PREPARED BY:

VICTORIA R. SIBAYAN
SHS- T-II
 What is LITERATURE?
According to Webster,
LITERATURE is a collection of
writings in prose or verse,
especially writings having
excellence of form or expression or
expressing ideas of permanent or
universal interest.
 What is LITERATURE?

It came from the Latin word

“literatura” which means
“writing” or “learning” or from
the Latin word “literatus”
which means “literate” or
“learned”
 What is
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE?
It is a body of writings by those
Filipinos who are not only literate
in Tagalog or other Philippine
languages, but also
knowledgeable in Philippine
culture.
 Philippine
Literary History
 PERIODS
of
PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE
 A. Pre-historic/
Pre-Spanish Period
>Literature was
principally oral
>Writing was not
yet invented
>Most of the works
were concise poetic
forms
THE EPIC AGE
• Biag ni Lam-ang – Iloco epic FOLK SONGS
• Bidasari-Moro epiC • Kumintang

• Biag ni Lam-ang-Ilokano epic • Kumintang o

• Maragtas-Visayan epic
Tagumpay
• Ang Dalit o
• Haraya-Visayan epic
• Lagda-Visayan epic
Imno
• Ang Oyayi o
• Hari sa Bukid-Visayan epic
• Kumintang-Tagalog epic
Hele
• Diana
• Parang Sabir-Moro epic
• Soliraning
• “Dagoy” at “Sudsod”-
• Talindaw
Tagbanua epic
• Tatuaang-Bagobo epic
• Indarapatra at Sulayman
a. Riddles(bugtong)
b. Proverbs(salawikain)
c. Sayings or maxims
(kasabihan)
d. Folk songs
(kantang bayan)
d. Folk songs(kantang bayan)
d.1.oyayi(lullaby)
d.2.soliranin(boat song)
d.3. kumintang(war song)
d.4.diona(wedding song)
d.5.dalit(religious song)
d.6.kundiman(love song)
d.7.dapayanin(drinking song)
d.8.hibais (travel song)
d.9.dung-aw(funeral song)
d.10.bangsal (courting song)
Epic
>Lengthy oral literature
Biag ni Lam-ang(Ilocanos)
Alim and Hudhud(Ifugaos)
Kumintang(Tagalogs)
Ibalon(Bicolacanos)
Maragtas
Hinilawod(Visayans)
Hari sa Bukid(Hiligaynons)
Dagoy and Sudsod(Tagbanuas)
Bantugan(Muslims)
Indarapatra
Sulayman(Maguindanaos)
Tatuaang(Bagobos)
Ulagingen and Saleb(Manobos)
 Prose Works
a. Legends(Alamat)
b. Myths(Mito)
c. Folk tales(Kwentong-
bayan)
d. Fables(Pabula)
d. Parables(Parabula)
 >When Writing came into being,
they were able to translate the oral
works into written forms
>Some made use of the syllabary
called ALIBATA.
>ALIBATA was used to preserve
the pre-historic Philippine literature.
B. Spanish Period
>Philippines
was discovered
by the first
group of
colonizers, the
Spaniards.
 >The first settlement by the
Spaniards in Cebu was by the group
of Adelantado Miguel lopez de
Legaspi
 >Many of the writings were lost
because the Spaniards burned them so
as not to leave traces of Philippine
Literary Ingenuity.
 SPANISH FRIARS
>the mission is to spread
Christianity, exerted in converting the
natives(indios or illiterate) into
Christians and to destroy anything
indigenous.
 Doctrina Cristiana
-the Catholic book of prayers
and doctrines
 Pasyon
-depicts the sufferings and death of
Jesus Christ
-written by Gaspar Aquino de Belen
and Mariano Pilapil
 The sufferings and death of Jesus
Christ
-celebrated during Holy Week of the
Lenten Season by the way of pabasa
(cantada or sung and hablada or
recited)
Famous Writers
Francisco Baltazar
>popularly called Balagtas
> wrote the immortal allegorical
work, Florante at Laura
>was immortalized by the poetic
competition named after him,
Balagtasan
Crisostomo Sotto
>Father of Pampanga Literature
>was immortalized by the poetic
competition named after him, Crisotan
Pedro Bukaneg
>Father of Iloko Literature
>was immortalized by the poetic
competition named after him,
Bukanegan
Fr. Modesto de Castro
>authored the book of etiquette,
consisting of letters exchanged between
two sisters, Urbana and Felisa
PROPAGANDISTS
 Dr. Jose P. Rizal
>led the propagandist
> he wrote the Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo
>used the pseudonyms
Dimas Alang and
Laong Laan
 Marcelo H. Del Pilar
>wrote Dasalan at Toksohan
>used the pseudonyms
Plaridel
REVOLUTIONISTS
 Gat Andres Bonifacio
>led the revolutionist and
called as Katipunan
Supremo
 >Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto,
Apolinario Mabini, Mariano
Ponce, and etc. fought for
independence and separation
from Spain .
 >They wanted an armed
conflict and with the help of the
Katipuneros, staged a revolt
against the Spaniards after the
secret society named Kataas-
taasang Kagalang-galangang
Katipunan ng mga Anak ng
