Vacation means a time for play

For young and old in night and day

Philippine Literature during the American
My wish for all is to be gay,
Period
And evil none lead you astray
– Juan F. Salazar
Philippine literary production during the American
Period in the Philippines was spurred by two The poem was anthologized in the first
significant developments in education and culture. collection of poetry in English, Filipino Poetry,
One is the introduction of free public instruction edited by Rodolfo Dato (1909 – 1924). Among the
for all children of school age and two, the use of poets featured in this anthology were Proceso
English as medium of instruction in all levels of Sebastian Maximo Kalaw, Fernando Maramag,
education in public schools. Leopoldo Uichanco, Jose Ledesma, Vicente
Callao, Santiago Sevilla, Bernardo Garcia,
Free public education made knowledge Francisco Africa, Pablo Anzures, Carlos P.
and information accessible to a greater number of Romulo, Francisco Tonogbanua, Juan Pastrana,
Filipinos. Those who availed of this education Maria Agoncillo, Paz Marquez Benitez, Luis Dato,
through college were able to improve their social and many others. Another anthology, The
status and joined a good number of educated English German Anthology of Poetsedited by
masses who became part of the country’s middle Pablo Laslo was published and covered poets
class. published from 1924-1934 among whom were
Teofilo D. Agcaoili, Aurelio Alvero, Horacio de la
The use of English as a medium of Costa, Amador T. Daguio, Salvador P. Lopez,
instruction introduced Filipinos to Anglo-American Angela Manalang Gloria, Trinidad Tarrosa,
modes of thought, culture, and lifeways that Abelardo Subido and Jose Garcia Villa, among
would be embedded not only in the literature others. A third pre-war collection of poetry was
produced but also in the psyche of the country’s edited by Carlos Bulosan, Chorus for America:
educated class. It was this educated class that Six Philippine Poets. The six poets in this
would be the wellspring of vibrant Philippine collection were Jose Garcia Villa, Rafael Zulueta
Literature in English. da Costa, Rodrigo T. Feria, C.B. Rigor, Cecilio
Baroga, and Carlos Bulosan.
Philippine literature in English, as a direct
result of American colonization of the country, In fiction, the period of apprenticeship in
could not escape being imitative of American literary writing in English is marked by imitation of
models of writing especially during its period of the style of storytelling and strict adherence to the
apprenticeship. The poetry written by early poets craft of the short story as practiced by popular
manifested studied attempts at versification as in American fictionists. Early short story writers in
the following poem which is proof of the poet’s English were often dubbed as the Andersons or
rather elementary exercise in the English Saroyans or the Hemingways of Philippine letters.
language: Leopoldo Yabes in his study of the Philippine
short story in English from 1925 to 1955 points to
Vacation days at last are here, these models of American fiction exerting a
And we have time for fun so dear, profound influence on the early writings of story
All boys and girls do gladly cheer, writers like Francisco Arcellana, A.E. Litiatco, Paz
This welcomed season of the year. Latorena.
In early June in school we’ll meet;
A harder task shall we complete When the University of the Philippines was
And if we fail we must repeat founded in 1908, an elite group of writers in
That self same task without retreat. English began to exert influence among the
We simply rest to come again culturati. The U.P. Writers Club founded in 1926,
To school where boys and girls obtain had stated that one of its aims was to enhance
The Creator’s gift to men and propagate the “language of Shakespeare.” In
Whose sanguine hopes in us remain. 1925, Paz Marquez Benitez's short story, “Dead
Stars” was published and was made the discourse on politics and governance. Polemicists
landmark of the maturity of the Filipino writer in who used to write in Spanish like Claro M. Recto
English. Soon after Benitez, short story writers slowly started using English in the discussion of
began publishing stories no longer imitative of current events even as newspaper dailies moved
American models. Thus, story writers like away from Spanish reporting into English. Among
Icasiano Calalang, A.E. Litiatco, Arturo Rotor, the essayists, Federico Mangahas had an easy
Lydia Villanueva, Paz Latorena, and Manuel facility with the language and the essay as a
Arguilla began publishing stories manifesting both genre. Other noted essayists during the period
skilled use of the language and a keen Filipino were Fernando Maramag, Carlos P. Romulo, and
sensibility. Conrado Ramirez.

