Tolentino
- famous because of masterpiece sculptures
- He was a Filipino sculptor and professor of
the University of the Philippines. He was
designated as a National Artist of the
Philippines for Sculpture in 1973, three years
before his death.
- Some of his works are:
 The UP Oblation (1935)- It depicts a
man facing upward with arms outstretched, symbolizing selfless offering
of oneself to his union. 
 The Bonifacio Monument (1933)- A memorial monument in Caloocan,
Philippines which was design by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino to
commemorate the Philippine revolutionary Andres Bonifacio.
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_
Japanese Era

The Filipino way of life was greatly affected during the Japanese occupation.
Filipinos lost their freedom of speech and expression. The development of arts was also
stopped.
Since the Japanese advocated for the culture of East Asia, preference was
given to the indigenous art and traditions of the Philippines. This emphasized their
propaganda in Asia. Under the Japanese occupation of Manila, the Modern Art Project
would slow down in pace. Early moderns and conservatives alike continued to produce art
and even participated in KALIBAPI (Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod ng Bagong Pilipinas)
sponsored art competitions. KALIBAPI was the head propagators of Japanese policies in
the Philippines.
Nevertheless, art production once again tilted to fulfill the agenda and
demands of the new colonial order. The Japanese forces led the formation of the greater
East Asia Co- Prosperity Sphere, a propaganda movement that sought to create a Pan-
Asian identity rejected Western traditions. The productions images, texts, and music
underwent scrutiny.

MUSIC
Playing and listening to music were among the leisure activities that somehow made
life bearable for Filipinos. Japanese music was heard daily in radio broadcast. Their songs
were also taught in public schools.
 Awit sa Paglikha ng Bagong Pilipinas
- Hymn of the Birth of the New Philippines
- composed by National Artist Felipe P. De Leon, was said to have been
"commanded at the point of the gun."

 Sa Kabukiran
- written in Tagalog in the 1940's
- composed by Levi Celerio (National Artist for Music and Literature, 1997)
- sung by Sylvia La Torre
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_______________________________________________________________________________
__
LITERATURE

 Asia for the Asians

- Slogans such as "Asia for the Asian made its way to the public through posters,
ephemera, comics, and Japanese sponsored publications.

 Tribune
- it competed with the American – owned by Manila day Bulletin and rival
Philippines Herald.

 Liwayway (Dawn)
- it contains Tagalog serialized novels, short stories, poetry, comics, essays,
entertainment news and articles.

 Shin-Seiki (Bagong Araw)

- The magazine of the KALIBAPI used Tagalog and Japanese side by side. Films
and plays of the period, were all done in the national language.

ARCHITECTURE, DESIGNS AND ALLIED ARTS

1950's also saw the construction of modern architectural structures, particularly

churches that modified or veered away from traditional cruciform designs.

 Church of the Risen Within the UP  Church of Holy

Lord Diliman campus, these Sacrifice
were both employed
concrete as primary
material and
experimented with
rounded or parabolic
forms.

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 The Chapel of St. Joseph the Worker

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- was designed by New York architect Anthony Raymond (an apprentice of the
great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright) and was built, on the site of the
old factory, from 1948 to 1949.Earthquake-proof, its tower and nave are
connected by movable beams.

VISUAL ARTS
Genre paintings were the most widely produced, particularly those that presented a
neutral relationship between Filipinos and Japanese through works that showed normality of
daily living.

1. Fernando Amorsolo
 Harvest Scene and Rice Planting (1942)
- These paintings that evoked a semblance of peace
idealize of work in the countryside, and promote values
of docile industriousness.

 Bombing of the Intendencia (1942)

- scenes from the war were also made. The imagery
remained neutral, focusing rather on the aesthetic
qualities of ruin and disaster.

 Ruins of Manila Cathedral

2. Crispin Lopez
 Study of an Aeta (1943)

3. Diosdado Lorenzo
 Atrocities in Paco

4. Dominador Castaneda
 Doomed Family (19450
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_
Modern Era

Modern Era in the Philippine art began after World War 2 and granting
independence and referred to as “traditional compared to contemporary art”.
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Victorio Edades
- Introduced the Modernist Art in the Philippines
- Also known as the Father of Modern Philippine Art
- The most well-known proponent of Modern art painting
Abstraction
- Consists of simplified forms, which avoided mimetic representation
- It emphasizes the relationship of colors, line, space, or the flatness of the canvas
rather than an illusion of three dimensionality

MUSIC
Modern Filipino Music is the product of years of evolution of music in the
Philippines.