Bayan(KKK)
C.American Period
>The Americans entered the history of
the Philippine Literature after they
defeated the Spaniards in the
Spanish-American War, which
resulted in the TREATY of
PARIS, in which Spain gave control
of the Phil. To the US
 >public school system and English
was introduced
> establishment of Philippine Normal
School in 1901 and Univ. of the Phil.
In 1908 run by the Americans
 >public school system and English
was introduced
> establishment of Philippine Normal
School in 1901 and Univ. of the Phil.
In 1908 run by the Americans
 Thomasites
> the first English teachers(Filipino
learned the language and used it in
their writings
 >during the earliest part of the
American’s stay in the Phil. The
writers made used of TAGALOG,
SPANISH, and ENGLISH
> Philippine Literature in English
was born
Writers increased in numbers and the
increase can be attributed to the
ff.factors
 Factors
a. Freedom of Expression and freedom
of the Press (were absent during the
Spanish Occupation and the initial
part of American Occupation)
 Factors
b. Establishment of writer’s guild or
organization (one of which was the
PEN- Poets, Essays, Novelists)
 Factors
c. The giving of incentives in the form
of awards
 Factors
d. Non-material rewards brought
about by the published materials, honor
and praises were given for their well-
written works which critics and
interested parties consider
masterpieces.
>the Period of American Occupation
was the most productive period in
Phil. Lit. in English not only due to
the number of writers engaged in the
creative endeavors, but also due to the
number of publishing companies
involved in this human interest and of
quality products
Two Clashing Schools of thought
Emerged
a. The Art for Art’s Sake Dictum-
which treats literary pieces as art
objects for aesthetic appreciation
Jose Garcia Villa -its leading
proponent
Two Clashing Schools of thought
Emerged
b. The Art for Society dictum
-which treats literary pieces as
instruments to effect social change and
thereby having social functions
Salvador -proponent
D. Japanese Period
>The writing activities of the Filipino
artist came to halt/ stop with the
coming of the Japanese.
>The invaders saw to it that Filipino’s
movements be limited.
>They attacked not only the soldiers
but also the civilians.
> The writers stopped wielding/
employing pens and started wielding
guns.
>The Japanese introduced the
following:
1.Niponggo / Nihonggo- Japanese
Language
2.Ikebana- The art of arranging
flowers
3.Origami- the art of folding papers
4.Tempura/ sushi- their cuisine
Poetic Forms:
e.1. Haiku- a three-line short descriptive
poem about nature consisting of 17
syllables: 5 syllables in the 1st line, 7
syllables in the 2nd line and 5 syllables
in the 3rd line. (5-7-5)
e.2. Senryu- similar to haiku but is
unrhymed, about human nature and
usually satirical or ironical (5-7-5)
e.3. Tanka- has 5 line and 31 syllables
(5-7-5-7-7)
>The end of war spelled hope to the
dormant writers who woke up from their
long weariness and began creating
writing outputs.
>The publishing companies, together
with the writer’s unions, gave men- of-
letters the impetus/ motivation to write
again.
DON CARLOS PALANCA
MEMORIAL AWARDS for
LITERATURE- one of the most
prestigious and longest
running award- giving body
in the field of literature,
equivalent to the world
renowned Pulitzer Prize.
>These, together with the
intrinsic motivation of the
writers themselves, were
responsible in producing a
bountiful harvest of meaningful
and memorable works comparable
to the works of foreign nationals.
>By this time the Philippine writers
were producing works in ENGLISH, the
VERNACULAR and FILIPINO (one of
the official languages of the country
and the Tagalog- based nation
language promulgated by Pres. Manuel
L. Quezon during the Commonwealth
Period, opposed to the Tagalog, the
language spoken by majority of
dwellers in Southern Luzon).
 Outstanding
Philippine Writers
during this
period:
 Lazaro Francisco
Amado V. Hernandez
Jose Garcia Villa
Alejandro G. Abadilla
Genoveva Edroza- Matute
Claro M. Recto
Paul A. Dumol
 Tony Perez
Emmanuel Torres
Nick Joaquin ( aka
Quijano De Manila)
N.V.M. Gonzales
Wilfrido D. Nolledo
Wilfrido P. Virtusio
 Ricaredo Demetillo
Virgilio Almario ( aka Rio Alma)
Efren Abueg
Rogelio R. Sikat
Edgardo M. Reyes
Bienvenido A. Ramos
Bienvenido N. Santos
Kerima Pulotan Tuvera
Lamberto E. Antonio
F.Martial Law or
the New Society