This combination of writing in a borrowed On the other hand, the flowering of a

tongue while dwelling on Filipino customs and vibrant literary tradition due to historical events
traditions earmarked the literary output of major did not altogether hamper literary production in
Filipino fictionists in English during the American the native or indigenous languages. In fact, the
period. Thus, the major novels of the period, such early period of the 20th century was remarkable
as the Filipino Rebel, by Maximo Kalaw, and His for the significant literary output of all major
Native Soil by Juan C. Laya, are discourses on languages in various literary genres.
cultural identity, nationhood, and being Filipino
done in the English language. Stories such as It was during the early American period
“How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife” that seditious plays, using the form of the
by Manuel Arguilla scanned the scenery as well zarzuela, were mounted. Zarsuwelistas Juan
as the folkways of Ilocandia while N.V. M. Abad, Aurelio Tolentino ,Juan Matapang Cruz.
Gonzales’s novels and stories such as “Children Juan Crisostomo Sotto mounted the classics like
of the Ash Covered Loam,” present the Tanikalang Ginto, Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas,
panorama of Mindoro, in all its customs and and Hindi Ako Patay, all directed against the
traditions while configuring its characters in the American imperialists. Patricio Mariano’s Anak
human dilemma of nostalgia and poverty. Apart ng Dagat and Severino Reyes’s Walang Sugat
from Arguilla and Gonzales, noted fictionists are equally remarkable zarzuelas staged during
during the period included Francisco Arcellana, the period.
whom Jose Garcia Villa lauded as a “genius”
storyteller, Consorcio Borje, Aida Rivera, Conrado On the eve of World War II, Wilfredo Maria
Pedroche, Amador Daguio, Sinai Hamada, Guerrero would gain dominance in theatre
Hernando Ocampo, Fernando Maria Guerrero. through his one-act plays which he toured
Jose Garcia Villa himself wrote several short through his “mobile theatre”. Thus, Wanted a
stories but devoted most of his time to poetry. Chaperone and The Forsaken House became
very popular on campuses throughout the
In 1936, when the Philippine Writers archipelago.
League was organized, Filipino writers in English
began discussing the value of literature in society. The novel in Tagalog, Iloko, Hiligaynon,
Initiated and led by Salvador P. Lopez, whose and Sugbuanon also developed during the period
essays on Literature and Society provoked aided largely by the steady publication of weekly
debates, the discussion centered on proletarian magazines like the Liwayway, Bannawag, and
literature, i.e., engaged or committed literature Bisaya which serialized the novels.
versus the art for art’s sake literary orientation.
But this discussion curiously left out the issue of Among the early Tagalog novelists of the
colonialism and colonial literature and the whole th
20 century were Ishmael Amado, Valeriano
place of literary writing in English under a colonial Hernandez Peña, Faustino Aguilar, Lope K.
set-up that was the Philippines then. Santos, and Lazaro Francisco.

With Salvador P. Lopez, the essay in Ishmael Amado’s Bulalakaw ng Pag-asa

English gained the upper hand in the day-to-day published in 1909 was one of the earliest novels
that dealt with the theme of American imperialism In the Visayas, Magdalena Jalandoni and
in the Philippines. The novel, however, was not Ramon Muzones would lead most writers in
released from the printing press until 1916, at writing novels that dwelt on the themes of love,
which time, the author, by his own admission and courtship, life in the farmlands, and other social
after having been sent as a pensionado to the upheavals of the period. Marcel Navarra wrote
U.S., had other ideas apart from those he wrote in stories and novels in Sugbuhanon.
the novel.
Poetry in all languages continued to
Valeriano Hernandez Peña’s Nena at flourish in all regions of the country during the
Neneng narrates the story of two women who American period. The Tagalogs, hailing Francisco
happened to be best of friends as they cope with F. Balagtas as the nation’s foremost poet invented
their relationships with the men in their lives. the balagtasan in his honor. Thebalagtasan is a
Nena succeeds in her married life while Neneng debate in verse, a poetical joust done almost
suffers from a stormy marriage because of her spontaneously between protagonists who debate
jealous husband. over the pros and cons of an issue.