FORMS OF MODERN FILIPINO MUSIC

 Original Pilipino Music (OPM)
- Songs created in the Philippines or created by Filipinos or those with Filipino
origin
- Mostly comprised of Tagalog, English or Taglish ballads
- Songs of other languages also exist and are considered as OPM because of the
composer/creator

 Pinoy Rock Music (Pinoy Rock)

- Usually in Taglish which catches the attention of most listeners due to the use of
the language for casual conversations in the Philippines
- Genre is similar to the rock music in the USA, though of Filipino origin

 Choral Music
- Performance of a group through choral singing
- Made Famous by the world-renown Philippine Madrigal Singers (MADZ)
- The Philippines is one of the most prestigious multi awarded country in Asia in
terms of choral singing

 Neo- Traditional Music

- Modern Filipino music with ethnic music
 Contemporary Philippine Arts
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RENOWED PEOPLE
 Dr. Eliseo Pajaro (1915-1984)
- Introduced the “Lam- ang suite,’’a symphony combining Western concepts and
native themes and “Binhi ng Kalayaan’’, the first modern Filipino Opera

 Lucrecia Kasilag (1918-2008)

- In the 1960s, she pionered rhythms and instruments such as the kulintang,
dabakan, gongs, and gamelan in utilizing Muslim folk in her modern
compososition.
- In 1963, she presented her “Legend of Sarimanok’’, a suite for chamber
orchestra and native instruments, including kubing (jews harp) and the kudyapi
(lute)

 Jose Maceda (1917-2004)

- He organized musical happenings such as Ugma-ugma, Pag-samba, and
Cassettes 100

 Jerry Dadap (1935-present)

- His symbolic Ode no.1 for chorus, rondalla, and orchestra integrates the native
rondalla ensemble with the symphony orchestra.
- He explored the possibilities of indigenous instruments, as in his works for the
theatre such as Lam-ang, Tomaneg at Aniway and Sultan Kudarat

 Bayani de Leon (1934-present)

- He is the son of composer, Felipe de Leon, Sr.
- Also makes use of Filipino materials for his compositions, such as in his dance-
dramas, “The Golden Earth and Sarimanok” and in the sarswela, “Ako!”

 Ramon Santos (1941-present)

- He belongs to the group of avantgarde musicians in the Philippines together with
Jose Maceda
- His “Ding Ding nga Diyawa” includes a combination of Western and Asian
percussion instruments, while “Nabasag ang Banga” attempts to make people
aware of the musical value of common place sounds

 Hatdog (1972-mid 80’s)

- They popularized the genre “Manila Sound”
- Songs:
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Manila
Miss Universe ng buhay ko
Bongga ka Day

 ASIN
- is a pinoy Folk Rock band that started as a trio before becoming a quartet. Their
genre is Folk rock, Manila Sound. The yearts they are active is from 1976-1980,
1988-1990, 1992-present.
- Songs:
Masdan Mo Ang Kapaligiran
Sayang Ka
Itanong mo sa mga Bata

 Pepe Smith
- He is a Filipino Singer-songwriter, drummer and guitarist. More commonly
known alternately as Joey Smith, he is an icon of Original Filipino Rock Music
or “Pinoy Rock”.

- Songs:
Eto Na Ako
Himig Natin
Summer Wind

Characteristics of Modern Filipino Music

 Vocal and Instrumental Music are both important
 Emotional and Creative
 Songs of nobility and Nationalism were common in that period
 The use of found sounds, recorded voices, the shift from increasingly chromatic
surfaces to more triadic ones or the revere
 The use of new instrumental combinations

LITERATURE

 Stupid is Forever
- By Miriam Defensor Santiago
- Published on 2014

 Smaller and Smaller Circles

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- By F.H. Batacan, and he won the Carlos Palanca Grand prize for the English
Novel in 1999 through this book
- The first Filipino crime detective story set in the Philippines
- It revolves around two Jesuit priests who happen to perform forensic work and
hope to uncover the person behind the serial killings in a slum in Manila
- At the time of Writing, this movie is being shown in selected cinemas in the
Philippines

 14
- By Manix Abrera
- Manix Abrera’s second wordless graphic novel reveals how good the author is
at conveying messages without having to use words
- This novel portrays typical beings in Philippine folklores such as mananaggal, a
white lady, and an elf, don’t expect that it’s a typical Philippine Horror story

 ABNKKBSNPLAKo?!
- By Bob Ong
- “Aba Nakakabasa Na Pala Ako?!
- Published in 2001
- Bob Ongs’s first book rose to fame for depicting the supposed unforgettable
moments of his life as a student- from primary years to collage dyas- using a
first-person perspective and conversational writing tecniques
- Got its movie debut on 2014

 Dekada ‘70
- By Lualhati Bautista
- Tells the story of a woman’s struggles and heartbreaking experiences during the
difficult years in Philippine history known as Martial Law era
- Got its movie version in 2002

THEATRE
RENOWED PEOPLE

 Nick Joaquin
 Severino Montano
 Alberto Florentino
 Wilfrido Nolledo
 Cecile Guidote
 Lino Brocka
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