21 CENTURY

ST

LITERATURE FROM
THE PHILIPPINES AND
THE WOLRD
BY MS. RHODARICA E. ANDRES
OBJECTI
VES
 OBJECTIVES
 understands and appreciates the elements and contexts of 21st century
Philippine literature from the regions.
 written close analysis and critical interpretation of a literary text in
terms of form and theme, with a description of its context derived from
research.
identify representative texts and authors from each region (e.g. engage in
oral history research with focus on key personalities from the students’
region/province/ town).
value the contributions of local writers to the development of regional
literary traditions
appreciate the contributions of the canonical Filipino writers to the
 LESSON 10 : NATIONAL
ARTISTS FOR
LITERATURE
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR LITERATURE
The national artist award is the highest
acknowledgement given to a citizen in
recognition of his or her significant
contributions to the Philippine Literature.
NATIONAL ARTIST OR
PAMBANSANG
ALAGAD NG
SINING
is a distinction given to a Filipino who excellently

contributed to the enrichment of national art. These fields
of art vary from music, dance, theater, visual arts,
literature, film, broadcast arts, to architecture and allied
arts.
 THE INSIGNIA
The medallion is divided into three
equal parts- blue, red, and white
which recalls the Philippine flag.
Each portion has a stylized letter K
which stands for the motto coined
by Mrs. Imelda Marcos, Cultural
Center of the Philippines’ (CCP)
founder, “katotohanan, kabutihan,
at kagandahan.”
This distinction is given by virtue of the President
Proclamation No. 1001 on April 2, 1972 and
honored through a ceremony administered by the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
(NCCA), the grants giving agency that seeks to
preserve, develop, and promote Philippine arts and
culture and the Cultural Center of the Philippines
(CCP), a government-owned corporation that has
been established with the goal to develop and promote
arts and culture in the Philippines.
This image is the Official
Emblem of the Order of
National Artists, bestowed on
Members in the form of
collars.
The distinction is given as
the nation’s expression of
gratitude for the artist’s
contribution to the cultural
heritage of the country.
THE NATIONAL
ARTISTS FOR
LITERATURE
• “Makata ng Manggagawa”
• September 3, 1903 – May 24, 1970 AMADO
• National Artist for Literature 1973 VEGA
• Hernandez is a poet, playwright, and novelist.
He views writers as the conscience of the
HERNANDEZ
society and that they should uplift human spirit
in times of oppression through being the voice
of the society. The first Filipino socio-political
novel that exposes the problems of the society
was titled Mga Ibong Mandaragit and
Hernandez wrote this when he was in prison.
• Some of his works: Bayang Malaya, Isang
Dipang Langit, Luha ng Buwaya
 Major Works
 
a. Mga Ibong Mandaragit (Birds of Prey)
It is the first sociopolitical novel that tackled the agrarian problems of the 1950s. It also
dared to serve as a sequel to Dr. Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo. It begins with the fulfillment
of the prophecy of Fr. Florentino, which he uttered when Simon died. He took the jewels
from Simon and threw them into the sea. In this novel, the jewels were retrieved by Mando
Plaridel.
 
b. Luha Ng Buwaya (Crocodile’s Tears)
This novel was based on the experiences of Amado V. Hernandez while in prison. It was
inspired by the sociopolitical problems in the Philippines from 1930 to 1950. Crocodiles are
a Filipino symbolism for the corrupt officials that the poor farmers and labor leaders are
fighting against.
• “Doveglion” (Dove, Eagle, Lion)
JOSE
• August 5, 1908 – February 7, 1997
GARCIA
• National Artist for Literature 1973
Villa is considered to be one of the VILLA
finest contemporary poets. He is also
known as the comma poet for he
introduced comma poems that made
use of punctuation mark in a poetic
way.
• Some of his works: Footnote to
Youth, Many Voices, Poems 55
 Writing Style

● Today, Villa is known and remembered as the man who transformed Philippine poetry. This
is because he challenged the literary conventions and crafted styles and subjects that became
the subjects of study and imitation, such as the reversed consonance, rhyme scheme and the
comma poems. These two made use of punctuation marks in an innovative and poetic way.
● Reversed consonance rhyme scheme – In this rhyme scheme, the last sounded consonants
of the last syllable are reversed to form the corresponding rhyme.
Examples:
» near and run
» light and tell
● Comma poems – These are poems in which a comma is placed after every word. Villa said,
“The commas are an integral and essential part of the medium; regulating the poem’s verbal
density and time movement: enabling each word to attain a fuller tonal value, and the line
movement to become more measured.
• “Quijano de Manila”
• May 4, 1917 – April 29, 2004
• National Artist for Literature 1976
NICK
• Joaquin has written several poems, plays,
novels, short stories, and essays including
JOAQUIN
journalism. English language critics coined
“Joaquinesque” to describe his reinventions in
English based on Filipinisms. His pieces
explored Spanish colonial past and the social
changes evident in the country.
• Some of his works: The Woman Who Had
Two Navels, May Day Eve, Cave and
Shadows
 Major Works
 