Faustino Aguilar published Pinaglahuan, The first balagtasan was held in March
a love triangle set in the early years of the century 1924 at the Instituto de Mujeres, with Jose
when the worker’s movement was being formed. Corazon de Jesus and Florentino Collantes as
The novel’s hero, Luis Gatbuhay, is a worker in a rivals, bubuyog (bee) and paru-paro (butterfly)
printery who is imprisoned for a false accusation aiming for the love of kampupot (jasmine). It was
and loses his love, Danding, to his rival Rojalde, during this balagtasan that Jose Corazon de
son of a wealthy capitalist. Lope K. Santos, Jesus, known as Huseng Batute, emerged
Banaag at Sikat has almost the same theme and triumphant to become the first king of the
motif as the hero of the novel, Delfin, who also Balagtasan. Jose Corazon de Jesus was the
falls in love with a rich woman, the daughter of a finest master of the genre. He was later followed
wealthy landlord. The love story, of course, is set by balagtasistas, Emilio Mar Antonio and
also within the background of the development of Crescenciano Marquez, who also became King of
the worker’s trade union movement, and the Balagtasan in their own time.
throughout the novel, Santos engages the
readers in lengthy treatises and discourses on As Huseng Batute, de Jesus also
socialism and capitalism. Many other Tagalog produced the finest poems and lyrics during the
novelists wrote on variations of the same theme, period. His debates with Amado V. Hernandez on
i.e., the interplay of fate, love, and social justice. the political issue of independence from America
Among these writers are Inigo Ed Regalado, and nationhood were mostly done in verse and
Roman Reyes, Fausto J. Galauran, Susana de are a testament to the vitality of Tagalog poetry
Guzman, Rosario de Guzman-Lingat, Lazaro during the era. Lope K. Santos, epic poem, Ang
Francisco, Hilaria Labog, Rosalia Aguinaldo, Panggingera is also proof of how poets of the
Amado V. Hernandez. Many of these writers were period have come to master the language to be
able to produce three or more novels as Soledad able to translate it into effective poetry.
Reyes would bear out in her book which is the
result of her dissertation, Ang Nobelang Tagalog The balagtasan would be echoed as a
(1979). poetical fiesta and would be duplicated in the
Ilocos as thebukanegan, in honor of Pedro
Among the Iloko writers, noted novelists Bukaneg, the supposed transcriber of the epic,
were Leon Pichay, who was also the region’s poet Biag ni Lam-ang; and the theCrissottan, in
laureate then, Hermogenes Belen, and Mena Pampanga, in honor of the esteemed poet of the
Pecson Crisologo whose Mining wenno Ayat ti Pampango, Juan Crisostomo Sotto.
Kararwa is considered to be the Iloko version of a
Noli me Tangere. In 1932, Alejandro G. Abadilla, armed with
new criticism and orientation on modernist poetry
would taunt traditional Tagalog poetics with the
publication of his poem, “Ako ang Daigdig.” The separate, yet parallel developments
Abadilla’s poetry began the era of modernism in of Philippine literature in English and those in
Tagalog poetry, a departure from the traditional Tagalog and other languages of the archipelago
rhymed, measured, and orally recited poems. during the American period only prove that
Modernist poetry which utilized free or blank literature and writing in whatever language and in
verses was intended more for silent reading than whatever climate are able to survive mainly
oral delivery. through the active imagination of writers.
Apparently, what was lacking during the period
Noted poets in Tagalog during the was for the writers in the various languages to
American period were Julian Cruz Balmaceda, come together, share experiences, and come to a
Florentino Collantes, Pedro Gatmaitan, Jose conclusion on the elements that constitute good
Corazon de Jesus, Benigno Ramos, Inigo Ed. writing in the Philippines.
Regalado, Ildefonso Santos, Lope K. Santos,
Aniceto Silvestre, Emilio Mar. Antonio , Alejandro
Abadilla and Teodoro Agoncillo.

