PHILIPPINE LITERATURE DURING
AMERICAN PERIOD
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
• Philippine Independence (June 12,
1898)
• Nationalism
• Filipino writers went into all forms of
literature like news, reporting, poetry,
stories, plays, essays and novels.
Themes of Literature
• Desire for freedom
• Love of country
• Fight against colonialism and
imperialism
NEWSPAPERS
EL GRITO DEL PUEBLO (The Call of the
Nation)
• Established by Pascual Poblete in 1900
• A pro labor radical nationalist
newspaper under the protection of
United States.
• Has a tagalog version called “Ang
Kapatid ng Bayan”.
MANILA DAILY BULLETIN
• The Philippines’ largest broadsheet
newspaper by circulation.
• Now currently known as “The Manila
Bulletin”.
PLAYS
• Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas (Aurelio
Tolentino)- It is an anti-imperialist play
attacking the new colonizers (at that
time), the Americans, while not
forgiving the old ones – Mother Spain
and Old China, who want to feast on the
Philippines’ wealth.
• Teatro Libertad (May 14, 1903)
Tanikalang Ginto (Juan Abad)- This is about
the love story of Kaulayaw and Liwanag. As of
promise of love, Kaulayaw gave a handkerchief
to liwanag . The other man named Maimbot also
admire Liwanag so he gave her a Golden chain
as a gift.
Liwanag fell inlove with maimbot because he
is rich but suddenly she realized that maimbot
doesn’t deserve her love and she is still in love
with Kaulayaw. Maimbot and his brother
Nagtapon planned to separate Kaulayaw and
Liwanag. Because of envy and hatred, Kaulayaw
was killed by Nagtapon, And Because of too
much depression and saddness Liwanag
attempted suicide but Diwa stopped her.
SYMBOLISM
1. Golden Chain 
• Symbolize the promise of United States
to Philippines which is Democracy and
money.
2. Marriage of Kaulayaw and Liwanag
• Symbolize Freedom
SYMBOLISM OF THE CHARACTERS
4. Dalita
• Symbolize Philippines
5. Nagtapon
• Symbolize Filipinos who betrayed and
• became slaves of American’s
6. Diwa
• Symbolize Heroism
Theme “nationalism”
Lesson of the Story- True love conquers all
even death.
Malaya (Thomas Remigio)- This earliest
drama simboliko in Tagalog is a political
allegory hidden in the love story of the heroine,
Malaya (Spirit of Independence) and the hero
Magtanggol (the Filipino army).
WALANG SUGAT (Severino Reyes)- The
play is about the injustices that Filipino suffered
under Spanish Colonial rule, including the
oppression of Filipino prisoners by Spanish
Friars for expressing their patriotism.
• "Walang Sugat" tells the love story of
Julia and Tenyong whose forbidden
relationship had been further hampered
by their social status, political, and
religious beliefs during the height of the
Philippine revolutionary movement
against the Spanish colonizers in 1896-
1898.  Tanghalan)
FILIPINO WRITERS
Lope K. Santos
• Father of National Language
• Also called “apo” of tagalog writers.
• Banaag at Sikat as his masterpiece.
• was a FilipinoTagalog-
language writer and
former senator of the Philippines. He
is best known for his
1906 socialistnovel, Banaag at Sikat  1898.
Jose Corazon de Jesus
• Known as “Huseng Batute”
• Was called the poet of love during his
time.
• AG ISANG PUNONGKAHOY- an
elegy believed to be his masterpiece.
• was a Filipino poet who
used Tagalog poetry to express the
Filipinos' desire for independence
during the American occupation of the
Philippines, a period that lasted from
1901 to 1946.
Amado V. Hernandez
• Known as the “Poet of Laborers”
• Ang Panday as his masterpiece.
Inigo Ed Regalado
• A popular story teller, novelist and
newspaper man.
• It was during his time when the Golden
Age of the Tagalog Novel (1905–1921)
started.
Julian Cruz Balmaceda Classified Three
Kinds of Tagalog Poets
• Poets of the Heart (Makata ng Puso)
• Poets of Life (Makata ng Buhay)
• Poets of the Stage (Makata ng
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
• The Period of Re-Orientation (1898-
1910)
• The Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
• The Period of Self-Discovery and
Growth (1925-1941)
The Period of Re-Orientation (1898-1910)
• English as a literary vehicle came with
the American occupation in August 13,
• By 1900, English came to be used as a
medium of instruction in the public
schools.
• By 1908, the primary and intermediate
grades were using English.
The Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
• By 1919, the UP College Folio
published the literary compositions of
the First Filipino writers in English.
 • They were then imitated American and
British models which resulted in stilted,
artificial and unnatural style, lacking
versatility and spontaneity.
The Period of Self-Discovery and Growth
(1925-1941)
• They were confidently and competently
write on a lot of subjects although the
old time favorites which is love and
youth persisted.
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE DURING THE
JAPANESE PERIOD
Historical Background
• Philippine Literature in English came to
halt. Except for the TRIBUNE and
PHILIPPINE REVIEW.
• The weekly Liwayway, was placed
under strict surveillance until it was
managed by Japanese and named
Ishiwara.
• Juan Laya, who use to write in English
turned to Filipino because of the strict
prohibition of Japanese regarding any
writing in English.
FILIPINO LITERATURE
Filipino Poetry Themes
• Nationalism
• Country
• Love
• Life in the barrios
• Faith and religion
• Arts
Filipino Poetry
HAIKU
• A poem of free verse that Japanese like.
• Has 5-7-5 syllables, a total of 17
syllables.
• Allegorical in meaning and short.
Example:
The bee flies quickly
It turns around and stings me.
Then falls to the ground.
TANAGA
• Like haiku, it is short but it has measure
and rhyme.
• Each line has 7 syllables.
• A total of 28 syllables
Example of Tanaga
Tagalog Version
Ang hating gabing kulay
Tulad ng aking buhay
Kaylan masisilayan
Ang liwanag ng araw
English Version
My life is like a color
Of midnight, gloomy and dark
When will the morning arrive
To warm the coldness of heart
PLAYWRITERS
• Jose Ma. Hernandez- wrote Panday Pira
• Francisco Soc Rodrigo- wrote sa Pula,
Sa Puti
• Clodualdo de Mundo- wrote BULAGA
• Julian Cruz Balmaceda- wrote Sino ba
Kayo?, Dahil sa Anak and Higanti ng
Patay
Panday Pira- Panday Pira was a native of the
southern islands of the Philippines. He migrated
to Manila in 1508 and established a foundry on
the northern bank of the Pasig River. Rajah
Sulayman commissioned Panday Pira to cast
the cannon that were mounted on the palisades
surrounding his kingdom.
Sa Pula, Sa Puti- This play is a comedy that
comments on people's weakness in a situation
recognizable throughout the country. Its main
character is a sabungero or cockfighter who is
addicted to cock pit.
FILIPINO SHORT STORY DURING
JAPANESE PERIOD
• The field of short story widened during
the Japanese occupation. Many wrote
short stories.
• The best writing in 1945 where selected
and by a group pf judges. As a result,
the following got the first three prizes.
1st prize: Lupang Tinubuan by Narciso Reyes
2nd prize: Uhaw sa Tigang na Lupa by
Liwayway Arceo
3rd prize: Lunsod, Nayon at Dagat-Dagatan by
NVM Gonzales
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
• Writers felt suppressed but slowly, the
spirit of nationalism started to seep into
their consciousness.
• While some continued to write, majority
waited for a better climate to publish
their works.