He has written works in every category of literature. A master of all trades, Quijano de Manila
shone in every genre he wrote in.
Here are some of his short stories:
 
“May Day Eve”
A pioneer of magical realism, the story features a mirror that looks into the future and the past,
which was a key in unraveling the narration.
This short story is about Badoy and Agueda, and how their view of each other ruined their
marriage since it began in 1987.
The story reveals that their marriage was born of a raging passion and gives the message that
love and marriage do not thrive on passion alone.
“Summer Solstice”
This is a short story about a three-day ritual performed by women during
St. John’s festival set in 1850s Philippines.
The Tatarin festival celebrates women as they are the ones who carry the
child. This is also the ritual of fertility performed by women. This story
revolves around how women take the lead on fertility. It celebrates the
women’s ability to carry a child and how it should make her feel stronger
than a man and as someone deserving of adoration. Nick Joaquin's other
famous works include “The House on Zapote Street,” A Portrait of the
Artist as Filipino, and The Woman Who Had Two Navels, among others.
• January 14, 1898 – December 15, 1985
• National Artist for Literature 1982
• Romulo was the first Asian president of the
CARLOS
United Nations General Assembly, formerly P.
Philippine Ambassador to Washington, D.C.,
and later minister of foreign affairs. His ROMULO
articles predicting the outbreak of World War
II won America’s coveted Pulitzer Prize in
Journalism and he was the only Asian to win
the award.
• Some of his works: The United (novel), I Saw
the Fall of the Philippines, Mother America
(war-time memoirs)
• September 6, 1916 – August 1, 2002
CO
• National Artist for Literature 1990 ARCELLA
• Arcellana is a teacher, writer, poet, NA
journalist, and critic. He is one of the
originators of modern Filipino short story in
English. He introduced the progress of the
short story as a lyrical prose-poetic form.
He believes that the pride of fiction is “that
it is able to render truth, that is able to
present reality”.
• Some of his works: Death in a Factory, A
Clown Remembers, Lina
• “N.V.M Gonzales” NESTOR
• September 8, 1916 – November 28. 1999
• National Artist for Literature 1997
VICENTE
• Gonzalez is an essayist, poet, fictionist and a MADALI
teacher who connected Filipino spirit in urban and
rural landscapes. He received several recognitions
GONZALEZ
including Gawad CCP Para sa Sining in 1990,
Republic Cultural Heritage Award in 1960 and First
Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940. Gonzales
is known for using English language in expressing
and enhancing the culture of the Filipino and the
country.
• Some of his works: The Winds of April, The Bread
of Salt and Other Stories, Seven Hills Away
 ROLAN
• March 5, 1937 – July 7, 1997
• National Artist for Theater and Literature DO S.
1997
• Tinio is a thespian, poet, critic, translator, TINIO
playwright, and teacher. He staged
productions of the Ateneo Experimental
Theater then he took Teatro Pilipino where
he revived traditional dreama through re-
staging old theater forms such as sarswela.
• Some of his works: Sitsit sa Kuliglig
(poetry), Ang Mestisa (sarswela), Gamitin
Mo Ako (film script)
 LEVI
• April 30, 1910 – April 2, 2002
• National Artist for Music and Literature
CELERI
1997
• Celerio is a creative composer and lyricist
O
for decades. He was recognized by the
Guinness Book of World Records as the
only person who was able to make music
using a leaf. He translated the lyrics to
traditional melodies such as
“Alibangbang”, “Ako ay May Singsing”,
and “O Maliwanag na Buwan”
ACTIVIT
Y
 [ACTIVITY 4.1]
LET’S READ!
DIRECTIONS: Read the
selection below and answer the
questions that follow. (5pts
each)
 [ACTIVITY 4.1] LET’S READ!
DIRECTIONS: READ THE SELECTION BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
(5PTS
EACH)

Footnote to Youth
Jose Garcia Villa
 [ACTIVITY 4.1] LET’S READ!
DIRECTIONS: READ THE SELECTION BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
(5PTS
EACH)

1. What is the story’s “footnote” to the Filipino youth?

2. What is meant by the lines “Youth must triumph... now.
Love must triumph... now. Afterwards... it will be life”?
3. How is the story reflective of Philippine society in general?
4. Identify your favorite character in the story. If you were in
his/her situation, what will you do? Why?
5. Is there any scenario in the story that is still true today?
Explain and support your answer.
 [ACTIVITY 4.2]
LET’S IDENTIFY!
DIRECTIONS: Match the
authors in column A to their
works in column B. Write the
letter of your answer in the
space provided.
 [ACTIVITY 4.2] LET’S IDENTIFY!
DIRECTIONS: Match the authors in column A to their works in column B. Write
the letter of your answer in the space provided.
_____1. Edith L. Tiempo a. Sa Sariling Bayan
_____2. Virgilio S. Almario b. Summer Suns
_____3. F. Sionil Jose c c. Gamitin Mo Ako
_____4. Bienvenido Lumbera d. May Day Eve
_____5. Jose Garcia Villa e. The Winds of April
_____6. Nick Joaquin f. The Native Coast
_____7. Cirilo Bautista g. Bayang Malaya
_____8. Rolando Tinio h. The Pretenders
_____9. N.V.M Gonzalez i. Footnote to Youth
_____10. Amado Hernandez j. Mutyang Dilim
THE NATIONAL
ARTISTS FOR
LITERATURE
 L.
• April 22, 1919 – August 21, 2011
• National Artist for Literature 1999
TIEMP
• Edith Tiempo is a literary critic, poet,
fictionist, and a teacher who is considered
O
to be one of the finest English writers.
Tiempo and her late husband founded and
directed Siliman National Writers
Workshop in Dumaguete City.
• Some of his works: A Blade of Fern, The
Native Coast, The Alien Corn
 Writing Style
 