It was declared on September 21, 1972
by Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos
>Writer’s freedoms ( freedom of the
press and freedom of expression )
were curtailed in much the same
way as the other freedoms ( freedom
of speech, freedom of assembly) were
suppressed.
>Only the government publications
continued to see print: the rest were
discontinued.
>Anti- government and anti- Marcos
writings were proliferated in the form of
underground publications led by
Malaya.
The lives of the oppositionist writers were
controlled by the state. Those whose
works were found subversive or seditious
were silenced by means of summary
execution: others were illegally detained
and tortured.
 January 1, 1981
Martial Law was lifted.
>The censorship of the
publications continued.
>Publishing companies that were
closed did not open.
>The literary works were as
much as those composed during
the first year of the Period of the
New Society
>Pro- government propaganda
materials in the forms of songs
and short write ups were
circulated
>Anti-Marcos writes voiced out
their sentiments in the form of
poems, short stories, essays, and
plays.
>Francisco Sionil Jose Ricardo
Lee, Roland Tinio, and many
more produced satires against the
government.
 August 21, 1983
The assassination of the leading
Marcos oppositionist Sen. Benigno
Aquino.
The nationalistic spirit in the Filipino
writers was revived.
They joined protests rallies,
demonstrating their disgust over the
government’s handling of national
affairs, and veritably and fearlessly
displayed their collective desire to win
back not only their lost freedom of the
press but also all other liberties.
EDSA REVOLUTION
>The protest reached its climax
>The February 1986 snap
presidential polls resulted to the
bloodless struggles of the Reform the
Army Movement (RAM) soldiers led
by Col Gregorio Honasan (aka
Gringo) and the Marcos-loyalist
soldiers
EDSA REVOLUTION
>Re- electionist Ferdinand Marcos was
declared president by the Commission on
Election (COMELEC).
>Corazon Aquino was declared by
National Movement for Free Election
(NAMFREL) as the first woman
president.
>The Filipinos could not accept that
there were two presidents at one time in
Philippine history.
EDSA REVOLUTION
>AFP Chief of Staff Fidel V. Ramos
and the Department of National
Defense (DND )Secretary Juan Ponce
Enrile, together with the Marcos-
loyalist soldiers, sided with
Honasan’s group
>Presided Marcos decided to leave
the Philippines with members of his
family and several supporters
G.Post-Martial Law or
Contemporary Period
EDSA REVOLUTION
>The ouster of the Marcos spelled
good news to the writers who without
prohibitions wrote exposes about the
first family’s ill-gotten wealth,
Imelda’s jewelry and shoe collections,
Swiss accounts, and innumerable
cases of human right’s violation.
EDSA REVOLUTION
>was responsible for the restoration
of the lost freedoms, among which was
the freedom to express one’s ideas and
emotions in writing.
EDSA REVOLUTION
>This unlimited freedom prompted
feminist writers and their supporters
(members of GABRIELA) to speak out
their views about chauvinism,
equality of rights between men and
women, women’s liberation, violation
of women’s rights, and the like.
EDSA REVOLUTION
>Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-
gender (LGBT) writers enjoyed much
freedom and made their voices heard
through their revealing writings about
discrimination, same-sex marriages,
homosexual and bisexual
relationships, and violations of their
rights
EDSA REVOLUTION
>Under the administration of the
Presidents after Marcos’ dictatorial
rule, Filipino writers enjoyed the
benefits of press freedom.
>They became prolific writers
producing a number of unforgettable
works.
EDSA REVOLUTION
>The impetus coming from the
awards they received for their
achievements and the rewards
(monetary and otherwise) they got
out of their writings kept them
producing.
 RECIPIENTS OF THE NATIONAL
ARTIST AWARD IN LITERATURE
JOSE GARCIA VILLA (1973)
AMADO V. HERNANDEZ (1973)
NICK JOAQUIN (1976)
CARLOS P. ROMULO (1982)
FRANCISCCO ARCELLANA (1990)
N. V. M. GONZALEZ (1990)
 ROLANDO TINIO (1992)
EDITH TIEMPO (1999)
FRANCISCO SIONIL JOSE (2001)
ALEJANDRO ROCES (2003)
VIRGILIO S. ALMARIO (2003)
BIENVENIDO LUMBERA (2006)
LAZARO FRANCISCO (2009)
 >The influx of
technological advances
has given birth to new
literary forms ( blogs, text
tula, various forms of
flash fiction)