Like the writers in English who formed

themselves into organizations, Tagalog writers
also formed the Ilaw at Panitik and held
discussions and workshops on the value of
literature in society. Benigno Ramos, was one of
the most politicized poets of the period as he
aligned himself with the peasants of the Sakdal
Movement.

Fiction in Tagalog as well as in the other

languages of the regions developed alongside the
novel. Most fictionists are also novelists. Brigido
Batungbakal, Macario Pineda, and other writers
chose to dwell on the vicissitudes of life in a
changing rural landscape. Deogracias Del
Rosario on the other hand chose the city and the
emerging social elite as subjects of his stories. He
is considered the father of the modern short story
in Tagalog

Among the more popular fictionists who

emerged during the period are two women
writers, Liwayway Arceo, and Genoveva Edroza
Matute, considered forerunners in the use of
“light” fiction, a kind of storytelling that uses
language through poignant rendition. Genoveva
Edroza Matute’s “Ako’y Isang Tinig” and
Liwayway Arceo’s “Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa”
have been used as models of fine writing in
Filipino by teachers of composition throughout the
school system.

Teodoro Agoncillo’s anthology 25

Pinakamahusay na Maiikling Kuwento (1945)
included the foremost writers of fiction in the
pre-war era.
 ​ Literature Under The Republic that emphasized close analysis of text and
(1946-1985) structure rather than analysis of social or
​ biographical contexts. This paved the way for a
The Japanese occupation leaves the Philippine new form of writing and left
economy in ruins and it seemed that massive
foreign aid could rebuild it. The life of Filipinos NOTABLE WORKS:
hanging in the balance because of hunger,
insecurity, and terror. Many Filipinos resorted to Maganda Pa Ang Daigdig(Novel)
collaborating with the Japanese for reasons such Bartolina (Poem)
as politics, survival, and opportunity. After the Walking Home (Poem)
Pacific War ended, collaborators were given In Sipolog (Novel)
amnesty by President Manual Roxas. The Ako ang Daigdig (Poem)
amnesty was a result This, in turn, put the Filipino Summer Solstice (Short Story).
ruling elite’s credibility at stake because of
ambiguities and irregularities that were not ● Lazaro Francisco - Was a Filipino writer
resolved. The US colonialist also linked the issue known for his novels such as Ama and
of collaboration not as a political will but as a Daluyong. He was awarded the National
means of survival (expediency). If a rigid trial was Artist for Filipino Literature in 2009.
done to the detractors, many of the Filipino ruling Francisco also received the Republic
elite would lose their credibility and this was not Cultural Heritage Award for Literature in
favorable to the US colonizers because at that 1970.
time the elites were the intermediary between the
American colonizers and the Filipinos. The elites ● Amado Vera Hernandes - September 13,
had a lot of influence on the masses, and the US 1903– March 24, 1970, was a Filipino
wanted to tap their services and use them as writer and labor leader who was known for
leverage. his criticism of social injustices in the
​ Philippines and was later imprisoned for
To secure the new republics' alliance with the US his involvement in the communist
after its independence was granted a series of movement. He was the central figure in a
treaties and agreements were signed, and these landmark legal case that took 13 years to
strengthened the ties between the two countries. settle. He was born in Hagonoy, Bulacan
The Bell Trade act imposed free trade which but grew up in Tondo, Manila, where he
enforced imports from the US for 28 years and studied at the Manila High School and at
parity rights allowing US citizens to have equal
rights to access the country's natural resources. ● Emmanuel Torres - a poet, art critic, and
The Philippine Rehabilitation Act together with the professor of English and Comparative
Bell Trade act allowed the US to use the Literature at the Ateneo de Manila.
Philippines for their military With the US serving
as crutches to the Philippines, westernization He was born on April 29, 1932. MaTorres
occurred. The Educational Exchange Program obtained his BA Education at the Ateneo de
otherwise known as the Fulbright Program was Manila University, and in 1957, on a
the key to the Philippines' assimilation of US Fulbright-Smith-Mundt fellowship, he obtained his
culture – the program actually aimed for a 2- way M.A. in English at the State University of Iowa
exchange of culture, but this did not actually where he enjoyed an International Scholarship in
happen. This was the time when Filipino artists, Creative Writing and attended Paul Engle’s
writers, and musicians were given a chance to go Writers’ Workshop. He joined the Ateneo faculty