 Her works are usually characterized by a remarkable fusion
of craftsmanship and insight, and substance and style.
 Two of her much anthologized poems, “The Little
Marmoset” or “Lament for the Littlest Fellow” and
“Bonsai” have been described as an intricate verbal
transfiguration of significant experiences.
 The language she uses is “descriptive but unburdened by
scrupulous detailing.”
 Literary Works
 
“The Return”
- This poem is about an old soldier, reminiscing his glorious past, his eventful
adventures, and reminding us that all experiences are preserved in our
memory, allowing us to go back in time to view the brightest moments of our
past.
“Bonsai”
- This poem is about love. It talks about how a person could compact a big
thing to a small one to be able to share it or give it to others. The poem
particularly talks about the love of mothers.
Other Works:
- The Tracks of Babylon and Other Poems written in 1966
- The Charmer’s Box and Other Poems written in 1993
 CO
• December 3, 1924
SIONIL
• National Artist for Literature 2001
• Aside from being a writer, F. Sionil
JOSE
Jose is also a lecturer on cultural
issues, publisher, and founder of the
international organization PEN-
Philippine Chapter.
• Some of his works: The Pretenders,
Mass, Po-on
 Major Works
He focused on uncovering the Filipino identity in his stories; and dreams of
a Philippines that is free from the influences of its colonizers.
Here are some of his works:
“The God Stealer”
 The story “The God Stealer,” similar to F. Sionil José’s other works,
focuses on the debilitating effect of the colonial rule in the formation of
the Filipino identity.
 Philip, the main character, is a symbolism of the Philippines trying to
please the Americans, which is symbolized by Sam (Uncle Sam).
 Philip also reflects the Filipinos trying to cut their Filipino roots and
losing their national identity.
 VIRGIL
• March 9, 1944
• National Artist for Literature 2003
IO S.
• Almario is a literary historian, critic, and
poet who is also known as Rio Alma. He
ALMAR
reinvented traditional Filipino poetic
forms. He founded literary workshops- the
IO
Galian sa Arte at Tula (GAT) and the
Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika at Anyo
(LIRA).
• Some of his works: Ang Makata sa
Panahon ng Makina, Mutyang Dilim, Sa
Kandungan ng Lupa
 ALEJAND
• July 13, 1924 – May 23, 2011 RO R.
• National Artist for Literature 2003
ROCES
• “You cannot be a great writer;
first, you have to be a good
person” – Alejandro Roces He is
an essayist and a short story
writer. Roces is considered as the
country’s best comic short stories
writer.
 BIENVENI
• April 11, 1932 DO
• National Artist for Literature LUMBERA
2006
• Lumbera is a scholar and a
poet. He introduced Bagay
poetry to Tagalog literature.
• Some of his works: Likhang
Dila, Likhang Diwa, Sa Sariling
Bayan
 LAZARO
• “Master of the Tagalog Novel”
• February 22, 1898 – June 17, 1980
FRANCIS
• National Artist for Literature 2009 CO
• Francisco developed Philippine fiction’s
social realist tradition. He gained
distinction for his “masterful handling of
the Tagalog language” and “supple prose
style”. He established Kapatiran ng mga
Alagad ng Wikang Pilipino (KAWIKA) in
1958.
• Some of his works: Ama, Maganda Pa
Ang Daigdig, Bayang Nagpatiwakal
 F.
• July 9, 1941 – May 6, 2018
BAUTIST
• National Artist for Literature 2014
• Bautista is an essayist, poet, and
A
fictionist with significant works to the
development of the country’s literary
arts. He was contributory in the
formation of the Bienvenido Santos
Creative Writing Center in the De La
Salle University.
• Some of his works: Summer Suns,
Words and Battlefields, Galaw ng Asoge
 RESIL
• September 4, 1943 MOJARE
• National Artist for Literature S
2018
• Critic, writer, teacher, and
cultural researcher who founded
Cebuano Studies Center.
• Some of his works: House of
Memory: Essays, Isabelo’s
Archive
 L.
• March 20, 1913 – August 17, 1992 MUZONE
• National Artist for Literature 2018
• Ilonggo lawyer and writer who as
S
given credit for popularizing
Hiligaynon literature through his
works.
• Some of his works: Babae Batuk
sa Kalibutan, Malala nga Gutom
THANK
YOU!