to the US to learn about the country, they also in 1958, and since 1960 was curator of the
were given lecturing privileges. The impact of this Ateneo University Art Gallery. At the Ateneo, he
program can be seen in terms of the artwork and held the Henry Lee Erwin Chair in Creative
literature that showed in their works that they are Writing and the FEBTC/Jose B. Fernandez Chair
able to keep up with the literary and artistic trends for art research. In addition to the extensive local
of the US during that time. They were introduced and international recognition he received for his
to what was called the New Criticism. A method work in the arts and letters,
 became interested in writing. He also wrote using
● N.V.M. González- was proclaimed the pen name Quijano de Manila. Joaquin has
National Artist of the Philippines in 1997. been conferred the rank and title of National Artist
of the Philippines for Literature. He is
On 14 April 1987, the University of the Philippines considered[by whom?] one of the most important
conferred on N.V.M. González the degree of Filipino writers in English, and the third most
Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, "For important overall, after José Rizal and Claro M.
his creative genius in shaping the Philippine short
story and novel, and making a new clearing within
the English idiom and tradition on which he WHAT’S HOT DURING THIS TIME?
established an authentic vocabulary, ...For his
insightful criticism by which he advanced the ● A Merger Of Traditions.
literary tradition of the Filipino and enriched the The taga-bukid and taga-bayan were the two
vocation for all writers of the present cultures that made up the political entities. The
generation...For his visions and auguries by educated and the wealthy and the ones who
which he gave the Filipino sense and sensibility a lacked the education and therefore did not qualify
profound and unmistakable script read and reread to exercise power. The taga bayan was more
throughout the international community of inclined to the culture of the Free World, while the
letters...“ He died on 28 November 1999 in taga-bukid was nationalistic and anti-American.
Quezon City, He was born on 8 September 1915
in Romblon, Philippines. González, however, was A transition from the Euro- Hispanic (socially
raised in Mansalay, a southern town of the conscious, deals with reality) period to the Anglo-
Philippine province of American (thrived more on aesthetic qualities and
was full of sentimentality and escapism) period of
● Alejandro G. Abadilla (March 10, 1906– literature in the Philippines was brought about by
August 26, 1969), commonly known as Villa, the contradictions between the two styles
AGA, was a Filipino poet, essayist, and resulted in the emphasis of a crisis for the Anglo
fiction writer. American Tradition. It was later resolved in the
1970s. These two traditions had been implanted
Critic Pedro Ricarte referred to Abadilla as the with indigenous traditions and through the efforts
father of modern Philippine poetry, and was of Filipino writers can be clearly called the Filipino
known for challenging established forms and literary tradition.
literature's "excessive romanticism and emphasis
on rime and meter". Abadilla helped found the ● Existentialism and the Search for
Kapisanang Panitikan in 1935 and edited a Identity.
magazine called When President Ramon Magsaysay died in a
plane crash in Cebu, this provoked an intellectual
● Nick Joaquin - Was a Filipino writer, crisis. Claro M. Recto criticized President Ramon
historian, and journalist, best known for his Magsaysay for being submissive to the US, with
short stories and novels in the English the death of Ramon Magsaysay; the country was
language. under confusion and the people began to ask
- Nicomedes Márquez Joaquín Recto for some answers that would shed some
was born in Paco, Manila, one of ten light regarding the country’s political philosophy.
children of Leocadio Joaquín, a colonel However, Recto was not able to finish what he
under General Emilio Aguinaldo in the started because he dies in Rome of a heart
1896 Revolution, and Salome Márquez, a attack. With Recto’s death, the cultural scene in
teacher of English and Spanish. the Philippines became an extension of the US;
many major publications in New York were
After being read poems and stories by his mother, brought to Manila. Literary works included poetry,
the boy Joaquín read widely in his father's library fiction, and drama, and the latest literary fads in
and at the National Library of the Philippines. By the west spread like wildfire. Some of the creative
then, his father had become a successful lawyer writers whose works were read by Filipinos were
after the revolution. From reading, Joaquín Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus,